Mickey Rourke reveals if he ever intended to wrestle Chris Jericho at WrestleMania
Mickey Rourke confirmed that he was interested in wrestling Chris Jericho at WrestleMania XXV but was talked out of it by his agents because they thought it would be detrimental to his acting career.
At the WrestleMania pre-show news conference Sunday afternoon at Reliant Stadium in Houston, I asked Rourke whether a match between him and Jericho had been discussed.
“After I got done with the movie, I really started liking this sport a lot,” Rourke said. “And I believe it was through Vince [McMahon’s] people who said, ‘Would you like to come and do WrestleMania and wrestle?’ And Jericho’s name came up and I said, ‘Yeah, I want to do it.’ To be real honest with you, because I had left acting for six years to go back to professional fighting, my agents said it would be detrimental to my career. If I took time off at this point in my career and did the wrestling, I wouldn’t be taken seriously in the acting world again.
“I’ve always enjoyed sports a lot more than I have acting, but they just advised me not to do it. I was kind of disappointed.”
I will have video up of the news conference with Rourke, Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat it its entirety within the next day.
Comments
Given the fact that Rourke was / is known as such a free spirt among Hollywood circles , I'm surprised that he would be talked out of appearing because it could be detrimental to his career .
Posted by: the artist formerly known as jack in hebron | April 6, 2009 11:40 AM
If he likes sports so much more than acting, then why is he worried about preserving his acting career? Why doesn't he go back into sports? I think he was trying to save face b/c he had backed out and he was there at WrestleMania with all those wrestlers.
Posted by: Matt | April 6, 2009 11:54 AM
rourke is a great actor and i'd like to see more of him in the future. hope he doesn't mess up his second chance at hollywood.
Posted by: SS | April 6, 2009 2:25 PM
Why god why? Why didn't Jericho hit him? I was really hoping for that. And thank god, Mr. Rourke didn't wrestle.
Posted by: Kunal | April 7, 2009 3:03 AM
Rourke knows where he stands now and can do both worlds, the acting and any given sport he likes. Well, as long it is a performance, as long he doesn't quit. He is a valuable actor, one of his kind. He now takes acting more serious. I love his performances and I cried seeing the movie "The Wrestler". Great movie! Whatever, as long he understands, we have never forgotten him. Take care Rourke!
Posted by: Rossanapie | April 7, 2009 11:14 AM
He heh he he. I love it.
To Matt: He quit boxing because he had neurological problems, which a lot of fighters face, but he was NOT a failure.
In fact he was very good at boxing check the stats. He was making millions and winning.
I am glad to see someone (Jericho) who was shooting thier mouth off so much get KO'd.
Mickey wasn't trying to disrespect anyone he was just giving his opinions (we all have one) and for Jericho to take it so personally and challenge him was a bad idea.
Poor Jericho, in certain situations survival instincts kick in and Mickey has shown on more than one occasion that he will survive anything the world throws at him. That instinct is why I believe that Mickey opened up a can of whoop-azz on the young man. Take Care-Rachel.
Posted by: Rachel | April 7, 2009 7:32 PM
well Mickey Rourke went to all the trouble of working out and getting huge, he might as well make an appearance as a real, pro wrestler
Posted by: coffee break | April 13, 2009 8:44 PM