As soon as the name of the Undertaker pops up, all the iconic moments he has given us throughout the years emerge like a flashlight. The love and appreciation he gets from the WWE universe are a living embodiment of his legacy.
The Deadman has never hesitated to put himself behind and let his rivals win for the greater good of the company. But what if The Undertaker denied losing to a rival in a rare incident of insubordination from the iconic wrestler? What happened next was nothing short of extraordinary.
The time when The Undertaker denied losing to an emerging WWE superstar
The incident dates back to the time when The Undertaker was at the peak of his powers in the WWE. Matt Bloom, better known by his stage name A-Train, was rising through the ranks in the company. Vince McMahon wanted him to have a firm position in the WWE, and that is why he told the Undertaker to lose against A-Train.
However, determined not to let an emerging superstar win over him, The Undertaker rebelled against the wishes of the former head of the WWE. X-Pac, a witness to the verbal altercation between the Undertaker and Vince McMahon, recalled the incident on the Cultaholic Desert Island Graps Show. X-Pac shared:
They actually booked him [A-Train] to beat Undertaker on TV one time… But Undertaker was like, ‘Nah, that’s not happening. Like, ‘Just out of nowhere?’ And I don’t blame Mark.
While The Phenom had a collaborative nature with the WWE crew, this is not the first time he has done such a thing. A similar incident was repeated by The Undertaker when he famously kicked out the 3D finisher from Bubba Ray Dudley. Nobody had done that before, and it astonished the former tag team champion since he wanted to protect the invincibility of the move.
Even though A-Train could not defeat The Undertaker after he refused to let him win, he went on to have a long career with the WWE. However, McMahon’s experiment did not turn out to be successful, and A-Train is largely remembered for his gimmicks in the WWE more than his matches or storyline developments.
A-Train’s career in the WWE as a mid-level wrestler
Matt Bloom had several ring names during the entirety of his professional wrestling career. He made his WWE debut in 1999 as Prince Albert, initially appearing alongside Droz before allying with Big Bossman. Over the next few years, he evolved into a powerful singles competitor, capturing the Intercontinental Championship in 2001—his most significant title win during that era.
From 2002 to 2004, Bloom rebranded himself as A-Train and became a dominant presence on SmackDown, engaging in hard-hitting rivalries with top stars, including a memorable feud with The Undertaker. After leaving WWE in 2004, Bloom reinvented himself overseas. Competing in Japan as Giant Bernard, he found a new level of success in New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he became a respected veteran and captured multiple tag team championships.
His strong run in Japan eventually brought him back to WWE in 2012, this time under the persona of Lord Tensai, a Japanese-influenced character meant to reflect his international experience. He returned with a splash, even feuding briefly with John Cena, but the gimmick never fully connected with the audience.
Failing to elevate his career in the WWE beyond being a mid-level wrestler, he retired in 2014 and became the head coach of WWE’s developmental roster-NXT. His run in the company as a trainer became a standout point in his life so far. Matt Bloom continues to serve as the head coach of WWE’s developmental centre in Orlando, preparing the next generation of superstars in the WWE.
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