Copyright Newsweek

The Undertaker is one of the most revered and legendary figures in the history of professional wrestling. Behind the enduring mystique of "The Deadman" persona, however, lies the reality of decades of significant physical pain and damage. During a recent interview with comedian Tom Segura on "2 Bears, 1 Cave", the WWE icon spoke about the true physical cost of his Hall of Fame career. He revealed the staggering number of surgeries he has endured to maintain his mobility after years in the ring. When Segura asked about the toll wrestling took on his body, The Undertaker provided a detailed list. “Well, let—how long we got? I can run them down,” he began. “I’ve had both knees replaced at this point, partial hip replacements. That’s just from the wear and tear. But like acute injuries? I’ve blown out both eye sockets—I’ve had orbital blowout fractures in both eyes. I’ve been set on fire. Actually, I’ve been set on fire twice.” He then delivered the number that illustrates the cumulative damage from his three-decade career, a figure that might surprise even longtime WWE fans. “Torn muscles, concussions, numerous lacerations, broken bones… 18 surgeries total to replace and fix wrestling-related injuries.” More news: WWE Superstar Announces Retirement Match The Undertaker explained that his generation of performers operated under a different set of expectations and without the medical safety nets that exist for today's WWE Superstars. The mindset was to perform at all costs, regardless of physical condition. “Back then, if you could figure out how to get to the ring, you went to the ring. And if you got hurt during the match, you did your best to get out of it.” He contrasted this with the current environment in WWE, praising the evolution of athlete care. “Now we’ve got doctors ringside, trainers—it’s treated like a major league sporting event. The athletes are very well taken care of now. Not so much in the ’90s and before.” Despite enduring nearly two dozen operations and a countless list of injuries, The Undertaker expressed no regrets about the grueling career path that cemented his legacy. “I try not to complain about it because I knew the whole time that eventually something was gonna break. You don’t play the game that hard and not have residual effects.” While The Undertaker enjoys his retirement, the company he helped build is preparing for its next Premium Live Event, Saturday Night's Main Event, this Saturday, November 1st. The card features two world title matches, including CM Punk vs. Jey Uso for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship. Following that, WWE builds to Survivor Series: WarGames on November 29th in San Diego, an event that will feature the namesake match The Undertaker himself helped popularize in its early iterations within the company. More WWE News: Released WWE Superstar Retires From Pro Wrestling Released WWE Star Breaks Silence On Departure Released WWE Star Wants To Join AEW