WWE was in a transitional period in the mid-1990s. The heyday of Hulk Hogan and The Macho Man was behind them, and the risqué Attitude Era was yet to surface. There were odd characters on-screen and backstage drama off-screen. Some of the most well-documented and titillating drama stems from WWE's three most prominent stars of "The New Generation;" Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and Sunny.
The storied history between the three superstars intersected with Bret and Shawn's bitter rivalry. The awkward communion of the company's biggest names did little to elevate their stardom. In some cases, quite the contrary. What started as puppy love turned into the tension that shook the entire foundation of the WWE locker room.
Sunny And Shawn Michaels' Not-So-Secret Relationship
The story of Shawn and Sunny begins with another now-infamous 90s tale. HBK ran his mouth at a bar to a couple of the wrong guys, and he paid the price dearly. These men beat Shawn within an inch of his life. With no other wrestlers willing to take Shawn to the hospital - Sunny, his hotel room neighbor, came to the rescue.
Sunny's act of kindness sparked a close relationship (and attraction) with Shawn Michaels. While HBK recovered from his injuries, Sunny would check on him every day. Soon after, the lovebirds went on a vacation to Jamaica together, even though Sunny was involved with another wrestler, Chris Candido (Skip). In her autobiography, Sunny details the vacation and the sexual exploits that accompanied the trip in graphic detail. How many times, where, and how.
According to multiple interviews, neither Sunny nor Shawn did a great job hiding their affair when they returned. On Bruce Prichard's podcast, he recalled Sunny showing off pictures of her and Shawn in Jamaica... right under Candido's nose. Many wrestlers backstage did not approve of Shawn and Sunny's affair. As passionate and hot as their connection was, it didn't last. While their romantic relationship would end, they still had to maintain a working relationship. Easier said than done.
Bret Hart And The "Sunny Days" Promo
Both Bret Hart and Sunny have denied that there was ever an affair between the two of them. At the time, rumors spread quickly since Bret and Sunny were hanging out together. The Hitman and Sunny even shared a locker room on occasion. One wrestler who believed these romantic rumors was Shawn Michaels.
On a May 1997 episode of Raw, Bret Hart challenged Shawn Michaels to a match at the upcoming King of the Ring PPV. The stipulation entailed that if Hart couldn't defeat HBK in ten minutes or less, he would never wrestle a match in the United States again. Shawn (who was reportedly drunk during this promo) responded, "You couldn't go ten minutes in any situation... if you know what I mean. Even though you've had some Sunny days." The locker room and the other Hart Foundation members were shocked. According to reports, Bret didn't pick up on Shawn's insinuating line at the moment. It wasn't until later that night that other talent had to explain what Shawn said and what he meant.
Needless to say, Mrs. Hart was none too thrilled with the promo. HBK's "Sunny Days" promo caused a considerable amount of drama and strife in Bret's personal life. Hart eventually backed out of his King of the Ring match with Michaels, feeling that he couldn't trust him after.
Hart To Heartbreak: The Aftermath
The "Sunny Days" promo added more fuel to the fire of Shawn and Bret's genuine rivalry. The promo also widened the valley between former lovers in Sunny and Shawn. From there, things got dark for all three personalities. An eventful seven months later saw the infamous Montreal screwjob, perhaps the ugliest exit in company history. Within one year of the Sunny Days promo, the WWE landscape had changed entirely. The pride of the New Generation, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, and Sunny had all stepped away from the company.
After a battle with addiction, Shawn Michaels cleaned himself up. Bret Hart went to WCW and was misused unfathomably, and his career was cut short due to an injury. Sunny has had frequent run-ins with the law. On a brighter note, it appears that these three personalities have made peace with themselves. Shawn and Sunny reconciled at the Raw 15th Anniversary. And in an emotional and unforgettable moment, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels shook hands in a WWE ring over a decade after the Montreal Screwjob.
The mid-90s were an ugly time for WWE in more ways than one. A complicated, emotional triangle between the company's biggest tars was not a great way to set an example. One can only dream about what could have been had the Sunny Days promo not happened.