SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE on ESPNews SportsCenter
Airdate: March 30, 2016
Guest: Shane McMahon
Host: Jonathan Coachman
A special Wednesday night edition of ESPNews’s WWE segment featured The Coach sitting down with Shane McMahon for an in-person, face-to-face interview the week of WrestleMania, where Shane faces The Undertaker inside Hell in a Cell.
The interview was conducted at Raw TV in Brooklyn after Shane was able to recover from his show-opening top-rope elbow to The Undertaker through the announce table. Shane said he was “sore” from the move, but his adrenaline was pumping, so he didn’t feel anything in the moment.
Shane, looking heavily tanned offsetting with his gray hair, said he is excited and nervous about being inside HIAC with Taker on Sunday. “It’s a whole different atmosphere with someone that big who I respect so much,” Shane said. “You just gotta let it rip, which is exactly what I’m going to do.”
Coach asked what stands out to him the most from the crazy, “eye-popping” things he’s done in a ring. Shane said it was only supposed to be one match back in the Attitude Era, so he put everything into that one match, but it “caught fire,” so he kept having more matches. Shane said he had to get more creative and then it escalated to where it is today.
Coach wanted to know what’s inside him wanting to take his high risks. “That’s a good question,” Shane said before pausing. He said it’s his drive and competitive nature within himself. He said he goes into every physical endeavor that he will push it until he can’t push it anymore.
Now, Shane has to think about his three sons. But, Coach framed his question as his sons getting to see him wrestle (not Shane scaling back so he doesn’t injure himself when he has a family to think about it). Shane said wrestling for his sons “is my main reason” for returning to WWE. Shane said he gets to play a “real-life super-hero” for his sons. “There’s no bigger gift than I could ever give them than that experience,” Shane said.
Coach said Shane once was that kid to Vince McMahon. Shane flashed back to WrestleMania I, where Vince bet everything on that one event. Now, they’re at WM32 for the Super Bowl and World Series.
Coach said they watch Raw in the ESPN newsroom and they saw Shane making a big return in Detroit after being away for six years. Shane said that reaction and the sustained reaction was humbling. He said he wanted to soak up all that energy. “I’ve never experienced that feeling in my life,” Shane said. “I’ve never heard that.” Shane said he thinks he was representing hope and it was a surprise, so it was a big deal to the fans.
Coach said everyone knows if Shane was going to come back and be in that match with Taker at WrestleMania, he has to deliver. Coach brought up Shane’s training videos making it seem like Shane’s in the best shape of his adult life. Shane said he has a huge list of people helping him.
Coach said he heard a rumor that Shane and New York Giants QB Eli Manning went through a training session. Shane said they were on vacation together and it did happen. Shane said he ran some routes for Manning, who needed to practice his throwing.
Coach closed by asking Shane what’s next for him after Sunday. “I don’t know,” Shane said. “Don’t know. Where I think we’ll go – I’ll be walking out Monday night controlling Monday Night Raw.”
The interview closed on that note. Coach plugged ESPN SportsCenter live at AT&T Stadium for wrap-around coverage on Sunday. Coach said they will be talking to “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, The Rock, and Snoop Dogg.
What's next after Sunday for @ShaneMcMahon?
Simple answer… "I don't know." #OffTheTopRope pic.twitter.com/u1cxGkOZ4h— WWE (@WWE) March 31, 2016
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