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Revision as of 01:41, 5 October 2006 by 58.105.93.215 (talk) (→Return of DX)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) For other uses, see Sean Michael.| Shawn Michaels | |
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| Born | July 22, 1965 Chandler, Arizona |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Shawn Michaels |
| Billed height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) |
| Billed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Billed from | San Antonio, Texas |
| Trained by | Jose Lothario |
| Debut | October 16, 1984 |
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom, (born July 22, 1965), is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels.
He is one of the longest-tenured wrestlers of World Wrestling Entertainment, having worked for the company in varying capacities since 1987. His in-ring career was thought to be ended by a severe back injury in early 1998, but he returned to the ring in 2002 after a four year hiatus. Michaels currently wrestles on the RAW brand of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where he is a member of D-Generation X along with Triple H.
Career
Early career
Although born in Chandler, Arizona, and even spending a brief part of his early years in Reading, England Shawn Hickenbottom grew up in San Antonio, Texas, being a military brat. In San Antonio, he attended Randolph High School on Randolph Air Force Base.
Trained by Mexican professional wrestler and later WWF manager Jose Lothario, Michaels debuted in 1984, working with Mid-South Wrestling and later Texas Allstar Wrestling promotion, where he and Paul Diamond were awarded the TAW Tag Team Championship by Chavo Guerrero, Sr.
He also wrestled for Central States Championship Wrestling. There, he and tag team partner Marty Jannetty defeated The Batten Twins for the Central States Tag Team Championship, later losing it back to the Battens. Michaels also made several appearances in the Dallas, Texas-based World Class Championship Wrestling throughout 1985.
The Rockers
Michaels made his national-level debut in 1986 in the American Wrestling Association (AWA), once again teaming with Jannetty. The pair were billed as "The Midnight Rockers", and won the AWA World Tag Team Championship twice, feuding with "Playboy" Buddy Rose and Doug Somers. They also appeared in the Mid-South on loan at this point.
In a raid of 'AWA' talent in 1987, The Rockers were signed by a competing promotion: the World Wrestling Federation.
However, they were fired two weeks later for "partying too hard" (a misunderstanding, according to Michaels' recent autobiography).
They returned to the AWA, but were re-signed by the WWF a year later. They redebuted on the June 18, 1988 episode of Superstars. Because of WWF chairman Vince McMahon's desire to have his performers carry WWF-exclusive monikers (to enable the WWF to trademark these ring names and thus avoid having to share merchandising revenues with performers or their past promoters), they were repackaged as just "The Rockers."
The energetic team proved popular with both children and women, as well as 'smart' fans who appreciated technical wrestling. The team were mid-card stalwarts of TV and pay-per-view shows for the next two years, but never seemed to get a fair chance at the WWF's Tag Team Championships.
Their chance belatedly came in October 1990: The Rockers were scheduled to win the WWF Tag Team Championship from The Hart Foundation. Jim Neidhart, half of the championship team, was in the process of negotiating his release from the company, and The Rockers were set as the beneficiaries of the changes.
The match was taped with The Rockers fairly winning the belts, but soon after, Neidhart came to an stopgap agreement with management and was rehired. The belts were returned to the Harts, while the change was never broadcast or even acknowledged on TV. When news spread, WWF explained that due to a collapsed turnbuckle in the ring during the bout, the original result was void. A buckle had indeed broken but not to a noticeable or dangerous extent during the match.
The Heartbreak Kid
The duo plodded along, eventually splitting on December 2, 1991) during an incident on Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake's televised "Barber Shop" talk show segment. Michaels superkicked Jannetty and threw him through a glass window on the 'shop' set. Jannetty vanished from the WWF and Michaels turned heel as "The Boy Toy". His nickname was later changed to "The Heartbreak Kid", at Curt Hennig's suggestion.
In his new gimmick as a vain, cocky heel, and was put together with mirror-carrying manager "Sensational" Sherri, who, according to the storyline, had become infatuated with him. Sherri even sang the first version of his new, rocky theme music "Sexy Boy."
During that period, Michaels commonly wrestled in the first half of house shows and has his depature announced with the words: "Shawn Michels has left building.", alluding to the phrase "Elvis has left the building."
