The Undertaker heart surgery after WrestleMania 41 was revealed in a tense and emotional episode of his returning Six Feet Under podcast, which recently relaunched under the WWE banner with Michelle McCool, his wife, as co-host. Just as McCool was honored at the WWE Hall of Fame, the couple faced a traumatic health crisis that left both of them shaken and forced them into the hospital immediately after WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas.
Podcast Returns Amid Major Personal Turmoil
The iconic wrestler’s podcast resumed after a brief pause, now featured on WWE’s YouTube channel and marking a new era with McCool joining as co-host. However, beneath the surface, the couple had just navigated one of the most challenging periods of their lives. During the episode, McCool opened up about the immense stress she had endured just weeks prior, explaining that her Hall of Fame experience was overshadowed by deep fear for her husband’s health.
She described being on edge for over a month as Undertaker faced unexplained heart problems that demanded urgent medical intervention. Their ordeal began weeks before WrestleMania, derailing joyful plans and pushing McCool to focus solely on her husband’s well-being amid congratulatory cheers from fans and colleagues.
As they shared this story, the mood was noticeably heavy, punctuated with tension over how close they came to tragedy. McCool provided the clearest insight into her state of mind at the time:
“That was a rough five weeks. Everybody came up to me like, how was Hall of Fame? How was this? And I did enjoy it, literally when I stepped out on the stage. But, we had a lot more important things going on before then.
…I felt like when people would come up to me, and congratulate me, and [ask] how are you doing, and I’m almost in tears, or like, ‘I’m okay,’ but they could tell I wasn’t okay. But they thought it was probably just because of the speech. No, it was because of the heart issues you had been having weeks prior, which by the grace of God we found out…it ended up being terrifying. And the day we got home from WrestleMania, the next morning [at] 6 am, we were at the hospital for a little bit of heart surgery.”
—Michelle McCool, WWE Hall of Famer & Podcast Co-host
Undertaker’s Secret Battle with Chronic Atrial Fibrillation
During their candid discussion, it emerged that Undertaker had been struggling with chronic atrial fibrillation, an serious heart rhythm disorder that warranted several days in the hospital and consultations with specialists. In the weeks preceding the high-profile wrestling event, he was advised against both travel and any public appearances due to the risk to his health. Yet, upholding his legendary “old school” mentality, he risked appearing in Las Vegas and kept the real details hidden from most people, even as McCool grappled with anxiety and responsibility behind the scenes.
The couple shared that the physical ordeal was compounded by secrecy, as Undertaker reportedly did not want anyone to learn about his health crisis and medical restrictions. McCool described the emotional toll in a tense exchange on the podcast:
“Sidebar for about five weeks. It was terrifying.”
—Michelle McCool, WWE Hall of Famer & Podcast Co-host
“I wasn’t supposed to go to Vegas.”
—Undertaker, Former WWE Superstar
“You weren’t supposed to go anywhere. You didn’t want me to tell anybody.”
—Michelle McCool, WWE Hall of Famer & Podcast Co-host
“Not fair. We were in the hospital for four nights, two weeks before WrestleMania. I thought you weren’t supposed to go. Duh. It’s that old school mentality. I’m not mad at it because I’d probably be the same patient. But it was terrifying. I couldn’t focus on anything else. All I wanted to focus on was you, your heart, getting you in with the best cardiologist, which we eventually did. But that took a lot of phone calls, several nights in the hospital, lots of doctor visits. By the grace of God, yes you are here, but out of the words of the doctor himself, it could have turned out badly had we not found it that day.”
—Michelle McCool, WWE Hall of Famer & Podcast Co-host
With the help of McCool and a dedicated medical team, Undertaker’s chronic condition was identified just in time for an urgent intervention–his ordeal included four hospital nights and a race to secure the best possible care.
A Day After WrestleMania: Emergency Surgery at Dawn
Soon after arriving home from the Las Vegas festivities, Michelle McCool and Undertaker found themselves checking in to the hospital at 6 a.m. Undertaker underwent heart surgery almost immediately, an event the couple described as terrifying.
The seriousness of the situation was not lost on the doctors, whose warnings left a lasting impression. McCool credited timely action and medical expertise for preventing a potential tragedy, emphasizing that everything could have ended much differently had they not caught the issue when they did. Undertaker, meanwhile, remained stoic but admitted the situation was dire.
“Alright, you did. You made me go have a test done.”
—Undertaker, Former WWE Superstar
Recovery Brings Relief and Perspective
Following the operation, Undertaker has reportedly recovered well and even managed to joke about his near escape from disaster. The couple’s banter returned as the ordeal faded into memory, but their gratitude and relief was clear, especially as the gravity of what nearly happened lingered.
“Yeah. So anyway, now, strong like bull.”
—Undertaker, Former WWE Superstar
“And thankfully you can still pretend that you’re a dead man.”
—Michelle McCool, WWE Hall of Famer & Podcast Co-host
“Instead of being one? Wow. That’s a little strong, I think.”
—Undertaker, Former WWE Superstar
The pair’s humor disguised relief that things ended well, and both acknowledged that had McCool not insisted on pursuing tests and top physicians, the outcome could’ve been tragic. They publicly thanked their medical team, echoing the advice from their cardiologist and citing the role of fate and persistence in the ordeal’s positive resolution.
Lingering Impact and What Comes Next
The Undertaker’s brush with a life-threatening heart condition so soon after WrestleMania 41 has left a permanent mark on both his family and fans, as they recalled a time when celebration stood side by side with crisis. The episode, watched widely since the Six Feet Under podcast’s revival, has provided an unfiltered look at the challenges faced by wrestling legends outside the ring and cast Michelle McCool’s Hall of Fame induction in a new, somber light. With continued medical oversight, the Undertaker is now focusing on his health and is returning to normal life, using the experience to raise awareness about pushing through warning signs and seeking timely help.
This ordeal has united not only the couple but also inspired fans to pay closer attention to their own well-being. Earlier struggles are now replaced by the hope that with good doctors, family support, and decisive action, even those standing in the spotlight can overcome the most distressing odds. As the podcast returns and the couple move forward with renewed appreciation for life and legacy, the importance of health and vigilance remains key for all who followed their journey.
