How Would You Be Remembered?: Shawn Michaels

[Chicago1989]

With me being inspired by IDR with his "Success, Bust, or In-Between" threads, I figured why not create a new series myself..

These "How Will You Be Remembered" threads are about looking back at the careers of legendary wrestlers and giving you guys the opportunity to say what you will remember the most about someone, sort of like a testimonial. Was it their contributions to the wrestling business?, The great matches they delivered?, Their legacy in wrestling?....that's all up to you. I'll also give a short review of the career of that certain wrestler as well.

In this first edition of HWYBR?, we're gonna cover the recently retired Shawn Michaels.

Back in the late 80's to early 90's, Shawn Michaels first broke into mainstream scene as one-half of The Rockers. He then turned on Marty Jannetty later on and was on the rise as a singles wrestler. He became "The Heartbreak Kid", a charismatic pretty-boy, and won numerous titles throughout. He was known then for his wild, backstabbing, obnoxious behavior backstage. He formed DX and was an important figure for the emergence of the "Attitude Era". He went on a 4-year hiatus because of a broken back and returned in 2002. His attitude changed, becoming more openly religious and humble. He delivered great match after great match with guys like Triple H and Chris Jericho. He reunited with Triple H to bring back DX and relived the glory days. He had classic matches with The Undertaker at WrestleMania 25 and 26. After losing to Undertaker, HBK's 25-year career came to an end.

So looking back at his career, what will you remember the most about Shawn Michaels?

 

[Ferbian]

On an off note, wouldn't it have made more sense to make the name "How would he be remembered?" just a speculation, either way, on to the topic at hand.

I'll remember Shawn for being an incredible entertaining and very talented wrestler.

Shawn was able to put on awesome matches that was arguably the greatest one of the night, the week, the month, the year etc. you get my point, the matter of a fact is that Shawn put on good matches with pretty much any talent that he was told to wrestle.

And on the other hand, Shawn was very well spoken on the microphone, he wasn't at the level of The Rock, Ric Flair or The Miz to say the least, but he cut great promos, that could both entertain you and make you hate him, he was absolutely awesome at getting heat as well as being absolutely loved for what he said on the microphone and the way he carried himself as cocky for the heat ways, and the way he was so damn hilarious when he was a face, his promos during his D-generation X stint has been entertaining for the majority of times, even if people consider it to be dull due to the watered down material that D-generation X delivered week in and week out.

As I've already said, he was able to gather heat and gather love from the crowd, be it through his microphone work, or the amazing things he did in the ring.

Ultimately I will remember Shawn as being one of the greatest, if not the greatest, all around wrestler to ever step inside the squared circle.

 

[The Revelation]

I will remember Shawn Michaels as "The Showstopper". It wasn't just a t-shirt idea or cool nickname. It was pure truth. He has had a majority of arguably the greatest matches of all time. He was a leader and trend setter. When Vince needed someone to have the first IRON-MAN, HELL IN A CELL, ELIMINATION CHAMBER, AND WRESTLEMANIA LADDER MATCH, who did he put in the match? HBK. I'll remember him most for his abundance of 5-Star quality matches. When Shawn Michaels is wrestling, you can't go wrong or be disappointed cause he gives 100% everytime...

 

[Kiefer-Zeus]

Ferbian are you kidding me? On the Miz's level? WTF you been smoking? HBK is way better then the Miz at promos but thats a different story!

Il remember Shawn michaels for the incredible Ironman Match at Wrestlemania XII going more then 60 minutes with the face of the "New Generation" era in Bret "Hitman" Hart! The boyhood dream come true! And also Shawn's amazing comeback in 2002 and how he was on top for another 8 great years!

 

[Ferbian]

Ferbian are you kidding me? On the Miz's level? WTF you been smoking? HBK is way better then the Miz at promos but thats a different story!

I don't smoke.

Shawn may have had his ability on the microphone, he was a very good promo cutter, but I just consider the Miz to be an incredible promo cutter, he has a lot of charisma, which sure Shawn Michaels has as well, but I wouldn't put him as one of the greatest promo cutters.

Shawn's magic was in the ring, the wrestling side of it, not the promo side, it was just a well placed perk to an already incredible talent if you ask me.

 

[Takerfan93]

I don't smoke.

