Earlier this year WWE Hall Of Famer Shawn Michaels did an interview with Sky Sports and admitted he’d entertain offers for an in-ring return, but warned fans that they wouldn’t be seeing the same Heartbreak Kid they did in his prime:
“I’ve been retired for eight years now and when it got to the five-year mark I thought people would start asking me but they just kind of stopped,” Michaels said. “I think it’s one of those that you would never say never about and if it was just for a one-off then it’s something that I would take a look at.
“It would have to be done the right way and just for one match rather than something that ran for longer. It could be possible but people would have to accept they wouldn’t be getting the Showstopper, Mr WrestleMania, and that I’m 52 years old now.”
NXT Champion Aleister Black recently did an interview with Iain Chambers at the Download Festival in the UK this past weekend, and was asked if he saw Michaels’ comments about an in-ring return:
“I read that, I was very intrigued,” Black said. “I think as a wrestler, a performer, that ‘bug’ never dies. I truly hope that he will come back for one more. In the back of my head I have a few things that I would like to see, obviously, I’ve connected myself to those things as well. We’re gonna find out, if he does, it’s going to be fantastic.”
Michaels is currently working as a trainer at the WWE Performance Center, meaning Black crosses paths with the Hall Of Famer quite often. When asked if the former WWE Champion ever gets in the ring at the PC, here’s what he had to say:
“I know he can still go,” Black quickly responded. “He can go. Don’t worry about that.”
Finally, Black was asked if he had to choose between two men for Michaels’ return opponent – AJ Styles or Daniel Bryan – who would he choose:
“You’re asking me to pick the two guys – arguably – who are the best in the game,” Black responded. “Each opponent has a specific thing that makes them ranked at the top of the world.
“I think I would like to see AJ more only because Shawn had a big hand in training Daniel and would have an advantage. However, then you could work with a ‘student versus teacher’ aspect of it, but I’d like it to be AJ. Sorry, Daniel.”
It should be noted that in Michaels’ most recent interview at the WWE’s “For Your Consideration” Emmy event with Red Carper Report he back-stepped a bit on his comments with Sky Sports:
“I’m always humbled and very flattered the fact that after all these years people still believe enough in my ability to still do it,” Michaels said. “Look, there’s a part of me that knows I could, but at the same time this is a young man’s game.
“I love the fact that the future of the WWE is in such good, capable hands. It’s a pleasure for me to watch it and go forward. As much as it would be enjoyable to [wrestle], I’m more excited in seeing these young men take WWE into the future.”
H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions
