As one of the greatest storytellers in wrestling history, The Undertaker has a distinct philosophy on what makes a great match. Speaking on the Mic Check with Mr. Anderson podcast, he described his preferred method of calling matches in the ring and shared his thoughts on what he feels is missing from some modern wrestling.
The “Lost Art” of Calling It in the Ring
The Undertaker explained that he prefers to work on the fly, especially on non-televised events, as it allows for more creativity and a better connection with the audience. “You never know how your audience is going to take something, or how they’re going to receive it,” he said. “And if you can’t move on the fly, you know, you kind of get, sometimes you get pigeonholed into like, ‘Oh my god, they’re not buying any of this.’ And it just gets progressively worse.”
“I think that really is kind of a lost… art,” he continued. “If you allow yourself to just live in the moment, I always, always just felt like your best matches [happen].”
“Tell Me a Story”
The Hall of Famer now tries to instill this philosophy in the next generation of talent at the WWE Performance Center, admitting it can be a challenge. “It’s hard now, man, it’s so hard because I’m not hands-on every day,” he said. He explained that his main message to young wrestlers is to focus on emotion and storytelling over just athletic moves.
“I’m constantly saying, ‘Man, I don’t care. I don’t need to see flippy dues. I don’t need to see this. What I need you to do is tell me a story,'” The Undertaker stated. “Go out there and feel this, feel like you’re kicking somebody’s ass, feel like you’re getting your ass kicked. And make it organic.” He believes the core elements of what makes wrestling work will never change, regardless of how much the in-ring style evolves.
The Undertaker currently works with up-and-coming talent in a mentorship role, making sporadic visits to the WWE Performance Center. He also hosts the reality competition show LFG where he coaches a new generation of developmental prospects.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Mic Check with Ken Anderson with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
