WASHINGTON – It was wrestling’s most untouchable record — The Undertaker’s 21-0 win streak at Wrestlemania, from his 1991 win over Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka to his 2013 win over C.M. Punk.
But all that came to a crashing halt in 2014, when former WWE Champion Brock Lesnar returned from his UFC reign to pin The Undertaker, breaking the streak and shocking the wrestling world.
Now, the two titans will clash in a rematch at WWE SummerSlam on Sunday night in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Paul Heyman — who served as manager Paul E. Dangerously in WCW, founded ECW, and is currently WWE’s in-ring advocate for Lesnar — joined WTOP to preview the monumental match in a Q&A:
Q: You guys are going to be headlining SummerSlam here: Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker. This is a huge rematch after Brock breaking The Streak. What’s Brock doing to get ready for this?
A: The same thing he did to get ready for Wrestlemania 30. He’s training, he’s hunting, he’s eating right, he’s getting ready to just walk in the ring and destroy The Undertaker.
Q: You know The Undertaker, that was a legendary streak he dropped to Brock. He’s not going to want to lose again here. Is Brock going to really have to up his game?
A: I think The Undertaker is the one who needs to up his game. I don’t understand why anybody doesn’t understand the correlation here. I don’t think The Undertaker wanted to lose at Wrestlemania 30 either, but he had no choice in the matter. He got his ass kicked by Brock Lesnar, he got beaten by Brock Lesnar, he got beat up by Brock Lesnar, he got victimized by Brock Lesnar, and he got conquered by Brock Lesnar. And the very same thing is going to happen next Sunday at SummerSlam.
Q: It’s been such an effective concept to have Brock as a soft-spoken guy, comes to the ring, kicks ass, and leaves the talking to you. How’d you come up with the idea that you would be his vocal mouthpiece, because it works really well to have the two of you like that.
A: Because Brock Lesnar is the best at what he does, which is get his hands on people and rip them limb from limb, and I’m the best at what I do, which is rip people up on the microphone. So it’s just a natural pairing that the both of us understand works for each other.
Q: Compare Brock’s first run, his pre-UFC, pre-NFL run back when he was headlining Wrestlemanias with Kurt Angle and, ouch, landing on his head in that crazy Shooting Star Press. That was a powerful run when you first introduced him. Compare what it was like when you were first introducing him to an audience, to now reintroducing him now that he’s a known brand.
A: I always presume that everybody watching television is a first-time viewer, so I feel the need to explain to them who I am, which is why I introduce myself by the way, and who Brock is, which is the most accomplished, the most dominant, the most gifted, the most authentic, the most realistic fighter in the history of the WWE. The only man to hold the NCAA Division 1 Heavyweight Championship, the UFC Heavyweight Championship, the WWE Heavyweight Championship. He’s the only being on the planet to hold all three. So I don’t see any difference in how I present Brock back then to how I present Brock now, because I always presume that anyone watching is a first-time viewer.
Q: That’s a good way to do it. Let’s pretend our WTOP listeners are first-time viewers. Could you introduce yourself as you usually do (on television)?
A: Well, I could.
Q: May you please, sir?
A: Sure. For those of you who don’t know, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Paul Heyman and I am the advocate for the beast incarnate, the conqueror Brock Lesnar, the single most dominant sports entertainer, the single most dominant fighter, the single most dominant wrestler, the biggest box office attraction in WWE history, who next Sunday, August 23rd, will arrive in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York and will rip The Undertaker limb from limb, take The Undertaker to Suplex City, beat The Undertaker’s ass, victimize The Undertaker, conquer The Undertaker, and rid WWE of The Undertaker permanently, right before your very eyes — only on the WWE Network.
Q: Now I know you are very partial to Brock in this match, but could you say a little bit about Taker’s run, why he was so big to WWE, even though you say his time is up and it’s Brock’s turn?
