Undertaker on the current generation's lack of GRIT

[Chris]

Source: f4wonline.com

The Undertaker believes that today's WWE product lacks "a level of grit."

The future WWE Hall of Famer appeared on the True Geordie podcast where he spoke about changes that have occurred in WWE since his generation aged out of the business.

"I think things have changed and I can't just say that it's changed in wrestling. I think in all sports, it's a different generation. Call it evolution if you want," he said. "I don't think guys are leading the same lifestyles that guys in the past did."

He continued to say that today's wrestlers are under constant surveillance which prevents them from doing many of the same things previous generations did.

"I didn't have to worry about that because there wasn't cell phones," he said.

"When I came up, the locker room was a lot different. It was pretty crusty. You drove everywhere, right? You didn't fly very often so there were a few guys that had knives in their bags, guns in their bags. It was a different group of men. Not saying one's better or one's worse but they just had a different way of settling things."

He went on to say that these changes may have led to a lack of grit in the current WWE product.

“I feel like there is a level of grit that is missing from today’s product. I don’t know that it's anybody’s fault. We all aged out and so that new group has come up,” Taker said.

He then used Brock Lesnar as an example of someone who still has that same grit.

“When you watch Brock wrestle, you’re interested because you know he’s got this background, not only as an amateur wrestler, professional wrestler, mixed martial artist. Brock doesn’t do a bunch of crazy moves, Brock manhandles your ass. You get in there and you get thrown around and you get smashed. Roman (Reigns) has a little bit of that to him and when he wants to, Randy (Orton) has that to him.”

He went on to say that younger WWE wrestlers are influenced more by superheroes and comic books.

“A lot of that younger talent, it’s the evolution of that comic book era, the superhero era, and I think that’s what their motivation and that's what their inspiration is. They didn’t have to come up and bust heads in bars and figure out how they’re going to eat and things like that. Good or bad, it's what it is.”

 

[Deezy]

He's just saying things are different today, and we had to do more shit to get to where we got.

But someone will eventually not read it and go on a "Blue Lives Matter" rant and something about oldmen yelling at clouds.

 

[Dale]

"not saying one's better or one's worse" Motherfucker everyone can see through your words, just say you have a certain affinity to the way lockerooms used to be because that's what you came up in, but at least have the self awareness to comment that todays lockerooms are probably a lot more welcoming and safer and healthier, it's really not that hard.

 

[Deezy]

todays lockerooms are probably a lot more welcoming and safer and healthier

Debatable.

 

[Rosie]

Debatable.

Maybe debatable, but there is a bit less of a "Boys will be boys" mentality. It still exists especially in some circles, but there is less focus on juicing up, proving how tough you are and manly, and even more welcoming for those of different backgrounds. The culture has changed. Still has a way to go, but there are steps forward.

But in terms of the in-ring grit he mentioned in the quote, I agree things changed, but his argument of people being "Comic books" is a bit mixed. Like I'm not sure what he means? Is it because people often have pop-culture influence their characters? Because if so, like dude, it has been a thing forever. Jericho's 2008 heel run was influenced by some characters, Sting had the Crow, UNDERTAKER'S OWN CHARACTER HAS MICHAEL MYERS INFLUENCE! And the fact some people cosplay as part of an entrance gear or attire, so what?

In terms of an in-ring style, things sort of changed naturally. Like take a look at some of the mid-card in the attitude era. Eddie, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Benoit, then cruiserweights like Rey Mysterio, Dean Melenko, etc. Their style has sort of become a norm. Whether you like it or not, this is sort of a natural evolution and there is still a place for "Grit" from Brock and etc, but wrestling is at its best when there is something for everyone. Not everyone NEEDS to " bust heads in bars" to get grit or be seen as legit.

 

[Deezy]

and even more welcoming for those of different backgrounds

A pro wrestling locker room in the 80s and 90s was more diverse than any major sports leagues by a giant margin.....

But in terms of the in-ring grit he mentioned in the quote, I agree things changed, but his argument of people being "Comic books" is a bit mixed. Like I'm not sure what he means?

Maybe he's saying people today dress as comic book characters, and think that means character, when people of his era lived their gimmicks whenever they were in any civilian setting outside oftheir private lives.

Not everyone NEEDS to " bust heads in bars" to get grit or be seen as legit.

You still need an aura of toughness.....note how far the popularity of this product has fallen since their zenith in 99. .....people believe in outlaws, they dont believe in actors playing outlaws. And this carny business was and should still be based on making people believe these goofy ass characters are believable

 

[Rosie]

A pro wrestling locker room in the 80s and 90s was more diverse than any major sports leagues by a giant margin.....

There was also quite a bit of racial bullying back then, see the WCW lawsuit related to racism.

Maybe he's saying people today dress as comic book characters, and think that means character, when people of his era lived their gimmicks whenever they were in any civilian setting outside oftheir private lives.

Kayfabe is pretty much dead in the way he had it before. And also there were quite a few "Comic book" guys back then in that they had very cartoony characters.

