January 27, 2006 - The Showstopper.
To some it's a nickname, to Shawn Michaels it's the truth.
Hell in a Cell, ladder matches, 60 minute marathons. Pound-for-pound, there isn't anybody more athletic, more charismatic, or more controversial. From the Midnight Rockers to Montreal to even Mike Tyson, Shawn Michaels has managed to stay in the spotlight, starring in the soap opera for men known as WWE.
He's been told many times by many different doctors that he'd never wrestle again. His back, his knee, the constant grind of the road and ring.
But through it all, Shawn Michaels has never quit doing what he does best, and that's entertain his fans.
I caught up with HBK to talk about the upcoming Royal Rumble as well as his favorite gimmick matches and possible retirement.
Here's what he had to say…
IGN Sports: I was reading your book and you make a lot of comparisons between the wrestling business and the mob in terms of showing respect. Is it still like that?
Shawn Michaels: You know, less so now. It's funny that you mention that because a number of us were sitting in the dressing room the other night, myself, Triple H, Ric Flair, The Big Show, and a young guy who will remain nameless for the sake of this story came into the dressing room and started sharing a very open and wonderful story. It was a very open and vulnerable story. And when he told the story and left, we just all looked at each other and smiled. We told him how cool he was, how nice he was and everything else, then I thought to myself how ten years ago he would never have been able to do that. He would've been torn apart by the guys in the dressing room about being a wuss or being this or being that and the poor kid would've never opened his heart to another guy, another person again. Again, this sounds like a little bit of humble pie for the wrestling business, but that stuff can go on now where ten years it couldn't because back then, everyone felt more comfortable putting on a big front like they had everything under control when the fact is, they didn't. Everyone was as lost as the next guy, they just didn't want to admit it. These days, it's a lot nicer, a lot more open, so it's not quite like that anymore. Sure, with that you lose a few things like guys not having enough respect for an older wrestler, a guy who has been around the business for X amount of years. But they don't not have that respect because they don't respect them, it's because they're naïve, they don't know what to say, and that's a lot easier to deal with than someone not talking to you because they're being disrespectful and cool.
IGN Sports: I thought it was funny in the book how you said Andre The Giant wouldn't even look at you or shake your hand for an entire year when you first started.
Shawn Michaels: Yeah, that kind of stuff builds character. [laughs] It was good for me.
IGN Sports: Andre would've been perfect for the Royal Rumble. I don't think anyone would've wanted to see him come out at number 30.
Shawn Michaels: Well, we've got The Big Show, we've got our own giant now and he's no slouch. I'm not looking forward to tipping him over the top rope.
IGN Sports: You've been in so many Royal Rumbles. Do you have a favorite moment?
Shawn Michaels: It has to be going in first and going all the way through and winning it. That for me personally is my number one moment. For me as a fan, and it might've been in that same Rumble or the year after, my number one moment is when Bushwhacker Luke came out to the ring, got into the ring, got tossed out, then walked back out and the music was still playing…he never missed a beat.
IGN Sports: It's funny how the Royal Rumble combines some of the most athletic moments and the most quirky moments in wrestling all in one match.
Shawn Michaels: That's what makes the Rumble so special. It has become a favorite among WWE fans and I think that is one of the reasons why. Come Rumble time, you start getting the feeling that big things are happening. Wrestlemania is right around the corner and you know the results of the Rumble have huge implications on Wrestlemania, but to your point, it's also a match where you know you're going to see some interesting things. Whether it be extremely athletic or something where you say 'That was one of the stupidest things I've ever seen, but I'll never forget it'.
IGN Sports: Do you have a favorite gimmick match?
Shawn Michaels: I don't know that they are favorites, but I've always enjoyed the Street Fight. As a wrestling fan I can remember years ago seeing my first Street Fight between Wahoo McDaniel and Tully Blanchard and I remember thinking to myself that I will really think I've made it when I can come to the ring in jeans and cowboy boots with my hands taped and stuff like that. I just thought that was so cool, getting to come as you are and having no rules. We just call them Street Fights now but years ago they were Texas Street Fights of a Bunkhouse match.
