Elijah Burke has revealed that WWE had originally planned for The Undertaker to face a mixed martial artist at WrestleMania 23 in 2007.

Burke, a member of The New Breed who took part in WrestleMania 23’s eight-man tag team match, said that The Undertaker was initially set to take on former MMA fighter, and then-WWE star, Sylvester Terkay.

“It’s crazy because, that WrestleMania (23), the whole plan was for Sylvester Terkay and The Undertaker,” said Burke in an interview with Lucha Libre Online, via Sportskeeda.

“I had no problem with it. Young Elijah Burke riding the coattails of Sylvester Terkay to go against The Undertaker.”

Burke also explained that WWE wanted Terkay to face The Undertaker as he’s a big MMA fan.

He said: “They brought Sylvester Terkay in specifically because Undertaker was, and is, a huge MMA guy.

“Undertaker loved the physicalness, the legitness of MMA. He loved to bray that type of wherewithal and create that type of magic inside the wrestling ring.”

"Certainly, standing out there at WrestleMania, had it been Sylvester Terkay and The Undertaker I wouldn’t have minded taking a big boot off the apron or a chokeslam."

When The Undertaker won the Royal Rumble in January of 2007, he had the choice of facing either Batista, John Cena or Bobby Lashley. Eventually, and instead of Terkay, he decided to take on Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 23.

The Undertaker defeated Batista, winning the World Heavyweight Championship belt, and extending his personal WrestleMania undefeated streak to 15 consecutive victories.

The New Breed, and Burke, lost their eight-man tag team match at WrestleMania 23 to The ECW Originals.