1. How is Michaels the innovator of HIAC and the Elimination Chamber? Him winning those matches doesn't mean he is the innovator.
So, you don't think being in the first of any new, big time match makes a person an innovator? HBK was in the first high profile ladder match at WM 10. He was in the first high profile Iron Man match at WM 12. He was in the first ever HIAC with Taker at Bad Blood 1997, and he was in the first ever EC at Survivor Series 2002. He is the only person in WWE that is able to say that. Why was he put in these matches because someone had to go out there and tear down the house, and set the bar for all these matches, and there is only one guy who is guaranteed to do that and that is HBK.
2. Actually the first Iron Man Match happened in 1992.
Yeah, as I already said, HBK was in the first high profile Iron Man Match
3. HBK was hardly entertaining during the PG Era.
So having a feud of the year with Chris Jericho in 2008 wasn't entertaining? And before you say it, of course Jericho had a role in making this happen, but it also takes two to tango. You don't have a great feud with someone who sucks. HBK was as much apart of making that feud spectacular as Jericho was. Oh, and he also had a great feud with legacy, along with two all time great matches with Taker at Mania. Yeah, HBK was entertaining during the PG Era. He was entertaining in the best possible way: In the ring.
4. Cena got that five star match out of HBK and not the other way around.
This has got to be the most absurd statement I have ever read. Before his match with HBK at Mania 23 Cena was like a yo-yo. He was able to have mediocre-good matches with Mania Event Level guys like HHH, and he had crap matches with lower level guys. After his match with HBK though is when Cena started to get consistently good. HBK pulled out something in Cena that night. HBK took Cena to school on how to have a great match every single night no matter the opponent. HBK did that, and Cena is lucky to have worked with him.
Really, and you have proof of this where? Your own opinion? The fact is that the match was the match of the year of 2008 according to PWI and the WWE. So obviously, the match had to have been pretty damn good, and not awful.
6. HBK really deserved about two of those match of the year awards.
# PWI Match of the Year (1993)[171] vs. Marty Jannetty on Monday Night Raw on May 17
# PWI Match of the Year (1994)[172] vs. Razor Ramon in a Ladder match at WrestleMania X
# PWI Match of the Year (1995)[6] vs. Diesel at WrestleMania XI
# PWI Match of the Year (1996)[6] vs. Bret Hart in an Iron Man match at WrestleMania XII
# PWI Match of the Year (2004)[171] vs. Chris Benoit and Triple H at WrestleMania XX
# PWI Match of the Year (2005)[171] vs. Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 21
# PWI Match of the Year (2006)[171] vs. Vince McMahon in a No Holds Barred match at WrestleMania 22
# PWI Match of the Year (2007)[171] vs. John Cena on Raw on April 23
# PWI Match of the Year (2008)[171] vs. Ric Flair at WrestleMania XXIV
# PWI Match of the Year (2009)[173] vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXV
Besides his match with Vince at Mania 22, you tell me what match was undeserving of its title as match of the year? Yes, I will give you Vince at Mania 22. Other than that though, every single match was a five star match that easily deserved its title as Match of the Year. Do other matches those years deserve the title as well? OF COURSE! But to say that the match that won is undeserving is crap.