The Undertaker’s New Co-Host Is A Controversial Choice
In June, The Undertaker‘s Six Feet Under podcast returned with a new home and a new co-host. Now residing under the WWE banner, Six Feet Under is still focused on sharing stories and insights from figures in the professional wrestling world.
However, instead of co-hosting alongside Matt Lyda, The Undertaker is now regularly joined by his wife and fellow WWE Hall of Famer, Michelle McCool.
According to Lyda, the move naturally caused some disappointment for him. Still, he maintains that he and Undertaker (real name Mark Calaway) remain close friends, with no bad blood between them.
“[Undertaker] just looked at me and goes, ‘We good?’ I said, ‘Mark, we said something a long time ago… if money ever comes in between us, we’re going to shut the whole thing down… And we’ll forget about all of it,’” Lyda recently told Maven Huffman (H/T to SEScoops for the transcription). “And I was like, ‘Dude, there’s nothing business-wise that on my end would ever come between you and I. I was like, ‘This is a podcast, man.'”
Michelle McCool Gets A Not So Warm Welcome From Fans
Since seeing Michelle McCool come aboard as the new co-host, Six Feet Under viewers have left their mixed reactions known in episode comment sections.
Some fans have noted their appreciation for the relationship-based chemistry between Undertaker and McCool, who married in 2010. Some even highlighted McCool’s beauty. A large majority, however, have cited issue with McCool’s apparent lack of natural conversation skills.
“Mark, you know this doesn’t feel right,” one viewer wrote under the latest Six Feet Under episode, which features Kurt Angle as a special guest. “She adds nothing to the show aside from her being a gorgeous person. To be honest, I love the chemistry of your relationship, but you need to bring Matt back. He has timing, he has the ability to naturally break up the conversation when it was lagging, or running on. We want Matt back”
Other commenters issued similar sentiments, noting their frustration with the flow of the newer episodes. “Welcome to the show where 2 Legends reminisce about the old times – being constantly interrupted by the wife of one of those legends!” one user wrote.
“Man this show needs Matt back, one good thing about Taker…he asks his questions and then shuts up and LETS THE GUEST SPEAK, seems to be a rare thing in podcasts nowadays,” wrote another.
Many long-time time viewers claimed that the original Six Foot Under duo of Lyda and Undertaker created a more laid-back feel to their discussions, partly due to Lyda keeping Undertaker “loose” with his quick wit and playful banter. Nowadays, one fan suggested that The Undertaker is essentially hosting it himself as “Michelle brings nothing to the conversation at all.”
Conversational Disconnect
Another apparent staple of the earlier Six Foot Under episodes were their topics, most of which related to The Undertaker or the special guest. In recent months, the guest lineup has included Gunther, Charlotte Flair, Bron Breakker, Shawn Michaels, Bubba Ray Dudley, and Angle. The latter three are former opponents of The Undertaker. They’re also first-hand witnesses to the Attitude Era, a WWE time period in which McCool was never part of.
According to viewers, this dynamic creates a conversational disconnect between the guests and the former WWE Divas Champion, who sometimes chimes in with stories from her era and locker room. To solve this, one fan recommended that McCool instead host her own show to spotlight her fellow women in wrestling.
“Michelle needs to get her own show to feature women wrestlers instead of forcing her stories out in the guys locker room podcast,” the fan wrote. Another accused The Undertaker of being a “simp” for her:
“Why is Michelle there? We want to hear Taker talks with his former rivals about their road trips, stories, etc, and she kills the vibe. Never thought I would see the day that the Phenom became a simp.”
This isn’t the first time that McCool has replaced someone connected to her husband on a professional project. Earlier this year, Mickie James departed the WWE LFG series, with McCool stepping in her place as a coach for season two. The Undertaker, Booker T, and Bubba Ray Dudley stayed on the series for both seasons.
RELATED: The Undertaker Is Disheartened To See A Current Trend In WWE Locker Rooms
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