At 60 years old, WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels is still dealing with the physical effects of his career in the wrestling ring. In a recent appearance on the “Nightcap” show, he spoke with hosts Shannon Sharpe and Ochocinco about the numerous surgeries he has had and the ones he has coming up, but stated that he would not change his career path.
Sharpe asked Michaels if, knowing the physical toll it would take on his body, he would do it all again. Michaels’ answer was, “Hell yes.”
He then detailed the injuries he has sustained over his decades in the business. “I have had my back fused. I’ve had my shoulder replaced. I got two knees that I’m getting replaced in probably a month,” he revealed. “And I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.”
Michaels explained that he understood the risks when he entered the business. “I knew that going in, as you guys did. I knew the price that was going to come along with it,” he said. He also spoke about the travel schedule that was the norm for his generation of wrestlers.
“When I worked on the road, we did 286 days. When I got a part-time schedule, it was 150 days,” he stated. “And I enjoyed every minute.”
He credited his family for their support, which allowed him to continue his career, particularly in its later stages. “I’m fortunate again, especially later in my career, to have a wife and children that understood that they still support me now,” he said. “That’s so important to have… It’s a part of who I am and who I’ve always been, and they recognize that.”
Just like the hosts, who are both former NFL stars, Michaels said he would have started his career even earlier if he could have. “If they had given me a chance to start earlier, I would have,” he said. “But you had to wait till you were 19 to get a license in Texas to be a wrestler. So I waited till I was 19.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Nightcap with Shannon Sharpe with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
