"I knew I couldn't perform" - 3-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion on why he decided to retire from in-ring competition

WWE Superstars are gearing up for The Biggest Party of the Summer in Cleveland in just a few days. Meanwhile, former three-time World Heavyweight and four-time WWE Champion The Undertaker opened up on his in-ring retirement from the company.

The Undertaker was the face of SmackDown, who spent several years on WWE's second brand and captured the World Heavyweight Championship on three occasions. The Phenom has given decades to the industry, primarily to WWE, and retired from in-ring competition in 2020.

In an interview with 'Mighty' Demetrious Johnson, The Deadman detailed his reason for retiring from active competition. The Phenom revealed that age was one of the major factors behind hanging up his boots.

"It was good for me 'cause I had a really difficult time with real closure. My body is the reason why I don't wrestle anymore. In my mind and my heart, I would love to still be out there. The body, you know, father time is undefeated. I knew I couldn't perform at a level anymore, what people expected of me. I didn't want to become a character of myself," Taker said.

Taker also stated he realized his time was up as a performer while filming his last match against AJ Styles.

"So, I knew when I did the Boneyard match in 2020. I don't know maybe four or so in the morning as we were filming that I was like, 'Dude you're done. You've got everything out of this body that you could possibly get out of it'," Taker said. (From 11:38 to 12:37)

Check out the video below:

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The Undertaker has chokeslammed Superstars in WWE after retirement

A few years back, The Undertaker wrestled his final match for the Stamford-based promotion behind closed doors due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Deadman went out in style against AJ Styles in a cinematic match, as he closed the first night of The Showcase of The Immortals.

Later, the veteran was inducted into the illustrious Hall of Fame in Texas. However, the star hasn't shied away from professional wrestling as he's been making sporadic appearances for the company.

Last year, he made two appearances for weekly television on RAW and NXT. The Deadman chokeslammed Bron Breakker following his match against Carmelo Hayes in October 2023.

Earlier this year, The Undertaker appeared as the ghost of WrestleMania and took out The Bloodline's The Rock with a chokeslam in the main event of WrestleMania XL in Philadelphia.

If you use any quotes from the article, please credit MightyCast and provide an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.