Shawn Michaels says he turned down a match against AJ Styles at WrestleMania this year

AJ Styles turned heads back in October when he told SI.com that he wanted Shawn Michaels to come out retirement and face him at the Royal Rumble. It seemed a little ridiculous that HBK would come back to the ring at age 51 after seven years in retirement, but it apparently wasn’t crazy enough for WWE to rule out having him return at WrestleMania this year. 

Michaels revealed on the latest episode of the Sam Roberts Wrestling Podcast that he was offered the opportunity to face Styles at WrestleMania 33 in Orlando. 

“I guess I’m breaking something with you and I don’t even know if I should, but I could have had that match,” Michaels said. “They didn’t have an opponent for AJ at WrestleMania. I said that I hadn’t been asked because I hadn’t—but then I was.

“I said, I wish that young man was here 10 years ago, man. I honestly do. I think he’s very talented.”

• Shawn Michaels goes behind the scenes of The Kliq and looks ahead to Wrestlemania

Of course, it’s tough to break through the kayfabe in a situation like this. Did WWE really ask Michaels to come out of retirement or is he just hyping up WrestleMania and Styles’s match with Shane McMahon?