Michaels failed to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship from Bret Hart in July 1992, even losing the WWF's first ever Ladder match. Still, Michaels was beginning to get over as a heel and won the WWF Intercontinental Championship from "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith during Saturday Night's Main Event on October 27, 1992. Shortly thereafter, he faced, and lost to, future nemesis Bret Hart for the WWF Championship in the main event of the 1992 Survivor Series.
Michaels and Sherri split at this point, and Marty Jannetty quickly reappeared, leading to several memorable matches. After sneaking past Tatanka in early 1993, Michaels lost his Intercontinental Championship to Jannetty on a memorable episode of Monday Night RAW on May 17, 1993, but regained it on June 6, with the help of his debuting bodyguard, and off-air friend Diesel.
After a much-hyped but ultimately disappointing feud with Curt Hennig, Michaels quit the WWF in September 1993. It was announced that Michaels had failed to defend his belt enough times during a set period, but in reality, he had been suspended for testing positive for steroids, a charge that Michaels denies to this day.
After turning down WCW's advances, Michaels returned to the WWF and made several appearances in the United States Wrestling Association during a WWF/USWA cross-promotion. He returned to WWF television for the November 1993 Survivor Series, substituting for the arrested Jerry Lawler in a match pitting himself and three of Lawler's "Knights" against Bret, Bruce, Keith, and Owen Hart.
He soon entered a hot feud with Razor Ramon, who had fairly won the vacated Intercontinental Title during Michaels' absence. Since Michaels had never been defeated in the ring for the title, he claimed to be the rightful champion and even carried around his old title belt.
This feud culminated in a Ladder match between the two at WrestleMania X. Michaels lost the five-star match, which featured both his and Ramon's belts suspended above a ladder in the ring. This match won "Match of the Year" awards from Pro Wrestling Illustrated and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter It also earned Michaels a reputation of being the "Innovator of the Ladder Match", when in reality it was Bret Hart who brought the idea in from the Stampede Wrestling promotion two years previously.
Michaels battled various injuries over the next few months, and soon launched the "Heartbreak Hotel," TV talk show segment, mainly shown on WWF Superstars.
Teaming and feuding with Diesel
On August 28, 1994, Michaels and his growing-in-popularity sidekick Diesel captured the WWF World Tag Team Championship from The Headshrinkers. During their brief tenure as a tag team, they used a variation of the Headshrinkers' finishing move, where Michaels would finish off their opponent by climbing on Diesel's shoulders and splashing on of their opponents. The next day, at SummerSlam, Diesel lost the Intercontinental Title to Ramon (who had lost the title to Diesel earlier in the year) when Michaels accidentally Superkicked his bodyguard.
This triggered a Michael-Diesel split, drawn out until the Survivor Series that November due to Michaels' hand injury at the time. Three days after the split, Diesel was catapulted to the top: he defeated Bob Backlund for the WWF Title in six seconds in Madison Square Garden.
Michaels went onto win the Royal Rumble, setting up a championship/grudge match at WrestleMania XI against Diesel. Michaels recruited Sid as his bodyguard for the build-up, lost the match, and then was turned on by Sid the following night.
As Sid challenged Diesel for the gold, Michaels took time out. He returned to the ring, as a 'babyface', in June, and toppled Jeff Jarrett in July 1995 for his third Intercontinental Title. This would lead to a title defense against Razor Ramon at SummerSlam 1995, in a Ladder Match (a rematch of their acclaimed match at WrestleMania X), which Michaels won.
Around this time, Michaels became the alleged leader of a backstage group known as The Clique/Kliq, which others perceived had sufficient clout with WWF owner Vince McMahon, to become the dominant wrestling figures in the promotion for several years in the mid-1990s. Michaels disputes the perception, saying that McMahon pushed only deserving wrestlers. Shawn's fanbase was later nicknamed "The Kliq" as an inside reference to the real "Clique."
