Recently WWE legend, The Undertaker shed some light on the fact that several alterations occurred in the wrestling rings of WWE when Vince McMahon began to wrestle. Reflecting during a recent episode of his “Six Feet Under” podcast, the aging McMahon’s in-ring appearance influenced the redesign of the ring which changed the dynamics of wrestling but to subtle extremes to reduce the bodily stress on the athletes. Due to having many injuries throughout his career, The Undertaker mentioned some of the issues wrestlers had before such changes were made.
The Undertaker Explains the Brutality Of WWE’s Early Rings
Even before the infamous “Mr. McMahon” character in wrestling, the WWE ring was very stiff. As The Undertaker explains, when performing the impact felt like landing on the floor. As for the wrestlers, it was practically impossible to avoid conditioning for potential contact, and, thus, the athletes experienced “takes” more than 200 days per year when moving from one show to another. The hard ring surface caused many wrestlers at the time to suffer injuries, often requiring surgery to reduce the physical damage.
Wrestlers in those early years had to perform in the stiff rings, but it was detrimental to their physical well-being. In addition to that, each match that involved slams and bumps in some form or another made it so that these performers got used to getting injured. Performers from The Undertaker’s generation or anyone who started wrestling in the 90s grew up knowing wrestling was violent, and they performed in a way that tested their physical endurance.
A Shift In Ring Design When McMahon Stepped In
It all came to a halt when Vince McMahon began wrestling. When he got the true passion of his life, in-ring performance, under his skin and went full scale as the infamous “Mr. McMahon” during the WWE’s famed “Attitude” Era. Despite his father’s (Vincent James McMahon) initial disapproval, he pursued wrestling, facing legends like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, and Ric Flair.
Since McMahon also began taking bumps, WWE made a small but significant change to make the rings less harsh. The Undertaker in particular observed that this change was convenient because it exerted considerably less impact on the bodies of wrestlers and gave them important shock absorbent for the falls. Vince McMahon welcomed this change, along with all the athletes who now performed in a ring with better shock absorption. Wrestlers also talked about the difference because it enabled slightly safer performances of spectacular moves, providing fans with the same thrills they expected.
Final Thoughts
In his interview, The Undertaker was able to emphasize WWE’s slow progression of considering the welfare of wrestlers. This seemingly small adjustment to the ring had a significant impact, as it showed an appreciation for the physical toll wrestling takes on superstars. It was a nod to their hard work and the demanding nature of their performances.
This change to the ring has helped wrestlers enjoy longer careers and brought down the price wrestling pays for being a high-impact, demanding sport. The change is an effort by WWE to address the expectations of fans of hard-hitting matches while at the same time protecting their bodies and careers.
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