Shawn Michaels: Beyond His Prime?

[Slyfox696]

Thats your opinion on "Prime" just like I gave mine on it. I won't debate your opinion on this, because it can be viewed two different ways.

It's really the only objective way to measure a professional wrestlers prime. And since making money and drawing fans are the number one goal of a professional wrestler, it's a fair way to do it.

How old earth do you see Hogan out performing Shawn Michaels at Summerslam? Why, because H.B.K. mocked Hogan's every move, by majorly overselling them?

Because Hogan was the one to make it interesting. HBK just did random chops, slow and boring, and completely oversold, even by his heel standards. Hogan is the one who gave the heat to that match, not an uninterested HBK.

Shawn Michaels has more talent in half his body, than Hogan has ever seen, or had in his entire career as a Professional Wrestler. Hogan's never left the ground, never performed anything more "powerful" or "stunning" than a Big Boot & a Leg Drop.. the first 5 minutes of any Shawn Michaels match is more entertaining than Hogan's entire career.

Yes, because as we all know, professional wrestling talent is all about leaving the ground and performing cool moves.

Thats the thing. You base everything off money.

Correction.

The professional wrestling business bases everything off money.

Vince McMahon created Hulk Hogan. Terry only plays him. But the fact is, talent wise.. inside the ring, Shawn Michaels has, will & will continue to out perform Hulk Hogan with his talent.

Vince McMahon created HBK. Michael Hickenbottom only plays him.

And yet, Michael Hickenbottom didn't play HBK half as well as Terry Bollea played Hulk Hogan. You want to know how I know this? Drawing and moneymaking, the goals of professional wrestling.

Hogan can live in yester-year with the bigger money draw, but Shawn Michaels lives for entertaining 5,000 people & making sure each one of them love it, than entertaining a crowd of 10's of thousands, & assuming they'll pop for the same ol' pre-ripped shirt, & 20 minute pose down.

Shawn SHOULD be living for doing the best he can for his employer. And, drawing 5000 people, when Hogan is drawing 10's of thousands, is not doing the best possible for his employer.

HBK carried Hogan that night; simple as. IMO your claim is ridiculous. No offense

Have you seen the match? Other than ridiculous oversell, and slow methodical boring offense of chops, what did HBK do to carry that match?

You say HBK cannot draw. I dispute that, simply due to the fact that at Hogans prime, the industry was completely different in the 80's.

And yet, when HBK was on top of the WWF, Hogan was on top of WCW.

And, who outdrew then? A 30 year old HBK or a 45 year old Hogan? Yeah, I'm pretty certain WCW kicked WWF's ass.

Really, Hogan got over using his massive charisma and having great fueds (with technically superior athletes who could carry him) in a company built around Hulkamania and the Hulkamaniacs.

Hogan got over because he understands what it takes to be a good professional wrestler.

HBK was there in the attitude era having technically superb matches with people like the hart foundation, razor, diesel and austin consistently over a whole decade.

Technically superb matches huh?

Which of those matches you named were a technical match in ANY way?

The difference is Hogan was washed up in the early 80's; HBK came back, got himself over and then is willing to put others over himself.

For being washed up, Hogan sure did make a lot of money.

They both have/had influence in the respective companies but the difference is HBK often seems to use it to benefit the business by trying to put someone over.

And Hogan hasn't? This is the single stupidest argument I see regurgitated by Hogan haters.

Warrior, Goldberg, Kidman, Lesnar, Rock...those are all guys he layed down for a clean pin to! And the list of guys who have beaten him, or gotten over because of a feud with him is even greater.

The Summerslam encounter was a prime example. A great (albeit) short buildup, HBK has to put on a clinic with a less talented worker in no state to work and comes up with a match worthy of them both. AND HE WAS WILLING TO PUT HOGAN OVER.

Simply put; Hogan would not have done that in HBKs position.

Correction. HBK HAD to put Hogan over. He wasn't willing, he fought against it. McMahon decided that Hogan was the better choice to win.

