The Shawn Michaels Appreciation Thread

[Showstopper]

10 years ago tonight, HBK retired at WM 26. I originally planned on writing a big review for the 10 year anniversary, but with my wife being pregnant for the past 9 months until recently and the craziness of the virus going on right now, the timing unfortunately just didn't line up. Hopefully, I'll be able to write one for next year. I love this match, teared up after it ended when Shawn was in the middle of the ring waving to the crowd. Such a spectacular story. Wrestling hasn't been the same since. Still the GOAT to me (along with Flair). Can't wait to watch this match later on tonight:

 

[Showstopper]

17 years ago today, was Shawn's return to WM after a 5 year break, his match with Jericho at WM 19. When Shawn was gone from 1998 to 2002, Jericho became my favorite active wrestler in that time period. So, HBK/Jericho became my dream match in that time period. Between Shawn being gone and Jericho being in WCW in 1998 and most of 1999, I never thought this match would happen. Hell, even when Jericho did jump to the WWF in August 1999, I still never thought it would happen because I thought by around 2000ish that Shawn was never coming back to wrestle. When Jericho attacked Shawn at the 2003 Royal Rumble, and Shawn came back out and attacked him later in the match, I knew we were going to get the match at WM and that made me SO happy. Love this match. Stands the test of time. The video below starts off with the video package promo highlighting the feud that aired right before the match at WM 19. It's one of the best WWE has ever done. The music that they use was one of the production themes they used multiple times for these hype promos back in the mid 90's/New Generation Era. When I first heard that music when it aired on WM 19, I marked out so hard that they brought it back for the first time in years. I also love how the video highlights how much Jericho modeled himself after Shawn. Great video:



And 12 years ago tonight, HBK retired Flair (yes, even though Flair wrestled again in TNA, I get it). Such a great story told in that match. I still to this day believe that match should've main-evented due to it being RIC FLAIR. Nothing against Taker and Edge, but come on, it's RIC FLAIR. Anyway, Shawn has said interviews he wrote the entirety of this match from start to finish one night when he woke up at 3AM in the middle of the night a week before the match and woke up with an idea and a story for the match. It was so perfect and fitting. I still feel this match is vastly underrated. Love this match:



It's absolutely insane how many WM moments and great WM matches Shawn has had in his career. Absolutely staggering.

 

[Chris]

Did you guys see the Network uploaded a 4 hour compilation of what they consider HBK's best 'Mania matches?

It's got WMXII vs Bret, WMXIV vs Austin, WMXIX vs Jericho, WM23 vs Cena, and one of the two Taker matches I would assume his retirement one but I haven't gotten there yet.

 

[Showstopper]

Did you guys see the Network uploaded a 4 hour compilation of what they consider HBK's best 'Mania matches?

It's got WMXII vs Bret, WMXIV vs Austin, WMXIX vs Jericho, WM23 vs Cena, and one of the two Taker matches I would assume his retirement one but I haven't gotten there yet.

Haven't seen it yet, but I'm surprised they didn't pick both the Taker matches, the ladder match at 10, the triple threat at 20, the Angle match at 21, or the Flair match at 24.

 

[Chris]

Haven't seen it yet, but I'm surprised they didn't pick both the Taker matches, the ladder match at 10, the triple threat at 20, the Angle match at 21, or the Flair match at 24.

Well we all know why the 20 match wasn't on there

And oh yeah the 21 match is as well, I forgot that one. And I think the reason they didn't pick the other taker match, or the Flair match is bc they've been on a shit ton of these compilations lately. The ladder match is a notable exception for sure idk what they were thinking with that one.

 

[Showstopper]

Well we all know why the 20 match wasn't on there

And oh yeah the 21 match is as well, I forgot that one. And I think the reason they didn't pick the other taker match, or the Flair match is bc they've been on a shit ton of these compilations lately. The ladder match is a notable exception for sure idk what they were thinking with that one.

Yeah, great point about WM 20. Don't know how that slipped my mind.

And yeah, that's the problem (if you want to call it a 'problem') with putting a bunch of compilations on the same Network, eventually they start to intersect with one another. But yeah, the Angle match and the Razor Ladder match should both be on there. I know I've said it already, but it really ridiculous how many great matches Shawn had at WM. Almost all of his WM matches can be discussed as maybe being deserving of being put on a 'best of HBK' compilation.

Speaking of, does anyone have a better 8 year run at WM than Shawn has from 2002-2010?

2003- Jericho
2004- Benoit/HHH
2005- Angle
2006- Vince street fight (way better than it had any right to be)
2007- Cena
2008- Flair
2009- Taker
2010- Taker

I mean...what...the...fuck. That's ridiculous. That's not evening counting the first half of his career in the 90's where you're leaving out a legit classic in the WM 10 Ladder Match. Sheesh. I honestly don't see anyone in this current era going on a better run than that anytime soon...if ever.

