It seems like every year, when the road to WrestleMania comes around, HBK’s name pops up in wrestling rumors. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as Michaels left the sports and entertainment industry on the ultimate high, competing in a breathtaking match against The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXVI. Going out on top has its pros and cons. The con is that fans think you shouldn't be going out.
This year, the speculation around Shawn returning grew larger than ever before, following the announcement of the Royal Rumble taking place in front of 60,000 plus at Shawn’s home venue in San Antonio, Texas. The rumor mill only intensified with likes of Ric Flair saying McMahon begged Shawn to compete over the last couple of years and Jim Ross saying Shawn would appear in some capacity during 2017.
Adding to all of that, HBK is still looking great nowadays, which only furthers the rumors about his return. At the age of 51, Shawn has been spotted in several places looking very much like The Heartbreak Kid of old. Even at his WrestleMania appearance this year, Michaels looked better than ever. Hell, he even looked better than his final wrestling days to be honest. In this article, we''l let you guys judge for yourselves with 17 recent pictures that proves Shawn is ring ready. Enjoy and like always, let us know what you think!
17 17. His WrestleMania 32 Cameo
It seems like every year, the WWE loves to insert some nostalgia into their biggest show of the year. 2015 saw the remarkable clash between the nWo and DX, while 2016 saw the chilling return of some of the best stars from the Attitude Era. HBK came out to a tremendous pop at WM 32 and what made it all even more special was the fact that he was dressed in full gear and looking better than ever, unlike his cameo the previous year which showed Michaels looking a little more old and “comfortable.”
Shawn, along with Austin and Foley, beat down The League of Nations (remember that group?) and HBK looked like he hadn’t missed a beat, hitting everything that moved and scoring some Sweet Chin Music. The fact that he looked so good in this cameo, only intensified the rumors that he might return in the future.
16 16. His Recent Appearance for DREAMWAVE Wrestling
Shawn Michaels is still under contract with the WWE and he adds to that salary with appearances for various companies and indie wrestling promotions. At the age of 51, HBK still draws massive crowds and continues to make quite the living, banking off of his glory days as a WWE Superstar. His body of work speaks for itself, as he's regarded as the best of all-time according to most of his peers.
Nowadays, HBK still keeps busy and one of the ventures he loves to undertaker in is taking some time with the fans. Just recently, on November 5th, Shawn appeared for the promotion DREAMWAVE Wrestling, signing autographs for fans in the Lasalle, Illinois area. As you might expect, the turnout was impressive and Shawn’s buddy Kevin Nash also made an appearance at the event.
Pictures have been leaked from several fans that met Shawn and based on how he’s looking, Michaels looks more than capable of stepping in the ring. His smile and arm-vein speak for themselves!
15 15. Chilling With the NXT Crew
Shawn just looks like one of the boys in this picture. Michaels is featured in the first row of red seats on the left hand side of your screen. HBK posted this picture on his Twitter account in early November and it drew quite the audience, receiving over a thousand likes on his social media account.
In the picture, Michaels is hanging out with the entire NXT staff, which only adds to the speculation that he’s returning to the WWE and maybe working as a full-time trainer for NXT. Whatever the case maybe, Shawn is enjoying a private screening of Hacksaw Ridge alongside the NXT Superstars and trainers. Say what you want about this picture and what it implies, but it can only be viewed as a positive at the end of the day.
14 14. Enjoying Some Golf
This is another picture from 2016 and shows HBK swinging the golf club as he enjoys some down time at the driving range. Michaels poked some fun at himself on social media, claiming he was the first person ever to wear snake boots at a driving range. Just add another check mark onto the list of things HBK has been the first person to ever do.
All jokes aside, this picture does prove Shawn has a decent range of mobility left in his joints. Driving balls down a field is easier said than done and, at the age of 51, Michaels makes it look quite easy.
For those of you wondering, this picture was shared by Shawn himself on Twitter. Surprisingly, HBK is quite active on this social media platform and you can stay up-to-date with “The Show Stopper” by giving him a follow.
13 13. Tank-Tops & Chilling With the Boys
Whether it be for his MRA Hunting show, his acting gigs or wrestling related appearances, HBK is still very active when it comes to travelling. Despite the fact that he retired from the WWE in 2010, Shawn has remained very active throughout and continues to pursue his other ventures in 2016, leading into 2017.
