The Undertaker Encouraged Brock Lesnar To Leave WWE In 2004
The Undertaker recently spoke with the True Geordie podcast about his match with Goldberg in Saudi Arabia.
The encounter saw several issues between them, and the Deadman admitted that if he'd been working full-time, he could have recognized the problems.
"That was one of those things that happen. He's done that move a million times, I don't know if he was concussed at that point yet. Part of that is because I am not working a full schedule at that point," he said. "I'm not kicking on all my cylinders where I can recognize the fact that, 'okay, maybe we shouldn't do this.'
"I am working off of — people are expecting big things because it's Goldberg and it's Undertaker, and it's the first time that we've ever thought. That's what I am thinking, right? I am just thinking, 'we've got to pay this off.' Maybe if I was working more often, I would have recognized that maybe we shouldn't do that."
The Undertaker also reflected on Brock Lesnar's first run within WWE. He revealed some advice that he had given to the Beast, encouraging him to do what was right for himself.
"I think Brock was at a point where I think he wanted to do something different," he said. "And honestly, and I really haven't told this story very often, he was thinking about going to play pro football. I was like, 'Brock, you've got to do what is right for Brock. Everyone is going to be pissed that you're going to leave. And they've put all this money and push behind you. But if you don't go do this, you're going to look back one day with the what-ifs.' I don't know how much influence he had, he did end up leaving."
The Undertaker admitted that he did not hold any grudges about Brock Lesnar leaving wrestling to focus on MMA. The reason for that was the fact that he always expected Brock to return down the line.
"I didn't hold any grudge, always in the back of my mind, it felt like he would be back someday. It's just usually the way it works out," he said. "But I do know you can't live with what-ifs, it'll eat you up. I didn't have as big of a problem as some people did with it."
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit True Geordie with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.