By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

WWE wrestler Triple H conducted a fascinating and revealing five-minute interview with Fox Sports Radio Network during Summerslam weekend in Los Angeles. Hunter covered topics including Shawn Michaels's retirement, Ric Flair returning to the ring, and Linda McMahon's U.S. Senate campaign.

Hunter, who has been off WWE TV since April, came across more like a future "WWE business manager" or producer/agent than a typical wrestler on the roster promoting the WWE brand. The following are highlights from the interview.

-- Tripe H talked about Shawn Michaels's influence on the current wrestlers in WWE. He also mentioned Michaels's retirement being the opposite of wrestlers like Ric Flair when it comes time to knowing when to walk away. He said he's leaning toward Shawn Michaels's view right now.

"It's different for every person," Hunter said when asked how a wrestler knows it's time to walk away. The interviewer interrupted to bring up Ric Flair's send-off at WrestleMania 24 before he returned. (TNA wasn't mentioned.)

Without naming Flair by name after the Flair reference, Hunter said, "Some are addicted to the money; some need it. I think there are a lot of guys that made a fortune in the business and squandered most it. There's also the fame of the limelight. Fame is a very addictive thing."

Hunter continued: "It's tough to step out of that limelight and not be there any more and to come to terms that the fact that your time has passed. I think that's tough for a lot of guys to deal with it. Then, you have guys like Shawn Michaels who look at it like, 'I had a hell of a run and I want to go out on a high note.' I'm way over on that side with him."

-- Hunter sounded like a producer/agent talking about principles Walter Kowalski taught him when he broke into the business and what some WWE wrestlers are missing.

"Walter was really big on making things spectacular and making you realize that wrestling is larger-than-life to draw attention to yourself," he said. "I think a lot of guys just go out there and have their matches and don't think really think about about it - separating themselves from what everyone else is doing."

-- On Linda McMahon's U.S. Senate run in Connecticut: "It puts such a microscope on you. Looking at it from my vantage point, I think everything in politics isn't about issues or what people stand for, but who can sling the most mud.

"Everybody keeps criticizing her, but she's running for the right reasons. She's not running because she's bored or has a lot of money and wants to do it. She's running because she sees a country that's running the wrong way. She's sacrificing a lot of things right now, like spending time with her grandkids."

Video: Triple H's five-minute interview from Summerslam weekend is in the video below. Thanks to Torch reader Adnan.



YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPLmg8aFdY8

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

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