"The truth is I won't wrestle again"- Tyson Kidd on his failed pitch for a WWE Royal Rumble return to Vince McMahon
Tyson Kidd, also known as TJ Wilson, hasn't wrestled on WWE TV since 2015. At the time, the former WWE Tag Team Champion suffered a career-ending injury at the hands of Samoa Joe. In a recent interview, Kidd debunked various rumors about his return to the ring, as he stated that he probably will be unable to wrestle again.
At one point in time, Tyson Kidd was a prominent member of the WWE main roster. He was a tag team champion as a member of the Hart Dynasty, and he also found success with Cesaro. Since his retirement from in-ring action, Kidd has transitioned into a role as a producer in WWE.
In a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet, Tyson Kidd discussed his WWE career, and he revealed that he pitched an in-ring return in the Royal Rumble to Vince McMahon. But "The Boss" turned him down because it was too risky.
“I tried doing one Royal Rumble and a lot of thought went into it, but it got turned down. I’m not mad at it. It’s kind of funny the way Vince [McMahon] laid it out. He’s like we can control everything we can in our power, but what if something happens? What if something we can’t control happens?" H/t to WhatCulture
In the interview, Tyson Kidd explained that the Royal Rumble Match could be a safe way to return to the ring. In the battle royal, he wouldn't have to take a lot of bumps. But Vince McMahon still felt that the risk outweighed the reward, so he didn't approve this potential plan.
Tyson Kidd explains why a return to the ring would be too risky
It's been almost six years since Tyson Kidd underwent surgery to repair his neck. In recent months, fans have seen videos of Tyson Kidd running the ropes in a wring. Naturally, the WWE Universe wondered whether he could return to in-ring competition. But in the interview, Kidd confirmed that he agrees with Vince McMahon's belief that it would be too risky.
“I didn’t say this, but where my mind went was, say someone jumped the guardrail and pushes me from behind while I’m on the steps or something, and it shocks me back. That’s just where my mind went. Then you fast forward three months after Vince, and I had this phone call – that guy is taking Bret [Hart] out at the Hall of Fame. In my mind, I was like I had this vision and that was me getting taken down. As soon as I saw that, I was like this is exactly what happened in my mind. I don’t know if this was what Vince was talking about, but this is what I interpreted it as in my mind.” (H/t to WhatCulture.)
Tyson Kidd is still married to fellow WWE star Natalya, and his role as a producer allows him to maintain a prominent role in the company. He can still help fellow stars in a variety of ways, and Kidd explained that he's happy with this role.