Unlike wrestling icons like “The Immortal” Hulk Hogan and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Shawn Michaels never became a household name. But among wrestling fans, there is no better superstar alive than Shawn Michaels. Shawn Michaels career took off in 1992, and since then he has had thousands of matches in front of millions of people. And in each match, Shawn gave the fans 100 percent. He has long been known as the wrestler who cannot have a bad match. It’s hard to list the greatest matches of all time for a man who has never had a bad match. But I tried. Here are the seven greatest matches of The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels.
7) Shawn Michaels vs HHH vs Chris Benoit
In accordance to WWE bylaws, this match never took place. But to longtime fans of the WWE, they remember the epic triangle match at Wrestlemania 20. The original plan called for Triple H to wrestle Chris Benoit in a one on one encounter. However, Vince McMahon had minimal faith that Benoit could draw in the main event. So Shawn Michaels was added to spice up the match. And it was Shawn Michaels who made the match awesome. Shawn Michaels has always been known as a bump machine, and at Wrestlemania 20, he was in overdrive. Michaels took the best from both Benoit and Triple H. The crowd was clearly behind Shawn Michaels, but WWE handed Benoit the championship instead. It was a move they would end up regretting several years later when Benoit killed his wife and child, then himself, in a murderous rampage.
6) Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart – Wrestlemania 12
Although these two were bitter rivals, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels had tremendous in ring chemistry. Both competitors were of similar size and both were tremendous athletes. They both possessed the in ring skill and outward appearance to be the WWF Heavyweight Champion. This was none more apparent than at Wrestlemania 12 in Anaheim, California. The two wrestled in a 60 minute Iron Man Match. The man who scored the most pinfalls in the 60 minute period would be declared the winner. The two superstars proved their worth, as they kept the fans on the edge of their seat during the epic encounter. The “Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels hit Bret “Hitman” Hart with a superkick in overtime to get the pin and win his first WWF Heavyweight Championship.
5) Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho
Shawn Michaels refers to himself as “Mr. Wrestlemania”. And rightfully so. He has always delivered a top notch quality match during these events. Wrestlemania 19 was no different. During this event, he wrestled Chris Jericho. Jericho was a lifelong Shawn Michaels fan and wanted to see if he could defeat the aging superstar. Jericho and Michaels went back and forth for almost thirty minutes, trading several near pinfalls. In the end, Michaels used a creative backslide to defeat the younger Jericho. It was this generation Steamboat and Savage encounter. It was certainly the show stealer at Wrestlemania 19.
4) Shawn Michaels vs Ric Flair
At Wrestlemania 24, in front of over 50,00 screaming fans, The Heartbreak Kid made history. He retired “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair. It was an emotional send off for “Nature Boy” Ric Flair, who had spent the last 30 years wrestling. As emotional as it was for Flair, is was just as emotional for Michaels, who looked to Flair as his wrestling idol. To Michaels credit, he led the older and almost inactive Flair through one of Ric’s best matches in a decade. In addition, the WWE did a great job with their storyline. The angle was a twist on the classic “Old Yeller” story”, complete with Michaels mouthing “I love you” before shooting Flair with a superkick. The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels proved there was nobody more perfect man to end Ric Flair’s career.
3) Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon
Live from Madison Square Garden in New York City, The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels met Razor Ramon in one of the most talked about wrestling matches of all time. It was a ladder match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship. The reigning champion Razor Ramon was defending the belt against challenger and former Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels. Although it was not the first ladder match, it was considered the most exciting ladder match until that point. It was the first time the ladder match was featured on a WWF pay per view. Razor Ramon and Shawn Michaels, through their hard work and insane bumps, catapulted the ladder match onto the same level and popularity as a cage match.
2) Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker
The two grizzled veterans met in the main event at Wrestlemania 25 and 26. But the match at Wrestlemania 26 stood out, as it was a retirement match. And Shawn Michaels lost. The two men, well in their forties, put on a performance that men half their age only wish they could do. It was pure magic, and a high quality example of what pro wrestling should be. A mixture of sports and entertainment, with tremendous in ring action and outward personalities that the crowd can cling to. Shawn Michaels retired at Wrestlemania 26, but his moniker will always be Mr. Wrestlemania.
1) Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart
The most infamous match in the history of wrestling. It was the match that bred the Montreal screwjob. Before all the shenanigans went down, the match itself was very good. It was intense, and the two competitors brawled all over the ringside area. The action was unrelenting, and the air thick with tension. But don’t be delusional. The screwjob finish by Vince McMahon is what makes this bout Shawn Michaels greatest match of all time.
Despite retiring at Wrestlemania 26, there is always that chance Shawn Michaels will reappear. He has a long history of coming back after some time off. Hopefully for his fans, Michaels will grant us one more match. And if history is any indication, it will certainly be the show stealer.