Hell in a Cell, ladder matches, 60 minute marathons. Pound-for-pound, there isn't anybody more athletic, more charismatic, or more controversial. From the Midnight Rockers to Montreal to even Mike Tyson, Shawn Michaels has managed to stay in the spotlight, starring in the soap opera for men known as WWE.
He's been told many times by many different doctors that he'd never wrestle again. His back, his knee, the constant grind of the road and ring.
But through it all, Shawn Michaels has never quit doing what he does best, and that's entertain his fans.
I caught up with HBK to talk about the upcoming Royal Rumble as well as his favorite gimmick matches and possible retirement.
Here's what he had to say…
IGN Sports: I was reading your book and you make a lot of comparisons between the wrestling business and the mob in terms of showing respect. Is it still like that?
Shawn Michaels: You know, less so now. It's funny that you mention that because a number of us were sitting in the dressing room the other night, myself, Triple H, Ric Flair, The Big Show, and a young guy who will remain nameless for the sake of this story came into the dressing room and started sharing a very open and wonderful story. It was a very open and vulnerable story. And when he told the story and left, we just all looked at each other and smiled. We told him how cool he was, how nice he was and everything else, then I thought to myself how ten years ago he would never have been able to do that. He would've been torn apart by the guys in the dressing room about being a wuss or being this or being that and the poor kid would've never opened his heart to another guy, another person again. Again, this sounds like a little bit of humble pie for the wrestling business, but that stuff can go on now where ten years it couldn't because back then, everyone felt more comfortable putting on a big front like they had everything under control when the fact is, they didn't. Everyone was as lost as the next guy, they just didn't want to admit it. These days, it's a lot nicer, a lot more open, so it's not quite like that anymore. Sure, with that you lose a few things like guys not having enough respect for an older wrestler, a guy who has been around the business for X amount of years. But they don't not have that respect because they don't respect them, it's because they're naïve, they don't know what to say, and that's a lot easier to deal with than someone not talking to you because they're being disrespectful and cool.
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IGN Sports: I thought it was funny in the book how you said Andre The Giant wouldn't even look at you or shake your hand for an entire year when you first started.
Shawn Michaels: Yeah, that kind of stuff builds character. [laughs] It was good for me.
IGN Sports: Andre would've been perfect for the Royal Rumble. I don't think anyone would've wanted to see him come out at number 30.
Shawn Michaels: Well, we've got The Big Show, we've got our own giant now and he's no slouch. I'm not looking forward to tipping him over the top rope.
IGN Sports: You've been in so many Royal Rumbles. Do you have a favorite moment?
Shawn Michaels: It has to be going in first and going all the way through and winning it. That for me personally is my number one moment. For me as a fan, and it might've been in that same Rumble or the year after, my number one moment is when Bushwhacker Luke came out to the ring, got into the ring, got tossed out, then walked back out and the music was still playing…he never missed a beat.
IGN Sports: It's funny how the Royal Rumble combines some of the most athletic moments and the most quirky moments in wrestling all in one match.
Shawn Michaels: That's what makes the Rumble so special. It has become a favorite among WWE fans and I think that is one of the reasons why. Come Rumble time, you start getting the feeling that big things are happening. Wrestlemania is right around the corner and you know the results of the Rumble have huge implications on Wrestlemania, but to your point, it's also a match where you know you're going to see some interesting things. Whether it be extremely athletic or something where you say 'That was one of the stupidest things I've ever seen, but I'll never forget it'.
IGN Sports: Do you have a favorite gimmick match?
Shawn Michaels: I don't know that they are favorites, but I've always enjoyed the Street Fight. As a wrestling fan I can remember years ago seeing my first Street Fight between Wahoo McDaniel and Tully Blanchard and I remember thinking to myself that I will really think I've made it when I can come to the ring in jeans and cowboy boots with my hands taped and stuff like that. I just thought that was so cool, getting to come as you are and having no rules. We just call them Street Fights now but years ago they were Texas Street Fights of a Bunkhouse match.
