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During the interview, Michaels is asked the obvious question about retirement and comments, "No matter how many times you say, 'I'm not coming back,' someone will always question you. There's always someone out there, especially with the Internet, saying you'll be coming back, or that you have ulterior motives, or whatever. That's just part of the gig."
Michaels was asked if his respect to Undertaker was a factor in staying retired and he responded, "Again, I'm in a position where I have the luxury of being able to say, 'No, I don't want to do that' if I don't want to do something. And, if I say that, it's not going to happen. I wouldn't have put my career on the line against Undertaker's streak if I wasn't 100 percent ready ro accept the consequences. Staying retired is as much about respecting him, and the match, as it is about respecting the promise I made to myself and my family. Sometimes there are moments that you just can't beat."
Michaels was asked about Ric Flair returning after his retirement match loss to Michaels at Wrestlemania XXIV and commented, "So many people ask me about Ric, and whether his return bothers me. I always say, 'Absolutely not.' One match at Wrestlemania XXIV - that moment - was truly 100 percent real to me. And it was real to him. And that's never going to change. I want Ric to be happy. And to be perfectly honest, I know he's happiest when he's in the ring. That moment will always be very special to me."
Michaels doesn't fault those who return to the ring after officially retiring, commenting, "It's very tough to make a well thought-out decision when you don't have the time to think it out. I had that luxury, I was able to craft the circumstances surrounding my exit to the point that the career-ending stipulation meant something. I understand why people can't stay away. The atmosphere of the business - being around the guys in the locker room or out in the ring - can be very intoxicating."
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