‘The most stressed’ – WWE legend left off huge Netflix debut show after missing cue for cameo in ‘hectic’ backstage chaos
Stars aplenty packed into WWE’s Netflix debut earlier this month but one big name appears to have missed out. Millions tuned in to see Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and CM Punk do battle throughout the night on Monday Night Raw while legends John Cena and The Rock added some mainstream appeal. The first Raw on Netflix kicked off a new era for WWEWWE It made for a memorable maiden voyage for WWE’s red brand show on the streaming platform, despite one iconic figure being notably absent. WWE Hall of Fame star Shawn Michaels is long retired from the ring but remains a pivotal figure in the company, leading the next generation of wrestlers as the head of developmental brand NXT. Michaels was rumoured to be among the legend appearing on the first Raw on Netflix, but didn’t end up featuring on camera. No major drama, you might not think, for one of WWE’s busiest men who undoubtedly had plenty on his plate with his own show to prepare for a night later. It seems, however, that HBK was indeed slated to feature, but missed his cue for an on-camera spot where he’d be seated near ringside next to WWE executive Stephanie McMahon. Michaels’ absence was a loss for fans, but also for The Undertaker. Taker, Michaels and Bruce Prichard were the only trio present on the night who’d also been active with WWE when Raw first aired on live television back in 1993. The Deadman confirmed on his podcast he’d snapped a commemorative pic with Michaels and Prichard, before letting slip the mishap that saw the Showstopper miss out on his cameo. “Shawn was there,” he explained. “I don’t think Shawn was on the [Netflix] show. I think he was supposed to be in the crowd sitting with Stephanie and missed [it], nobody came and got him or something like that. “He was just sitting in his dressing room when his spot came up to be in the crowd.” The enormity of WWE’s deal with Netflix – said to be worth $5bn – wasn’t lost on veteran Undertaker, who retired in 2020. He gave fascinating insight into the backstage scene on the night. While adding the general vibe at shows is generally much calmer under the leadership of Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque, he noted Raw from the Intuit Dome was ‘hectic.’ Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson added to the star power of the Raw Netflix debutWWE Rhea Ripley won the Women’s World Championship in a major moment before Undertaker appearedWWE “This thing is so freaking big, this Netflix deal,” he added. “They had a talent meeting that day and they asked me to get up and say a couple of words, I guess as the ‘OG’, and they expect on any given week now for 280 million people to potentially be watching Monday Night Raw, on a global basis. “It is so next level now, it’s crazy. “It was probably the most hectic that I’ve seen it in the last couple of years but, even with the magnitude of the Netflix premiere, that whole backstage area, it is so chill. “You’ve got people in little corners shooting their little TikToks, and I’m just putting myself back to January 1993 when we’re going live for the first time, and thinking of how puckered up we all were and how big that was. “Everybody was just so chill and relaxed, like it was just another day at the office.” The multi-time former WWE champ enjoyed a memorable cameo of his own by coming out to celebrate with newly crowned Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley. Undertaker admitted to being a little on edge backstage at RawWWE If the talent of 2025 were at relative ease backstage before the humongous show, Texan Taker didn’t mind admitting he was far from the picture of calm – a fact he later congratulated the current roster on when addressing them. “I may have been the most stressed-out person there,” he claimed. “I don’t remember anyone scrambling or running to make sure they were there. Everybody was just chill. It was crazy to me, man. “It’s a whole other era and, bless their heart, they’re doing phenomenal. I got an opportunity to tell the talent that which, I think, was good for me and hopefully made them feel good to hear from somebody who has been through every iteration of the company.” Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque has presided over a calmer backstage area overall, according to TakerYouTube/WWE Undertaker revealed he’d initially turned down the idea of the Ripley appearance, fearing it may detract from ‘her moment.’ The master of the Tombstone needn’t have worried, as the moment presented Ripley as the star she is, while giving fans the chance to see one of the greatest of all time on a WWE show once again.
Stars aplenty packed into WWE’s Netflix debut earlier this month but one big name appears to have missed out.
Millions tuned in to see Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and CM Punk do battle throughout the night on Monday Night Raw while legends John Cena and The Rock added some mainstream appeal.
It made for a memorable maiden voyage for WWE’s red brand show on the streaming platform, despite one iconic figure being notably absent.
WWE Hall of Fame star Shawn Michaels is long retired from the ring but remains a pivotal figure in the company, leading the next generation of wrestlers as the head of developmental brand NXT.
Michaels was rumoured to be among the legend appearing on the first Raw on Netflix, but didn’t end up featuring on camera. No major drama, you might not think, for one of WWE’s busiest men who undoubtedly had plenty on his plate with his own show to prepare for a night later.
It seems, however, that HBK was indeed slated to feature, but missed his cue for an on-camera spot where he’d be seated near ringside next to WWE executive Stephanie McMahon.
Michaels’ absence was a loss for fans, but also for The Undertaker. Taker, Michaels and Bruce Prichard were the only trio present on the night who’d also been active with WWE when Raw first aired on live television back in 1993.
The Deadman confirmed on his podcast he’d snapped a commemorative pic with Michaels and Prichard, before letting slip the mishap that saw the Showstopper miss out on his cameo.
“Shawn was there,” he explained. “I don’t think Shawn was on the [Netflix] show. I think he was supposed to be in the crowd sitting with Stephanie and missed [it], nobody came and got him or something like that.
“He was just sitting in his dressing room when his spot came up to be in the crowd.”
The enormity of WWE’s deal with Netflix – said to be worth $5bn – wasn’t lost on veteran Undertaker, who retired in 2020.
He gave fascinating insight into the backstage scene on the night. While adding the general vibe at shows is generally much calmer under the leadership of Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque, he noted Raw from the Intuit Dome was ‘hectic.’
“This thing is so freaking big, this Netflix deal,” he added.
“They had a talent meeting that day and they asked me to get up and say a couple of words, I guess as the ‘OG’, and they expect on any given week now for 280 million people to potentially be watching Monday Night Raw, on a global basis.
“It is so next level now, it’s crazy.
“It was probably the most hectic that I’ve seen it in the last couple of years but, even with the magnitude of the Netflix premiere, that whole backstage area, it is so chill.
“You’ve got people in little corners shooting their little TikToks, and I’m just putting myself back to January 1993 when we’re going live for the first time, and thinking of how puckered up we all were and how big that was.
“Everybody was just so chill and relaxed, like it was just another day at the office.”
The multi-time former WWE champ enjoyed a memorable cameo of his own by coming out to celebrate with newly crowned Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley.
If the talent of 2025 were at relative ease backstage before the humongous show, Texan Taker didn’t mind admitting he was far from the picture of calm – a fact he later congratulated the current roster on when addressing them.
“I may have been the most stressed-out person there,” he claimed.
“I don’t remember anyone scrambling or running to make sure they were there. Everybody was just chill. It was crazy to me, man.
“It’s a whole other era and, bless their heart, they’re doing phenomenal. I got an opportunity to tell the talent that which, I think, was good for me and hopefully made them feel good to hear from somebody who has been through every iteration of the company.”
Undertaker revealed he’d initially turned down the idea of the Ripley appearance, fearing it may detract from ‘her moment.’
The master of the Tombstone needn’t have worried, as the moment presented Ripley as the star she is, while giving fans the chance to see one of the greatest of all time on a WWE show once again.
