WWE released duo after disappointing Undertaker match, veteran recalls
Kane and The Undertaker joined forces as The Brothers of Destruction in WWE between 1998 and 2018. In a recent video, former WWE star Stevie Richards disclosed details about the legendary duo's match against KroniK.
In September 2001, KroniK (Brian Adams and Bryan Clark) unsuccessfully challenged The Brothers of Destruction for the WCW World Tag Team Championship at Unforgiven. WWE released Clark after the match, while Adams spent two months in developmental before being granted his exit from the company.
Richards, KroniK's manager at the time, said on The Stevie Richards Show that The Undertaker was clearly frustrated with his opponents during the 10-minute bout. He also reflected on his former on-screen allies leaving WWE shortly after the event:
"I don't know if it was right after the match, if it was the next morning, if they got to the building for the next day, I don't know when they were released," Richards stated. "I do know when in Gorilla [backstage area] it was pretty awkward. Not a lot of words. 'Taker, that [frustrated] look you saw at the end of the match was the look in Gorilla." [4:27 – 4:49]
Adams, who passed away in 2007, was friends with The Undertaker and previously worked for WWE under the name Crush. Clark also had experience wrestling for WWE as Adam Bomb.
Stevie Richards on the issue with Kane and The Undertaker vs. KroniK
Like The Brothers of Destruction, KroniK was one of the most imposing tag teams in the wrestling business in the early 2000s.
Stevie Richards understands why WWE's higher-ups booked a match between four of the largest men on the roster. However, he believes the contest suffered due to their similar in-ring approaches:
"I think it's more of the clashing of exact similar styles," Richards continued. "We talked about it. You have four guys, same size. You can determine their scale of athletic ability, who's more athletic than one guy or whatever, but it was definitely something to where it was glaringly obvious that you have four big guys in the ring moving at the same gear at the same speed with the same almost movesets." [8:35 – 9:00]
The match ended with The Undertaker pinning Clark after hitting him with a Chokeslam. Richards then attempted to hit The Deadman with a steel chair before receiving a Chokeslam from Kane.
Do you have any thoughts on the Unforgiven 2001 match? Hit the discuss button and let us know.
Please credit The Stevie Richards Show and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.