WWE employee was fired and never seen again after Undertaker incident, JBL recalls
The Undertaker was one of WWE's main attractions for 30 years before retiring from in-ring competition in 2020. One of his close friends, WWE legend John Bradshaw Layfield (JBL), recently reflected on when The Phenom suffered first and second-degree burns before a match.
In 2010, The Undertaker was set to make his entrance at Elimination Chamber when a pyrotechnics error caused him to become engulfed in flames. He quickly removed his hat and coat before dousing himself in water while waiting in an Elimination Chamber pod.
JBL said on Something to Wrestle that WWE instantly fired the crew member who was responsible for the pyrotechnics:
"It could have killed him. It's insane how stupid, stupid this was. You can't make that mistake. You can't put live pyro on the one place that anybody, much less your star of the company, is gonna be. I mean, this guy, what a freaking bozo. So, it happened. Needless to say, when 'Taker came back, that guy had been fired already and never was seen again." [1:26:52 – 1:27:15]
The Deadman spoke about the incident on his Six Feet Under w/Mark Calaway podcast in 2023. He said the crew member claimed that the pyrotechnics were positioned safely before the show.
JBL compares The Undertaker to Usain Bolt
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt cemented his status as one of the greatest sportsmen ever at the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympic Games.
JBL views The Undertaker as WWE's version of Bolt and cannot fathom how an employee could risk injuring the company's star man:
"This is like being the Jamaican track team trainer and blowing up Usain Bolt. Blow up anybody else. Blow up your guy that throws the shotput. Blow up your guy that does the pole vault but only does 16 feet. Don't blow up freaking Usain Bolt!" [1:26:08 – 1:26:23]
In the same episode, JBL revealed that he had raised concerns with Vince McMahon before WWE's Chris Benoit tribute on RAW in 2007.
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Please credit Something to Wrestle and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.