“Nobody Imagined The Undertaker Would Lose”: Former WWE Official, Who Worked Out With Vince McMahon, Defends Decision of Giving Brock Lesnar a Major Honor (Exclusive)

Death, taxes, and The Undertaker winning at WrestleMania were certainties. That is why, when the streak unceremoniously ended at WrestleMania 30, it left people in disbelief. Nobody saw it coming. In the age of the internet, where smart fans know exactly how things will play out, WWE managed to sell that eternal surprise.

Over the years, WWE has given its fans moments that will last a lifetime. From classic matches to heart-warming moments, WWE knows well how to get the fans emotionally invested. In terms of pure shock value, very few will come even close to the one produced by Brock Lesnar ending The Undertaker’s legendary WrestleMania streak.

 

The literal jaw-dropping fan reactions, the 21-1 sign and a despondent Undertaker are images that will remain with WWE Universe forever. Recently, a former WWE Vice President Rob Kligman spoke about how the ending of the streak was the right decision.

Kligman said nobody saw Brock Lesnar ending The Undertaker’s streak

When Brock Lesnar hit a third F-5 to The Undertaker at WrestleMania 30, everyone expected him to kick out. We had all been there before. The Deadman fights the odds and kicks out multiple finishers. Then he rallies to hit back and put his opponent to rest for the 3-count. Everyone goes home happy, and the streak lives on.

But when referee Chad Patton’s hand hit the mat the third time following Lesnar’s F-5, there was a deafening silence. No immediate music followed, no announcement of the winner, just shock and silence. Indeed, this will go down as one of the most shocking moments in pro wrestling history.

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Rob Kligman, who used to work out with Vince McMahon, talked about the ending of the streak in an exclusive interview on our Essentially Rasslin podcast. He spoke about whether Lesnar ending the legendary streak was the right idea at that time.

Kligman said, “I think it was the right time. I still remember a certain person who was in the audience and you could see his mouth drop and literally stay there for about a minute. People were floored. When you think about storyline it’s hard to surprise the WWE fan. Because the fan knows and thinks what’s gonna happen next.”

The segment was a big success because nobody thought The Undertaker could lose at WrestleMania. Kligman stated, “I have to admit that had to be the number one moment of surprise that everybody still talks about to this day nobody ever imagined The Undertaker would lose.[…] you were amazed because we never thought it would happen and never thought it would happen to somebody like the Undertaker.”

Rob Kligman is right, ‘The Phenom losing at WrestleMania was indeed a surprise. He had beaten the likes of Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Randy Orton, Batista, and other famed names to stretch his WrestleMania streak to 21-0. Many even thought The Undertaker would retire with the streak intact.

But Brock Lesnar became the one who made it 21-1. It remains a hot topic whether ‘The Beast’ should’ve ended the streak or even if it had to end at all. What are your thoughts on the ending of The Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak? Let us know in the comments.

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