Ryback
“I remember first seeing Undertaker in person when I was 12 years old at a Live Event in Las Vegas, and I left that event in awe of the energy of his presence. And today, you can still feel that energy — and it’s just unmatched. For him to be able to last this long in a business where you see the roster changing every year, it’s really amazing. I know it’s one of my goals to step in the ring at WrestleMania with him someday. It didn’t happen this year, but I’m hoping I’ll be at the very top of that list next year.”

Mark Henry
“As respected as he is and as revered as he is, Undertaker does not feel that he’s bigger than this business. He loves the business and he respects it, and he’ll contribute to the business until he can’t do it anymore. For me, at our match at ’Mania, to look down and have him at my feet and know that I was about to end it, was a big rush for me. Of course, it turned on a dime and I ended up in a coffin, but that brief moment when I thought I had beaten the greatest Superstar of all time was fantastic.”

Antonio Cesaro
“I think The Deadman endures because there is mystery to him. People always want to know more about him, and there is so little to know. These days, with social media and everyone talking all the time, you know everything about everyone and the mystery is lost. But with him, the mystery never got lost. Meeting Undertaker is exciting, but it’s not the same kind of excitement as when you’re a follower. You’re a Superstar now, and it’s as much about, ‘I’m so excited to meet him!’ as it is a question of, ‘Can I beat him?’ ”

Cody Rhodes
“TV has a way of making people seem bigger than they are in real life. But when you meet Undertaker, that is definitely not the case at all. He’s actually bigger than what you see on TV. His presence in a well-lit room is the same as it is when the lights go out in the arena and the gong hits. Most guys you meet, you kind of measure yourself up to them. As a colleague, when I met Undertaker, I didn’t measure myself up to him; and there will never be another Undertaker — and no one should make an attempt to be. He’s timeless.”

Daniel Bryan
“As a kid, I wasn’t much of a fan of Undertaker, but as I became a wrestler, I came to respect him more, after understanding everything he’s accomplished — especially since his legend has grown through all the WrestleMania wins. He treats everything with such importance, from the entrance to all that happens in the ring. And that’s very important for guys learning to wrestle.”

Wade Barrett
“I first met Undertaker when I was an independent wrestler in the U.K., and my initial reaction was amazement at his size. I had always been aware that he was a huge guy on TV, but when you meet him face to face — and I’m a big guy myself, and I’m not used to meeting many people bigger than me — but when I came across him, everything about him was just huge. Recently, he took on Damien Sandow and myself in a tag match. He was tagging with Sheamus, having just returned after almost a year’s absence. That was really the first time I had been in the ring and heard the bell toll, and heard the audience’s reaction. It was an awesome moment to experience, to say the least. I wasn’t sure I would get the opportunity to experience that, at this point in his career. And obviously, Damien and I got our butts handed to us, but that’s to be expected when you’re in the ring with a Superstar of his caliber. I have to say that I’m glad I got that one in the bank, though!”

Brodus Clay
“When you meet him, it’s like you forget to breathe. He’s the ultimate teacher. Actually, he’s more like the Dean in Animal House: You’re always on Double Secret Probation. But in all seriousness, he’s not just great in the ring — he’s great, period. His spacing, timing, the way he carries himself. You can’t emulate what he does, but you can attempt to learn from the discipline he embodies.”

Drew McIntyre
“The first time I ever came across Undertaker, I was in the ring for a tryout. He was watching my every move and the whole time I was just thinking, ‘What is he thinking? Does he think I’m terrible? Does he think I’m good?’ I was on the road with him a lot when I first debuted, and that was the best education one can ask for in WWE. He ended my undefeated streak, if you recall. I wrestled him right before he faced Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania in 2010, and he was in full ’Mania mode, which is as dangerous an Undertaker as you’re going to find. I put up a decent offense, but he caught me in the end. But it was a learning experience just being in the ring with him.”

Heath Slater
“This is what happened the first time I met Undertaker: He chewed me out. I was backstage one night before a show and, just then, Edge was talking to me about something, and I was in the locker room fixing my hair. So Edge is sitting there talking to me, and I’m looking in the mirror and listening the whole time, talking back to him, whatever. And all of a sudden, out of nowhere, Undertaker got on my case so bad, asking me who I thought I was, why I didn’t have time to pay attention, and I should take the time out from fixing my hair to listen to what Edge had to say to me.”

Jinder Mahal
“Whenever Undertaker is in the ring, he takes his time with everything. A lot of younger Superstars, myself included, tend to rush through a match, but Undertaker always takes his time when he's in the ring. He makes every move count, and it makes a big difference. That patience — that’s something I’ve learned by watching him, both as a fan and up close.”

To read more Superstar encounters with The Deadman, including Triple H, Big Show and Zack Ryder, pick up the May issue of WWE Magazine — available now, or SUBSCRIBE HERE and save 70 percent off newsstand sale price.