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Shawn Michaels is arguably the greatest in-ring competitor to lace up a pair of boots. The Showstopper has been involved in many outstanding matches throughout his illustrious career, and he has jousted with the very best in the business. There have been times when Michaels has been difficult to work with, but there's no denying his untapped potential. However, Michaels' career was curtailed for four years, but he returned to action in 2002 for the next eight years, before he came back for a one-off match in 2018.
Dave Meltzer rightfully rated Shawn Michaels' matches with Razor Ramon at WrestleMania 10, and with The Undertaker inside the inaugural Hell in a Cell match, five stars in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. However, there have been some matches where Meltzer has rated a Michaels match lowly, and higher than warranted.
10 Overrated: Shawn Michaels Vs. Bret Hart - WrestleMania 12 (4.25 Stars)
Shawn Michaels challenged Bret Hart for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 12 in a 60-minute Iron Man match. Whilst, a lot of fans think it's one of the all-time great matches, the match is overrated. There were no falls throughout the entire hour which may have been tough for fans to endure.
The ending was memorable when Michaels clocked Hart with Sweet Chin Music in overtime to become WWE Champion for the first time in his career. Meltzer gave the match 4 and a quarter stars, but it was a 4-star match at best.
9 Underrated: Shawn Michaels Vs. The Undertaker - Royal Rumble 1998 (3.5 Stars)
The Undertaker was looking to end Shawn Michaels' WWE Championship reign in a casket match which took place at the 1998 Royal Rumble. Early on in the match, HBK herniated a disc in his back as his back caught the back edge of the casket.
Michaels grimaced throughout the match, but credit has to be given as both men still managed to produce a high-level WWE Championship match. There was outside interference, and Kane cleaned out the house by coming to his brother's aid. However, Kane betrayed Undertaker, and Michaels managed to retain his WWE Championship, but this match cost four years of his wrestling career. It was better than the 3.5 stars, Dave Meltzer rated this match at.
8 Overrated: Shawn Michaels Vs. Sycho Sid - Survivor Series 1996 (3.75 Stars)
Shawn Michaels' eight-month WWE Championship reign was under siege at Survivor Series 1996. He defended the title against Sycho Sid inside Madison Square Garden, and despite Sid being the heel, he was cheered by the New York locals, and Michaels was booed.
This was a superb wrestling match and was one of the best in Sid's career. However, it is slightly overrated at 3 and three-quarter stars, it was a 3 and a half star match at best. Nonetheless, Sid captured his first WWE Championship all thanks to his Powerbomb.
7 Underrated: Shawn Michaels Vs. Randy Orton - Survivor Series 2007 (3.5 Stars)
The Sweet Chin Music was banned in Shawn Michaels' WWE Championship match with Randy Orton. However, there was a caveat in Michaels' favor as he could win the WWE Championship if Orton got himself intentionally disqualified.
Michaels and Orton's matches are always exciting bouts to watch, and this was no different. HBK attempted the Sweet Chin Music but he remembered that he'd lose if he used his finisher. Orton took advantage, and he retained his WWE Championship with an RKO. Meltzer rated it at three-and-a-half stars, but it deserved to be rated higher.
6 Overrated: Shawn Michaels Vs. Marty Jannetty - Royal Rumble 1993 (4 Stars)
The former Rockers, Shawn Michaels, and Marty Jannetty slugged it out over the Intercontinental Championship at the 1993 Royal Rumble. The bitter rivals told an excellent story, and Michaels' former manager, the Sensational Sherri had a closer eye on proceedings.
Michaels was the better wrestler out of the pair, but Jannetty held his own here. However, Sherri inadvertently hit Jannetty with her shoe, and Michaels retained the Intercontinental Championship with Sweet Chin Music. Meltzer gave this bout 4 stars, which was a bit too high in truth.
5 Underrated: Shawn Michaels Vs. Bret Hart - Survivor Series 1997 (3.75 Stars)
The rivalry between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart finally reached its climax at the 1997 Survivor Series. Michaels was the reigning European Champion and he challenged Bret Hart for the WWE Championship in front of the Canadian fans in Montreal, Quebec.
Before the bell sounded, Michaels and Bret brawled around the arena and into the crowd. The wrestling match itself was brilliant, and it would have lasted longer had the Montreal Screwjob not happened. Nonetheless, the match was underrated and it was Bret's final appearance in WWE until January 2010.
4 Overrated: Shawn Michaels Vs. Shelton Benjamin - Raw 5/2/05 (4.5 Stars)
Shawn Michaels and Shelton Benjamin both were looking to advance to the next round in the Gold Rush tournament with an opportunity at becoming the number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship at stake. Michaels and Benjamin stole the show in a remarkable contest.
Benjamin held his own here, and this match is best remembered for Michaels' Sweet Chin Music in midair. For sure, it was entertaining but Meltzer rating it at 4.5 stars is a little too high.
3 Underrated: Shawn Michaels Vs. John Cena - Raw 4/23/07 (4.25 Stars)
Whilst, Shawn Michaels and John Cena's WWE Championship match at WrestleMania 23 were filled with tons of drama, their rematch three weeks later on the April 23, 2007 edition of Raw in London, England was miles better. It's incredibly rare for TV matches to go close to an hour, but Michaels and Cena did just that.
Fans were mesmerized at what they were witnessing as the pendulum swung back and forth. Michaels connected with Sweet Chin Music, and it's a good thing that Cena's WWE Championship was not at stake as HBK would have been crowned as the new WWE Champion.
2 Overrated: DX Vs. Legacy - Hell In A Cell 2009 (3.75 Stars)
Shawn Michaels and Triple H were no strangers to competing in Hell in a Cell matches, and they were hoping to draw on their experience in their tag team Hell in a Cell match against Legacy's Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase. Legacy outsmarted DX by isolating Shawn Michaels with Triple H out of the picture.
Once the Game returned to the match it was one-way traffic in full flow. DX prevailed which brought the curtain down on their feud. The match was decent but it was overrated as it was a standard Hell in a Cell match.
1 Underrated: Shawn Michaels Vs. The Undertaker - WrestleMania 25 (4.75 Stars)
It's criminal that Dave Meltzer did not award Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker's match at WrestleMania 25 five stars. Their match was out of this world, and it is arguably the greatest match in the history of WrestleMania. Both men had bright spells, and it was an entertaining match right from the word go.
The Demon of Death Valley could have sustained a serious injury when he hauled himself over the top rope and crashed and burned into the cameraman. Nonetheless, both men kicked out of each other's respective finishers, but Michaels made a schoolboy error when he attempted a moonsault, and Undertaker caught him in midair to go 17-0 at WrestleMania with a Tombstone Piledriver.