Shawn Michaels Thought Edge vs. Randy Orton’s ‘Greatest Wrestling Match Ever’ Had Already Happened

Shawn Michaels was surprised to learn that Edge vs. Randy Orton in the ‘Greatest Wrestling Match Ever’ is set for Backlash, because the billing made him think it had already happened. Michaels spoke with Metro promoting Backlash and discussed the Orton vs. Edge match, which will be on today’s PPV. Highlights are below:

On not realizing the match hadn’t happened yet: “There’s so many things about the wrestling business I don’t know. At first, when I heard about it I was thinking to myself, ‘Man I got to see that!’ I didn’t know it had not taken place yet, until I was asked to do interviews for it on SmackDown. Of course, my question was ‘Oh it hasn’t happened yet?” They’re like, ‘No, it’s being billed like that.” ‘Oh my goodness!’ I thought to myself, ‘My goodness, why don’t they put a little more pressure on those guys!’ [laughs] That’s a tough billing to live up to!”

On billing the match in such a way: “Look, they’re no different to the rest of us. Everyone loves a challenge. In WWE, everyone understands what the big E means in our line of work – but at the same time, there’s still competition. You still want to go out there with the guy you’re in the ring with and have the absolute best match you can. And everybody – believe it or not, I think for the most part – goes out there trying to have the greatest wrestling match ever … Look – you as the fans, and the performers I guess, ultimately make that decision. But at the same time, that’s what everybody’s trying to do. Sure, putting that billing there is a tough bar to attain – but at the same time, Randy and Edge, they’re both pros. They were going to go out there and more than likely try to do that anyway because that’s just in their DNA! So, this has just added fuel to the fire and look, they are no dummies! They certainly wouldn’t, I guess, have supported this tagline so to speak – or this promotion – if they weren’t really challenged and willing to try and live up to it.”

On the risks wrestlers take in the ring today: “This business, I dunno, I like people that takes risks like that. I’m sorry, I’m somebody that did the same thing. I’ll grant you, not to that extent – I’ve certainly grown into an almost 55-year-old guy that can’t stand taking risks anymore! But at the same time, when you’re in this and you wanna continue to drive it or leave your mark, sometimes taking risks is exactly what you want to do and appreciate that these guys, both of them have set on themselves that’s big enough to give it a try. You’ve gotta support that!”