Promoting Sunday’s WrestleMania XXVIII pay-per-view event in Miami, Triple H took part an interview with Los Angeles Times and was asked if there was chance of him signing Ultimate Warrior to a one-day contract so he could squash him at an upcoming WrestleMania.
“It’s funny, a lot of people bring that up in a negative way like it was this terrible thing in my life,” Triple H says of his squash match loss to Warrior at WrestleMania XII. “While working with him personally wasn’t the highlight of my life from a business standpoint, for me to go to me first WrestleMania and wrestle a legendary figure in the business — and that is what he was and is — like the Ultimate Warrior, a Hall of Fame superstar in the business in my first WrestleMania appearance, squash or not, was a mind blowing thing for me.”
“I was thrilled to be in that position and to have that match with the Ultimate Warrior. I was thrilled with the fact that at that time Vince McMahon was willing to put me in that role. The Ultimate Warrior wasn’t there till the day of the show, so I had to do all the promotion for that match. I wanted Vince McMahon to look at me as a guy he could count on to handle the return of a guy that he was hoping would be a huge impact on the business. He had the trust in me and I would do a good job with it. So to me, that was nothing but a good experience. Potentially, I could bring him back and get the win.”
The thirteen-time world champion also addressed transitioning from full-time wrestler to full-time executive.
“Full-time wrestlers have fewer meetings than full-time managers do. I spend time in meetings a lot. And wearing a tie is kind of a downfall. I think it’s just learning to deal with situations in a business way as opposed to a locker room way. There is a large world of difference and you just have to learn that transition,” he says.
He also commented on who he would transport from history to have a dream match against at next year’s WrestleMania.
“It would be one of two people. Ric Flair or Buddy Rogers,” he says. “Buddy Rogers might not be a name that everyone knows, but he was probably one of the first way over the top flamboyant wrestling personas. Not like a Gorgeous George, he was a technically skilled wrestler who could wrestle anyone and make them look good. I think it would be interesting to step into the ring with him.”
The interview, which includes his answer on his favorite WrestleMania moment not involving himself, is available here.
