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Following last weekend's Money In The Bank pay-per-view, the WWE Universe was allowed a peek behind the curtain into the career THE most enigmatic Superstar of all time in Undertaker: The Last Ride Chapter 1 - The Greatest Fear.
The Undertaker, up until recently, has been the most secretive Superstar in the history of WWE with The Deadman maintaining his privacy and, thus, the mystery and kayfabe` of his character - until now, as Taker revealed when talking about the docu-series.
The Last Ride documents the past few years of Undertaker's career, from 2017 onwards, with Chapter 1 focusing on The Streak ending and what was meant to be The Undertaker's final match against Roman Reigns. If you haven't already, you can watch The Greatest Fear on WWE Network now, or read all about it here.
This weekend, Chapter 2 will be released to the WWE Universe, but I've been lucky enough to watch the second episode in its entirety ahead of the official premiere. Much like Chapter 1, it is most definitely unmissable and maybe even more raw and revealing than the inaugural episode!
Undertaker: The Last Ride - Chapter 2
The chapter begins with a shot of Undertaker watching his WrestleMania match with Roman Reigns eight months on with his wife Michelle McCool.
"I'm already limping. They should have just played the package and called it a day."
Undertaker still seems adamant that he has retired, although he reiterates his disappointment at the match, while Reigns reveals how the match wasn't perfect, but these things happen, and Vince McMahon says, "First and foremost, you care about the human being, then the character."
The rawest, and literally the closest look we'll ever get of The Deadman comes in this chapter when we see very real footage of his hip surgery. We witness the entire pre-op with the legend running down his list of surgeries, before joking that Vince was giving him grief about not leaving the hospital the same day.
One of the most atmospheric, yet bizarre, moments of all time, though, comes as the surgeon enters the theater with Undertaker's theme playing as The Deadman dozes off, something the WrestleMania veteran says he remembers well.
This episode, too, gives us a much closer look into the personal life of the Phenom, as Michelle McCool jokes, "We’re Uber drivers for the kids but I don’t think he’d have it any other way", and revealing that the Mark Calaway we don't see is kind, humble, romantic and playful. A tearful Undertaker chokes back tears saying he wouldn't be nearly the man he is without her.
The entire process of Undertaker's return is documented, too, with The Deadman's contract expiring and him traveling to WWE HQ for a meeting with Vince to figure out his role.
"A lot of people ask, "What’s Vince really like?" Take what you see on TV and amp it up. His walk to the ring kills my mum ."
It's revealed that Undertaker even named one of his sons after his beloved boss, giving them the middle name Vincent.
"I can’t think of anybody more influential than my life, other than my father, than Vince. I love Vince to death. I would take a bullet for the man, honestly.”
The docu-series shows backstage footage of The Undertaker and Vince McMahon saying they love each other in scenes you really have to see to believe before McMahon is choked up and visibly in tears when asked what Undertaker means to him. He tells the camera to cut and says, “Can’t do that”.
Undertaker also reveals, while backstage at the Royal Rumble where he was supporting Michelle McCool, how he'd have loved to work with AJ Styles, his WrestleMania opponent this year.
"He gets it. He reminds me a lot of Shawn."
The road to redemption, and to WrestleMania, starts here. The Deadman reveals how Vince called after the Royal Rumble to float the idea about a match with John Cena, which The Undertaker revealed was appealing but he wasn't prepared for until watching back the Roman Reigns match.
"I looked old, I looked slow. I was overweight, I couldn’t move. It wasn't Undertaker-esque. I had one match too many."
Then the road to redemption began. WWE sent Undertaker a ring, which he set up in a jet ski repair center and both parties agreed to a deadline of Elimination Chamber for The Deadman's decision. Undertaker trains and jokes, “What am I doing? I’m pretty sure I officially retired” before McCool jokes, "At least five times".
Possibly the most chilling scene then occurs as Undertaker details his decision and we see the video he sent to Mr. McMahon during Elimination Chamber as a rib to keep him waiting. Taker stands in the ring and says:
"I ain’t as good as I once was, but I’m as good once as I ever was. See you in New Orleans.”
"My body did everything I asked it to and I didn’t even have to ask it."
Undertaker's match with John Cena at WrestleMania 34 is then detailed before we see an exchange backstage where Roman Reigns tells The Phenom he looks great. Undertaker tells The Big Dog how bad he feels about disappointing Reigns the previous year.
"Selfishly. I would have liked to have been out there a little longer."
Undertaker confirms how happy he was with his performance at The Showcase of Immortals, but says he trained for 45 minutes and got five, before telling wife Michelle McCool. “I feel like I’ve got another match in me", to be met with the response, "Oh, please".
"There’s no sense in me giving you an answer because I couldn’t give you an honest one."
Undertaker: The Last Ride, WWE’s new five-episode limited series event, will begin streaming on WWE Network this Sunday:
- Chapter 1 – Available now on WWE Network
- Chapter 2 – Sunday, May 17 on demand beginning at 10 am ET
- Chapter 3 – Sunday, May 24 on demand beginning at 10 am ET
- Chapter 4 – Sunday, June 14 on demand beginning at 10 am ET
- Chapter 5 – Sunday, June 21 on demand beginning at 10 am ET
Visit www.wwe.com/wwenetwork for information on how to sign-up
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