The Shawn Michaels Appreciation Thread

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Chris

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People have really retroactively tried to paint Michaels as a bad promo. I think it's lunacy. This is one of his all time best, as a HEEL during his SECOND RUN when he was usually the most beloved guy on the roster.

Yeah, I loved Shawn's promos. Especially in that 1997-1998 AE time period. He was one of the few in that time period that cut good promos without the aid of a catchphrase, too. He was fantastic.

This will always be my favorite HBK promo. Just like the one you posted, this is him owning Canada in 1997. The HEAT he got here is hilarious:

 
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30 years ago today; the first ever Shawn vs. Bret singles match took place. From what I've read, the match was taped tonight (February 11), and aired the very next night (2/12) on Prime Time Wrestling. Not sure if that's 100% true, but that's what I've read. It's only like a 5 minute match since it was more of a match to continue the Rockers/Hart Foundation angle, but the five minutes it lasted for was certainly fun. Little did we know that later in that very decade what would take place between Shawn and Bret and that this random, non-descript short match would be the first match between two guys who would go onto hate eachother until 2010:

 
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30 years ago today; the first ever Shawn vs. Bret singles match took place. From what I've read, the match was taped tonight (February 11), and aired the very next night (2/12) on Prime Time Wrestling. Not sure if that's 100% true, but that's what I've read. It's only like a 5 minute match since it was more of a match to continue the Rockers/Hart Foundation angle, but the five minutes it lasted for was certainly fun. Little did we know that later in that very decade what would take place between Shawn and Bret and that this random, non-descript short match would be the first match between two guys who would go onto hate eachother until 2010:



I find it hard to believe they never had one in '89 just bc the Hart Foundation and Rockers wrestled a lot then I believe. I could see them not having any singles matches until '90 though, just bc the few I remember on Prime Time Wrestling from '89 that I watched recently were tag matches.
 
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I find it hard to believe they never had one in '89 just bc the Hart Foundation and Rockers wrestled a lot then I believe. I could see them not having any singles matches until '90 though, just bc the few I remember on Prime Time Wrestling from '89 that I watched recently were tag matches.
Yeah, I was surprised when I read this was their first singles match, too. Although, maybe this was their first televised singles match and maybe they had singles matches in 1989 on house shows. Not sure. This was at least their first *televised* singles match, though, I'm pretty sure.
 
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24 years ago tonight, a fun HBK/1-2-3 Kid match from Raw just a few weeks out from Shawn winning the title at WM 12:



That's one of my favorite Raw matches from that era for sure. I remember watching Pac talk about it on some documentary thing who knows what it was, but it was hilarious.
 

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That's one of my favorite Raw matches from that era for sure. I remember watching Pac talk about it on some documentary thing who knows what it was, but it was hilarious.
Absolutely. Shawn was an absolute KILLER in 1996; even before he won the title in late March. This match, the IYH PPV in February vs Owen, the Rumble, probably others I'm forgetting.
 
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Absolutely. Shawn was an absolute KILLER in 1996; even before he won the title in late March. This match, the IYH PPV in February vs Owen, the Rumble, probably others I'm forgetting.

vs Mankind at IYH Mind Games is one of the best matches of all time and easily Shawn's best of '97 and possibly Foley's best of all time.
 

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vs Mankind at IYH Mind Games is one of the best matches of all time and easily Shawn's best of '97 and possibly Foley's best of all time.
Yes, it's his best match of that year. Even better than the Bret match at WM 12. IMO, his best match in 1996 is vs. Mankind at Mind Games and his best match in '97 is vs. Taker in the HIAC match. He was on fire in the ring in 1996 and 1997. And more specifically in 1997, he was on fire in the ring and as a character when he was no longer the whitemeat babyface he was in 1996. 1997 HBK will always be my favorite version of HBK ever. His HIAC match vs Taker that year is my favorite match of all time.
 
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16 years ago today was the HBK/Benoit/HHH Triple Threat main event for the Title at WM 20. I went to this WM as it was a birthday gift with WM being so close to home with it being at MSG that year.

I find it to mostly be a middle of the road WM, but the main event was GREAT. My favorite triple threat of all time and what many people consider to be the greatest WWE triple threat of all time. Even as an HBK fan at the show, I was pulling for Benoit as it was the right time for him to win. When Eddie came out at the end, I was half expecting him to attack Benoit for some reason :lol. But I'm glad that didn't happen. It was a great match and moment and a match/moment that I'll never forget being there live for. 5 stars, IMO.

 

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26 years ago today the HBK/Razor Ramon Ladder Match took place. This one holds a special place in my heart for a few different reasons..

I went to this show as a birthday present from my parents. This show literally fell ON ,my 11th birthday. My parents had already been divorced for three years and could barely stay civil with one another. BUT they knew that I loved wrestling and that I was begging them to take me to this show as my big birthday gift from the both of them. I remember telling them, pleading with them, that this is the only birthday present I want from the both of them. Just get me tickets to this show and I won't ask for anything else for my birthday...or even Christmas 9 months later. :lol

Even though my parents were divorced and hated eachother at this time, they agreed to take me to this show as my birthday present. I sat between the both of them and was absolutely THRILLED to take my first ever trip to a WM AND to Madison Square Garden. The fact that this show literally fell on my birthday I kind of viewed as a calling that I was meant to be at this show one way or another.

This day is, to this day, one of my favorite days of my life. I'm very thankful to my parents for putting their differences aside for a few hours to take me to a show on my birthday for my birthday. I didn't know it back then as an 11 year old, but two legit all-time great matches in Bret/Owen and HBK/Razor and I got to see them both in the most famous arena in the world. Little did I know just how many wrestling shows in the future I would see at MSG. This was my first ever trip to MSG, and I'm glad it was on this occasion with my parents.

HBK/Razor will forever be my favorite ladder match. I know there have been alot more daring, crazier ladder matches after this one, and they all have their place. But this was one was different. Alot less spot-centric and alot more in the psychology and story-telling aspect that you can tell with a ladder. I wouldn't findout about who or what a Dave Meltzer was until years later. But I have to admit when I first foundout who and what he is and the fact that he gave this match 5 stars and his first 5 star rated HBK match took place on my birthday at a show I went to in my area (MSG was a 15 min drive from where I grew up in North Jersey), always was cool to me in the past. Now, I don't put much stock into his (or anyone else's) 'star ratings' anymore. But the fact is is that this is Shawn's first classic match of his career, first WM classic match of his career, and it took place on my birthday at a show I attended close to where I live. Perfect. Great times that you can never really get back..

I really wanted to write a review about this match, but with my wife being pregnant and giving birth a few days ago, it was impossible. Still, I wanted to at least share this story about this match and why it will always hold a special place in my heart.

 
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Chris

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Bro fuck you getting to watch Bret/Owen and HBK/Razor live :hhh6:
 
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WWE's official Youtube page uploaded the HBK/Razor WM 10 Ladder Match in it's entirety earlier this morning. The more and more I watch this match, the more I love it:

 
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