In October 1995, he was attacked by several men outside a Syracuse, New York, bar. Shortly afterwards, at the In Your House PPV Michaels forfeited the Intercontinental Title to real-life enemy Dean Douglas as he was, according to the WWF, unable to compete. However, Douglas lost the title immediately to Clique member Razor Ramon. Shane Douglas maintained that Michaels could have wrestled that night and simply didn't want to put him over.
The next month, during a match with Owen Hart on Monday Night RAW, Owen nailed Michaels with an Enzuigiri kick to the back of Michaels' head. They continued to wrestle, but Michaels then collapsed in the ring, supposedly because he had suffered a concussion in the Syracuse incident. The concussion was a work, skillfully kept from most fans at the time.
After teasing a retirement, Michaels announced that he would be returning to the WWF at the Royal Rumble match, which he won for the second year in a row. Around this time, Jose Lothario, Michaels' original trainer, became his on-screen manager.
WWF Champion
Michaels won his first WWF Championship at WrestleMania XII in March 1996, pinning Bret Hart in the 'sudden death' overtime of their a sixty minute Iron Man Match, which had ended in a 0-0 tie. As WCW gained momentum due to the signings of Michaels' buddies Hall and Nash, Michaels soldiered on as champion for most of the year, notably overcoming Mankind, Vader and the British Bulldog in pay-per-view battles.
Michaels' title reign colorfully ended at the 1996 Survivor Series in November, where he lost to Sycho Sid, his former bodyguard, at Madison Square Garden in a face vs. face match. This match was notable, as the wise New York fans audibly cheered for Sid when he hit both Michaels and Jose Lothario with a television camera and cheered again when he won the match and championship. A flu-ridden Michaels recaptured the belt from Sid in January at the 1997 Royal Rumble in front of his hometown fans in San Antonio.
Rivalry with Bret Hart
Michaels was supposed to defend (and lose) his title at a WrestleMania 13 rematch with Bret Hart but he gave up the title on a special episode of RAW dubbed Thursday RAW Thursday , and broadcast live on the USA Network on February 13th, 1997. This speech is controversial, as Michaels was rumored to be unwilling to lose to Bret Hart at WrestleMania. Michaels had been told by doctors that a knee injury was bad enough to have to retire, and knowing that Michaels' knee was bad and that his attitude was allegedly questionable, Bret Hart had actually mapped out a novel ending for their planned WrestleMania match: Hart would catch Michaels' right leg as he attempted to execute his superkick finisher and twist it. Michaels' leg would thus 'break', complete with planted 'snapping' sounds coming from under the ring. The ending would allow Michaels to 'lose' the title without quitting or being pinned, and also would allow understandable time out. In the speech, Michaels contemplated thoughts of retirement and stated that he "had to find his smile again", which he had "lost" somwhere down the line. This wording is often inaccurately quoted, stating that Michael was forteiting the title because he had 'lost his smile'.
In the end, Bret Hart resumed his feud with Steve Austin for WrestleMania 13, and Michaels did color commentary at the event.
After knee surgery by Dr. James Andrews, he miraculously returned a few months later, briefly teaming with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin to win the WWF Tag Team titles. However, after a real life backstage fight with Bret Hart, Michaels quit the WWF, until Vince McMahon convinced Michaels otherwise, and gave him the role of a heel.
At SummerSlam 1997, Michaels officiated the WWF title match between WWF Champion The Undertaker and Bret Hart. The match ended in controversial fashion, with Michaels nailing Undertaker with a chair (unintentionally, as he was aiming for Hart after Bret spit in his face). Michaels was then forced to award the title to his nemesis, Hart, and setting the stage for their match at Survivor Series.
Michael's striking the Undertaker with a chair, would begin a feud between the two men that would last until January 1998. In October, at In Your House: Badd Blood, Michaels and Undertaker participated in the very first Hell in a Cell match, which saw Michaels falling off the side of the 15-foot high structure through a table. Michaels won the match with the help of the debut of the Undertaker's brother Kane.
