MikeRaw
Guest
Former WWE superstar, now retired John Bradshaw Layfield recently did an interview with Around the Octagon. Here are the highlights:
What are your thoughts on Wrestlemania 25?
I was happy. I had wanted to retire at Wrestlemania 25 for years and with the back injury I didn’t think I was going to make it. I was fortunate to make it. When I got to make it it was like a dream come true. And to see the Funks and the Von Erichs, my childhood idols get inducted into the Hall of Fame along with my buddy Stone Cold. I couldn’t ask for a better sendoff than to go out any better with all my friends in Texas, my home state.
Did you pick Rey to be your last opponent?
Absolutely, he actually retired me the first time. I was trying to figure who would be the guy to send me off. Rey is a good friend of mine. If Eddie Guerrero was around he would’ve been the guy but Rey was close to Eddie and he’s a good friend of mine. Since he retired me the first time I thought it would be great to have him do it again.
My wife was actually rooting for Rey that night. She hopes the retirement is for good this time.
What was the locker room like after the Chris Benoit tragedy?
Shock, he was a dear friend of mine. I never ever saw him get violent. Something like that happening was unbelievable. When someone snaps like that and does something reprehensible people say they never saw it coming. Well I was good friends with Chris for a long time and I can’t believe to this day that it happened.
Chris was a wonderful human being. That’s tough to say that when you talk about a guy who apparently committed double murder and committed suicide. I say apparently because no one will ever know for sure. I’m not denying anything because that’s what they say but I don’t know what happened those last 24-48 hours of his life.
What were you thinking as you rode to ring in your limo for the last time?
I kept thinking how cool it was. The walk back was the one that had so much retrospection in it. It was unbelievable the walk back. It was a quarter mile back to the back. They asked me if I wanted to ride in the golf cart that was ferrying the guys back and forth. I told them I wanted to walk back. I realized it was the last time I’d ever wear wrestling boots and wrestling tights and be a wrestler. It was cool there was no sadness. I was happy how I went out and I was happy it was over. I am ready to move on with my life.
24wrestling.com
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It's pretty cool that he got to choose Rey. As was reading that though, I kept thinking how cool it would've been if him and Eddie went at it for JBL's last match, instead of Rey. Rey was still a good choice though.
What are your thoughts on Wrestlemania 25?
I was happy. I had wanted to retire at Wrestlemania 25 for years and with the back injury I didn’t think I was going to make it. I was fortunate to make it. When I got to make it it was like a dream come true. And to see the Funks and the Von Erichs, my childhood idols get inducted into the Hall of Fame along with my buddy Stone Cold. I couldn’t ask for a better sendoff than to go out any better with all my friends in Texas, my home state.
Did you pick Rey to be your last opponent?
Absolutely, he actually retired me the first time. I was trying to figure who would be the guy to send me off. Rey is a good friend of mine. If Eddie Guerrero was around he would’ve been the guy but Rey was close to Eddie and he’s a good friend of mine. Since he retired me the first time I thought it would be great to have him do it again.
My wife was actually rooting for Rey that night. She hopes the retirement is for good this time.
What was the locker room like after the Chris Benoit tragedy?
Shock, he was a dear friend of mine. I never ever saw him get violent. Something like that happening was unbelievable. When someone snaps like that and does something reprehensible people say they never saw it coming. Well I was good friends with Chris for a long time and I can’t believe to this day that it happened.
Chris was a wonderful human being. That’s tough to say that when you talk about a guy who apparently committed double murder and committed suicide. I say apparently because no one will ever know for sure. I’m not denying anything because that’s what they say but I don’t know what happened those last 24-48 hours of his life.
What were you thinking as you rode to ring in your limo for the last time?
I kept thinking how cool it was. The walk back was the one that had so much retrospection in it. It was unbelievable the walk back. It was a quarter mile back to the back. They asked me if I wanted to ride in the golf cart that was ferrying the guys back and forth. I told them I wanted to walk back. I realized it was the last time I’d ever wear wrestling boots and wrestling tights and be a wrestler. It was cool there was no sadness. I was happy how I went out and I was happy it was over. I am ready to move on with my life.
24wrestling.com
-------------
It's pretty cool that he got to choose Rey. As was reading that though, I kept thinking how cool it would've been if him and Eddie went at it for JBL's last match, instead of Rey. Rey was still a good choice though.