On a potential TNA tour of Australia:
"I was talking with Dixie Carter about that last week in Orlando when we were doing our TV tapings. We're going to come over as soon as we can. We're trying to get clearance and get our schedule together. But I told Dixie Carter that when we get back to Australia, Hulkamania has to come because I had such a great time there with the Hulkamania tour [in 2009]. I made so many friends, the fans were great and the reception was awesome. Almost one of the last times I actually wrestled was in front of the Australian crowd. I just can't wait to come back with Impact Wrestling and put on some great shows. It's going to be very soon."
On his interest in pursuing other entertainment projects:
"I pretty much covered all the bases. I'm just going to stick with Impact Wrestling and the wrestling business. I had my day in the ring and I had a tremendous run, but right now I'm at peace with myself being on the creative end and being involved with all the young guys - kind of like being the 'godfather' around Impact Wrestling. The guys come to me for advice, and they make me feel welcome and feel I have a life after life even when I'm not in the ring. Things are really good. I'm going to ride this final lightning bolt; it's a lot of fun."
On his satisfaction with TNA's current direction:
"John Cena has been in the WWE for about 10 years. If you could relate that to the short amount of time Impact Wrestling has been around, I mean it's an amazing young company doing a lot of amazing things. To be number one in so many markets around the world - that just doesn't happen usually because with WWE, there have been three or four generations of McMahons and that company has been around 80 to 100 years. WCW was originally Crockett and the NWA and that company was around forever. To have such a young company like Impact Wrestling doing so great after only 10 short years - they look to be setting themselves up for a very long run in the wrestling business. It's a great place to be and it's a great place to work."
On TNA's failed Monday night experiment in 2010:
"I don't know if anything went wrong. I think there were a lot of different things going on that I didn't understand and I didn't know were happening. When I walked into Impact Wrestling, I thought I would have a voice and speak to another voice. Well, there were eight or nine people that had different opinions or could change things. Creatively, there were a lot of negative people there. I just remember it would be 12 o'clock in the afternoon in a creative meeting and we would decide everything that was going to happen. Then that night, when the matches were going on, I would be sitting and watching the TV monitor and I would say, 'Oh my God, that's nothing that we talked about. Who changed everything?' So there were a lot of cooks in the kitchen at the time and there was a lot of negative stuff going on. I think Dixie Carter has pretty much trimmed all the fat off. After two years, I think we have the right team now and we're on track. I wasn't aware of the system, what was involved, who had the power and who talked to whom. It was a huge learning experience for me."
On when he thinks TNA will compete head-to-head with WWE:
"I have no idea. A lot of it depends on the timing, where the show's going to end up timeslot-wise. The marketing and the budget are the keys. I think this company is growing each and every day. You can feel a lot of people getting behind the product. It'll happen sooner or later."
On the mentality of not being an active wrestler anymore:
"It's a double edge sword. It's tough because when I was wrestling and I was in the main events, you generate a certain amount of income and you have that rush every night from the crowd and the physical excitement of getting in the ring with your blood pumping. I miss all the craziness that goes along with wrestling. But on the other hand, to find my place where I'm needed and help the young guys and be creatively on the same page with a bunch of smart people that write for Impact Wrestling - it's also very gratifying. I'm very grateful to have found my new niche in the business."
On his personal outlook in the business for the next 10 years:
"Well, hopefully I'm still around and involved in the wrestling business. As long as Impact Wrestling and Dixie Carter think I can contribute and the network is still high on Hulkamania, I won't let any of the naysayers or negative comments influence my decision because I enjoy what I'm doing. So hopefully in 10 years, I'll still be doing what I love to do."
