By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

WWE wrestler Shawn Michaels revealed much more about his mindset heading into WrestleMania 26 in an interview with Kevin Eck of the Baltimore Sun. Michaels also revealed his thoughts on Ric Flair joining TNA after Flair's retirement match with Michaels two years ago at WrestleMania and criticism of him doing the DX routine.

-- Michaels said Ric Flair called him before going to Australia for the Hulkamania Tour with Hulk Hogan to wrestle again and Michaels had no problem with it. He said he tried to be understanding when Flair called him about going to TNA on January 4 and ultimately wrestling again.

"He called me again when he was going to sign with TNA and asked the same thing. There’s nothing you can say. I certainly don’t have what it takes to look at somebody and say, 'Don’t go make a living.' I told him that, for me, nothing can take away that special moment. It will still always be to me that I had Ric Flair’s last match," Michaels said. "I tried to do the best job I could for him. I think it was a special moment. Anything after that [pauses]. I feel for him, but I’m certainly not angry or disappointed or anything. I would like to think that Ric probably would have liked that to have been his last match, too. The fact that it couldn’t be, I understand. Those are circumstances that I certainly can’t control."

Michaels also detailed his personal relationship with Flair: "I want what’s best for Ric, even if Ric might not always be aware of what that is, I still want that for him. Nothing will take away from that moment. It’s sill truly special. I still wear my watch every day, so it’s still something I’m really proud of."

-- Reading through Michaels's entire interview, it's obvious the tone from Michaels is that he's ready to walk away if that's the end result on Monday, he feels he's peaked as an in-ring performer in terms of "being able to top last year's WrestleMania," and he would much rather continue to find purpose and meaning at home with his faith & family rather than in the ring.

"I work on being a good husband and a good father after that, and then what’s left over from those things, I apply to my work. It’s not the end all be all anymore, but I still feel like I’ve done a good job at it and I’ve been faithful at it," Michaels said. "But everybody does understand that at 11:06 on Monday (when Raw goes off the air), I’m done. You can call all you want during the week, but I don’t take part in it and when I show up Monday, I will be there and I will do my job to the best of my ability, but then after that I’m done again."

-- One element that's been over-looked as far as why Michaels would walk away now is that he finally has closure and peace with Survivor Series 1997 with Bret Hart. Michaels and Hart's in-ring exchange on January 4 may have been the first sign Michaels could consider walking away at this year's WrestleMania.

"I remember way back when I first came to WWE and how we used to get along, and it was nice and it was pleasant. And to have that now is nice. I know for a lot of people it may seem strange, but for he and I it’s a nice place to be," Michaels said. "I look back on my return in 2002 and so many things have gone full circle, and to be where he and I are at now, it’s one of those things where you say, 'Man, second chances are really nice.' Everybody doesn’t always get them. You know me, I’m a little deep and a little goofy about that stuff, but it’s important. In a strange business and in a business that, heaven forbid, you show your heart, you’re going to be called a bunch of stuff and made fun of constantly, but for me, it was nice and it's a great place to be with him."

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