"Chris Jericho, you better get in shape. Because I’m coming after your ass." Speaking at Sunday night’s SAG Awards where The Wrestler failed to make an impression, Mickey The Ram Rourke appeared still full of the fighting talk. A case of too much skin-tight lycra, bad for the blood-flow? Perhaps, but when the actor announced he wanted to go head-to-head with WWF’s Jericho in this year’s Wrestlemania 25, he wasn’t kidding.

Rourke, who only took up acting after a series of injuries prevented him from becoming a professional boxer, has long been itching to regain his reign of the ring. The actor revealed he has been in talks with WWE boss Vince McMahon, who’s keen to get him wrestling at the prestigious Houston event in April.

Judging by his film performance and undefeated boxing record (short though it was), The Ram wouldn't break a sweat making mincemeat of Jericho.. Well aware of this, the rock musician-turned-wrestler has hit back, explaining on Larry King 'You offended me and that the last you thing want to do […] I’m there, whatever you want, bare knuckle fighting, I’m there.' Slamdown. Slightly intimidated, understandably, by Jericho’s naked knuckle proposition, Rourke has since backed down to some degree and is clearly having second thoughts.

Whether or not it goes ahead, let’s hope Rourke’s enthusiasm to revive a long-buried career inspires fellow actors to do the same. Steve Buscemi back in the ice-cream van, Danny DeVito coiffuring hair-dos, Dustin Hoffman compiling the Yellowpages and Courteney Cox, key spokesperson for Tampax tampons once again. What harm could it do?

Charlotte Balnave