WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels recently spoke with ESPN.com‘s Brian Campbell; you can read a few highlights below. Michaels talks about the speculation of a possible in-ring return, why he’s OK with staying retired and much more.
Shawn Michaels comments on being able to stay retired and not hint at a return:
“I’m going to hurt my greatness over the years because I don’t continue to hint and bait, and make people anticipate, or milk it and put everything over, but there is no itch to scratch. I’m one of those people who would be OK with fading back into the background a little bit.”
Michaels says he hasn’t even been approached by Vince McMahon or Triple H about a return:
“It’s funny because the two guys who really make the decisions, which is Vince [McMahon] and Hunter [Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque], in seven years have never even approached me. I guess I’m semi-amused that people think ‘Vince is saying this’ and whatnot because those are the two people that understand why and respect why I retired and understood it.”
Michaels comments on AJ Styles’ tweet featuring a photoshopped poster of them facing off at the Royal Rumble:
“My reaction was that he’s a bright young man. I think he’s not only gifted in the ring, but he understands that the work doesn’t stop there. It’s about creating talk and constantly being the topic of conversation. He understands that.
“I have no doubt that LeBron James would’ve loved to have played against Michael Jordan, but that simply is not going to happen. But I’ve got to tell you that I appreciate the free press. I’m a guy that has absolutely no problem flying under the radar and not being talked about. My name has been out there for the last three months thanks to him doing that.”
Michaels praises Samoa Joe and says they would have been a good story:
“I look at Samoa Joe and I’ve told him a number of times that I see his stuff at NXT and think to myself, ‘Man, I could have a great deal of fun with you.’ He’s a guy I have sort of enjoyed, and one of those sleeper guys that no one talks about.
We have contrasting styles. I get that everybody wants to see me and AJ or Seth or Dolph [Ziggler]. From my standpoint, I think really telling a great story out there [is most important]. I could do it with a guy like Samoa Joe. His stuff looks really good, and sometimes he just looks like he’s beating the tar out of somebody.”
