HBK vs. HHH

[justinept]

When HBK lost to The Undertaker at last year's WrestleMania, few people believed that he was going to retire for good. While Michaels has repeatedly stated that his career is in fact over, most people have cited the same broken promise from past wrestlers as well as the low-key sendoff to the all-time great as a reason why we'd eventually see Michaels back in at least one more match.

Given his impending induction into the WWE Hall of Fame during WrestleMania weekend - as well as reports that suggest Vince McMahon is worried about the lack of star power on the potential WrestleMania card - I wonder if the grand sendoff to Michaels won't include one final match at WrestleMania with Triple H.

The storyline could be simple. Michaels chooses either Bret Hart or Kevin Nash to induct him into the Hall of Fame. Triple H feels slighted by the choice and attacks HBK, setting up a personal battle between best friends at the biggest ppv of the year. This would accomplish multiple things:

1) Adds a money-making match to the pay-per view.
2) Gives HBK a grand sendoff for the fans that most felt was missed last year.

Thoughts?

 

[JGlass]

Who thought HBK missed a grand sendoff? Sure, it wasn't like Flair's sendoff, but he didn't wrestle across 4 (now 5) decades either.

HBK coming back is just a bad idea all together, and having him wrestle Triple H is even worse. They've done HBK vs. Triple H before, and they've even met at Mania (albeit with Chris Benoit and neither men managed to win, but they still wrestled), and why bring Michaels back to wrestle his long time friend? If they were going to bring HBK back to wrestle it would be to wrap up a feud with an old enemy.

Furthermore, the WWE can't just bring Shawn back, it's Shawn's decision. As far as I know, the WWE has no contract with HBK meaning they can't make him wrestle. And Shawn Michaels has made no attempt to even keep up with watching the WWE, let alone to come back and wrestle or partake in any way.

This is a bad idea that will never happen. If I were you I'd give up any hope of this happening.

 

[justinept]

Who said I "hope" this match happens? It's just an idea and nothing more.

But a few things for you:

1) Who said Shawn Michaels missed a grand sendoff? Probably 90% of wrestling fans. You can argue that Michaels didn't get the sendoff that Flair got because his career didn't last 4-5 decades. But the truth is that HBK chose against having one - at least, that's what was reported. Still, after his finale on Raw following WrestleMania, a number of people on these boards chimed in with an empty feeling of disappointment ... and that's when murmurs of a potential sendoff at this year's WrestleMania began. Well, that sendoff is in the works for this year's WrestleMania - even if it only includes his HOF induction.

2) Shawn Michaels is under contract with the WWE as an ambassador. I couldn't tell you if that makes him "eligible" to wrestle or if someone must be signed to a special "talent" contract to actually wrestle. I couldn't even tell if you if separate contracts in the WWE actually exist! But the fact is that he is under contract with the WWE.

3) Yes. We've seen Triple H vs HBK a few times in the past - though we haven't actually seen them wrestle each other 1-on-1 in about 8 years (a life-time in wrestling years) ... and they have actually only feuded ONCE in their career that I can recall (again, 8 years ago!). I can think of a dozen likely matches at WrestleMania that will feature two wrestlers that have wrestled far more times than Triple H and HBK.

4) You're right. It would be HBK's decision to wrestle. Vince McMahon can't force him to, and if HBK decided he didn't want to do it, then it can't happen. But what if VKM agreed to induct him this year under the pretense that he wrestle one final match? What if his "best friend" coaxed him into doing the match so that they could "tear the house down one last time.."? There are a number of reasons HBK would do it --- there are also a number of reasons he wouldn't do it.

5) Hogan's last match was supposed to be against the Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VI. Flair's last match was supposed to be against HBK at WrestleMania XXIV. Those two matches should tell you two things ... 1) That wrestlers don't always stick to their word about retirement. 2) Careers don't always end with grudge matches ... If HBK had a grude match, btw, who would it even be against? My guess is that if he EVER wrestled again, it would be against Triple H. And the way the event is setting up this year, now would be a pretty good time to do it.

 

[rkonextphenom]

how amazing would it be to see another hbk vs hhh match especially at the big show!!! but i hope hbk dosnt come out of retirement soooo many wrestlers come out of retieremt and it losses credibilty to there send off and there legacy. i agree that hbk should have gotten a major send off i mean cmon its HBK!!!! the guy is a living legend!!! also if shawn came back and wrestled mania again in my mind it would dull down the two epic classics between him and the undertaker! it would love to see shawn wrestle again but wouldnt want to at the same time :/

 

[JGlass]

1) Who said Shawn Michaels missed a grand sendoff? Probably 90% of wrestling fans. You can argue that Michaels didn't get the sendoff that Flair got because his career didn't last 4-5 decades. But the truth is that HBK chose against having one - at least, that's what was reported. Still, after his finale on Raw following WrestleMania, a number of people on these boards chimed in with an empty feeling of disappointment ... and that's when murmurs of a potential sendoff at this year's WrestleMania began. Well, that sendoff is in the works for this year's WrestleMania - even if it only includes his HOF induction.

