Early Wrestling Career
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom was born on July 22, 1965, in Chandler, Arizona, but grew up primarily in San Antonio, Texas. He knew he wanted to be a professional wrestler ever since he was 12 years old and began training after he dropped out of college in 1984.
Hickenbottom adopted the ring name Shawn Michaels during his time in NWA Mid-South Wrestling. He also performed in several other NWA territories, along with Verne Gagne’s AWA.
Michaels rose to prominence in the WWE as one-half of The Rockers alongside Marty Janetty. However, it wouldn’t be until Michaels betrayed Janetty and kicked him through Brutus Beefcake’s Barber Shop window that things really took off for WWE’s Boy Toy.
The Rise Of The Heartbreak Kid
In 1992, Michaels adopted the moniker “The Heartbreak Kid” and debuted a new cocky, villainous persona. Fans loved to hate him. Thanks to his charisma and in-ring ability, Michaels found himself starring in multiple main events and capturing the WWE Intercontinental Championship three times.
WWE Championship Reigns
At WrestleMania XII, Michaels defeated Bret Hart in a 60-minute Iron Man match to become WWE Champion. He lost the title to Sycho Sid at the 1996 Survivor Series but gained it back a few months later at the 1997 Royal Rumble.
At this point, drama became rampant in Michaels’ WWE career. Michaels had to vacate his WWE Championship due to a knee injury, and told fans he needed to take time away to “find his smile again.” This caused tension between Michaels and Bret Hart, who believed that Michaels was faking his injury.
The conflict between Michaels and Hart reached a boiling point at the 1997 Survivor Series when Michaels and Vince McMahon conspired to take Hart’s WWE Championship in an incident dubbed “The Montreal Screwjob.”
First Retirement
During a match against The Undertaker at the 1998 Royal Rumble, Michaels sustained a devastating spinal injury. The incident forced him to step away from in-ring action, but he continued to make appearances for WWE; after a four-month hiatus, Michaels returned as a commentator for Raw is War, and soon after began serving as the WWE Commissioner. He also performed as a guest referee for a few notable matches, including the Iron Man match between Triple H and The Rock at Judgment Day 2000.
Due to the severity of his injury, Michaels believed that his in-ring career was over. He focused instead on training aspiring wrestlers and opened the Shawn Michaels Wrestling Academy in 1999.
WWE Return & Hall Of Fame Induction
In June 2002, Michaels returned to the WWE after almost two years away. He soon entered a feud with his old tag team partner, Triple H, which lasted for the next several years. However, on June 12, 2006, Triple H and Shawn Michaels officially buried the hatchet and reunited as DX.
Michaels went on to have several iconic matches in the second run of his career, including his match against Ric Flair at WrestleMania XXIV.
Michaels retired from in-ring action once again in 2010, this time on his own terms. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame the following year. Since his second retirement, Shawn Michaels has worked for WWE in a backstage capacity, most notably as a booker for WWE’s developmental brand, NXT.
