The Contentious Ten 04.05.10: Shawn Michaels’ Matches

If you’re one of the twenty people that read last week’s column, you know that I’m done with the comment responses because of an increase in my school and work schedule; finals are getting closer and I have to cut time where I can. You also know that I didn’t announce this week’s topic last week. That is because I wrote and posted last week’s column before Wrestlemania, and if Shawn Michaels had ended the streak, I wouldn’t have known what list to make. Now that Shawn’s in-ring career is over (and I will eat my hat and video tape it if he ever does have a match again), there’s only one list that can be done this week.

Xsize=8>
Shawn Michaels vs. Diesel size=6>
No Holds Barred WWF Championship Match, Good Friends, Better Enemiessize=4>

Is it any great shock that Kevin Nash’s best match is with Shawn Michaels? While I often give Rey Mysterio credit as the best “little man” in wrestling history, HBK is right up there. The reason for that is that he understands the basic psychology of big man-little man matches. The big is a fortress with cannons, and there’s only two ways to fight that sort of thing; make yourself a cannon, or try to sneak through the defenses and destroy it from the inside. While I couldn’t find a complete video of the match, Shawn starts this out with one of his biggest moves; a moonsault to the floor. He doesn’t hesitate to risk it all because he knows it’s about the only thing will work on Diesel. And when Nash hits one big move, he’s able to control for the rest of the match.

People will take a look at the participants and say “HBK carried Diesel to a great match”. I think people misunderstand the word carry. Carrying someone is controlling the match to such a point that you are basically wrestling yourself. This is a case of Diesel stepping up his game because he’s in their with his best friend and one of the best. He did the same with Bret Hart. People say Diesel had his best matches with Shawn and Bret. So? Does that mean that Kurt Angle is a bad worker because his matches with Edge aren’t as good as his matches with Shawn Michaels? Not that Diesel is anywhere near Angle’s league, but the concept still applies. Anyway, this is an example of how good Nash could be when he was motivated and allowed to be creative. I think that a first title defense is almost as important as winning the title, and this was a great first major defense for HBK.

IXsize=8>
Shawn Michaels vs. Stone Cold Steve Austinsize=6>
WWF Championship Match, Wrestlemania XIVsize=4>

In his book Heartbreak and Triumph, Shawn Michaels points out the severity of his back injury, and when talking about he has been able to wrestle for the last eight years and change, says that you have two choices: “I am either the toughest guy you ever met, or you believe in the miracles of Jesus Christ and that he heals. Take your pick.” While you can probably scroll through a comments section and find my opinions on the later, this match is certainly a testament to the former. Opinions on the match’s quality very, as some say it is too simple to be truly great. In my opinion, keeping it simple often leads to greatness and I think the match is very good on it’s own merits. However, whatever you think of this match as a “piece of work” or whatever, here are two facts: this is one of the most important matches that Shawn Michaels was ever involved in, and he deserves an unbelievable amount of credit for going through the match when by all means he should have been in a wheelchair.

In view of HBK’s real last match with The Undertaker at Wrestlemania XXVI, I remembered this match and thought about how much of a shame it would have been for this to be the retirement match for Shawn Michaels. Not because he didn’t give his very best performance possible under the circumstances, because he did. But because after all of the quality performances he’s given; he deserved to go out on HIS terms and not due to injury. I may be overrating it simply because his performance in the face of an injury was awe-inspiring, but I do think my reasons stand for themselves.

VIIIsize=8>
Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle size=6>
Wrestlemania 21size=4>

About a week and a half ago, I reviewed Wrestlemania 21, and posted a scathing review of this match. Since then, some big changes have happened in my life, and I’ve realized I don’t really feel like saying anything bad about matches anymore. Bottom line: while I love professional wrestling, it is just a part of my life and I shouldn’t care about little things as much as I do. Negative criticism is fun to write and to read, but ultimately, it’s just a temporary kick and not worth it. Sometimes it’s better to just enjoy things. So here, I’m not going to complain about any “faults” the match may have. I’m going to talk about what I love about this match.