See his match at WM X8 with the Rock for a prime example of that. An OK match, Rock should have gone over but Hogan has to milk the audience for the reaction. That made the Rock look like the heel which was completely illogical given the storyline buildup.

Rock did go over, and both Hogan and Rock played to the crowd. And, they had teased a face Hogan for a bit before, which is why the NWO came down and kicked Hogan out.

To summarise, Hogan would not know what is best for business if it bit him on his wrinkly backside.

And yet, no one in the business has ever done as much, or made as much money for professional wrestling as Hogan has.

No one.

 

[Meilichia]

I had to say no in the poll, mainly because there wasn't a middle ground. Shawn Michaels, as brilliant as he was, isn't as good as he use to be. His knees are not in great condition, and he might not be at the level he use to be, but that is by no means a reason why he should retire.
He is a far better wrestler than the majority of the young roster, and can hold matches that keep fans excited, unlike again the majority of the young roster.
However with the considerable damage to his knees, I doubt he could last much longer, which will disappoint me greatly, as to be honest, out of all the matches we have seen this year, he was part of the one that sticks in my head for being technically the best, and perhaps even the most entertaining, but that is just my opinion.
I would like to see him do far more before he retires, I'd love to see him heel, or the champion, or even better both! He might be past his prime but I just hope he has a few more years in him, and if not keep him on TV anyway!

 

[TheOneBigWill]

Because Hogan was the one to make it interesting. HBK just did random chops, slow and boring, and completely oversold, even by his heel standards. Hogan is the one who gave the heat to that match, not an uninterested HBK.

No offense, but this is complete crap. Hulk Hogan has never carried a match through any type of wrestling ability. I'll admit Hogan has kept fans cheering & entertained through the no-selling "Hulk Up's" & the never ending poses, mixed in with a Boot here, a Leg Drop there, & a hand gesture to the ear.. but Shawn Michaels has entertained the entire crowd, by the moves he performs.

If for whatever reason the only moves in that match YOU seen, were chops & bad over selling.. its because Hogan couldn't touch Shawn Michaels on the level of ability Shawn could perform at, through talent standards.

And Shawn only over-sold the shit out of Hogan's moves, to make Hogan look exactly like he is.. cheap, cheesy & completely fake.

You know why Hogan remotely made that match interesting? Because practically everyone wanted to see him lose. Shawn Michaels as a heel was still receiving big enough pops to make Hogan jealous.

Yes, because as we all know, professional wrestling talent is all about leaving the ground and performing cool moves.

Again, wrestling talent isn't about big bumps, or high risk, but its about putting on an entertaining show, complete with jaw-dropping moves. The biggest thing I've ever seen Hogan do, was a leg drop.. & even in today's wrestling world, he still believes thats something "amazing" to do.

What about Hogan, talent wise, do you see that rivals that of Shawn Michaels?

Correction.

The professional wrestling business bases everything off money.

Professional Wrestling bases everything off of numerous statistics. Money is one of them, but the ability to perform, entertain & grab the attention of the fans is another. In the 80's & early 90's, Hogan grabbed that attention.. but in the mid-90's to present, Shawn Michaels is doing it.

I can't even remember where this was steaming from.

Vince McMahon created HBK. Michael Hickenbottom only plays him.

And yet, Michael Hickenbottom didn't play HBK half as well as Terry Bollea played Hulk Hogan. You want to know how I know this? Drawing and moneymaking, the goals of professional wrestling.

Did you ever think the times & events surrounding the industry had anything to do with that as well? Hmmm, lets see.. Hogan sold in the 80's & early 90's.. did steroids play as MUCH of a role then, as they do now? NO. Were wrestlers going around murdering their Family's then, like one did now? NO. Was wrestling a more family show then, than it is now? YES.

With time comes change. The ONLY reason why Shawn Michaels might not have the numbers Hogan did.. is because Hogan was sold as a generic version of a role model. Just like a "Superman" or a "Wonder Woman." Whereas Shawn Michaels was sold in the attitude era.. & thus, you couldn't grab the attention of all audiences, due to the nature of the show.