Shawn may have had his ability on the microphone, he was a very good promo cutter, but I just consider the Miz to be an incredible promo cutter, he has a lot of charisma, which sure Shawn Michaels has as well, but I wouldn't put him as one of the greatest promo cutters.

Shawn's magic was in the ring, the wrestling side of it, not the promo side, it was just a well placed perk to an already incredible talent if you ask me.

First of all, why take the "WTF are you smoking" comment so seriously? But anyway, Shawn was fantastic on the mic! I know you said he was good, but I think he is much better on the mic than how you portrayed him.

The Miz, yes he is very good, but I think HBK was better. He always came off as so natural and real (when he was doing serious promos, not the recent DX comedy). The Miz a lot of the time overacts and it is just looks too fake. I also think he comes off a bit camp sometimes, but I don't know how many peoll have picked up on that.

Anyway, HBK IMO was one of the best on the mic in the past 20 years at least. I loved his promos, face and heel, especially that one back in 2005 during his feud with Hogan when Raw was in Montreal, that was GOLD.

 

[TheRapist]

I will remember Shawn Michaels as "The Showstopper", one of my favorite matches being Wrestlemania XIX against Chris Jericho. Just seeing his ability to be innovative and put on a show with anyone and anyone's move sets, including one very similar to his own astounds me. And that is one thing I will always love Shawn Michaels for.

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

He will be rememered for his amazing performances in the ring for me. Mostly, his career from 2002 - 2010. He put on more amazing matches in these 8 years than he did in the 90's IMO. He won so many achievements from his last years than when he first started. His mic work wasn't his best, but he could really back them up when he performed in the ring. For Shawn, he never really cared about holding titles, because he put on a great show whether he won a title or not. Win or lose, he was always going to be the best performer in the ring. For me from the 00's (2000-2009), he was the best wrestler, even though he didn't even wrestle in 2000-mid 2002...there will always be a place people will remember him, not because of his title reigns, but because he was the Heart Break Kid!!

 

[danny_the_legend_killer]

right well for me there is only one way that i remember and will always remember Shawn Michaels and that is his match at summerslam 2002 with triple h, and its not because of the fantastic match they put on but at the time i had never seen wrestling but it was on and i have never forgotten it, i just saw jim ross and jerry the king at the commentary table talking about how the younger audience will not have seen hbk and i was like thats me lol and the wasy they showed his highlights i was like omg is he even real a broken back and now he is coming back for a street fight and every time triple h had the upper hand i was screaming at the tv (i was only young lol) and once he won the match i began to follow the wwe but mostly hbk and thats how i remember hbk when i was a kid he was the guy who got me into watching pro wrestling.

 

[DiscipleofWrestling]

I'll remember Shawn Michaels for being one of the greatest in-ring performers of all time. He was the embodiment of what professional wresting should be: entertaining yet competent in the ring (which Shawn was to say the least). Shawn could do acrobatics with the best of them, but as proven in the Iron Man match especially, he could be technically sound when he needed to be.

For me, Shawn Michaels' spot as a legend was solidified NOT by his accomplishments before his hiatus in 1998 but for what he did afterwards. Let's put this in perspective for a second: He had a very serious back injury which forced him into retirement. He spent the next few years trying to find footing in both his personal and professional life, even starting his own wrestling academy. His demons almost got the best of him. But he was able to quell those demons thanks to something outside of the wrestling business to help hold him together.

When he made his return in 2002, how many of us really expected the HBK of old to be able to have a great match with Triple H at SummerSlam four and a half years after his retirement? I sure as heck didn't. But he did, and from that point on, every match he wrestled in was great from the standpoint that a man could overcome all of those odds and yet come back and be on par with what he was and perhaps even better.

I'll always remember Shawn Michaels for a lot of things, but his run from 2002 to 2010 was excellent. Shawn Michaels established himself truly as Mr. WrestleMania with this run, having excellent matches with Jericho, Triple H and Chris Benoit, Kurt Angle, Vince McMahon, Ric Flair, and The Undertaker. In addition, Shawn had memorable feuds with the likes of Triple H, Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, Vince McMahon, Randy Orton, and others. Most importantly, The Showstopper never disappointed. And for me, that will be the legacy of Shawn Michaels: he was kicked down, came back, and performed at a superb level.

