I took this off of my MySpace page, it was a blog I wrote recently about my top 5 HBK matches... A lot of it is in lamens terms, being that most of my friends don't know a lot about wrestling. I'd love to hear about some of your favorites.
So lately, I've been watching a lot of old-school wrestling via YouTube. And if you know me at all, you know how I love my pro wrestling. And, I got to thinking what my top 5 or 10 favorite matches would be.. And I found most of them featured "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels, who throughout this blog I will be referring to as HBK.
A little background on the Icon, The Legend, Mr. Wrestlemania, The Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels. He's done it all in wrestling. He's held the tag team, Intercontinental, European, and both WWE World titles, he was the first man to have ever held every single WWE title. He's won 2 Royal Rumbles, and participated in some of the greatest matches in wrestling history. For almost 20 years he's been an innovator in the world of professional wrestling, participating in the first ladder, iron-man, and Hell in a Cell matches, and his charisma has gone unmatched for the better part of those two decades. Michaels has been one of, if not, my all time favorites. For more, I highly recommend, if you get a chance, reading his autobiography Heartbreak and Triumph. It's a great read, even for a non traditional wrestling fan.
So basically, I've decided that I wanted to go back and watch, via YouTube [sorry WWE home video] my top 5 Heartbreak Kid matches, and then summarize/review them in this blog, starting with number five. So without further adieu..
Number 5:
Survivor Series 1997 [The Montreal Screwjob]
Shawn Michaels vs. WWF Champion Bret "Hitman Hart
A little background [taken from Wikipedia]
The Montreal Screwjob was the real life double-crossing of defending WWF Champion Bret Hart by Vince McMahon, the owner of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), during the main event match of the professional wrestling pay-per-view event Survivor Series held on November 9, 1997 at the Molson Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. A secret change of the match's pre-determined finish (known as a "shoot screwjob" in professional wrestling parlance) was devised by McMahon and discussed with Hart's match opponent, Shawn Michaels. The plan was executed when the match referee, Earl Hebner, under orders from McMahon, called for the bell to ring and ended the match as Michaels held Hart in the Sharpshooter submission hold (Hart's signature finishing move), even though Hart had not submitted. Michaels was declared the victor by submission and crowned as the new WWF Champion.
The reason for this screwjob was rooted in Hart's decision to leave McMahon's company for its chief competitor, World Championship Wrestling (WCW), after McMahon told Hart that financial problems would not allow him to keep Hart on under his recently signed 20 year contract. Hart cited a clause in his contract that granted him "reasonable creative control" and was steadfast in his refusal to lose a match hosted in his home country of Canada, especially against Shawn Michaels, with whom he did not get along. McMahon remained insistent that Hart should lose to Michaels in Montreal, fearing that his company's business would suffer if WCW announced Hart as its latest signing while he still held the WWF World title. Although Hart and McMahon agreed to a compromise on the match ending that allowed Hart to retain the title, McMahon was determined to remove the title from Hart.
My review:
This match changed the face of wrestling as fans knew it. It is probably one of my favorite matches just based on the controversy surrounding it. It's a perfect medium from what wrestling was, to what it became, featuring two of the greatest, and two of my favorite wrestlers of all time, for sure. The first half of this match is basically an unofficial street-fight with the two combatants battling all around the ring and in the crowd, using "everything but the kitchen sink" [including a Canadian flag] to try and basically kill each other. The second half of this match is what they call a "technical wrestling clinic," just two of the best wrestlers, doing what they do best.. wrestle. Watching this match, you can actually feel the real-life animosity between these two guys, but at the same time you know that these are two of the best, because they know how to put on a great show.
Number 4:
Wrestlemania XXI
Kurt Angle vs. The Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels
A little background here, Kurt Angle won the 1996 Olympic gold medal for amateur wrestling. So with that kind of amateur background, mixed with the natural charisma Kurt Angle has, sprinkle in some HBK... and this was bound to be in the top list. It's 2005, and it's the 30 man royal rumble match and HBK has just super kicked Kurt Angle over the top rope to the floor, eliminating him, and his chances at going to Wrestlemania XXI to face the WWE champion. At this point Kurt Angle has made it his personal mission to out perform HBK, aka Mr. Wrestlemania, and take out the Heartbreak Kid for good.