Finally, you know why Hogan "sold" more? Because he had millions of children buying it up. Whereas Parents aren't as openly accepted on buying their Children plush bears of a guy who shakes his ass, or has a sexual type appearance. Or even has shirts with cock references, or attitude type situations.

Hogan was the "say your prayers, eat your vitamins" guy.. he sold to kids. Shawn is the "I'm not your role model, I'm all me" guy.. & Parents hated reality, so they stuck with fantasy.

Shawn SHOULD be living for doing the best he can for his employer. And, drawing 5000 people, when Hogan is drawing 10's of thousands, is not doing the best possible for his employer.

The point I was trying to make, was Shawn Michaels goes out in front of every member of whatever audience he's in front of.. & he works his ass off to make each one of them happy, & coming back for more.

Whereas Hogan sticks to what HE knows best.. which is "all about me" types of things.. whether the fans love it, or hate it.. he doesn't care, because he keeps doing it. And he keeps doing it, because (rather it continues to sell as much or not) he simply doesn't care, because he's getting paid for it.

 

[Slyfox696]

No offense, but this is complete crap. Hulk Hogan has never carried a match through any type of wrestling ability. I'll admit Hogan has kept fans cheering & entertained through the no-selling "Hulk Up's" & the never ending poses, mixed in with a Boot here, a Leg Drop there, & a hand gesture to the ear.. but Shawn Michaels has entertained the entire crowd, by the moves he performs.

If for whatever reason the only moves in that match YOU seen, were chops & bad over selling.. its because Hogan couldn't touch Shawn Michaels on the level of ability Shawn could perform at, through talent standards.

And Shawn only over-sold the shit out of Hogan's moves, to make Hogan look exactly like he is.. cheap, cheesy & completely fake.

You know why Hogan remotely made that match interesting? Because practically everyone wanted to see him lose. Shawn Michaels as a heel was still receiving big enough pops to make Hogan jealous.

Um...what?

About the only response I can come up with after reading this nonsense. Wrestling is not about moves. It's about storytelling. It always has been.

Again, wrestling talent isn't about big bumps, or high risk, but its about putting on an entertaining show, complete with jaw-dropping moves. The biggest thing I've ever seen Hogan do, was a leg drop.. & even in today's wrestling world, he still believes thats something "amazing" to do.

What about Hogan, talent wise, do you see that rivals that of Shawn Michaels?

Wrestling is about telling a story in the ring, particularly in the WWF/E. It's not about moves. If wrestling was about moves, then WWF training videos would be flying off the shelves. It's about telling a logical and believable story in the ring, something that grips the viewer and draws him into the match. It's about playing the part of the character to perfection, to make fans love you, or hate you, and using that to tell the story in the ring. Ever wonder why they have faces and heels? That's why.

It's about building crowd interest into the product, and making fans come and watch. Am I saying HBK is bad at that? No. I'm saying Hulk's the greatest of all time at that.

That's why Hogan is the greatest wrestler ever. I can go in my backyard right now, and do a bunch of different moves, but who gives a damn? That's not wrestling.

Professional Wrestling bases everything off of numerous statistics. Money is one of them, but the ability to perform, entertain & grab the attention of the fans is another. In the 80's & early 90's, Hogan grabbed that attention.. but in the mid-90's to present, Shawn Michaels is doing it.

No. Professional wrestling bases everything off the money they are making or can make. That's the whole purpose of the business. Ask anyone who owns a wrestling promotion to be honest and they'll tell you the same thing.

Did you ever think the times & events surrounding the industry had anything to do with that as well? Hmmm, lets see.. Hogan sold in the 80's & early 90's.. did steroids play as MUCH of a role then, as they do now? NO. Were wrestlers going around murdering their Family's then, like one did now? NO. Was wrestling a more family show then, than it is now? YES.

With time comes change. The ONLY reason why Shawn Michaels might not have the numbers Hogan did.. is because Hogan was sold as a generic version of a role model. Just like a "Superman" or a "Wonder Woman." Whereas Shawn Michaels was sold in the attitude era.. & thus, you couldn't grab the attention of all audiences, due to the nature of the show.

