Former WWE superstar Michelle McCool spoke with TV Insider to hype the final episodes of The Last Ride documentary on her husband, The Undertaker. Highlights from the interview can be found below.
What Undertaker was dealing with backstage:
I just want the fans to truly appreciate what it took for him to be this vulnerable. Realize what it has taken for him to get back in the ring these last six or seven years. What it has taken emotionally, physically, mentally. I think a lot of people take for granted all it took for him to get back in there. They all had their opinions. ‘Undertaker shouldn’t wrestle this year.’ ‘Undertaker should do one more match.’ They didn’t really know what it took behind the scenes, and it took a lot. I hope they see he does it because he loves the business so much. He does it because he loves the fans. Whether they agree with him or not, he is going to do it his way. I hope they can respect that, appreciate that. I hope they truly enjoyed getting to know the man behind the character.
Being surprised he agreed to have cameras following him:
The thing is it started out with Mark just wanting footage of himself and his match with Roman [Reigns] at WrestleMania because he truly thought that was his last match. It didn’t start out meaning to be a documentary. He wanted the footage for himself and the family. Obviously, when he came back [to the ring] it was like, “Here we go again.” They brought us this idea. I was surprised he was open to it. I think there were a few times where cameras were filming us and he went, “Stop filming me…Wait a minute. I asked you all to follow me.” He had to remember because even he was surprised. All this wonderful footage became this docuseries. It has been really cool to watch it evolve.
Including their daughter in the documentary:
We try to keep our children as private as possible. My daughter, the thing is she is almost eight now. This was several years ago when we started, and she is double the size and looks different. There was some trepidation at first, but since it was very little and from so many years ago we okay-ed it. She is a ham. She loves the camera. She loves the wrestling business. So, we wanted to share that a little bit because we have to keep her so isolated from things. She had fun with it, so we enjoyed watching her watching herself back.
What she’s taken from the experience:
The biggest thing is honestly I know my husband and have seen him this way, but there are very, very few people he has been this vulnerable with. It really shocked me how vulnerable he is in these interview segments that the world gets to see. I think of maybe two other people who have seen him like this. Now millions are seeing the man behind the character and seeing him be so emotional at points.
Whether she’s considering a return in her own career:
I can relate to him as far as this has been his entire identity for pretty much all of his adulthood. Leaving anything you have such a passion for, it’s hard. When you have such a passion like we both do, I mean it was a struggle for me to leave. It wasn’t an overnight process. It was a two-year process. So, I understand that aspect of it. When they asked me to come back for the Royal Rumble, my mind started spinning like his does. First and foremost, I have to ask myself if they are asking me back because I’m the Undertaker’s wife? Are they asking me back because of him? Are they asking me back because I may be good enough? So, as far as the mental tricks that your mind can play on you, I get one thousand percent. Physically, I don’t have as many aches and pains and surgeries as he does. But I still contemplated and felt I was a little bit older, Maybe a little bit more washed up and had a child. Would I be able to hang with these girls?… It was difficult, but I knew it was an opportunity I didn’t want to pass up or regret later in life. I got to see my little one watch me wrestle, so that was pretty cool.
Being used in the storyline against AJ Styles:
No, I was never asked. I’m a little hot about it because I mean they ran me through the ringer. First [John] Cena brings me up, then AJ. I definitely would have liked to be in there, maybe deliver a kick to the face or something similar. The night I was mentioned [on Raw] Mark called me and said, “AJ is doing this promo, and I think it might be a little stiff. I don’t know what is being said. Holy moly, I mean we’re good friends with AJ and his family. We actually have a mutual friend we vacation with every summer. So, I’m watching this thinking, “Dang, he is good.” I’m even texting his wife Wendy, “You know I love y’all, but I’m really kind of hating your husband and want to punch him in the face.” Which clearly means he is doing his job. I understand the business. I said that in jest, but thinking, “Dang, did he really go there?” That’s not real smart because even if they didn’t ask me to do anything about it, you know my husband is coming for you.