In the latest issue of WWE Magazine, World Heavyweight Champion Christian opens up on Edge telling him had to retire, why he doesn’t mind being overlooked, how his body is holding up these days, and more.

Christian recalls his conversation with Edge telling him he would be quitting wrestling.

“He told me as soon as he got the news,” Christian said. “I did what any friend would, and tried to comfort him. It’s hard when you’re at the level he is and you’ve done the things he has done, and it’s not your choice to walk away. Ultimately, you want to be the one to say, “OK—it’s time to hang it up.” I think that’s what troubled him the most.

“But I kept positive and told him he did do things on his own terms. His final match was at WrestleMania XXVII in front of 70,000 people. He walked to the ring as the World Champion and walked out as World Champion. I don’t think there’s a better way he could have ended his story than that.”

WWE Magazine notes that Christian is one of remaining talents from the ’90s. He is asked whether he sees himself as a veteran or a rookie.

“I’m definitely a veteran. No question,” he replied. “And it always makes me laugh when the younger guys tell me they remember where they were when I contested a certain match. It makes me feel old, but it’s cool to hear that. Honestly, veteran or not, I feel better now than ever. My body’s holding up, I feel good physically and mentally. If anything, Edge’s departure has inspired me to work harder. It’s opened my eyes and made me realize that, hey, this thing could end at any second. Stop wasting time. If you’re going to do it, you’re going to do it now.

Christian was also asked about the widespread belief that he doesn’t get enough respect for all that he’s done for WWE.

“It’s funny, I do think I’ve been somewhat overlooked, but I’ve always viewed that as a challenge. Everyone else seems to get more upset about it than I do,” Christian said. “I never doubted that my talent would shine through in the end, no matter what. I believe I am one of the best and I work to prove that every night I go out there. The question has always been, “Will my time ever come?” It’s always been, “When will it come?”

“Edge moved on and won many titles, but you can’t compare us. We are two different people with two different paths. I never asked why I didn’t get what he did; I looked at it as, “What can I do to step up and make myself better?” And every night, I go out into the arena thinking, “Tonight, they’re going to know how good I am.”

Photos of Christian’s wife ->

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