Finally, you know why Hogan "sold" more? Because he had millions of children buying it up. Whereas Parents aren't as openly accepted on buying their Children plush bears of a guy who shakes his ass, or has a sexual type appearance. Or even has shirts with cock references, or attitude type situations.

Hogan was the "say your prayers, eat your vitamins" guy.. he sold to kids. Shawn is the "I'm not your role model, I'm all me" guy.. & Parents hated reality, so they stuck with fantasy.

Everything you posted here is made pointless since Hulk Hogan ruled the mid 90s from 1996-1998 in WCW, and was the biggest draw in wrestling (again), at the same time HBK was main-eventing in WWF.

Hogan, in his old age, kicked HBK's ass. Hogan in his prime is so far beyond HBK, HBK should feel lucky Hogan allowed him the priviledge of wrestling him.

The point I was trying to make, was Shawn Michaels goes out in front of every member of whatever audience he's in front of.. & he works his ass off to make each one of them happy, & coming back for more.

And Hulk Hogan did the same thing for over 20 years, in front of different fans, of different promotions and different nationalities. HBK has never had the mass worldwide appeal Hogan had.

Whereas Hogan sticks to what HE knows best.. which is "all about me" types of things.. whether the fans love it, or hate it.. he doesn't care, because he keeps doing it. And he keeps doing it, because (rather it continues to sell as much or not) he simply doesn't care, because he's getting paid for it.

This is simply a joke. I cannot believe you are one of the people calling Hogan a selfish old man who only cares about himself. Hulk Hogan has done more for professional wrestling than any other person ever, and that includes Stone Cold Steve Austin. Hogan has made the day of millions of children all over the world, has given pro wrestling credibility and fame. And seems like fans today don't appreciate that, or don't have the first damn clue about it.

Have you not read the thread where Bret Hart writes about Hogan?

 

[kennyg9]

I consider shawn michaels to be one of my two favorite wrestlers of all time along with Steve Austin, but i unfortunately voted for Past His Prime.

I still believe that today in the current business Shawn Michaels is still at the top as a performer and entertainer but he is only a shell of what he use to be. Since he came back he has been a different guy in my opinion which most of that is because of his finding of God which is ok by me for the man to find peace with himself but he's not thee same HBK from the mid to late ninty's.

If you have seen his latest DVD Heartbreak and Triumph a few things really stood out to me in. I'm not sure if it was HBK or Triple H talking at the time but it was during Shawn's first title run and to paraphrase it one of them basically said the company was banking on Shawn and he was going out there everynight for a half hour and delivering a gem. Basically saying that Shawn would put on a show and saying to the rest of the lockerroom try to out do that performance, but i know you cant do it. Michaels during that time was an absolute monster which i think has given him the recognition he has today.

Also in the dvd Shawn talks abuot his feud with Hulk Hogan which was suppose to be a face vs face with the angel of HBK needing to know who was better and it was suppose to be a two match feud with each getting a win. We all know Hogan showed his yellow streak down his spine and backed out. To paraphrase HBK again "we had this set up and a week later Vince tells me Terry thinks it shoudl be a classic face vs heel type feud. And Terry wants you to be the heel HBK before you left the business." Shawn then goes on to say "are you joking me? If i go back to that shawn michaels i will absolutely whipe the floor with him and embarrass him in that ring" This is very true HBK and Hogan in their primes i believe Shawn would absolutely whipe the floor wiht Hogan.

But now throuhg knee problems and just years worth of bumps it has taken its toll on HBK. I'm not saying he needs to retire but i dont want it to get that bad where it tarnishes his legacy in the eyes of some. I believe most fans will remember himi for his career not the end but i dont wnat him to get to that point and i dont think he will let it. He has said in the past when he feels he cant perfomr like the HBK we all know that he will hang it up. would love to see himi get a few month title reign though before he leaves.

And i'm going to be the first one to say this that i believe Shawn Michaels will be the winner of the second annual WrestleZone tournament.