 

[Hoss]

Surely only Taker comes close. But the Mark Henry match would be the main hang up. Would you start with 22 (Henry) and go through 30 (Lesnar), or start with 21 (Orton) and go through 29 (Punk) OR would you start at 23 (Batista) and go through 31 (Wyatt)? What stretch would be the strongest out of those three?

 

[Showstopper]

15 years ago tonight one of the greatest WM matches of all time took place (that's right, not just one of the best HBK matches at WM ever, but WM in general), in Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle at WM 21.

Unfortunately, I wasn't watching wrestling week in and week out during this time because I had so much going on. So, I just mostly read results online and didn't get to catch this one live. But it is without a doubt one of the best WM matches ever. Every year I watch it I enjoy it more and more. They also had a great match at Vengeance 2005. If anyone reading this has never seen that match at Vengeance, I highly recommend that one, as well. They also had a really good 30 minute Iron Man Match on Raw in October 2005. Love the chemistry these two guys had with eachother.

I haven't gotten around to watching the WWE Untold Documentary on the HBK/Angle WM 21 match yet that was released on the WWE Network this morning, but it looks great. Gonna try to catch that one later tonight, hopefully. Here's the match in full from WWE's official Youtube page, so it's in HD:

 

[Chris]

I got to watch that match live and it was fuckin' awesome but my dad kept giving me shit bc I wanted Michaels to win and he tapped out

 

[Showstopper]

Just thought I'd let you guys know that on this weeks' Jericho podcast, he does a watch-a-long of the HBK/Taker WM 25 match, and with the guy who was the ref of that match, who Shawn personally asked Vince if he could be the ref. I haven't listened to it yet, but I will eventually when I have some time. Thought you guys might be interested. Here's the link:

Talk Is Jericho

Recorded from all over the globe, multiple time world champion pro wrestler, lead singer of Fozzy and New York Times best-selling author Chris Jericho rocks the podcast world with ”Talk Is Jericho,” his unique, weekly take on all things pop culture and life in general.

www.westwoodonepodcasts.com

 

[DammitC]

Yep, it’s really INSANE how many good matches Shawn Michaels had throughout his career on just the Wrestlemania ppv alone

Surely only Taker comes close. But the Mark Henry match would be the main hang up. Would you start with 22 (Henry) and go through 30 (Lesnar), or start with 21 (Orton) and go through 29 (Punk) OR would you start at 23 (Batista) and go through 31 (Wyatt)? What stretch would be the strongest out of those three?

Yep, I think the Undertaker does come close to HBK’s 8-year stretch with his own 7-year stretch on the Wrestlemania ppv. I’d consider the points AFTER the Mark Henry match at Wrestlemania 22, and BEFORE the Brock Lesnar match at Wrestlemania 30 to be the Undertaker’s strongest stretch.

Here is where I would start:

- Wrestlemania 23: Batista vs Undertaker for the World Heavyweight title

- Wrestlemania 24: Edge vs Undertaker for the World Heavyweight title

- Wrestlemania 25: Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker

- Wrestlemania 26: Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker No DQ Streak vs Career match

- Wrestlemania 27: Triple H vs Undertaker

- Wrestlemania 28: Triple H vs Undertaker Hell in a Cell match

- Wrestlemania 29: CM Punk vs Undertaker

That’s probably the closest stretch that someone has of reaching Shawn Michaels’s stretch of delivering consecutive and consistent good Wrestlemania matches

 

[Chris]

Yeah that's easily Taker's best stretch. I don't care for the Henry match much or the Brock match mostly due to his concussion and I fucked with all of those heavy, like picking a weaker one is hard bc all of those matches were really great.

This is supposed to be a Shawn Michaels thread tho so Showstopper you gotta get this back on track

 

[Showstopper]

28 years ago tonight in the UK, WWF World Champion 'Macho Man' Randy Savage took on newly-singles wrestler Shawn Michaels for the WWF World Championship:

 

[Showstopper]

16 years ago today, the Chris Benoit vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H Triple Threat rematch from WM 20 took place just one month later, at Backlash 2004, which took place 16 years ago tonight. I haven't seen this match in ions, but there is a segment of the audience out there that actually thinks this match is better than their match from WM 20. Their WM 20 match is tough to beat. Alot of folks consider to this day, the best Triple Threat in WWE history. I have to watch this Backlash match soon:

 

[Chris]

Honestly, this Backlash match is so close to the WrestleMania one in my mind it wouldn't surprise me if I rated it higher on a rewatch. I've just watched the 'Mania one so much more.