Former WWE Star Maven Recalls Ramifications Of Eliminating Undertaker From Royal Rumble

The 2002 Royal Rumble match saw Maven eliminate The Undertaker. In response, the WWE Hall of Famer returned to the ring and sent the co-winner of the inaugural "WWE Tough Enough" series over the top rope before hitting him several times with a steel chair. While appearing on SiriusXM's "Busted Open Radio" show, Maven, who only found out on the day that he would be tossing Undertaker out of the ring in that year's Rumble, discussed the ramifications of eliminating the legendary star.

"Before Andrew [Martin], Test, before he passed, he would give me the side eye all the time," Maven said. "We became really close before he passed, but he had no problem with telling me he was not on board. Hell, D-Von [Dudley] hated me more than anybody. D-Von, like one of my best friends to this day. But I can't say that any of them were wrong. I didn't deserve to be where I was at, but the thing that people don't realize about professional wrestling [is that] deserves got nothing to do with this business. People hope and wish it did, but it's got nothing to do with this business."

Maven said that wrestlers are put in certain positions because people in a production meeting think they're going to receive some form of reaction from a crowd. The former WWE Hardcore Champion, who recently opened up about steroid use during his career, added that if decisions were based on wrestlers who deserved certain spots, then it would end up being "five [foot and] nine [inch], 5 [foot and] 10 [inch] guys that can work their tail off, do Broadways every night" as all the top stars. Maven said the business is all about entertaining people.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit SiriusXM's "Busted Open Radio" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.