The Undertaker talks AAA role, WrestleMania streak, best and worst chokeslam, and more

The Undertaker sat down with Chris Van Vliet at Fanatics Fest in New York City to discuss his role in AAA and the legendary El Grande Americano mask vs. mask match, his favorite matches from the WrestleMania streak, the story behind his Old School move, who took the best and worst chokeslam, dragging Hulk Hogan with his motorcycle, how much longer he wants to do his podcast, and more!

Well, you’re working with AAA now. So, what exactly is the role you have with AAA? And also, how much credit do you take for one of the greatest matches, El Grande Americano versus Original El Grande Americano?

“Myself and Jeremy Borash kind of had this idea, but El Grande and Chad Gable, man, they took the thought and the idea, and they really took it to a whole different level. There were some highly motivating speeches that I gave both of them before they would go out.”

What did those sound like?

“I don’t know how [if I can say], there’s a bunch of kids here [laughs]. No, I would reiterate to them how important what they’re about to go out and do is not only for AAA but for their own personal careers, trying to motivate them to do things differently and be more edgy, more aggressive, more violent. It took a while for that to kind of set in, and for them to see my vision. My vision is, I want us to put out a product that is completely different from NXT, it’s completely different from SmackDown or Raw. I want it to be different from every other wrestling. That starts, to me, with storytelling, athleticism, and aggression. It’s a process, and everybody’s starting to buy into it and realizing that what we’re doing down there has got the attention of the wrestling community.”

What exactly is your role with AAA?

“I thought I dodged that question. I went all the way around it. Oh my gosh! I guess in layman’s terms, I’m the head of creative.”

When we talk about The Streak, I think the match that immediately pops into people’s heads is WrestleMania 30. The streak ending. I’m curious, what are your top three WrestleMania matches during the streak?

“Well, there’s actually probably four, and they’re all right there together. 25, 26, 27 and 28. I had great matches with Batista, and I had a great match with Edge, but I think the 25, 26, 27 and 28 storylines. The two with Shawn, and then the two with Triple H. I mean, it’s very rare that you get to do something like that. Because that was all one continual story. It was me and Shawn, the light versus the darkness, streak versus career, then Triple H gets involved to take up for his buddy, and then it culminates in the end of an era. I think they were all storytelling classics, and yeah, I think those four matches are what professional wrestling is supposed to be about.”

What’s the story behind the Old School?

“Well, first I stole it. I stole it from The Spoiler. I waited. I worked with Spoiler when I was in World Class Championship where I got my start. I worked with The Spoiler originally, and he did it. He did the wrist lock and walk the rope thing. So I had to wait. I had to wait till The Spoiler retired, and then I took it, and then I was like, well, if he did it this way, I’m going to do it this way. So originally, you know, I would drop somebody in the ring, and then I would go up, and then I would tightrope out three or four steps, and then drop the elbow. By the time I got to WWE in 1990, I was already walking with a limp because we would do three or four TV tapings in WCW, and that’s three or four elbows a night. So I remember Jody Hamilton. I come back after one of those matches, and he’s like, ‘Kid, you’ve taken years off your career with that elbow.’ No, sir, Mr. Hamilton. I’ll be able to do this forever. By the time I got the call to come up, I was already walking with a limp. So, those old timers know a little bit more than they get credit for sometimes.”

Who do you think took the best chokeslam, and who do you think took the worst chokeslam?

“I tell you what, Brock Lesnar’s chokeslam is pretty tough [to beat]. In fact, I think I give him one once that he actually came out of my hand at the top. He’s probably pound for pound the best chokeslam bump. Then worst? Oh my gosh. Khali was up there. Yeah, there’s been a few; there’s been a few stinkers.”

A fun segment with Hulk Hogan, where you’re dragging him around behind the motorcycle. Give me the setup for that because you’re dragging him down one hallway. I’m sure you’ve got to stop, reset, turn around, drag him back the other way.

“I think there was a point in there somewhere where he had stolen my motorcycle. Again, I don’t know chronologically, but he fancied himself as being in that biker culture too, and so somehow or another, I drop him and get him all tied up behind my bike. I’m just cruising through the arena with him, trying to run him into as much stuff as I could. I think that was after he tried to steal my bike and it stalled out on the ramp. It was a good time because I knew at the end of this long corridor behind the arena, it opened up into the loading dock, and I knew what I was trying to do was kind of to whip it close enough so that he would kind of go into the wall. I couldn’t quite generate enough speed to get the effect that I wanted, but it looked pretty good.”