A: I didn’t say Undertaker’s time is up. That’s putting words in my mouth. I think if The Undertaker picked a fight with anybody right now, The Undertaker would easily win. I don’t see anybody being able to stand up to The Undertaker. There’s not a man alive right now that can step into the ring with The Undertaker who’s this driven, this focused and now has something to make up for since he lost at Wrestlemania 30. The problem is, The Undertaker isn’t fighting a man, he’s fighting a beast. He’s fighting a conqueror. He’s fighting a once-in-a-lifetime athlete named Brock Lesnar. So it’s no slight to The Undertaker that he’s going to get his ass kicked by Brock Lesnar. Any human being who steps in the ring with Brock Lesnar is going to get his ass kicked. It’s not even a fair fight!
Q: How’s the card shaking out? Are you guys going to be the headliner or is it going to be (John) Cena-(Seth) Rollins? Are they going to be your undercard since that’s the title match?
A: I don’t know. If I was in that locker room, I’d never want to follow Brock Lesnar.
Q: Is that still up in the air, or are you guys going to headline the show?
A: I never asked.
Q: What about that match? Why should we look forward to that match as well, Cena-Rollins?
A: It’s a double title match. It’s a pretty interesting situation where one man is going to walk out with the undisputed WWE Heavyweight Championship of the World and the U.S. Championship, so it’s certainly not a match with just typical stakes on the line. It’s a match with both titles on the line, which I think is a unique situation with two of the top stars of not only the past year, but the past decade.
Q: I gotta ask you, on Steve Austin’s podcast, you had some fightin’ words for him with a possible Wrestlemania match. I know there’s nothing set or anything like that, but is that something that you guys would still be interested in?
A: I would always be interested in anything involving Stone Cold Steve Austin. I think he’s made it very clear that he’s never going to wrestle again, so that’s off the table. But anything involving Steve Austin to me is always very interesting.
Q: So how did that explode a little on his podcast there? How did that come up?
A: We were given extra time after the hour we were allotted, no one was giving us a cue to wrap up, he was finished with his questions, I had a few of my own, and one of them was: ‘What would it take to fight Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania,’ which as Brock’s advocate, I felt was a very logical question. I did not expect to get that answer from Steve, nor did he expect to get that question from me.
Q: I think he snapped back into that old Austin mode immediately. It was beautiful to watch that happen. I know he basically said he’s not going to fight anymore. Was part of you deep down hoping that would snap him into wanting to do it one last time?
A: Of course. Wouldn’t you?!?
Q: Absolutely. That would be a dream match. And it’s in Texas (Austin’s home state).
A: I don’t care if it’s in Timbuktu, it’s Stone Cold Steve Austin we’re talking about. He’s a global superstar. Just because it’s in Texas doesn’t make it any bigger. It might make it bigger for him personally, but for the general public, I don’t think either Muhammad Ali or Joe Frazier were from Manila, but that match is still talked about today.
***At this point, the WWE spokesman jumps in with a two-minute warning to wrap up the interview***
Oh my God, was that God?!?
Q: I think it was! Either that or Vince McMahon. The same difference right?
A: Who was that person?!?
Q: I don’t know. I think you should ask him how the match is gonna go, if it was God…
A: What makes you think GOD is the one we’re going to listen to in terms of how that match is going to go down?!?
Q: So you think Brock could even defy God and beat The Undertaker?
A: Well he did at Wrestlemania 30, didn’t he?
Q: That’s true. Before we wrap up, I wanted to ask: You did so much for the business, founding ECW and then you had your “invasion” angle in the WWE and that was great with Stephanie and Shane (McMahon). Are you happy where you are now in terms of your role in the WWE? I know you took some time off and now you’re back. Are you really in your sweet spot now?
A: Ecstatic. Exhilarated. Having the time of my life.
Q: Well that’s great, because no one can do the mic like you, so keep up the good work. I will be there. My buddy and I are roadtripping to Brooklyn and we’re gonna watch this thing!
A: Oh, that makes it even bigger for me now. Just because you’ll be there! I need to go tell Brock.
Q: Yeah, go tell him right now that WTOP will be there.
A: Oh, he’ll be so happy.
Listen to the full interview below:
