Friday, March 29, 2024
NewsShawn Michaels On If He Thinks The Undertaker Is Really Ready To...

Shawn Michaels On If He Thinks The Undertaker Is Really Ready To Retire, More

5,105 views

TRENDING

During a recent interview with CBS Sports, Shawn Michaels commented on The Undertaker’s career longevity, whether he’s really retiring, and more. You can check out some highlights from the interview below:

On the belief the Undertaker character would be short-lived at the beginning: “I was a lower midcard tag team guy at the time. From the locker room scuttlebutt I was hearing, it was this unbelievably cool character. As I’ve told over the years, the biggest takeaway I can recall is everyone thinking it was very cool and a great idea, but we all questioned what kind of longevity a character like that can have. He’s dead. He doesn’t sell. It sounded from the locker room standpoint like maybe a limited character. It seemed like he would be very cool, but it would be short lived. Which, of course, 30 years later, that’s pretty dang amusing if you ask me. But it speaks to Mark’s ability. And then seeing it, it was a hard character not to think, ‘What a cool idea.’ That’s pretty dang simplistic, but trying to recall a time ever seeing anything like that at that time or since — I know it certainly has spawned a lot of maybe offshoots, so to speak. I don’t know, I think it goes down as one of the greatest thought-up characters of all-time. I don’t know how you could argue against that. And again, for him to have it last 30 years and still be unbelievably strong and awe-inspiring when he comes out, that’s pretty dang impressive, and it’s really tough to do.”

On The Undertaker being able to adapt the character and keep it fresh: “To transition in and out of that, and obviously getting time off between that helped a great deal, but what makes both of them work is that none of them were ever too far separated from the human being. A lot of that mirrored who he was and what he was going through in his life. … When we’re younger, we’re all a little less [emotional], so to speak. The years passed and he got older and now he’s a dad, he’s a husband, he’s gained a truckload of wisdom being in the wrestling business for 25, 30 years with injuries and ups and downs, happiness and sorrow. You experience a lot of things and all of that and all of those emotions and that journey was lived through The Undertaker as he evolved and turned him into this person.”

On his match with Taker at WrestleMania 25: “The perfect one is always going to be 25 to me. But the first time in Louisville [In Your House 17 was special] getting in there with a guy you’ve never really been in there with and you recognize the uncanny chemistry you have with someone. Look, Mark and I were never friends. We weren’t close, and we didn’t ride together. Usually you have that chemistry with guys who you did do that with where you have at least a little more positive working relationship. Mark and I had just fantastic chemistry without ever really even talking to each other, which is pretty different. My two favorite matches I’ll always enjoy will be the Hell in a Cell and fast forward what feels like 100 years later. To me, that’s probably one of the most perfect things I’ve ever seen or done, and I think there are a lot of people who feel the same way.”

On if Taker is really ready to retire for good: “I do. That’s one of the things I sensed that time. Like I said, I want that for him. It’s one of the things that bums me out, that I didn’t know. Mark has never struggled with anything, and if he has, I’ve never known because he keeps things close to the vest. Everybody’s got their kryptonite, too. No matter how much everyone thinks someone has it all together, nobody does. Everybody has a chink in their armor. Every Superman has his kryptonite. I believe he can [be content], but some of that is on you as an individual to allow yourself to find contentment and peace in a situation. He’s a smart, bright, intelligent man, and I believe that, yes, he will find it. All I know is that in these last few years, I’ve never wanted it for someone so badly like I do with him. Because, again, I feel like shit for not — it’s one of the things I always say to him when I see him. You know, ‘Thank you so much for giving me that.’ He didn’t know he was giving me that, but he did. To me, that will be the greatest gift that dude or darn near anyone has ever given me, that feeling to be able to walk away from the wrestling ring and not struggle with it because I understand how unbelievably rare and special that is.”

- Advertisment -

LATEST NEWS

- Advertisment -

Related Articles