 

[Ferbian]

First of all, why take the "WTF are you smoking" comment so seriously? But anyway, Shawn was fantastic on the mic! I know you said he was good, but I think he is much better on the mic than how you portrayed him.

It's more of a playing along / shutting someone up kind of joke, I do the exact same thing myself.

And sure I may not come off as portraying him as an incredible guy on the microphone, but he indeed was, but let's not get overconfident on his microphone abilities, he had his moments but he wasn't perfect, Shawn Michaels remains better on the microphone when he's a heel character, than when he's a face, especially in the later years of his career around D-generation X where his verbal aspect of his character was very demented like portrayed if you ask me, the whole fact that there's a complete WWE.com segment with Shawn talking about reforming D-generation X with Triple H, and Triple H telling him they already did that, only to have Shawn return 5 minutes later and ask the same thing.

Again, I liked Shawn much better as a heel when it came to being on the microphone, he was cocky, he was entertaining, he was the complete package.

The Miz, yes he is very good, but I think HBK was better. He always came off as so natural and real (when he was doing serious promos, not the recent DX comedy). The Miz a lot of the time overacts and it is just looks too fake. I also think he comes off a bit camp sometimes, but I don't know how many peoll have picked up on that.

That's the exact thing that may very well make Miz better, due to the fact that I think Miz may very well be able to remain amazing on the microphone during comedy skits and face promos as opposed to what Shawn sadly didn't succeed in being as opposed to the things he did and said when he was a heel.

And sure Miz overreacts heavily at times, but he remains entertaining and remains to be someone you watch with excitement, as opposed to Shawn who could at times loose it a bit when he was a face, sure he was damn well entertaining every damn time as a face, but he had his moments where I, as a big Shawn Michaels fan, even found myself facepalming.

Anyway, HBK IMO was one of the best on the mic in the past 20 years at least. I loved his promos, face and heel, especially that one back in 2005 during his feud with Hogan when Raw was in Montreal, that was GOLD.

I completely agree, he is one of the best, and one of the best all-around talents of all time I may very well say, but he just isn't the best, the best act(s) on the microphone the last 20 years in my eyes is Roddy Piper and Ric Flair.

Oh and yes the promo on Hogan, Bret Hart and Canada as a whole in 2005 was absolutely golden, and I absolutely loved the small "attack" on Canada with the whole "Oh Canada, how I hate this place.. oooh Canada, I'm gonna kick, Hulk Hogan, right in the face". absolutely golden, but again, it was Shawn Michaels being a heel, where he excels the most.

 

[Canadian Knight]

I will remember him for the stupid storylines that i had to endure. What about the times when he would ally himself with someone and then betray his partner, and that is supposed to be an 'Icon'? I will remember him for this last storyline where he seemed to be mourning the lose of a loved one when he lost the Rumble and knew that he was not going to face Undertaker. I mean the last time I saw that look Luke Skywalker just saw his mentor Obi Wan getting killed.

 

[JoeyDice420]

Im glad he's finally gone...Don't get me wrong Shawn IS/WAS 1 hell of a performer,but his early years as Wwe Champion were full of False injurys,Drug addictions,whining over not wanted to put people over,holding stars like THE ROCK back because he was jealous..(Read bret harts book to if you want to verify it) and this made me dislike him alot....He will always be remembered as a great performer,im just glad he made up with bret hart (On screen atleast) My favorite Micheals Match would have to be The Iron Man match

Oh and please do not Compare the God awful Miz to shawn micheals..Thats just wrong

 

[theHeadliner]

I'll remember Michaels by a line he cut in a promo from 1997..."When you pay your hard-earned money there's One guy you can count on that's coming out here and working his ass off whether you cheer, boo...The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels" Shawn Michaels was my favorite wrestler from 1993 on and was the reason I started watching again in the 2000s. He epitomized charisma, talent, and sports entertainment.

 

[thepalaceprince]

Il remember shawn michaels as the greatest performer Ive ever seen. He could get a great match out of anyone when he was in the ring I always paid attention because I knew something special could happen at any moment. All also remember him for having my favorite finisher of all time. Sweet chin music is so simple but so devestating and everytime he hit it it was a thing of beauty

 

[The Main Event]

i'll Remembered Shawn As "THE REASON" i intresting into Pro-Wrestling and WWE !
i mean seriosly i didn't even watch a wwe show After WrestleMania 26 ( beside Shawn's Farewall ) ... i couldn't ..
i'll Remembered Shawn as The Guy that Told Me .. it doesn't matter u wins or loss .. u Gotta Deliver !