D-Generation X
Main Article: D-Generation X
In the summer, Michaels joined forces with real-life friend, Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Hunter's then-girlfriend, Chyna to form D-Generation X. The group would engage in rebellious behavior, such as pointing to their crotches and telling fans to "Suck It." Moving away from the family-oriented product, this marked the beginning of the WWF Attitude Era. Michaels also began re-feuding with Bret Hart's reformed The Hart Foundation, which was now a pro-Canada stable. Michaels would taunt The Hart Foundation and Canada by engaging in acts, such as blowing his nose with and humping the Canadian Flag. In his book, Heartbreak & Triumph, Michaels claims the flag desecration was Bret Hart's idea.
In September, at One Night Only, a British-only PPV event held in London, Michaels would defeat Hart FOoundation member "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith for the European Championship, after the Bulldog passed out in the Figure Four Leglock. After the match, the fans almost rioted. (The original plan was for the Bulldog to retain the championship, but the idea was switched last minute at Michael's behest).
Michaels' feud with the Hart Foundation culminated in a title shot at Survivor Series against Bret Hart in one of the most controversial matches in WWE history. Michaels came out of this match, known "affectionately" by fans as the Montreal Screwjob, as the WWF World Champion.
Michaels thus became the only wrestler to hold both the World Championship and the European Championship at the same time. However, he would have himself pinned by Triple H in December in a farcical match, making Hunter the European Champion.
In 1998, a back injury that Michaels received in the Casket Match against the Undertaker at the 1998 Royal Rumble (where Michaels took a back body drop to the outside, smashing his lower back on the casket causing him to herniate two discs and crushing one completely) forced Michaels into retirement after losing the WWF Championship to "Stone Cold" Steve Austin at WrestleMania XIV. Prior to losing the belt, Michaels would, along with DX allies, make regular appearances much like Steve Austin did the previous year after injuring his neck at SummerSlam.
Commissioner
Michaels would return to the WWF on November 23, 1998, but not as a wrestler; instead, he replaced Sgt. Slaughter as the WWF Commissioner, joining Vince McMahon's Corporation stable as a heel. Throughout late 1998 and early 1999, Michaels, would make regular TV appearances, booking matches, stamping down his authority and sometimes deciding the outcome of matches. In early 1999, Michaels turned face and re-joined D-Generation X, but disappeared from WWF television for a few months, and by the time he had returned DX had broken up.
Michaels would make occasional appearances on WWF television as commissioner as a face during the spring and summer of 1999. He turned heel once again during the premiere episode of Smackdown on August 26, when, while serving as a special guest referee, he superkicked The Rock, allowing Triple H to retain the WWF Championship. However, Michaels would not appear on WWF television until May 21, 2000, once again as a face, to officate the Iron Man match between the Rock and Triple H. He would make one last appearance a month later, when he would hand over the role of commissioner to Mick Foley, becoming the Official Spokesperson for the WWF. Michaels then disappeared from WWF television for nearly a year.
Michaels prolonged absences were the result of his opening of the Shawn Michaels Wrestling Academy in early 1999. In February 2001, Michaels signed a multi year contract extension with the WWF.
Returning to RAW
In 2002, Michaels returned to wrestling, brought in by Kevin Nash as a new member of the nWo. After the nWo was disbanded, Triple H apparently wanted to mend ties with Michaels. This was solidified when Michaels beseeched Triple H to return to RAW. Later on, they came down to the ring with their D-Generation X music and attire. When they were about to do their trademark "suck it" taunt, Triple H nailed Michaels with the Pedigree. However, Michaels surprised everyone by challenging Triple H to "a fight" (a non-sanctioned match) at SummerSlam 2002, which Triple H accepted.
Michaels returned to the ring to wrestle a match against Triple H at SummerSlam 2002, laying the foundation for a feud that would last for years. This match was noted for Michaels emotional in ring return after more than four years on the shelf, however looking surprisingly sharp and polished in the ring. Michaels won the SummerSlam match but was attacked with a sledgehammer by Triple H after the match.
At Survivor Series 2002 Michaels won the World Heavyweight Championship from Triple H in the first-ever Elimination Chamber match, which also featured Rob Van Dam, Kane, Chris Jericho and Booker T. Michaels lost the World Championship a month later to Triple H in a Three Stages Of Hell match.
