During this week’s edition of WWE’s The Bump, Triple H commented on his torn quad injury, returning at the 2002 Royal Rumble pay-per-view event, and more. You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On his return from injury at Royal Rumble 2002: “It was great. You know, it’s hard to put into words the journey that I was on at this point in time because there was a high probability that I would never wrestle again with the injury that I had, and they kind of let me know that. So, coming back, having the return that I did and having the opportunity to do that at Madison Square Garden, and the reaction and everything was incredible. But then, what do you do with that and how do you capitalize on that and that was the challenge. So, to come back at the Royal Rumble, which one of the biggest PPV events of the year, and Rumble has changed over the years, but always has been since its inception been the kickoff toward the Road to WrestleMania. The winner getting the title shot, that whole thing. So, it was a massive moment but really sort of that moment of the Rumble all the way through to WrestleMania was kind of like the validation of, ‘Yes, I returned, but can I still do this, and can I do it where I was doing it before?’ So, that aspect of it, these moments being in the ring, they’re just so much meaning there, just not only from a performer’s standpoint, just from an athlete’s standpoint of the validation of being able to do this still.”
On his connection with Mr. Perfect who made it to the Final 3: “It was awesome. You know, for me as a fan, Curt was one of the best in-ring performers ever. And just athletically and everything he brought to the table. So, when I came into WWE at the time, and Curt kind of being in that sort of manager position for me, helping me get to that Intercontinental title, shortly thereafter leaving to go to WCW, and then returning later, it was kind of a weird full circle moment, but yet, very meaningful. And to see him in that spot and to see the reaction he got was awesome.”
On his 2016 Rumble win and if he had something to prove: “Absolutely because it was completely out of the blue and completely unplanned in a way. There was a moment in time with injuries and everything else that was happening in the company where I had gotten to a point in my career where Vince McMahon joked I’m in case of emergency, break glass. I’m sitting on the wall with my trunks on. And I’m in case of emergency, break glass, and here’s what we’re going to do. I was like, ‘Oh my god.’ You’ve Taker now talk about this, and you’ve seen it from other guys. I don’t believe I’ve ever done anything harder in my career then have moments where you don’t wrestle for an entire year or longer, or a long, long period of time like that. And then you come out and it’s just like, go do this at the highest level, you know, try to continue to add to the stuff that you’ve done without letting yourself down or anybody else down. It really is — that is the most difficult challenge I’ve ever faced. And having those moments in time where you’re doing this once a year, the pressure is immense.”
On his favorite Royal Rumble moment: “It was my first Royal Rumble, and I was in there for a very long period of time. And Dory Funk Jr. came into the ring, and I don’t remember how long I had been in there at some point, but I remember Dory just coming in there and grabbing me in the center of the ring and putting me in the corner and going, ‘Get yourself a breather, kid,’ and he just started working with me. And that was a guy that I just grew up a legend watching and him and Harley [Race] and everybody else. So, for me to have that moment with Dory Jr., he probably doesn’t even remember, but for me, it was the coolest thing of all time.”
(h/t – 411 Wrestling)
