The Undertaker Describes The Moment When His WWE Retirement Dawned On Him

In 2020, after more than 30 years of wrestling, The Undertaker hung up his boots, with a final match against AJ Styles at WWE WrestleMania 36. It wasn't exactly a traditional contest, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced some changes, leading to a cinematic match. Looking back on their bout during Undertaker's "Six Feet Under" podcast, the former WWE star recalled riding away on his motorcycle and realizing it was truly the end.

"When I rode off, it was – I don't know – maybe 45 minutes until the sun started peaking through," Mark Calaway said. "3:30 [or] 4 in the morning is when it dawned on me that this was pretty much it for me. My body – although I was in shape, it was very apparent to me. ... It was somewhere in those early morning hours that I realized that this was gonna be it."

The performer went on to state that he was very proud of the work he and Styles did that night, and Styles agreed. Despite the fact that they originally planned on doing something very different, the changes from the pandemic wound up working in the match's favor, giving fans something they'd never seen before.

"I think it was meant to be," Calaway stated.

"As bad as it was, COVID and what not, you literally rode off," Styles said. "That's the way you go out, right there."

Styles himself is currently preparing to wrap up his own in-ring career. He recently faced GUNTHER on "WWE Raw," with Styles coming up short after the Austrian cheated.

As for The Undertaker, Calaway has become a podcaster following his in-ring career, and he regularly appears as one of the coaches on "WWE LFG."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Six Feet Under" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.