Michaels then proceeded to feud with Chris Jericho. On January 13, 2003, Jericho won an over-the-top-rope challenge to select his entry number for the Royal Rumble, choosing number two in order to start the match with Michaels, who had already been named number one. At the Rumble, Jericho eliminated Michaels. With all the hype going into Wrestlemania, both wrestlers delivered superb performances. Michaels defeated Jericho at Wrestlemania XIX. After the match, HBK offered his hand to Chris Jericho who, instead of shaking it, hugged Michaels. At first it seemed like good sportsmanship by Chris Jericho but he quickly kicked Michaels in the groin. Shawn would then fued with Randy Orton, who would defeat him at Unforgiven 2003, then again at Survivor Series 2003 as a part of an elimination match.
Michaels then entered a Last Man Standing Match against the champion, Triple H, at the 2004 edition of the Royal Rumble. The match was a draw. Michaels went on to be in the main event of WrestleMania XX where he came up short in a match against Triple H and Chris Benoit for the World Heavyweight Championship. Later on in 2004 Michaels faced Triple H in a Hell in a Cell match, but lost. He also lost a World Heavyweight Championship match against Triple H at Taboo Tuesday 2004 when the fans voted for him ahead of Edge and Chris Benoit to face Triple H one more time. Following this, HBK was out of action for a few months, returning in January 2005, when he was special guest referee in the Elimination Chamber match at the 2005 New Year's Revolution PPV.
At the 2005 Royal Rumble, Michaels eliminated Kurt Angle from the Rumble match. Angle later dumped Michaels over the top rope to eliminate him in retaliation. As a result of what happened at the Royal Rumble, Michaels issued a challenge to Angle for a match at WrestleMania 21, which Kurt Angle accepted when he appeared on RAW to attack Michaels. Angle defeated Michaels by submission with the Ankle Lock at WrestleMania 21 on April 3 2005.
The next night on RAW, Muhammad Hassan and Khosrow Daivari came out to confront and assault fan favorite Shawn Michaels. The following week, Michaels approached RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff demanding a handicap match with Hassan and Daivari. Bischoff refused but did tell Michaels to find a partner and he would grant a match. Michaels then made a plea for Hulk Hogan to come back and team with him. On the April 18 episode of RAW, Hassan again led an attack on Michaels until Hogan appeared to make save Michaels and accept his offer.
At the WWE Backlash pay-per-view Hassan and Daivari lost to Hogan and Michaels, with Daivari being pinned. Hassan would blame and attack Daivari for the loss the next evening on RAW.
On the July 4, 2005 edition of RAW, Michaels and Hulk Hogan fought Kurt Angle and WWE Intercontinental Champion Carlito in a tag team match. During the post-match pose, Michaels hit Hogan with his patented Sweet Chin Music, knocking Hogan to the ground and turning Michaels heel. The following week on RAW, HBK appeared on the Piper's Pit where he superkicked the host Roddy Piper and then challenged Hulk Hogan to a match at SummerSlam 2005. Prior to the 2005 SummerSlam, neither Hogan nor Michaels had lost in a one-on-one match at SummerSlam. Hogan defeated Michaels at SummerSlam. After the match Michaels extended his hand to him, saying "I needed to know, and I found out" and he and Hogan shook hands. Michaels left the ring to allow Hogan to celebrate with the crowd and Michaels turned face once more.