This picture was also tweeted out by The Heartbreak Kid. He put up the post in early September and it shows Shawn along with his MRA buddies enjoying a game of cards while their flight was delayed. In true HBK fashion, the 51 year old is rocking a tank-top. Seriously though, how many 51 year olds do you know that can still rock a tank like Michaels? Chances are, not too many.
12 12. Sushi Date With the Boys
Despite the fact that Shawn doesn’t have an Instagram account, his buddies have kept him relevant on the app. Triple H has posted numerous pictures with Shawn (one that we’ll discuss a little later) and so has his other buddy, Kliq member Kevin Nash.
This picture shows the three best friends enjoying a carb load earlier in 2016. Seriously though, who was the lucky SOB that got to take that picture? Plenty of fans would pay to be seated next to Triple H and eavesdrop on that lunch date.
The picture was posted on Kevin Nash’s Instagram account and received close to 8,000 likes, one of his most popular pictures ever posted and rightfully so. Aside from different heads of hair, all three still look remarkably young today.
11 11. Looking Lean On the Outdoor Channel
Rumor has it Shawn goes to bed with his boots. Seriously, do those boots ever come off? All hunting jokes aside, this picture was taken during the summer and features HBK working an interview for the Outdoor Network alongside TV host Dana Workman. Michaels posted this photo on his Twitter account and once again promoted the company Rocky Gear, thanking the hunting gear brand for the ensemble he wore during the interview.
Visually, HBK looks thin and in great shape it appears. Those jeans look extremely loose and that t-shirt seems to be floating on him. You can also zoom into his right arm if you have loads of time on your hands. Do we spot another muscular vein bulging out?
10 10. More Recent Autograph Sightings
Another recent HBK sighting took place in Marlborough, Massachusetts in late October. Michaels attended the Super Megafest event which is kind of like a ComicCon for the people residing in the New England area. HBK highlighted the class of wrestlers and generated quite the turnout. Michaels acknowledged his fans on social media, thanking them for coming out. Numerous fans posted pictures with Shawn from the October night and HBK looked to be in tremendous shape with that powerful arm vein still alive and well at the age of 51.
Rumor has it the vein is drawn on, but after further investigation, it has been confirmed that he’s just still that lean nowadays and conditioned to the bone. It remains to be seen if he can bring that conditioning level back into the ring.
9 9. His MacMillan River Adventures
After leaving the WWE, HBK focused his attention on another long-time passion of his, hunting. Alongside his hunting partner and best friend Keith Mark, the two began the MacMillan River Adventures show on CarbonTV. For those of you interested in the world of hunting or just seeing Shawn in general, the show can also be streamed online. The episodes basically feature Michaels and his long-time buddy hunting around the world. The show is still going strong and this is a recent promotional picture taken of the two in 2016.
Along with the hunting he does on the show, Michaels still actively hunts as he posted his most recent picture on Twitter in full out camo gear. Again, staying active and hunting is another good sign that HBK’s conditioning level remains on point.
8 8. Looking Lean at the Steelers Shrine
His recent unofficial role as the Penguins mascot opened several doors for HBK. One of them was a new found relationship with Super Bowl winner Brett Keisel. The two hit it off quickly as they both share a passion for hunting. HBK’s most recent Twitter picture features the two of them together getting ready for a day of hunting.
Brett also helped to accommodate Shawn during his stay in Pittsburgh. One of the cool things HBK got to do was take a tour of the Steelers facility, something a select few can say they've done. Michaels thanked both the NFL organization and Brett for getting the chance for such an opportunity. Aside from the cool pictures and trophies in the background, Michaels looks insanely lean and still rocks the tank quite proudly. As for those jeans, it looks like he’s trying to hold them up. Seriously Shawn, by a new pair!
7 7. Getting in the Protein!
It seems like Michaels had a blast during his time in Pittsburgh. This picture was taken of Shawn visiting a local restaurant with his buddy Brett Keisel, who we just discussed. The two continued their bromance by sharing a nice meal together. Like in almost every other picture, Michaels has a body of water to his disposal next to him. He’s also getting in some protein along with a healthy dose of carbs from that massive looking sandwich. Keisel seems to be having an easier time with it as it looks like it vanished in his hands. Michaels, instead, is taking the patient approach, as his sandwich appears to be untouched and in mint condition.
