The Undertaker Recalls Infamous 1997 Interview With Vader in Kuwait

– Speaking to Shakiel Mahjouri for SHAK Wrestling/CBS Sports, WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2022 inductee The Undertaker recalled the infamous interview he and the late Big Van Vader (aka Leon White) conducted on a talk show on TV in Kuwait back in 1997. At the time, The Undertaker WWE Champion. During the segment, the interviewer questioned Vader on the legitimacy of pro wrestling. In an attempt to “protect the business,” Vader flipped a table over, and aggressively accosted the interviewer. Below are some highlights (via WrestlingInc.com):

The Undertaker on what happened in Kuwait: “If it had happened over here, I think I would have been a little more aggressive. But I am trying to think, I think we might have been Kuwait. We were over there in the Middle East. I am just sitting there thinking, I’ve got my shades on. And I’m sitting there with the belt, and Vader, I could see it. I could see it coming long before it ever happened, I am thinking to myself, ‘Don’t do it, Leon, don’t do it, he’s doing it, this is not going to be good.’”

The Undertaker on how you shouldn’t put your hands on someone else in a foreign country: “You don’t know when you’re in a foreign country what the ramification of putting your hands on somebody else is, right? You just don’t know, so you don’t put yourself in that situation. I appreciate Leon, the fact that he was protecting his business. But there is a time when you have to be a little bit more vague. And you can say things a little differently. But when you start putting your hands on people, it hadn’t turned out well for many people that decided to slap a reporter or grab somebody because they mark on your business.”

On Gerry Brisco getting him out of there: “I remember them whisking me out. When everything broke down, I remember Jerry Brisco grabbing me and like, ‘let’s get in a car, we’re getting out of here.’ I look back and I see Leon like, ‘Take, what do I do?’ I was like, ‘I’ll see you at the hotel, brother.’ Because I am getting pulled, I am physically getting pulled to get into the car before everyone gets arrested. We just didn’t know. I knew that was going to be a bad decision right away and it was. He didn’t leave with us, he had to stay there for a week or so after we all left.”

You can see a clip from the interview in question below. Vader will also be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame tomorrow night.