Michaels began a feud with "The Masterpiece" Chris Masters. The pair faced each other in a match at Unforgiven 2005 where Michaels would win via pinfall. At WWE Homecoming, HBK wrestled Kurt Angle to a 2-2 draw in a 30-minute Iron Man match. At Taboo Tuesday 2005, Michaels would win the fans choice for the second year running and become a part of the Triple Threat Match with John Cena and Kurt Angle. Cena would win and retain the WWE Championship. Michaels would be team captain for the 5-on-5 RAW vs SmackDown! elimination match at Survivor Series 2005. In the match, Shawn found himself as the sole remaining member of Team RAW, facing three wrestlers from Team SmackDown. Michaels made an amazing come back for RAW facing three SmackDown superstars at first which were Rey Mysterio, JBL and Randy Orton. Michaels first faced Mysterio of the three and finally hit sweet chin music on Rey Mysterio in the air who was attempting an aerial stunt at Michaels and Michaels pinned Mysterio for the 3 count. This was followed by JBL who wanted to finish Michaels off with the clothesline from hell but was unsuccessful as Michaels ducked and JBL ended up on the receiving end of sweet chin music and being pinned for the 3 count as well. Michaels now evened the odds and was left to face Randy Orton who thought he could finish off a battered and relentless Shawn Michaels but as he tried to get the RKO on Michaels he was pushed off and almost got hit with Sweet Chin Music. After a few minutes of his finishing routine HBK was ready to tune up the band and finish Randy Orton off with sweet chin music but JBL unfotunately interrupted almost hitting Michaels with a steel chair but ended up getting sweet chin music from Michaels once more. Michaels was too weak now and Orton was ready to move in for the kill and finally got in an RKO on the relentless and fighting captain and was finally pinned by Randy Orton, giving Team SmackDown! the win.
On the December 5, 2005 edition of RAW, Shawn Michaels competed against The Big Show for his shot in the Elimination Chamber at New Years Revolution, in which he won. Shawn Michaels appeared at the Tribute to the Troops where he defeated Triple H with Sweet Chin Music in a Boot Camp Match.
On the following RAW, Vince McMahon lauded Michaels for his part in the Montreal Screwjob. Michaels said he was only being loyal to his company, but said he'd moved on and McMahon should move on as well. McMahon told Michaels he can "screw" him like he screwed Bret Hart, and he began setting unusual stipulations for Michaels' matches and interfering on behalf of Michaels' opponents.
After several weeks of attacks and stipulations, Michaels confronted McMahon in the ring and challenged him to a match. McMahon refused and attempted (unsuccessfully) to force Michaels to sign retirement papers before later, after Vince and Shane McMahon knocked HBK out with a steel chair, Mr. McMahon booked a match between himself and HBK at WrestleMania 22.
Michaels and Shane McMahon met in a Street Fight at Saturday Night's Main Event, in which HBK suplexed Shane off the top of a ladder onto two tables on the arena floor. Throughout the match, Vince interfered, allowing Shane to get the upper hand and hit Michaels repeatedly with a ladder. But Michaels kept kicking out and refused to submit and again got the upper hand, superkicking Shane, but Vince knocked the ref down before the three count. Michaels went after Vince McMahon, which gave Shane enough time to hit Michaels with a low blow from behind. Shane applied the Sharpshooter, and Vince McMahon immediately ordered for the bell to be rung even though Michaels didn't tap out; an allusion to the Montreal Screwjob.
Michaels defeated Mr. McMahon at WrestleMania 22 in a bloody No Holds Barred match. At Backlash 2006, Michaels (with "God" as his tag team partner) lost to Vince and Shane McMahon with help from the Spirit Squad in a no DQ match that saw Michaels suffer a partially broken nose. Michaels would go on to get some revenge on the Spirit Squad in various ways but by May 22, 2006 the Squad would, in storyline, injure Michaels' knee, an angle that was done so Michaels could get surgery on his knee, which has been legitimately injured for quite some time.
Return of DX
In 2006, a series of events took place which suggested a reunion of Shawn Michaels and Triple H as DX starting at WrestleMania 22 where both Shawn Michaels and Triple H performed the crotch chop during their matches. The two continued to deliver chops in the following episodes of WWE RAW as Michaels feuded with Mr. McMahon and Triple H went for the WWE Championship, repeatedly butting heads with Mr. McMahon in the process.
On the June 12 edition of RAW, DX officially reunited. During Triple H's gauntlet match against the Spirit Squad, Shawn Michaels came in to help Triple H. At Vengeance 2006 DX defeated the Spirit Squad in a 5-on-2 handicap match. After the win, the group would continue its sophmoric antics at the expense of The Spirit Squad, Vince McMahon, Shane McMahon and Jonathan Coachman for several weeks. They then defeated the Spirit Squad at Saturday Night Main Event in a 5-2 elimination match. They most recently defeated Mr. McMahon and Shane McMahon at Summerslam.
