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The Undertaker's decision to break kayfabe and let fans into the real life of Mark Calaway has been a controversial development. It's a divisive topic among wrestling fans. WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin recently shared his thoughts on the matter, and he stated that Calaway should be allowed to be himself now.
Austin and The Undertaker are two of the most iconic stars in WWE history. Both men have reigned as world champions, and they led the company to new heights during the Attitude Era. Injuries forced Austin to retire from his career as an active wrestler in 2003. But The Undertaker continued to wrestle until WWE WrestleMania 36 in 2020.
In an appearance on Busted Open Radio, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin spoke with hosts Dave LeGreca and Bully Ray about the second season of his show, "Straight Up Steve Austin." The legendary star also discussed several other topics. When LeGreca told Austin he didn't feel comfortable about how The Undertaker has been breaking kayfabe, Austin respectfully disagreed.
"I can appreciate what you're saying. Because you're one of those guys that couldn't stand to see Taker lift up the veil and finally say after 30 years, 'Believe it or not, I'm a human being.' That's the way I look at it because I'm a big fan of the business as anybody. And I understand kayfabe, I understand protecting the business, but when it's time to ride off into the sunset, it's time. If Mark Callaway never talked about being The Undertaker, why shouldn't he have that opportunity to do that, just like anybody else, because he can't be The Undertaker anymore. He can make an appearance on RAW, or whatever, but now it's time to live his life, and the majority of his life was being that guy. So I think it's great for him to do it, it doesn't bother me in the least. I mean hell, I've done it, and to a point, you don't start going in that cycle, everybody's asking the same questions. But that's going to take a long time, so I think it's outstanding," said Austin.
Austin argued that The Undertaker, or Calaway, should be treated like everyone else. Plenty of other retired stars openly break kayfabe and talk about their careers. "Stone Cold" suggested that The Undertaker has certainly earned the right to do the same thing. Austin said he supports Calaway's newfound openness, and he called it "outstanding."
Stone Cold Steve Austin reflects on The Undertaker's second appearance on "The Broken Skull Sessions"
Bully Ray and Austin were on the same page, as they both said Calaway should get to live his life however he sees fit. As The Undertaker, Calaway was dedicated to his gimmick for three decades, so he's probably eager to be himself. On that note, Austin reflected on how he personally spoke with Calaway on the legend's second appearance on "The Broken Skull Sessions."
"And you know, like I said, and that first time he was on the show, I said, man I've known you for a long time , but I don't know you very well because it was a shoot. And then he came back on that second time and, you know, and I busted out that bottle of Jack pretty quick. And we started drinking a couple of beers and, you know, it wasn't about him letting his guard down, you know Mark. Mark's a smart, smart guy, but he was more comfortable with me on that second round. It's just two grizzled veterans, I ain't gonna date us, but you talk about two grizzled veterans from Texas who have spent a lifetime, him longer than me, in love with the business of pro wrestling and performing at the highest level. And sitting there just talking shop, not inside shop, trading stores and just reliving some good times, and it truly goes back to that song in his series A Troubadour, which is just a BS session with a cool a** guy," said Austin.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit Busted Open Radio with a h/t to Sportskeeda for the transcription.