 

[Totox12]

Shawn Michaels is an amazing in ring and out of ring competitor and as we have seen him say many times before, he loves this business with a passion. He has often said as long as he is happy and healthy he will continue wrestling until he does not feel happy or healthy enough to care for his family anymore. As for his in ring presence i still think he can entertain and interact with the crowd in a way most can’t do and does it just as well as the young Shawn Michaels did. However in my opinion he does not have the same interaction up to the point where we actually used to see men wanting to hit him and women crying for him.

Lately Michaels role seems to of been to help bring up and put across up and rising wrestlers such as Mr Kennedy and John Cena. It is beginning to look as if Michaels has to take a back seat to some of the up and coming younger guys yet for his pace, passion, athleticism, and charisma i still think Michaels can put on a show like no other and have the fans going away happy with what they paid for no matter if he is in the main event with the title on the line like in his younger days or if he is just involved in a high rival match possibly between himself and a younger superstar, Shawn Michaels has not lost what brought him this far.

 

[NYSandman]

Bottom line is he still looks good in the ring and is still great on the mic. He is past his PRIME, but that doesn't matter as long as he can produce.

He had a great match on Monday with Kennedy, and I'm glad he put the young guy over.

I think Michaels will go as long as he wants to, and I'll still be a fan. When the day comes when he looks and fights like Flair, then I'll think different.

Interesting to see how insanely even this poll is.

 

[acma18]

I voted No, because i still think he can put on a good match and i don't think that an up and coming star, or even one that has been established, would say no to working with Shawn Michaels.

I think there is a difference between being past his prime and needing to retire. He's not in the prime of his career, but i still don't think that when he comes on screen half the fans change the channel or tune it out. I could be wrong, but to me it will be a sad day when he does retire.

 

[C Doody]

Not at all. I think if anything he's better now than he was ten years ago because he makes up for his physical restrictions by doing more psychology based matches.

Dude's had some amazing matches this year with Cena, Orton, and many others. I'd take Shawn Michaels at his best now over Shawn Michaels at his best in 96, and I thought he was an amazing wrestler then too.

 

[greer44644]

he can still put on a show .... and is working a limited schedule so i think he has a good 5 years left in him. besides that its kinda obvious that dx will make a run this summer so that will put more fans in the stands.but everyone has a point he has bad knees and a bad back so who knows . i just enjoy watching him in matches it brings elctricity to ur hand makes u cheer and thats what all wrestlers want to do ...

 

[Amazing Shawn]

Shawn may not be as good as he was back in the nineties but he can still put on a better match than anyone on the roster and still has the ability to be a big draw and one of the top faces. So I have to say that he isn't beyond his prime because he still has the ability to perform. He has the ability to entertain by putting on the best matches of the night. He still has more in him so he isn't past his prime in my opinion.

 

[ABS]

Past his Prime or not he still puts a better show than half of the Raw and smackdown Roster put togther. The guy is still good for another few years , yes he's not the Micheals of the 90's but the guy is still pretty good. And he likes to put people over the new-comers wich is a very good thing. 3 years I say then he will retire but I dont see him fully leaving WWE. He will be involved some how from here till the next 10 years.

 

[Michael]

Of course he's past his prime.

He's 43, give or take, and has a metal plate in his back. He's not as good as he was in the mid-ninities when he was young, healthy and experienced.

However, he's still good enough that he's not tarnishing his legacy so i say good luck to him. He still entertains me.

 

[BRandonkin]

Is Shawn past his prime, Yes. Should Michaels retire, No. Michaels is not the spring chicken he once was. There are fewer Moonsaults, (even though the springboards at Wrestlemanina 23 were great reminders) and high risk moves nor is as flashy, he find ways to entertain. Like Survivor Series with the ankle lock and even on raw with Kennedy. He is still the main event. He out perform Hogan to me any day. Hogan would get beat up Hulk up and win. Hogan has few classic matches (classic moments several). Just my opinion.

