It's been nearly 12 years since WWE's Brock Lesnar ended The Undertaker's WrestleMania streak, which is still viewed as a polarizing decision.
During an interview with Barstool Sports' Spitting Chiclets podcast (via Wrestling Observer), Lesnar defended the decision, calling it “really simple.” Ultimately, it wasn't his call, as Vince McMahon made the decision to have Lesnar end the streak.
Lesnar doesn't exactly know why he was chosen, theorizing that McMahon could've seen him as someone “with a legitimate background and people could believe” would be able to defeat The Undertaker.
Still, Lesnar knows it upset many, but he is okay with it. He has had over a decade to come to peace with the decision, and Lesnar raved about The Undertaker's (whose real name is Mark Calaway) professionalism amidst it all.
“There’s a lot of people that are pissed that it’s me, but it’s not my call. And so my hats off to Undertaker, Mark, he’s a great guy,” Lesnar praised. “And at the end, it’s a business. It’s a give and take. And it was time for Taker to give — and it was a time for Brock Lesnar to take it.”
Brock Lesnar's real feelings about ending The Undertaker's WWE WrestleMania streak
Lesnar claimed that The Undertaker was a “mentor” of his. So, he naturally felt bad when he received word that he was going over in the match. He was “excited,” but he also felt for The Undertaker.
“He’s coming to his [22nd] WrestleMania thinking that he’s going to win[,] and then two hours before we go on, the rug gets pulled on him. And so a lot of different emotions there, I’m sure. I was excited, but I also felt bad[,] too,” Lesnar conceded. “Like, I’m the guy[,] and I get to be the guy.”
During their bout, The Undertaker suffered a concussion, and Lesnar went to the hospital with him after out of “respect.” Lesnar knew something was off, explaining, “It’s a dance out there[,] and you just got to do your best to get through it. And we did.”
