Michael Shawn Hickenbottom Better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels was born July 22, 1965 and is one of the best wrestlers to ever step foot in a ring. He was considered as one of WWE's senior performers having performed for over twenty years. Shawn began his wrestling career with (AWA) American Wrestling Association. During his time with AWA he performed in partnership with Marty Jannetty as the Midnight Rockers, winning the AWA World Tag Team championships twice. Shawn and Jannetty then signed with World Wrestling Federation (WWF), while in contract with AWA. They returned to AWA, only to go back to the WWF in 1988. In the WWF they were renamed as simply "The Rockers” The Rockers continued their partnership, eventually splitting on December 2, 1991 during an incident on Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake's televised Barber Shop talk show promotional segment. Shawn Michaels then superkicked Jannetty and pushed him through a Glass window on the segment. Soon after Jannetty disappeared from the company and Michaels became a villain known as "The Boy Toy. At the suggestion from "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig, Michaels then adopted the nickname "The Heartbreak Kid. Shawn’s new gimmick was a vain and cocky villain. He was soon put together with Manager Sensational Sherri; Sherri even sang the first version of his new theme music, "Sexy Boy”. and when he left the arena, he announced "Shawn Michaels has left the building”
Shawn soon entered a staged rivalry with Razor Ramon, this feud culminated in a ladder match between the two at WrestleMania X. Michaels lost the match, which featured both his and Ramon's belts suspended above a ladder in the ring. At the 1998 Royal Rumble, Michaels received a legitimate back injury in a Casket match against The Undertaker. Michaels took a back body drop to the outside of the ring and smashed his lower back on the casket, causing him to herniate two discs and crush one completely. This forced Michaels into retirement after losing the WWF Championship to Steve Austin at WrestleMania XIV. Many said he would never be able to make a return. Nevertheless, in 2002 Michaels returned to wrestling and was brought into the New World Order (nWo) by Kevin Nash as a new member of the group. Soon after the nWo disbanded and Triple H and Shawn reunited DX when they were about to drop their signature suck it taunt, Triple H turned on Shawn and Pedigreed him. A week later, Triple H attacked Michaels from behind in a parking lot and put his head through a car window. In response, Michaels challenged Triple H to a Street Fight at SummerSlam, which Triple H accepted. Michaels won at SummerSlam but was attacked by Triple H after the match with a sledge hammer.At the 2002 Suvivor Series Shawn defeated Triple H for the World title in the first ever Elimination Chamber match. Michaels' reign as champion came to an end when he lost the championship to Triple H in a Three Stages of Hell match.
Slowly DX started reforming with both Shawn and Hunter doing the Crotch chop in their matches at WrestleMania 22. During Triple H's gauntlet match, which had him compete against the Spirit Squad, Michaels came in to help Triple H and the two did the DX "crotch chop. At Vengeance, DX defeated the Spirit Squad in a 5–on–2 handicap match. DX lasted for only 1 year and slowly started breaking up again to respectively go in to single competition feuds. Shawn then put out a challenge to The Undertaker who he wanted to fight at WrestleMania 25 the feud started building up when Shawn would come out every week and super kick Undertaker. The Matched happened at WrestleMania 25 and it was a match that went down in history, many thought that Shawn was going to finally end the immortal undefeated WrestleMania streak.100s of fan signs were held up and said 16-1 but alas it was not to be. HBK made a tiny mistake which Undertaker Took advantage of and picked up the win, boosting the streak to an ever higher number of 17-0. Shawn was not seen on TV since that match for about four months. There was a storyline were he gave up wrestling and became a fry cook at a restaurant. Triple H then called Shawn and asked him for his help to take out The Legacy.(Cody Rhodes) and (Ted DiBase). After Shawn came back DX reunited once again defeating Legacy in a Hell in A Cell match. DX captured the unified tag team championships for the first time in there illustrious career from Chris Jericho and Big Show. Soon after DX lost the belts to Big Show and Miz a few months later.
At the WWE Slammy awards, Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker at WrestleMania 25 was voted match of the year. He then challenged The Undertaker again at WrestleMania 26. The Undertaker declined the match and told Shawn if he wanted him he would have to win the Royal Rumble, Shawn made it to the last four men in the Rumble but was eliminated by Batista. Shawn was going crazy he had to find a way to make Undertaker change his mind. So he took measures into his own hands and cost The Phenom his world title at the Elimination Chamber PPV by coming from under the chamber and super kicking the Undertaker him, which lead to Chris Jericho winning the Title.
The next night on RAW Undertaker was furious about what happened. Undertaker then accepted Shawn’s challenge and so it was settled. The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels II at WrestleMania 26, but Undertaker had a stipulation. If Shawn were to lose the match, he would have to Retire from the WWE, Shawn then accepted and said "If I can’t beat you Undertaker....I have no Career” Many once again though that Undertakers steak was at risk of being ended even myself. The match was on at WrestleMania 26. The Heart Break Kid Shawn Michaels was defeated by The Undertaker, who was now 18-0 at WrestleMania. Witnessing an Amazing career come to and end, Undertaker helped Shawn up and HBK had wrestled his final match. The show ended with Shawn walking up the ramp leaving. The next night on RAW Shawn gave his final farewell to the WWE universe. This was a very emotional night for everyone. Shawn Michael’s storybook career was over and he had written the last chapter in it. There will never be a person like Shawn Michaels ever again. The Heart Break Kid, The Show Stopper, The Headliner, The Main event. Shawn Michaels...October 16, 1984 - March 28, 2010.
Article by Wes