 

[Myers23]

I know it hurts us when HBK loses to worthless piece of shits especially like Orton and Cena. We are the fans of pure wrestling. We have been from the Attitude Era where the guys like HBK, AUSTIN, ROCK, MANKIND, UNDERTAKER, HHH and many others were at their best and i truly believe that's the only period when WWF really shined. Many great superstars debuted in Attitude Era like EDGE, JERICHO, LATE (BENOIT), ANGLE and many others. I mean what exactly made that era? Were the writers around WWF were brilliant? Were the superstars motivated? Why does a top guy like ROCK gets fed up of wrestling at such an early stage of his career that he has to opt for movies? Wasn't he a one of the biggest superstars around? And why isn't AUSTIN motivated to come back to wrestling even though he had that surgery performed on him?
what if we have to ask for answers to all of these questions?

First off I never thought I would hear the term pure wrestling and include the names Austin, Mankind, and Undertaker in the same sentence. While these guys were entertaining and wrestling during the time the WWE was at its best, I can't say they were pure wrestlers.

Ric Flair said it best when he called Mick Foley a glorified stuntman. And I will curse the day WWE puts him in the WWE Hall of Fame. Falling off cages and taking chair bumps does not qualify you as a good wrestler.

I've seen more botched moves from the Undertaker and his opponents than probably any other wrestler. He had great matches with El Gigante and Kamala let me tell ya.

Now as far as Austin goes he was great at being able to call a match. He was the best at being able to listen to a crowd and give them what they wanted. But he started to go into the stage that all old wrestlers go into and started duing the same moves match after match. As far as Ausitn coming back.... Are you kidding me Austin is 43 years old. And he has had two reconstructive knee surgeries. Would you really want to see him in Hulk Hogan type matches.

Now to the Rock... I hate to dislike this guy but I am a selfish wrestling fan and believe that the Rock abandoned us in a time when we really needed him. We gave this guy everything as wrestling fans. We made him work his way up through the ranks, we booed him, and we loved him. We earned him millions of dollars just so he could go to Hollywood and reject us. He no longer is listed in the credits as the Rock, just Dewayne Johnson. I'm sorry but yes I do have resentment towards him but how can you blame me. For crying out loud he wouldn't even come back to the Raw 15th Anniversary special because he was on personal vacation. I am a firm believer in not forgetting where you come from!!

 

[Tomko]

Shawn Michaels will get another time to hold the strap before he retires, especially if he's putting guys like Cena over every day. I see him going into WM 25 getting the title in the Main event, and holding it until Survivor Series where he drops it in a (possible) Retirement Last Man Standing Match against Triple H. I just think that would be a good storyline to use.

 

[Dav2205]

Ric Flair said it best when he called Mick Foley a glorified stuntman. And I will curse the day WWE puts him in the WWE Hall of Fame. Falling off cages and taking chair bumps does not qualify you as a good wrestler.

I'm sorry but I couldn't disagree more. WWE = World Wrestling Entertainment.

People are inducted to the Hall of Fame because of their contribution to the business or their successes. Foley contributed by giving fans some of the biggest holy sh*t moments in wrestling history. He took those bumps because he wanted to entertain the fans. He deserves a place in the Hall of Fame someday, and he will get it.

 

[ECWildsider]

HBK is a fantastic performer and wrestler. He managed to make DX work with only him and Triple H. He stole show at Wrestlemania in an Iron Man match against Bret Hart and years later took John Cena to the limit on national TV in an hour long match. He is the Showstopper. He is the Icon. To steal a phrase: He is that damn good, but...he has done his job...on Raw. He boosted Orton and Kennedy and Cena and many others. If the WWE was smart they would now let Shawn Michaels finish his career boosting the talent on the Smackdown/ECW brand and making one more run as World Champion. Think of the matches he could have with MVP, Matt Hardy, CM Punk, John Morrison, Shleton Benjamin, Edge, Rey Mysterio and other young talent waiting for the right guy to super kick them into fame. Would he have to lose to boost some of them? Yes, but others would gain a legitamate standing by even being in the ring with him. HBK has one more strong run in him whether he does house shows or not. Shawn Michaels isn't done with the WWE, they just need him to bring the other brand up to par with Raw!

 

[!!!!!]