I can't recall seeing anyone one this forum complaining that HBK didn't get the proper sendoff. But that's not important, if HBK didn't want a sendoff, he didn't want a sendoff, and that's that. Why would he change his mind a full year after he retires? That just makes Shawn seem like an attention ****e, and I'm sure he doesn't want that.

2) Shawn Michaels is under contract with the WWE as an ambassador. I couldn't tell you if that makes him "eligible" to wrestle or if someone must be signed to a special "talent" contract to actually wrestle. I couldn't even tell if you if separate contracts in the WWE actually exist! But the fact is that he is under contract with the WWE.

I believe an ambassador doesn't have to wrestle, it just means he participates in meet and greets and has to partake in a certain amount of WWE events.

3) Yes. We've seen Triple H vs HBK a few times in the past - though we haven't actually seen them wrestle each other 1-on-1 in about 8 years (a life-time in wrestling years) ... and they have actually only feuded ONCE in their career that I can recall (again, 8 years ago!). I can think of a dozen likely matches at WrestleMania that will feature two wrestlers that have wrestled far more times than Triple H and HBK.

It's not as much an issue of HBK and Triple H wrestling as it is the fact that I think there are better options for either wrestler. Maybe HBK and Bret could do one more match and have Bret go over, or have Shawn wrestle Marty Jannetty. If they put someone Shawn has an antagonistic history with in the ring with HBK it would be a solid draw. As for Triple H, all indicators point to him wrestling Sheamus. It should happen, and it probably will happen.

4) You're right. It would be HBK's decision to wrestle. Vince McMahon can't force him to, and if HBK decided he didn't want to do it, then it can't happen. But what if VKM agreed to induct him this year under the pretense that he wrestle one final match? What if his "best friend" coaxed him into doing the match so that they could "tear the house down one last time.."? There are a number of reasons HBK would do it --- there are also a number of reasons he wouldn't do it.

But HBK already HAD his final match. There would be plenty of people happy to see Shawn wrestle one more match, but traditional wrestling fans would feel kind of ripped off. If the WWE wants to spit on tradition to make a few more bucks that's their prerogative, but I sincerely hope they stay retired.

5) Hogan's last match was supposed to be against the Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VI. Flair's last match was supposed to be against HBK at WrestleMania XXIV. Those two matches should tell you two things ... 1) That wrestlers don't always stick to their word about retirement. 2) Careers don't always end with grudge matches ... If HBK had a grude match, btw, who would it even be against? My guess is that if he EVER wrestled again, it would be against Triple H. And the way the event is setting up this year, now would be a pretty good time to do it.

We could list wrestlers that went in and out of retirement for hours, that doesn't change the fact that Shawn has specifically said that he doesn't watch WWE programming or the fact that he hasn't even hinted at coming back. Even Flair started partaking in non-wrestling segments after his retirement, even appearing at Wrestlemania 25. The only time Shawn has been on WWE is when he came back for his HOF Nomination announcement.

 

[themegapowers]

"I am not the Raw GM, I am not coming back and, in regards to in-ring wrestling, it is still very important to me to keep my word to the WWE and the Undertaker that I will not step in the ring and wrestle again."

I believe this says it all, HBK will NEVER wrestle again and for me HBK's send off was quite emotional it did what it set out to do, you don't have to have a big send off to make an impact his legendary status has already done that in effect that people will still talk about him.

 

[WunNightStan619]

I personally wouldnt mind seeing it. Its been a really long time since they've locked up. But at the same time, for wunce, id like to see a wrestler retire and STAY retired...

BUT if he were to come back at all and wrestle anywun, it would HAVE to be HHH. Nowun else would make the slightest bit of sense...plus i dont think any other person (besides taker) could keep up with shawn on the big stage and be able to put on a great match more than hhh.

 

[HBK-aholic]

HBK's send off was highly emotional, and much better than Ric Flair's. Just because it didn't have all the flashiness of Flair's, that doesn't mean he didn't get a great send off. I believe 100% that Shawn wanted it that way, and that he loved exactly what happened. I also believe Shawn currently has no intention of wrestling again. Of course, things happen to change that for many wrestlers, such as money or lack of a good family life, and if either of those things changed for the worse in Shawn's life, who's to rule out a return? If Shawn ran out of money (Very unlikely, I believe) and he needed to feed his family, I wouldn't rule out a return. Again, I don't see that situation happening. Also, at the moment Shawn has a very stable family life, with few personal demons left, and is enjoying seeing his children grow up. That's very different to the circumstances of other wrestlers who have returned from retirement.