You still need an aura of toughness.....note how far the popularity of this product has fallen since their zenith in 99. .....people believe in outlaws, they dont believe in actors playing outlaws. And this carny business was and should still be based on making people believe these goofy ass characters are believable

The popularity falloff is probably not due to just "A lack of an aura of toughness" it is multi-layered, Things like WWF buying out WCW and doing things to alienate their fans rather than bring them over, controversies like the Benoit murder-suicide, the product falling behind in terms of how things were changing, some of the Attitude Era's bigger stars leaving in short order and more. Like it is hard to point it towards "Oh, it is because they are all goofy!" or "Nobody is tough!" Like the shit that worked in the attitude era doesn't all work today. Times change, sensibilities change, more and more now people know wrestling to be fake, like theatre. An aura of toughness can help. Like it creates that aura, but there isn't just one character. There isn't one way to be a star and one template.

 

[Deezy]

There was also quite a bit of racial bullying back then, see the WCW lawsuit related to racism.

Bischoff has stated most of WCW's lawsuits were frivolous attempts at getting a payday because Turner would settle instead of going to court and tarnishing their image. And if you look at the people involved in those suits, you could make a good question in saying that is more plausible.

But then again, it's the good ol boys of Dubya See Dubya and not exactly the locker room that Undertaker shared, and hell, his own clique was very diverse.

Kayfabe is pretty much dead in the way he had it before. And also there were quite a few "Comic book" guys back then in that they had very cartoony characters.

And the cartoony characters that were treated like it was by the people portraying them didn't amount to much, but the ones who embraced it and lived the characters even how goofy they were, did go farther and became HOF worthy acts.

The popularity falloff is probably not due to just "A lack of an aura of toughness" it is multi-layered, Things like WWF buying out WCW and doing things to alienate their fans rather than bring them over, controversies like the Benoit murder-suicide, the product falling behind in terms of how things were changing, some of the Attitude Era's bigger stars leaving in short order and more. Like it is hard to point it towards "Oh, it is because they are all goofy!" or "Nobody is tough!" Like the shit that worked in the attitude era doesn't all work today. Times change, sensibilities change, more and more now people know wrestling to be fake, like theatre. An aura of toughness can help. Like it creates that aura, but there isn't just one character. There isn't one way to be a star and one template.

Times and sensibilities changed.....exactly what Mark Calloway said in his own words.

And the aura of a tough character is still what works, shit, the biggest PPV draw in boxing right now are two YouTubers playing characters. MMA's biggest draws right now are Connor McGregor and Colby Covington. Two guys who are playing complete fabrications.....who are now buying into their their respective gimmicks.

 

[AguileraSZN]

Brock Lesnar laughed off Wrestlers Court in 2002

Taker did nothing about it

Taker babbles on about "paying your dues" yet he was a main eventer from his first day

Taker tries so hard to come off as an MMA hard man but ends up looking foolish

Taker let JBL, Bob Holly, Benoit, Bubba Ray run amok on newbies, none of them dared try that stuff with Brock, Angle, Shamrock, Severn. Can't imagine why

His "when men were men" thing he spouts off on led to early graves for a load of guys from his time

The current generation are healthier, smarter, will have longer careers than the guys who came from his era.

Taker is ruining his credibility each time he opens his mouth

His political views, i won't get into



From TCL 20 SE

 

[Y2Jayne]

"Not saying one's better or one's worse but they just had a different way of settling things."

 

[Cwalker]

Brock Lesnar laughed off Wrestlers Court in 2002

Taker did nothing about it

Taker babbles on about "paying your dues" yet he was a main eventer from his first day

Taker tries so hard to come off as an MMA hard man but ends up looking foolish

Taker let JBL, Bob Holly, Benoit, Bubba Ray run amok on newbies, none of them dared try that stuff with Brock, Angle, Shamrock, Severn. Can't imagine why

His "when men were men" thing he spouts off on led to early graves for a load of guys from his time

The current generation are healthier, smarter, will have longer careers than the guys who came from his era.

Taker is ruining his credibility each time he opens his mouth

His political views, i won't get into



From TCL 20 SE

Isn’t working the indies and not making any money back then considered “paying your dues”?

 

[texansfan99]

I'm going to have to agree with him on that. Nowadays, we're worried about what HBK and Bret Hart are going to do next with some dude working at a Ground terminal.

Sent from my SM-A025U1 using Tapatalk

 

[Deadmanforever97]

I agree with Taker on this due to the fact that Mark Henry said in an interview that ...

"The locker room was more like a prison setting"

On top of that Taker is basically explaining how the guys nowadays worry more about their marketing image than putting their bodies on the line to entertain the fans.

Let's face it 60 to 75 percent of these guys wouldn't even be in WWE from Ruthless Aggression Era all the way back to the Golden Era of the 80s.

If you were to see a few of them back then the highest they would go would be Opening Card.

Taker's just say they're very few of the legit tough guys and bad asses. No one has that vibe or feeling unlike the wrestlers he just listed.

 

[Swerve]

Hard to argue wiith a DeadMan.

 

[Dale]

On top of that Taker is basically explaining how the guys nowadays worry more about their marketing image than putting their bodies on the line to entertain the fans.

Hard disagree about the bodies on the line part, not sure how you came to that conclusion.