A wrestlers prime is that point in which he is making the most money for the company that he will ever make. said by Slyfox696
THAT IS 100% BULL!!!!!!!! I agree with OneBigWill A superstars worth should be based on his wrestling ability thats what the fans want. And fans want The showstopper. Do i think hes past his prime,no hes in his prime mabye towards the end but still in. I think he has one more title reign in him and boy am i looking foward to that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[orangepee]

if there would have been a third option, i would have voted there intead.. but i voted "he is passed his prime"...

my reasons...

why he is still in his prime.... i have always loved seeing shawn michaels... i recently got the 15th anniv DVD and the first episode of raw is on it and he performs and loses to the 123kid i think..(besides the point).. but he has been groomed his entire career to loose... then triump(sp?) over evil. in these regards to booking he is always in a good fued... i would love to see these keep going so in this aspect yes he is in his prime and keep these coming.

also... i ordered wwe 24/7 on comcast and its crazy how much impact HBK has has on the wrestling world and his career has been amazing... something that i have always respected him for was his religion and how he wears those incredible outfits.. i would probably choke to death wearing them...

anywho lastly for why he is still g2g... when wwe did tribute to the troops they came through charleston afb before flying to iraq and i talked with hbk and he doesnt really look that old...yes he is older then he used to be.. obviously but upclose he doesnt look that old... anywho i told him i was happy he came back early and he smiled...maybe it was the camo jacket and beanie he was wearing that threw me off... weird... anywho he is a great guy and he has had an amazing career.

why is he passed his prime?
IMO his health is very important and if you watch his matches now you can tell a few of the small things he does that actually make you believe he really is in a lot of pain... yes his matches these days are a lot better but why keep wrestling in pain? i dont think you should do that to your body..

for example... i just cut my right palm with a knife on accient... now im not going to go climb a rope cause that is going to hurt like a (you know what).. so i will pass on the pain. HBK must have a lot of threshold for pain.

ok everyone here had a lot of things to say but keep in mind we are talking about a man that many of us have looked up to many many years and in his best interest health chould be the most important thing to him. if he gets injured or something along those lines we wont be able to enjoy him in the ring anymore. if anything he needs to take about 6 to 8 months off to heal up some stuff in his entire body.. get to feeling better then make a return, get in the title scene and do another run then retire or take off for longer then come back as a GM or announcer... well thats my opinion.

 

[bwaller3]

i say no....can he compete in matches that involve spots that he did 10 years ago...no...but the fact of the matter is he can still carry matches...he carried Cena in matches and he has been putting on a pretty good program with Mr. Kennedy thus far. He may not have the fresh legs and his knees may be wearing down but the guy still puts on a better match then half the wrestlers today. He is a big name and a still a solid draw. he still has the ability to make others look good in the ring...he is a great ring performer and he is golden on the mic....

 

[crazy88]

