WWE legend responds to The Undertaker's decision not to work with him at WrestleMania
With a career spanning across three decades, WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker has done it all. His undefeated streak at WrestleMania was so incredibly popular that in its later years, a match with The Phenom was advertised as on par with a world title contest on the grand stage.
At WrestleMania 18 in 2002, The Undertaker wrestled Ric Flair in a remarkable affair. Recently, the legend disclosed that he handpicked The Nature Boy when offered a bout between him and Rob Van Dam. Speaking on his podcast 1 Of A Kind, Van Dam was asked about this revelation by The Undertaker. Taking things lightly, the 54-year-old assured that there were "no regrets."
Be that as it may, when he thought about a potential match with The Deadman, he noted that it would have simply been him selling for the legend more than anything else. He is happy with his match on the card, which was against then-Intercontinental Champion William Regal. RVD won the belt at the event and still holds a 4-0 win-loss record at WrestleMania:
"Awesome experience for me [at WrestleMania 18]. If I would have wrestled Undertaker, there's no telling—I mean, obviously, I had good matches with everybody. I could imagine where that could end up being more like a, 'Let's throw RVD around like a ragdoll and then slip out of something, then catch a Van Daminator,' or something. As far as showcasing, I probably did some cool stuff with [William] Regal. I don't really remember that match but, let's just say, no regrets," Rob Van Dam said. [From 3:12 to 3:52]
In the same interview, RVD also touched upon Drew McIntyre's recent controversial statements, urging the Scot to lose the "entitlement."
What did The Undertaker say about choosing between Rob Van Dam and Ric Flair for WrestleMania 18
The Undertaker noted on his podcast Six Feet Under with Mark Calaway recently that back in 2002, WWE did not plan anything for him beforehand on the Road To WrestleMania 18.
So, when Vince McMahon finally approached him with the option of choosing between Rob Van Dam and Ric Flair, he was excited at the prospect of wrestling The Nature Boy. McMahon himself was taken aback, as Taker recalled because Flair was never a "WWE guy:"
"I remember Vince coming to me that year, he’s apologising to me. He goes ‘Mark, I don’t have anyone for you. You could either have RVD or or Flair.’ Nothing against RVD, I have really good matches with RVD, but I was like Flair. He looked at me like what? I’m like I want Flair. Flair had a run in the WWE but he wasn’t a WWE guy. For me, it’s Ric Flair at WrestleMania. Are you kidding me? Flair was on the backside of his career but still, that whole thing was a lot of fun," Taker said. [H/T: ITR Wrestling]
Watch a clip of The Undertaker wrestling Rob Van Dam above. As The Phenom put it, the two had some interesting bouts in the early aughts, when they feuded over the WWE Hardcore Championship.
If you use the first quote, please credit 1 Of A Kind and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.