DX would face The McMahons and The Big Show in a Hell in a Cell at Unforgiven 2006 (It would be the seventh Hell in a Cell match for Triple H and the third for Shawn Michaels). DX would go on to win that match, following a shot to the back of the head with a sledgehammer by Triple H to Vince McMahon. Both Shane and Vince McMahon have not been on Raw since the events at Unforgiven 2006. Since then Mr McMahon's Executive Assistant The Coach has been running the show.
On September 18, 2006, in Montreal, Michaels, Triple H and John Cena teamed up to face Edge, Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch in a tag team match. D-Generation X and Cena were disqualified after HBK hit Cade with a chair. After RAW went off air, an exclsive video was on WWE.com, in which Michaels said; "And of course, for one night only, Montreal forgave me, if your not down with that, we got two words for you, Suck It!
Wrestling facts
- Finishing and signature moves
- Sweet Chin Music (Superkick)
- Diving elbow drop
- Teardrop Suplex (Leg hook Saito suplex) - late 1980s to early 1990s
- Rocker Dropper (Wrist lock leg drop bulldog) - late 1980s to early 1990s
- Piledriver - late 1980s to early 1990s
- Figure four leglock
- Flying forearm
- Inverted atomic drop
- Nip-up
- Lou Thesz press
- Moonsault
- DDT
- Plancha
- Skin the cat
- Snap suplex
- Splash
- Managers
- Sensational Sherri
- Diesel, bodyguard and tag team partner
- Sycho Sid, bodyguard
- Jose Lothario, coach
- Chyna, bodyguard
- "Ravishing" Rick Rude, "insurance policy"
- Nicknames
- The Heartbreak Kid (HBK)
- Sexy Boy
- Boy Toy
- The Showstopper
- The Icon that keeps on going
- The Main Eventer
- The Headliner
- Mr. Wrestlemania
- Entrance music
- The song "Sexy Boy" was originally written for Michaels by Jimmy Hart, a manager who wrote many entrance themes. Hart thanked Michaels personally for continuing to use the song as his entrance music when he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. Michaels' entrance music was originally performed by Sherri Martel until she went face, and then the second version that is used today is performed by Shawn Michaels himself with traces of Sherri in the chorus portion of the song. Shawn says that the song was the product of "magic" because how it originally sounded right after recording was simply "brutal". HBK then confirms that he can neither sing nor dance.
Wrestlers trained by Michaels
Main article: Texas Wrestling Academy- Matt Bentley
- Lance Cade
- Bryan Danielson
- Shawn Hernandez
- Brian Kendrick
- Paul London
- Veronica Stevens
- Tyson Tomko
Championships and accomplishments
- 2-time AWA World Tag Team Champion – with Marty Jannetty
- 1-time NWA Central States Tag Team Champion – with Marty Jannetty
- 1993 Match of the Year – vs. Marty Jannetty (Monday Night RAW, May 17 1993)
- 1994 Match of the Year – vs. Razor Ramon (WrestleMania X, March 20 1994)
- 1995 Match of the Year – vs. Diesel (WrestleMania XI, April 2 1995)
- 1995 Most Popular Wrestler of the Year
- 1996 Most Popular Wrestler of the Year
- 1996 Match of the Year – vs. Bret Hart (WrestleMania XII, March 31 1996)
- PWI ranked him # 1 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the year on the 1996 PWI 500 list
- PWI ranked him # 10 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the PWI Years in 2003
- PWI ranked him # 33 of the 100 best tag teams during the PWI Years in 2003 – with Marty Jannetty
- PWI ranked him # 55 of the 100 best tag teams during the PWI Years in 2003 – with Diesel
- 2004 Match of the Year – vs. Chris Benoit and Triple H (WrestleMania XX, March 14 2004)
- 2005 Match of the Year – vs. Kurt Angle (WrestleMania 21, April 3 2005)
- Michaels holds the record for most PWI Match of the Year honors with six.
