Shawn Michaels had probably one of the greatest runs in the biggest wrestling promotion in the world, WWE. Shawn had so many memorable feuds throughout his wrestling career that spanned over 25 years and had some of the greatest matches that inspired so many of the current superstars to become WWE superstars.
Mr. WrestleMania had career-defining feuds with many top performers including The Undertaker, Razor Ramon, John Cena, Chris Jericho, and many others. One such person on this long list of rivals was the Chairman of WWE, Vince McMahon. A feud that culminated with a banger showdown at the Show of Shows, WrestleMania, generated a lot of hype among the fans and media as well.
10 Their Match Was Rated As Match Of The Year 2006
Shawn Michaels was no stranger to putting on instant classics in the ring. The moment he used to touch anyone in the ring, he was bound to have a show-stealer match on the card with them. There have been arguments that Michaels might be the greatest in-ring performer in wrestling history.
Shawn and Vince McMahon competed in a brutal No Holds Barred Match at WrestleMania 22, and it goes without saying that they stole the entire show. Their encounter together ended up getting voted as Match Of The Year 2006 by the readers of Pro Wrestling Illustrated, beating matches including Kurt Angle vs Samoa Joe, Kurt Angle vs. The Undertaker, John Cena vs Edge, and many others that year
9 Shawn Vs. Vince Had Its Origins Dating Back To 1997
Though Shawn Michaels and Vince McMahon ended up tearing the house down at WrestleMania 22, their actual feud started in 1997 at Survivor Series. That was the sight for the infamous Montreal Screwjob where on that fateful night, McMahon alongside Shawn Michaels and the referee Earl Hebner screwed Bret Hart out of his WWE Championship.
That incident from the past where Michaels and McMahon cost Bret his title match was the main focus of their feud and the storyline early on. At one point when both Shawn Michaels and Vince McMahon were taking verbal jabs at each other, he told Michaels: “I screwed Bret Hart, Shawn. Don’t make me screw you, too.”
8 Shawn Was Dealing With Two McMahons At That Time
Shawn Michaels was already engaged in a heated rivalry with Mr. McMahon that involved so many memorable moments and segments. At the same time, HBK would also have to deal with Vince’s son, Shane McMahon. Moreover, Shane O'Mac was responsible for the elimination of HBK from the 2006 Royal Rumble Match.
He would align himself with Vince during the process to create havoc in Michaels’s career. The feud got intense as it could get by the time it approached WrestleMania. Shane collided with Shawn in a Street Fight at WWE PLE Saturday Night’s Main Event and the match itself included a lot of shenanigans from Vince’s end.
7 Shawn Michaels Lost To Shane McMahon On Saturday Night's Main Event
To follow through the storyline, Vince McMahon would recreate the Montreal Screwjob in the final moments of the match between Shane McMahon and Shawn Michaels.
During their feud, Shawn was set to take on Shane McMahon in a Streetfight at Saturday Night’s Main Event. During the match, Vince was a constant distraction for Michaels to deal with. In the ending sequence of the match, Shane would put Michaels in the Sharpshooter and Vince would call for the bell even though Michaels never tapped out, thus referencing back to the way he screwed Bret Hart in 1997.
6 Shawn Michaels Chose The Match Stipulation For WrestleMania
The match card at WrestleMania 22 consisted of many exciting showdowns, but it was the No Hold Barred Match between Vince McMahon and Shawn Michaels that stole the show and also ended up being named the Match Of The Year 2006. The brutality in the match was fitting the animosity of the entire feud.
Furthermore, it was Shawn Michaels who came up with the match stipulation. Shawn wanted to deliver a great match with McMahon and wanted to justify the animosity that their feud had and that is the reason Michaels went ahead with the No Holds Barred Match stipulation.
5 Shawn Michaels Joined The “Kiss My Ass” Club During This Feud
Shawn Michaels was a top-tier babyface in this heated rivalry with Vince McMahon. Every single week, McMahon used to find some way to assault HBK in the buildup to their match at WrestleMania 22. Moreover, McMahon would put him in a handicap match against all the members of the Spirit Squad. Despite that, Michaels would go on to win the match but was subjected to a heinous attack by the cheerleading faction.
The segment would see the return of Shawn Michaels’s former tag team partner, Marty Jannetty, who saved Michaels from the post-match attack of Spirit Squad. McMahon would offer a contract to Marty if he would kiss his ass, which Marty refused and opted for Chris Masters' Master Lock Challenge. Shawn Michaels tried to help Jannetty but was attacked by Shane McMahon who shoved an unconscious Shawn's face into his father's buttocks, making him the member of the infamous 'Mr.McMahon Kiss My Ass' club.
4 Shawn Michaels Injured His Knee During This Feud
While feuding with Vince McMahon, Shawn Michaels injured his knee, which required surgery in the process. However, his commitment and professionalism would lead him to work the feud injured. Despite being in immense pain, Michaels still managed to complete the storyline.
To write him off the storyline, the creative team would do an angle with Michaels, in which the Spirit Squad injured his knee. After the angle, Michaels would go on to have surgery for his injured knee, which had been legitimately injured all this time.
3 Shawn Michaels Mentions This Feud As One Of His Favorite Feuds Ever
Shawn Michaels is known as The Showstopper, Mr. WrestleMania, The Heartbreak Kid, and The Icon for numerous reasons. Michaels had some of the most significant feuds in his career where he gave his opponents some of the best matches of their respective careers.
Moreover, Michaels also has so many terrific accolades under his belt which only few can claim that they have in the business today.
While talking about his feuds, Shawn Michaels always mentions his feud with Mr. McMahon being one of his all-time favorites. Furthermore, Shawn always mentioned that the entertainment and storytelling part of the feud was what drew him towards doing this feud in the first place.
2 Vince McMahon Went To Church While Feuding With Michaels
Shawn Michaels and Vince McMahon did a splendid job with their feud in terms of both in-ring action and the storyline. It continued even after their epic encounter at WrestleMania. They both carried on with their feud even after WrestleMania which ultimately saw Vince and Shane McMahon visiting a church.
After getting beaten up by Mr. WrestleMania, Vince McMahon would go to a church as he was well aware of Shawn’s faith in the Almighty which ultimately led to a tag team match where Shawn teamed up with “God” to face both McMahons at WWE Backlash. The match however turned into a two-on-one handicap match where Vince would pin Michaels with the assist of Spirit Squad.
1 This Feud Resulted In The Reformation Of D-Generation X
The feud between Shawn Michaels and Vince McMahon would continue even after their encounters at WrestleMania and Backlash. Now, with assistance from Spirit Squad, Vince was trying to make Shawn’s life a living hell. Moreover, Triple H also went into a feud with Mr. McMahon leading to a few altercations between the two.
On the June 12th episode of Monday Night RAW, Triple H was put into a gauntlet match against all Spirit Squad members where Michaels came to the aid of The Game and DX officially joined forces. Both Triple H and Shawn Michaels aligned themselves with each other to take care of business against Spirit Squad and McMahons.