 

[Benoit4ever]

I'll remember him as the biggest piece of crap to ever lace 'em up. He weasled out of losing belts by saying "i lost my my smile" and for keeping most of the talent down that was around him. I'll remember him for screwing Bret, I'll remember him for being the biggest waste of space to ever be in the wwe. Come to think of it i won't miss or remember him at all please die Has Been Kid. Y is it all the good wrestlers die and some piece of crap like him gets to live makes no sense to me, he's done as many drugs as all those that have died before him. In 3 simple words I HATE HIM.

 

[The Brain]

I'll remember Shawn for all the classic matches he gave us over the years. There are too many to list here. He kept the WWF alive when things were going bad. I'll also remember him for completly turning his life around. He was on a downward spiral in his personal life in the 90's. He turned things around and became a respected family man with morals and values.

Come to think of it i won't miss or remember him at all please die Has Been Kid. Y is it all the good wrestlers die and some piece of crap like him gets to live makes no sense to me, he's done as many drugs as all those that have died before him. In 3 simple words I HATE HIM.

I'm normally pretty respectful to people on the forums, but his guy is a complete idiot. Shawn made a lot of mistakes in his life and has admitted to that many times. Give him credit for turning his life around. It's interesting to see a guy with Benoit in is name complain that a piece of crap like Shawn gets to live. Benoit was a murderer. He killed his own family. We'll overlook that though because he lost his title cleanly. Moron.

 

[wushady]

Not only will he remembered for his amazing wrestling ability. I don't think he ever had a bad match. Even with herniated discs in his back he had an awesome match with Austin. They guy could carry pretty much anyone to a phenomenal.

Even tough he's turned his personal life around he'll also be remembered for the cloud of controversy that hung over him the first part of his career. I no way think it will overshadow the great things he has done. During the attitude era the controversial stuff he did on camera helped WWE take over the Monday night Wars. The Montreal screw job will always follow around his legacy. As will the real heat between him and Hart and him and Vince.

All in all he will be remembered as Showstopper a guy no matter what always gave the fans everything he has.

 

[Benoit4ever]

Benoit had dementia and had no idea what was going on, thanks to mcmahon making him be on the road 300 plus nites a year diving off the top rope, getting concusion after concusion. He's the greatest wrestler ever to lace em up if you doubt that go back and watch an angle, jericho or eddie v Benoit match. But no you'd rather watch that garbage that was taker v. has been kid at manias. No thank you, and just becuz someone apolagized that's supposed to change things, "well your honor i'm sorry i raped that woman can i go now" take his apolagy and shove it up his and ur ass. thank you idiot.

 

[The Brain]

Benoit had dementia and had no idea what was going on, thanks to mcmahon making him be on the road 300 plus nites a year diving off the top rope, getting concusion after concusion. He's the greatest wrestler ever to lace em up if you doubt that go back and watch an angle, jericho or eddie v Benoit match. But no you'd rather watch that garbage that was taker v. has been kid at manias. No thank you, and just becuz someone apolagized that's supposed to change things, "well your honor i'm sorry i raped that woman can i go now" take his apolagy and shove it up his and ur ass. thank you idiot.

Yeah because raping someone is comparable to not dropping the WWF title. I didn't say Benoit wasn't a great wrestler. He was. I don't think he was better than HBK, but he was great. I hardly think anything Shawn did in the 90's warrants a death sentence. Meanwhile your boy Benoit murdered his family, not Vince. You could have come here and simply said you didn't like HBK because of the backstage politics. Instead you took it down a very distasteful road.

 

[wushady]

Benoit had dementia and had no idea what was going on, thanks to mcmahon making him be on the road 300 plus nites a year diving off the top rope, getting concusion after concusion. He's the greatest wrestler ever to lace em up if you doubt that go back and watch an angle, jericho or eddie v Benoit match. But no you'd rather watch that garbage that was taker v. has been kid at manias. No thank you, and just becuz someone apolagized that's supposed to change things, "well your honor i'm sorry i raped that woman can i go now" take his apolagy and shove it up his and ur ass. thank you idiot.

