Shawn Michaels has been featured in fantastic world title matches in his WWE career. Michaels has earned the moniker of "Mr.WrestleMania" and "The Showstopper" due to his reputation of putting on an excellent performance. The Heartbreak Kid's ability was so great that it also elevated many Superstars he shared the ring with.
The Heartbreak Kid is a four-time WWE World Champion, winning the World Wrestling Federation Championship three times and the World Heavyweight Championship once. HBK has had stellar performances both as champion and challenger during his career that's spanned decades. During that time, Michaels competed in some of the greatest main event matches in WWE history.
10 WWF Championship Match (VS Sycho Sid)
At the 1997 Royal Rumble, Michaels was challenging Sycho Sid for the WWF Championship. Sid ended Michaels' eight-month title reign at the 1996 Survivor Series in November. The Royal Rumble was held in Michaels' hometown of San Antonio, Texas at the Alamodome.
The crowd booed Michaels in his match with Sid at MSG despite being a face. This time at the Rumble, HBK had the fans on his side. Michaels made Sid look like a star in this match, taking hard bumps for the Champion.
Ultimately, Michaels withstood the barrage of attacks from Sid. He nailed Sid with a camera and Sweet Chin Music to become a two-time WWF Champion. The roof was almost blown off the Alamodome.
9 WWF Championship Match (VS Diesel)
Michaels' first-ever pay-per-view WWF Championship title defense was against his former bodyguard Diesel. The duo would face off a year prior at WrestleMania XI with Diesel retaining the WWF Championship. Their match in April 1996 was at In Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies.
The title of the seventh edition of In Your House was appropriate as the former two-time WWF Tag Team champions would contest a No Holds Barred match. Diesel was now a monster heel, who was on his way out of the WWF to join WCW the following month. However, Diesel would put on one last great performance and do the job for his real-life best friend.
As expected Diesel would dominate this brutal encounter with his strength and size advantage. Nonetheless, it was not enough as the Heartbreak Kid would come out on top in this near 18-minute WWF Championship match. This match made Michaels look like a credible champion.
8 WWE Championship Match (VS Randy Orton)
On the 10-year anniversary of the Montreal Screwjob, Shawn Michaels was once again involved in a WWE Title match at Survivor Series. Michaels challenged Randy Orton for the WWE Championship at the 2007 Survivor Series at the American Airlines Arena in Miami.
Previously, The Showstopper had been unsuccessful from taking the title away from Orton at Cyber Sunday as the Legend Killer got himself intentionally disqualified. Therefore, Michaels would have been crowned the WWE Champion had Orton got disqualified again. In turn, HBK was exempt from using his Sweet Chin Music at the Survivor Series. The pair's styles match up well, but unfortunately for Michaels, he would come out on the losing end as he succumbed to Orton's RKO.
7 WWF Championship Match (VS Mankind)
At In Your House 10: Mind Games in September 1996, Michaels' six-month WWF Championship reign was in serious jeopardy. Michaels defended the title against the deranged Mankind. Mankind was on a roll in 1996 as he upset The Undertaker twice with victories at the King of the Ring and SummerSlam.
Mankind was now under the tutelage of Paul Bearer. The reigning WWF Champion had to change his style in this classic encounter, showing that he could brawl with a dangerous opponent like Mankind. This match also showcased Mankind as a quality worker, who could put on an amazing match and firmly be placed in the main event scene. Both men were protected with the disqualification finish in Michaels' favor. Vader, Sid, and Undertaker made their presence felt with their interference.
6 World Heavyweight Championship Match (VS Triple H, Chris Jericho, Booker T, Kane, and Rob Van Dam)
Michaels was once again featured in the main event of the Survivor Series in 2002. The main event was for the World Heavyweight Championship. The stakes were high as it was the first-ever Elimination Chamber match.
Triple H was the champion, defending the World Heavyweight Title against a group of legends, including Michaels, Kane, Chris Jericho, Booker T, and Rob Van Dam. The match was held at MSG, where six years prior Michaels was significantly booed.
The Showstopper was the final entrant in the Chamber. However, he quickly made an impact as he contributed to Kane's elimination. He eliminated Jericho with a Sweet Chin Music. Michaels once again made history at Survivor Series as he dethroned The Game, winning the World Heavyweight Championship for the first time in his career. Confetti fell on the bloodied new champion.
5 WWE Championship Match (VS John Cena)
At WrestleMania 23, Michaels challenged John Cena for the WWE Championship. The pair headlined that year's WrestleMania in the main event. It was the Heartbreak Kid's first one-on-one WWE Championship match at WrestleMania in nine years.
Michaels showed why he was Mr. WrestleMania as he made Cena look like a top worker in this match, proving many critics wrong. The leader of the Cenation came out on top in this encounter, which a few weeks later would be eclipsed in their non-title clash on Raw in London, England.
4 WWF Championship Match (VS The Undertaker) - Royal Rumble 1998
Michaels and The Undertaker clashed for the WWF Championship at the 1998 Royal Rumble in a Casket match. Their rivalry began at SummerSlam 1997 as Michaels cost The Undertaker the WWE Title to Bret Hart.
HBK played his role as a heel very well in this match. He used the casket to his advantage by performing a top rope elbow whilst Taker was inside the casket. This was a high-quality match between the two legends. Undertaker would even perform a jumping Tombstone inside the casket on Michaels.
This match is also memorable for Michaels crushing a herniated disc after his back caught the edge of the casket. Kane interfered on Michaels' behalf, helping him retain the WWF Championship.
3 WWF Championship Match (VS Bret Hart) - WrestleMania XII
The rivalry between Michaels and Bret Hart was well documented and personal both on-screen and behind the scenes. Michaels and Hart would headline WrestleMania XII in the first-ever 60 minute Iron Match for the WWF Championship.
Michaels won the Royal Rumble in 1996 for the second year in succession. He lost to Diesel a year earlier and had the incentive to go one better. Hart made Michaels look like a main-event level competitor in this match. It was one of the greatest WWF Championship matches in the history of WrestleMania. Michaels would claim his first WWF Championship in overtime with a Sweet Chin Music. Mr.McMahon would scream on commentary "The boyhood dream has come true."
2 WWF Championship Match (VS Bret Hart) - Survivor Series 1997
Another high-profile WWF Championship bout featured Hart and Michaels. At the 1997 Survivor Series, Michaels was once again the challenger. This match was famous for the Montreal Screwjob as Hart was going to leave WWF and join WCW.
Hart had no problem losing to Michaels but did not want to lose in Montreal. The two had a disdain for each other as earlier in 1997 when The Hitman believed that Michaels was feigning injury. Hart also thought that Michaels did this so he did not have to lose the title back to him at WrestleMania 13.
Nevertheless, it was another quality match between the pair which famously ended with Michaels locking Hart in his Hart's own move the Sharpshooter. Earl Hebner rang the bell in the process, with Michaels becoming a three-time WWF Champion.
1 World Heavyweight Championship Match (VS Chris Jericho) - No Mercy 2008
2008 belonged to Michaels and Chris Jericho who had the feud of the year. This personal rivalry culminated at No Mercy for the World Heavyweight Championship in a Ladder match. Both men are known for their stellar performances with this stipulation.
It was one of the best Ladder matches of all time. It was a perfect way to end the feud which Jericho won, crashing the title into Michaels' face with both men at the top of the ladder.