For the above reasons I believe the match above is very unlikely. Shawn may make an appearance at WM, but not in a wrestling capacity. I think through simply reading his Tweets, you can tell that. Of course tweets can be misleading, but that doesn't change that I feel this match won't happen. I'd selfishly love to see him back in the ring one last time, but I don't think it'd be right for him.

 

[#1HEEL]

What i'll say is this.

HBK shouldnt return, he retired, i HATE retirees who have a "final match" but it isnt.

However, if HBK had one more match i'd love it to be against HHH.

Yes they've had a thousand matches. But they compliment each other, and a one on one mania match could be epic.

 

[Sparky]

Becca pretty much sums this up perfectly. The guy isn't going to wrestle at wrestlemania, he might make a brief showing but not in a wrestling match.

but to play along before the STP get here...

Wouldn't it be much better to have HHH Induct HBK and then when the crowds chanting one more match have HHH ask if he wants to have a friendly match? HHH don't need the heat, we have already seen Heel HHH vs HBK and we have only briefly seen Face HHH vs Face HBK. it would just be a better option right?

 

[Loveless]

In all likelihood it's never going to happen, the sendoff he had was truly perfect and I'd be kind of sad to see that ruined.

On the other hand

This is wrestling. At what point does kayfabe end? It's not like Shawn hasn't taken timeouts before and this could be the ultimate con.
Had he not appeared on RAW this week, could you imagine the reaction if come the Rumble HHH is dominating, only for HBK to come out as No30? The roof would blow off the place.

 

[Ferbian]

1) Adds a money-making match to the pay-per view.

And something like John Cena vs CM Punk (If he's build up big enough to become the biggest heel of the company) or John Cena vs Undertaker, or whatever match that is indeed a monkey making match couldn't accomplish this by themselves?

2) Gives HBK a grand sendoff for the fans that most felt was missed last year.

What? You didn't think that Shawn Michaels getting another great match with Undertaker at Wrestlemania, including a hug / handshake and later on a tip of the hat from Undertaker is NOT considered a grand send off for both the fans, as well as Shawn Michaels in general?

Triple H vs Shawn Michaels is a good thing, don't get me wrong. I would've LOVED to see it myself, because the chemistry these two have in the ring is absolutely amazing. But I just do not see the need to create this match at Wrestlemania for the sake of giving Shawn what he has already gotten - A great send off match.

Thoughts?

I get the idea of letting Shawn face Triple H at Wrestlemania. But I don't see it happening. Not only is Triple H not back yet, and will most likely be feuding with Sheamus when he does return. But Shawn is also retired, and has seemingly been a man of his word the past 8 years time.

Shawn should be inducted by Triple H. And that's a fact. If WWE has Triple H challenging Shawn for a last match, I think it ruins a bit of Shawn's credibility as a trustworthy person, and he has said that he didn't want to become one of those guys. So I'd say it should definitely be respected.

Shawn vs Triple H would be good, and it would be a very back and forth match. But I just don't want to see it due to the fact that I respect Shawn's wish to stay retired too much.

Besides, if Triple H vs Shawn Michaels was to happen, I wouldn't want to see it due to Triple H attacking Shawn. I'd like to see it as Triple H challenging Shawn for one last match, not for some bitter reason, but for the friendship. Let two big name faces go in against each other. Not a heel vs face storyline. But that is IF WWE plans on going that way, and only if.

 

[TakerDakSide]

I highly doubt it would happen. HBK can't just come back after one year since he retired. HBK may have mentioned this but in order for a retirement to be great you have to stay retired. Sure he can make appearances now & then just like 1998-99 but Wrestling fight after retirement isn't all that good.

I get the idea of letting Shawn face Triple H at Wrestlemania. But I don't see it happening. Not only is Triple H not back yet, and will most likely be feuding with Sheamus when he does return. But Shawn is also retired, and has seemingly been a man of his word the past 8 years time.

I highly doubt it would happen. HBK can't just come back after one year since he retired. HBK may have mentioned this but in order for a retirement to be great you have to stay retired. Sure he can make appearances now & then just like 1998-99 but Wrestling fight after retirement isn't all that good.

Exactly so how can HHH vs HBK happen if "The Game" has other matters at hand with a guy like Sheamus. Sheamus did put Triple H out of Action for quite some time now & HHH needs to get his revenge.

Overall: HHH vs HBK would be a big distraction for both unfinished business & a post-retirement.