Dude really even if Michaels is only remembered for being the asshole that wouldn't drop a title. That's a lot better than being remember for killing your family. I liked Benoit pre murders he was great but he was never on HBK's level.

I don't see how anyone can blame Vince every other wrestler in WWE are on the road the same as him. No one else went insane and killed their family. I don't doubt he had some damage due to concussions. If he had dementia he couldn't have functioned in daily life much less wrestle.

 

[Beitter]

Shawn Micheals is write there next to Ric Flair!, he could have a match with anyone and make them look good! He admits he was a hard guy to work with back in the 90's but look at what he accomplished when he returned in 2002! First of all in the 7 plus years he came back for he was world champion only for 1 month! But he apparently never puts anyone over....APPARENTLY! Shawn Micheal is a true legend, icon, and whatever else you can say about a man that is great at what he does! At Summerslam 2002 the match he put on was amazing, I mean he went through tables, he did all the stuff that a guy who had a broken back should never do! Lets go back to 2004 Taboo Tuesday, he had a torn up knee and he still went out and competed cause he was voted in by the fans, and tore the house down! In 2005 he jobbed to Hulk Hogan in the ultimate 90's dream match, in fact his month long heel turn just for Hogan was one of the best in the history of wrestling! I think his Wrestlemania 25 match with The Undertaker was his best ever! Even better than Steamboat/Savage at Mania 3, and better than the Ironman match at mania 12 (my opinion)! But those are just a few, remeber him and shelton benjamin on raw, or the 40 plus minute match on raw with Cena, or how about the classic he and Triple H put on on the last episode of raw in 03 I believe it was!Shawn is to my generation what Ric Flair was to the one before, though he wasn't the most famous or best entertainer like the Hulk Hogans, Stings, Austins, and the Rock! He was the one of if not the best wrestlers ever, he was born to be a pro wrestler!! Shawn Micheals always and forever my wrestling hero, and the next man that deserves his own wing in the hall of fame! Shawn Micheals Hall of Fame 11!

 

[donp71883]

Benoit had dementia and had no idea what was going on, thanks to mcmahon making him be on the road 300 plus nites a year diving off the top rope, getting concusion after concusion. He's the greatest wrestler ever to lace em up if you doubt that go back and watch an angle, jericho or eddie v Benoit match. But no you'd rather watch that garbage that was taker v. has been kid at manias. No thank you, and just becuz someone apolagized that's supposed to change things, "well your honor i'm sorry i raped that woman can i go now" take his apolagy and shove it up his and ur ass. thank you idiot.

I guess every other wrestler on the roster doesn't compete 300+ nights a year. They don't go home and kill their wives and kids. And what about the hundreds of pills they found in Beniots house? And the doctor that was taken to court for perscribing them to him in 6 month quantities, every 2 months? I guess that doesn't count, because Beniot is apparently the only wrestler in this guys eyes to have had his body torn up from the grueling schedule. It also doesn't overshadow the fact that Beniot was an amazing wrestler before murdering his family and commiting suicide.

Onto the topic at hand. I'll remember HBK for always seeming to give 125% of himself to the business. I'll remember him for being the guy that could have an iron man match with a pile of sticks, and not only making it entertaining, but making us believe it was real. Most of all, I'll remember Shawn Michaels for being one of the very few guys to admit, "I had my demons, I battled drugs, I was a pure asshole" while he's still in the midst of his career. Sure, a lot of guys have retired and opened up, but how many active wrestlers put their drug problems (and everything else) out to the public, and still recieve the ovations that he did? Overall, I'll remember HBK as a mistake-making human being who made the absolute best with the hands he was dealt, and as the guy who turned me onto wrestling from the start

 

[theHeadliner]

I'll also remember Michaels main-eventing PPVs when he wasn't even the champion, and having MAJOR heat with the crowd. That says something. He wouldn't have been in those main events not being champ unless he was drawing, so all those people who say HBK didn't draw are mistaken (Yes in 1996 when the company was in shambles, everyone was jumping ship,
they didn't have many major players, the angles were silly, etc.) the ratings and draws were sub par, but they picked up and when Michaels won the belt after the Screwjob they picked right back up. Bret, as champ was undercarding to Michaels, and that speaks.