Will & Becca, I am 100% in your corner. Shawn Michaels is NOT past his prime at this time. He can still put asses in seats, deliver an outstanding match, & tell a story within the match! And, to back up my claims, I will cite examples since his return in 2002.
1. vs Chris Jericho - Wrestlemania XIX - A phenomenal match. Great give & take between two. Showed the similarities of Michaels and Jericho, with the build-up being Jericho being a " young Shawn Michaels". Michaels helped Jericho display his skills, without taking away from his. A great fundamental, exciting, psychological match. In the end, Michaels goes over, and extends his hand to Jericho in a show of respect. Jericho shakes it, then attacks Michaels. This helps Jericho get more heat & set up a rematch.
2.vs John Cena - Wrestlemania 23 - The psychology of this match was off the page. Cena & Michaels, as tag-team champs, competing for the WWE Title. The lead up to the was Cena believing Michaels would turn and attack him at any time. Michaels brillantly has Cena eating out of the palm of his hand, telling him that he will never see it coming. Michaels builds it up for weeks, and Michaels finally delivers on the RAW before Wrestlemania. In the match itself, Michaels begins by toying with and psyching out Cena, telling Cena he's not in his league. Carries the first portion of the match, and shows his superior wrestling skills. Ultimately, Cena takes over the and goes over via the STFU.
3. Royal Rumble - 2007- Was feuding with Rated RKO, and going it alone after Triple H tore his quad. Going into the match, HBK has a huge target on his back. HBK goes out and gives a HBK performance that we have come to expect. The final four comes down to Michaels, Edge, RKO, and the Undertaker. Rated RKO quickly dispatch HBK and start to work over the Deadman. Michaels reenters the fray and dispatches Orton and Edge, leaving the WWE's two venerable old warhorses to decide the Rumble. What happens next is pure wrestling magic. Taker and HBK give the kids watching in the back a lesson in storytelling and wrestling acumen. Great back and forth between the two. And remember, that Rumble took place in San Antonio, Michaels' hometown! You're thinking HBK's got it in the bag. But he goes over the top, Undertaker wins the Rumble! And post match, that look between those two gave me goosebumps. The acknowledgment of respect brought, if possible, even more respect from the fans.
These are just a few examples. There are many other examples, but these are the first ones that came to mind. Michaels can still go as well, if not better than, almost anyone else going. To those detractors who say HBK is all washed up, I say this : OPEN YOUR EYES AND TAKE A HARD LOOK AT SHAWN MICHAELS. I've been a HeartBreak Kid fan since 92, and think he's only getting better. As long as his body holds up, I will enjoy Shawn Michaels.

 

[Slyfox696]

THAT IS 100% BULL!!!!!!!!

No, it's not. It makes perfect sense. I'll show you why in a second.

I agree with OneBigWill

Never a good idea.

A superstars worth should be based on his wrestling ability thats what the fans want.

How do you gauge what the fans want? What is the best way to measure that? Which is the only way to measure what it truly is that ALL wrestling fans of a promotion want? And how can you determine when fans are getting what they want?

The answer is attendance, and revenue. Thus, drawing and moneymaking are the best ways to gauge how well the audience is receiving a wrestler, and really the only objective way to do so.

Thus, to determine a wrestler's prime, one has to determine that moment in which he is making the most money and drawing the most fans, as that, by extension, shows when he is entertaining the most fans to the greatest degree.

Which is why making the most money for his company that he will ever make is the only way to determine a prime. Everything else is subjective.

 

[noone911]

First off, this is not even an opinion. Shawn Michaels IS passed his prime. Ask him, ask Vince, ask HHH. Ask whoever and they will tell you and he'll openly admit it. He is still a better wrestler than most and still able to perform at a ridiculously high level. When we was in his "prime" he was at the peak of his wrestling abilities and could pretty much do anything at any time. It's not him, it's simply his age and wear on his body. But you can't really have an opinion on this. He simply is not in his prime.

 

[HBKgOttaKnowNow24]

The question is is HBK pased his prime?...The Answer is YES...He is passed his prime. His PRIMES was in 1995-97. And the only reason it was short was due to injuries and personal issues....I dont care how old he is, or how bad his knees/back are Michael Shawn Hickenbottom is the BEST IN RING PERFORMER to EVVVEERRR step in the squared circle....Hands down. THE BEST MATCH Hulk Hogan has EVER had was against HBK....Reason is hbks ability, not hogans....Now im not here to argue who is better HBK/Hogan because in my opinion there is NO comparison to HBK, none- the man literally kept the WWF from going under and is the reason we watch the WWE today and NOT WCW....but anyways. He may be "out of his prime" but in no way falls short of still being the showstopper. The reason he may look old and tired is because that is the role being pushed on him at this moment. HBK has ALWAYS been able to express his "pain" while in the ring like no other...But when we won the matches that wasnt SO noticeable. But when hes set to lose and you see him grimmace like that you feel hes washed??? Crazyyyyy.....I understand how the WWE needs to make tomorrows superstars by having them beat todays legends....Some wrestlers have to big an ego to partake, but HBK is ALLLLL BUSINESS, always has and always will be. He loves the game, he does it for US....HBK will always be over with the crowd and at any moment not only be the champion again, but be able to put on a show just as he used to in the late 90's....