I love how this match builds from something as simple as prolonged headlocks and short-arm scissors to them busting out all of their biggest moves, from the springboard crossbody onto a table to the top rope Angle Slam. I love the viciousness in Angle’s moves as HBK continues to frustrate him, something that come back to bite (or superkick) him near the end of the match. I love the counters, especially where Angle blocks the Superkick into the Ankle Lock. And I love the finish as Angle seemingly rises from the dead to snatch Shawn up in his signature submission before finally getting a big victory. One of the best matches either man has been involved in.

VIIsize=8>
Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jerichosize=6>
Unsanctioned Match, Unforgiven 2008size=4>

Having watched wrestling from the age of four, “smart” to the business since I was six, and “a critic” since the age of twelve, it’s really, REALLY easy for me to be a cynical old armchair booker and talk about how things should have been or how someone could have done something better. I don’t really like that about myself and I do fight to not be that way. That said, every once in a while, a match comes along that reaches into me and grabs the critic by the throat and silences him so that the inner mark in me can watch it unfold through the rose-colored glasses of kayfabe. That’s what this match did for me; as soon as Michaels walked down the ramp and gave a look that would have killed Jericho, I was hooked on this match for the entire time. It was not like watching a wrestling match so much as it was like watching a movie or reading a book. The match created a genuine emotional response based on the quality of the performances and not based on any foreknown knowledge (see: Flair vs. Shawn). That’s rare, and that’s special.

I’m not going to pretend this match doesn’t have flaws; the finish makes no sense considering the “only pinfall or submission rules” and the referee in general does a horrible job, almost like he sees himself as a main character when he is a bit player in a greater story. I cheered for joy when Shawn superkicked him after after the match, and if anyone has a problem with that, I do not care! Jericho took a vicious beating and I don’t think blood would have added much to the match. More importantly for this list, Shawn Michaels gave, quite simply, the single best acting performance of his career. Shawn’s display of rage, suffering, and inner turmoil in this match are on par with Mick Foley’s “anti-hardcore” promos in ECW. If wrestling had Oscars, HBK would have won “Best Performance in a Leading Role” here. Some prefer the Ladder Match, some prefer their Wrestlemania XIX match, but for my money, this is the greatest match between Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho.

VIsize=8>
Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertakersize=6>
Wrestlemania XXVsize=4>

When I chose to do this list, I made a decision NOT to include the Wrestlemania XXVI match because I’ve only watched it once, and I knew that Shawn Michaels was done (anybody who had seen the opening video package on his latest DVD would have told you the same), so I don’t know where I rank it yet. However, having seen THIS match many, many, MANY times in the last year, I have no problem putting this up here, because it ranks as one of the best matches Shawn has ever had. In fact, you can probably compare this to any other match on this list and see that it belongs there. Those who find excessive fault in this match are likely very jaded and incapable of just watching a match and enjoying it. The match is amazing, not flawless, but amazing.

I don’t think people will forget this match because of the Wrestlemania XXVI match, because it tells a different story and sets the stage for the next one. Really, I don’t think anyone can fully appreciate this year’s match without first watching this match. I can talk for ages about the storytelling in this match, how it builds perfectly, and history is referenced again and again. But by this point, people have probably already made up their minds on the issue, and those who hate it won’t give it a second chance. That’s fine; this is, after all, MY list, and I have to make decisions for myself and not for other people. This match deserves to be here.

Vsize=8>
Shawn Michaels vs. Mankindsize=6>
WWF Championship Match, Mind Gamessize=4>

To show that my personal biases do not fully dictate the placement of things on this list, this, my favorite Shawn Michaels match and one of my ten favorite matches PERIOD, is here at number five. The four matches ahead of this are significantly more important to Shawn’s career, though I’d argue that only the ones in the top two slots are in the same caliber of match this is. This match has almost everything you could possibly wish for in a wrestling match: fast-paced action, technical wrestling, brawling, high-flying, innovative spots, character psychology, a hot crowd, great transitions, move psychology, and a refusal to adhere to formula. There’s also so many subtle moments in this thing where it’s “blink and you’ll miss it” that give this tremendous replay value. The only thing it lacks? A clean finish.

