The Undertaker Denies He Intentionally Took Liberties With Kanyon in 2003 Segment

– During a recent edition of Six Feet Under, WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker addressed an infamous SmackDown segment involving late former WWE Superstar Chris Kanyon that took place on WWE SmackDown in February 2003. The Undertaker denied the allegation that he took liberties and cheap shots on Kanyon during the segment. Below are some highlights (via WrestlingInc.com):

The Undertaker on hitting Kanyon with a chair: “I’ve been accused of smashing Kanyon with a chair because he was gay. I didn’t even know he was gay. I didn’t even know until years later. I could care less. But there’s people out there that have created that rumor, ‘Oh, Undertaker smashed him.’ Undertaker swung a chair the way Undertaker swung a chair … If I swung a chair at somebody the way I swung it, I’d expect the same one back.”

On knowing what we know about chair shots and head injuries now: “Obviously knowing now what we know about head injuries, it’s a different deal. I would say, make sure that you get your hands up.”

Kanyon was released by WWE in 2004. He died at 40 years old in 2010 after committing suicide. Kanyon’s career was also documented in a Season 3 episode of Dark Side of the Ring, and his own autobiography, Wrestling Reality: The Life and Mind of Chris Kanyon, Wrestling’s Gay Superstar. Kanyon alleged in his book that the segment was an attempt by former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon to drive further embarrassment against him.