On a side note, Brett looks like a mix of Big Show and Bubba Ray Dudley.
6 6. Shredded Shawn with The Kliq
This picture was taken during WrestleMania 32 weekend and shows again exactly how lean Michaels really is. Once again, Shawn is dawning the blank tank, blue jeans and water bottle, looking incredibly impressive. Michaels honestly looks leaner than ever, with his bulging bicep vein and shoulders that appear to be sculpted with no fat. His conditioning levels were quite astonishing for the event that took place this year.
Getting in such shape for a brief appearance only confirmed how quickly Shawn could get into ring shape if he really wanted to, proving that age is just a number. Look into it however you want, but Shawn has almost no dates for December or January. Does this means he’s taking those weeks to whip up himself back into in-ring shape? We hope so.
5 5. His Appearance at the Icons of Wrestling Event
The Icons of Wrestling event is like ComicCon, but just for wrestling fans and it usually takes place around the time of WrestleMania. At the upcoming 2017 event, there will be appearances from legends like Ric Flair, The Outsiders and Ricky Steamboat. This year’s class was highlighted by none other than The Showstopper himself, Shawn Michaels.
His appearance took place shortly after WrestleMania, so, as you can imagine, Shawn was looking leaner than ever for those in attendance. Fans posted various pictures with the WWE Hall of Famer, who looked to be in great spirits throughout the entire process. He also looked ten years younger, only fueling speculation that a comeback might very well be on the horizon.
Judging by all these pictures, his return looks like a big time possibility and we can only hope it actually happens this time.
4 4. His Role In New Christian Film
You can add an acting gig to Shawn’s post-WWE resume. Set to be released on January 20th, 2017, Michaels stars in the Christian comedy drama, The Resurrection of Gavin Stone. The film is Shawn’s first ever non-wrestling related film and a first in terms of Christian films. Shawn plays the role of Doug in the film. The movie is about a washed-up child star (Gavin Stone) who is rebuilding his life and values through religious beliefs. As documented since his 2002 return, Shawn is a Born-Again Christian and very devoted to his new lifestyle. This movie only reinforces Shawn’s commitment to his faith.
In various interviews, his castmates were impressed with HBK’s performance despite his lack of experience. In the online trailer and pictures that have surfaced, Michaels looks to be in magnificent shape for the film.
3 3. Chilling with his Fellow Cast Members
In this pic, Shawn looks like a kid again (minus the gray beard). This picture was recently put online via Shawn’s Twitter account and features The Heartbreak Kid in all of his glory alongside his castmates. Shawn put up the picture just a couple of months ago in late October to help promote the film. He put up another picture shortly after of the group together at screening of the film. HBK was very upbeat about the entire project and was very grateful for the opportunity to work on such a film.
With the movie done and dusted for now, this only adds to the speculation that Shawn has plenty of time to whip into pro wrestling shape over the next couple of months. Are we digging a little too deep? Perhaps, perhaps not.
2 2. His Involvement with the Pens
If you like the NHL and the WWE, then it was a bizarre dream to see HBK take part in the postseason run by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Even if you hated the Pens, you couldn’t help but cheer them on because that meant more appearances by the great Shawn Michaels.
His Twitter popularity grew higher and higher as the H-B-K line of Hagelin, Bonino and Kessel continue dominating the postseason. Their initials matched Shawn’s nickname and the connection went viral from there. Shawn appeared at an Eastern Conference Finals game, as the Pens took on the Lightning. HBK received a massive ovation while flexing his huge guns. He also met the likes of Mario Lemieux and it was pretty surreal to see two icons of separate sports together.
1 1. His Recent Instagram Picture with Triple H
Triple H almost broke Instagram 15 weeks ago when he posted a Shawn Michaels sighting down at the NXT headquarters. The picture received close to 100K likes and sent the WWE Universe a buzz with what exactly the picture meant.
After some speculation, Jim Ross confirmed that HBK was linked to a possible position as a trainer down at the Performance Center. According to the rumor mill, Hunter is planning to repackage the internal side of the company by bringing in new faces and one of them happens to be his best friend, Shawn Michaels. According to the rumors, Shawn is currently looking for a home in the Florida area near the Performance Center. It seems like one way or another, Shawn will be back with the WWE in some capacity.