Ken Anderson Remembers Vince McMahon’s Warning After Undertaker Match

STAMFORD, Conn. — Former WWE star Ken Anderson, known as Mr. Kennedy, recently recalled an unforgettable moment from his in-ring debut alongside The Undertaker. Speaking on the podcast ‘Rewind, Recap, Relive,’ Anderson recounted how a specific move in their first match earned him a stern conversation with WWE chairman Vince McMahon.

During the show, Anderson described his initial interaction with The Undertaker, who suggested he perform a piledriver, a move that was historically reserved for only a select few wrestlers. ‘I’m just listening to him and he’s down on his knees and he goes, ‘give me a piledriver,’’ Anderson said. He initially thought The Undertaker would counter the move but instead found himself executing the piledriver.

With concerns about the safety of the move, especially given The Undertaker’s considerable weight of 270 pounds, Anderson made sure to support him as best as he could. ‘I can pinch his head so tight between my legs and made sure that I held him up as much as I could with my arms,’ Anderson added. After the match, he was met by McMahon backstage.

Anderson recounted McMahon’s reaction. ‘He goes, ‘I know where that came from. I know Taker told you to do that. He’s trying to get you over. I allow two people to do piledrivers in this company and you’re not one of them.’ At that time, the only wrestlers permitted to execute the piledriver were The Undertaker and Kane.

This anecdote highlights both the camaraderie and the strictness of WWE’s in-ring protocols. Professional wrestling often involves high-risk maneuvers, and the company prioritizes safety while also establishing a unique performance hierarchy.

In a separate discussion, Anderson also spoke about the current WWE landscape, specifically defending rising star LA Knight against criticism of his character. Knight has faced comparisons to legends like Stone Cold Steve Austin and Mr. Kennedy himself. However, Anderson believes these comparisons stem from a misunderstanding of the business.

“I don’t think that anybody is copying anybody. That’s his genuine persona and he may have taken inspiration from different people as we all do,” Anderson noted. He emphasized that wrestling is an art form where performers often borrow elements from one another while adding their personal flair.

As the WWE prepares for WrestleMania 41, LA Knight is set to defend his United States Championship against Jacob Fatu, who earned a title shot by defeating Braun Strowman in a Last Man Standing match. Ahead of the high-stakes bout, Knight took to social media to assert his confidence, stating, ‘There will be one man standing holding this thing, and it ain’t you. And it ain’t anybody else on this living earth other than this man, with everybody saying, LA Knight. I’ll see you at that big stage, yeah!’

WrestleMania 41 is set to take place next weekend at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event is expected to be one of the biggest in WWE history, featuring several high-profile matches that have fans eagerly anticipating the outcomes.