- Texas All-Stars
- 1-time TAS Six Man Tag Team Champion
- 2-time TAS Texas Tag Team Champion – with Paul Diamond
- Texas Wrestling Alliance
- 1-time TWA Heavyweight Champion
- 3-time WWF Champion
- 1-time World Heavyweight Champion
- 3-time WWF Intercontinental Champion
- 1-time WWF European Champion
- 3-time WWF World Tag Team Champion (2-times with Kevin Nash and 1-time with Steve Austin)
- 1995 Royal Rumble winner
- 1996 Royal Rumble winner
- First Grand Slam Champion
- Fourth Triple Crown Champion
- 1989 Tag Team of the Year – with Marty Jannetty
- Five Star Match – vs. Razor Ramon (WrestleMania X, March 20, 1994)
- 1994 Match of the Year – vs. Razor Ramon (WrestleMania X, March 20, 1994)
- 1995 Most Charismatic
- 1996 Best Babyface
- 1996 Most Charismatic
- Five Star Match – vs. The Undertaker (In Your House: Badd Blood, October 5 1997)
- 2003 inductee to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
- 2004 Feud of the Year – vs. Chris Benoit and Triple H
Trivia
- Michaels is the first Grand Slam Champion in professional wrestling history. He had won every WWF title at that point:
- Of Michaels's eleven WWE title reigns, only four ended in competitive matches. He has forfeited the WWF Championship once, forfeited or was stripped of the Intercontinental Championships on two occasions and was stripped of all of his Tag Team Championships, and lost his European Championship by laying down for Triple H as a "Christmas present".
- Michaels was in the first (televised) Ladder Match, Hell in a Cell, Elimination Chamber Match and Iron Man Match. He won all except the Ladder Match.
- Michaels has been involved in every Elimination Chamber match, serving as referee for one and a participant in the others. His title win in the first Elimination Chamber match marked the first time in WWE history that a wrestler won the WWE or World Heavyweight Championship in a type of steel cage match.
- In the 1995 Royal Rumble, Michaels became the first man to be the first entry in the Royal Rumble and win the Rumble. No one did it again until the 2004 Royal Rumble when Chris Benoit won it as the number one entry.
- Michaels is the longest member of the WWE (that is still on the active roster), having been with the promotion since 1987 (although he was out between 1998 to 2002). This outnumbers The Undertaker, who debuted in 1990, and Hardcore Holly, who started out in 1994 as Sparky Plugg.
- Michaels is the only WWE male wrestler to pose for Playgirl.
- Michaels has a cousin who wrestles for TNA under the name of Matt Bentley (formerly Michael Shane).
Personal life
Shawn is married to former Nitro Girl, Whisper. They were married on March 31st, 1999 at the Graceland Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was a very small wedding ceremony. The only people present were Shawn Michaels, Rebecca Curci and an Elvis impersonator. Shawn is known to be a big Elvis fan. As a young man, Shawn even sneaked into Graceland and kissed Elvis' grave.
Shawn and Rebecca have a son, Cameron Kade (born on January 5, 2000) and a daughter, Cheyenne Michelle (born on August 19, 2004).
Shawn's return to the WWE at SummerSlam 2002 was supposed to be a one-night only show (in which Jim Ross even informed the audience with lines such as " Michaels is gonna leave us with something to remember him by" and "This is a one night performance from Shawn Michaels"). However this was later changed because he wanted to show his son what he once did for a living.
Shawn is ambidextrous and uses his right hand to draw and color and his left hand to write. However, he primarily uses his right foot when using Sweet Chin Music.
Shawn is a born again Christian. His ring attire often incorporates cross symbols and while on the way to the ring, he normally gets down on his knees and mouths a prayer while his pyrotechnics go off.
Media
- Shawn Michaels: Best Hits From the Heartbreak Kid (1996, VHS)
- Shawn Michaels: Heartbreak Express Tour (1997, VHS)
- D Generation X (1998, VHS)
- From the Vault: Shawn Michaels (2003, DVD)
- Shawn Michaels: Boyhood Dream (2004, DVD)(this DVD was a remake of the 1995-6 addition)
- Heartbreak and Triumph: The Shawn Michaels Story (2005, book)
- D Generation X (2006, DVD)
References
External links
- WWE profile
- WWE DX member profile
- Shawn Michaels at IMDb
- Shawn-Michaels.org(Fansite)
- DX Dgenerates: Fansite