This match is one of my favorites because it's an example of pure, technical wrestling at it's best. No chair shots. No illegal tactics. There's not a lot of flash and lights or bells and whistles here..Unless you're turned on by a smooth, fast-paced wrestling match, like I am. Just two guys out there, trying to prove who's the best. From start to finish, bell to bell, an intense roller coaster ride. And right around the 25 minute mark Kurt Angle shocked the entire wrestling community after surviving a shot of Sweet Chin Music, slapped on his patented Ankle Lock submission, and kept it locked on for the better part of 2 minutes until HBK finally tapped out. And even though Michaels didn't win this match, it still made it on the top 5.
Number 3:
Wrestlemania XIX
Chris Jericho vs. The Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels
Another brilliant technical battle. A classic student versus teacher bout, where Jericho is the student and HBK is the teacher. You can't find two wrestlers with such similar style in wrestling today. Jericho grew up idolizing HBK. He mimicked Michaels' every move starting out in wrestling, and why wouldn't he? Until one day when he outgrew his idolization, and grew into the thoughts that one day, he'd be better than Shawn Michaels. And so the challenge was made, and accepted for the "grandest stage of them all..Wrestlemania 19."
For me this match was so close to HBK's match with Kurt Angle. But I just like this one a little bit more, because I love Chris Jericho. He is one of the most entertaining wrestlers of all time. He can do it all, and no one has ever made any fan hate them more than Jericho has. And if you know me it all, you know I'm a sucker for a good villain, or as they say in wrestling, a heel. His natural charisma is second to none, maybe only to Michaels'. Both being smaller guys, they rely on their high flying ability, but can still throw in some technical skill. In this contest, they definitely knew how to utilize both to tell an intense, back and forth story. To end this one we saw HBK miss the Sweet Chin Music where Jericho could trip up Michaels and then apply his Walls of Jericho submission hold. Michaels eventually made it to the ropes and Jericho was forced to release it. When Jericho got up to complain to the referee that he didn't "hear" Michaels give up, HBK was right there to deliver the Sweet Chin Music, and this time successfully. Everyone knew it was over from here, all it took was a simple, 1-2-NO! Jericho kicks out! The match continues until HBK catches Jericho off-guard with a roll-up pinning combination and gets the 3 count! This was such a unique finish, because neither could win with their finishing hold, which I thought was so cool.. HBK had to completely catch Jericho off guard to win.
Number 2:
Wrestlemania XXV
The Undertaker vs. The Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels
A classic grudge match. Two of the best, and most popular faces in the WWE's history. The Undertaker's 16-0 streak at Wrestlemania on the line against Mr. Wrestlemania himself. This to me, was the biggest build up to a match in probably 10 years. The mind games played in the events that led up to the match were legend. Shawn Michaels representing light. The Undertaker representing darkness. Probably one of the greatest matches of all-time, in my opinion. For the first time since the announcement of The Undertaker's streak, I really didn't know who would win. The entrances were spectacular. HBK arriving in all white as smoke filled the arena. Then, the lights went out, and the gong sounded, and the chills crept up our spines as The Undertaker almost glided through the fog. After a classic back and forth battle, we saw HBK climb the top rope and attempt a moonsault.. The same moonsault he missed from the top rope to the outside, landing on the concrete, The Undertaker caught him in mid-air and nailed him with the Tombstone to finally put away Shawn Michaels and extend the streak to 17-0!
Number 1:
Wrestlemania XXIV in a Career Threatening Match
Ric Flair vs. The Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels
The was an obvious #1 choice to me. Ric Flair, arguably one of the greatest the wrestling business ever saw, was working a program that stated the first match he would lose, he would be forced to retire. Rather than go on, I thought I'd just post this video from YouTube, that describes it better than I could.
[I didn't know how to post a video on the thread, so I'll just give the link.]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V-ByTfC6vo
Now, I actually get choked up watching that video. And I know a lot of people reading this who aren't big wrestling fans are probably laughing about that, but I don't really care. This match was terrific. Flair was well over 50 years old when he wrestled this match, and HBK took him past every limit. The ending saw HBK tuning up for Sweet Chin Music as Flair groggily climbed to his feet, right before HBK "pulled the trigger" so to speak, he looked at Flair and said "Thank you, I love you." Hit the Chin Music, and won the match.
A couple of close calls would have to be HBK's infamous Hell in a Cell and Casket Matches with the Undertaker, of course the Iron Man match with Bret, the Ladder match with Razor, the Intercontinental title bout against Davey Boy, his 2/3 falls match with Hunter, and there were a couple others. It was really hard for me to pick just 5.