Foley cited this as his best match (along with the match with Randy Orton at Backlash), but in my opinion, it is also Shawn’s best performance. HBK also credits this match for giving him some of his “edge” back and helping to get him over as a guy who could brawl with anyone because of his quickness, toughness, and mean streak. If you thought Shawn was always a white-meat babyface, watch how he viciously sharks Mick’s knee after after suplexing him so that his legs hit steel steps, or how he tries to break his hand to keep him using the Mandible Claw. It’s also almost a one-time thing, and certainly the only major match they had with each other, so it’s special.

IVsize=8>
Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hartsize=6>
WWF Championship Iron Man Match, Wrestlemania XIIsize=4>

There’s kind of an unwritten rule for list makers: unless the match ABSOLUTELY SUCKS (looking at you, John Cena vs. JBL), a wrestler’s first world title win always makes the best of list. Fortunately, this match has more going for it than simply being HBK’s first world title victory. I love long matches; I can’t explain why, but there’s something special to me about wrestling for an hour. And unlike a lot of folks who think the structure of the match ruins the appeal, I personally LOVE how it affects this match. The idea of pacing because you KNOW you are going to go for an hour (especially in Shawn’s case because of his fast-paced style), the need to get more and more aggressive as the clock winds down, and HBK’s comeback against Bret and the clock are things I feel all benefit from the time limit being forced. People say it’s implausible for neither man to score a fall: well then, why is it plausible for Flair and Windham to go an hour with no falls? Or Samoa Joe and CM Punk, or Kenta Kobashi and Toshiaki Kawada? These two were supposed to be the BEST of the BEST in the WWF; they should be able to go an hour without getting beat.

However, whatever the arguments you have, here’s the basic truth of this match. It’s sixty minutes, one solid hour, of great professional wrestling. It’s not flawless, but it’s still amazing. And for the purposes of this list, it’s HBK showing everyone why he is the performer he is, why he is in the position he is in, and why people talk about him as one of the greats. Because he will give you a show like you have never seen before, and he can do it for sixty minutes if he has too. Why does he do this? Because he’s Shawn Michaels, and he can do it. The boyhood dream came true for Michaels after one of his greatest performances; the match has to be on this list, unwritten rule or no unwritten rule.

IIIsize=8>
Shawn Michaels vs. Triple Hsize=6>
Unsanctioned Street Fight, Summer Slam 2002size=4>

I’ve been a wrestling fan for literally as long as I can remember, and probably before that. So don’t ask me what the first match I watched was or the match that made me a fan. I don’t remember. But if you want to know the match that has had the most profound impact on my life as a fan, it’s this one. Why? Well, let me put things in perspective for you. As a VERY young child, I was a WCW guy. I never watched an episode of RAW, from the day I started watching until the day WCW went out of business. Not once. It wasn’t because I thought WCW was better, that’s just what my brother watched, so I watched it. So fast forward to the summer of 2002. I am twelve years old, and while I know wrestling is staged, I am not a smark; when I watch wrestling, I simply watch it to see what the wrestlers do. I understand psychology on a base level (if a guy gets his leg hurt, then the other guy should attack it) and certain things annoy me (like how in every match The Rock would hit a DDT and it would get a two count), but I have no idea what star ratings are. Indeed, as far as I was concerned, all matches were equal.

And then I saw this match. Not live; my older brother watched it at his friends’ house and taped it, and brought it back home and I watched it. I learned two things: not all matches are created equal, and Shawn Michaels is one of the greatest wrestlers ever. Now here’s the kicker; this was the first time I ever watched Shawn Michaels wrestle, ever. I had SEEN him wrestle; when I was five we rented Wrestlemania IX about a dozen times from Dillons (I was FIVE!) and I’d seen Shawn vs. Tatanka, but I never WATCHED it because it didn’t have Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Sting or Bret Hart, so I didn’t care. Who was Shawn Michaels to me? A guy with hearts on his tights and a freaky dancing kick as his finisher on No Mercy. That’s it. All I had to see was this match. For paying fan service to the guys who knew him, and for showing young folks like me why Shawn is great, this will always stick out in my mind as one of HBK’s greatest performances.

IIsize=8>
Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertakersize=6>
Hell in a Cell Match, Badd Blood 1997size=4>

The recent debate about whether last year’s match between Undertaker and Shawn Michaels or this year’s match with Undertaker and Shawn Michaels is the better one has kind of made me laugh. The reason is that, in my opinion, this match easily outshines both Wrestlemania matches. These guys had nothing to build off of except the Ground Zero match, which was a glorified squash because Taker just beat the ever loving crap out of Shawn until the then-unnamed D-Generation X came out to even the odds. This match continued the trend. Shawn literally gets no offense of consequence for about the first ten minutes of this match, and when he does, it’s because he was able to dodge an attack and desperately beat down the Deadman. Shawn takes a tremendous beating in this match, making all of Undertaker’s offense that much more spectacular. Even more impressive than that is how Shawn is able to sell the psychology of what the Cell represents. As he looks around and realizes he’s trapped, as he runs from the Undertaker, as he climbs the cage inside to get out of his reach, he makes the match and Taker something to be feared. When he takes over on offense, he uses the steps and the cell to his advantage. When that doesn’t work, he tries desperately to escape out of the cell and then on top of the cell.

It’s taking the story of Terminator and putting it a wrestling match; no matter where you run, the monster is going to get you. The huge bump off the side of the cage, the chokeslam off the second rope and one of the sickest chair shots of all time cap it all off. But somehow, Shawn is lucky enough to escape due to an act of providence; an angry, psychotic burn victim that knows the Tombstone Piledriver. The Terminator ran into something bigger and more dangerous. I’m not saying the match is perfect, but from a character psychology standpoint and getting a gimmick over and building a match, it’s almost unmatched.

Isize=8>
Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramonsize=6>
Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match, Wrestlemania Xsize=4>

And this is the almost. There is no finer example of using the psychology of a regular wrestling match to set up the psychology of a “new” gimmick match. And that word psychology is what separates this match from at least 70% of the ladder matches that followed it, and why it is STILL the blueprint for how to do a ladder match properly. No offense to the spot fest ladder matches of today; I appreciate the creativity and the risks that people take to entertain us, and I enjoy watching those performances. But at the end of the day, I can’t get any more emotionally involved in those matches than, “Holy crap, that was dangerous, but it was cool!” This match has a story: the rules of the match dictate that Shawn has to incapacitate Razor Ramon long enough to set up a ladder and climb it. Take one look and you can tell Shawn isn’t going to win a fair fight between them. But that’s okay, ’cause he’s got Diesel.

Until the referee sends him out. Now, Shawn is pretty desperate, until he realizes two things: the ladder is made of steel, and it’s really tall. So if he hits Razor with it and jumps off of it to add more hype to his moves, he can make it an even fight and even take the advantage. Eureka, the solution has presented itself. Shawn uses the ladder, but ultimately it costs him as Razor starts using it against him. Since he had to use Diesel of the ladder to stay even with JUST Razor, Razor with a ladder is impossible to beat, and Razor wins it. Simple, logical, effective, and it leads to the single most innovative match of the modern era. And it has huge implications for wrestling; the ladder match becomes a mainstream thing, people start doing crazier spots, and both Ramon and Shawn become big time players. In 1996, Shawn Michaels became WWF Champion, and Razor helped form the New World Order in WCW under his real name and made wrestling mainstream again. While Michaels was always talented, I don’t know if he would have been given the chance to roll as a top-tier guy if not for this match. It MADE Shawn Michaels into a superstar, and that, along with it’s quality and it’s innovation, puts it on top of this list.

*****

So, that’s my take on the career of Shawn Michaels. Not “the definitive” take, not “the official” take, not even “411mania’s” take, just my take. If you have a list or a major match that deserved mention, let it be known.

Next week, I take a look back at the PPV that was, but is no longer: The Top Ten Backlash Matches.