If a back injury hadn't cut Shawn Michaels' in-ring career short, there's no telling what the Heartbreak Kid would have accomplished. As it was he ccomplished more than anyone at the time. He was the first Grand Slam Champion--the only competitor to hold every title WWE had to offer then. At 225 pounds, he somehow managed to hold the WWE Championship three times, defeating men close to twice his size along the way. One of the keys to his success was that Michaels would put his body on the line. He participated in the first (and many would say most exciting) Hell in a Cell match, against The Undertaker. There were Ladder matches. But even in "regular matches" (if there was ever such a thing with Shawn),HBK was intent on being "the Showstopper, the Main Event and the Icon". It took its toll on his long term health. Still in his early 30s, when most superstars are hitting their prime, Michaels had to bow out of the spotlight after losing the title to Stone Cold Steve Austin at Wrestlemania XIV in March 1998. Soon he had surgery to take away the pain, but officially end his in-ring career, or so it was thought.
But Michaels doesn't necessarily have to lace up the boots to be an instrumental part of WWE programming. One of the most natural "talkers" in history, he has the ability to rile up fans and superstars by simply grabbing the microphone. Remember, Michaels was one of the founding members of DX, perhaps the most controversial group in sports entertainment history. They had as many memorable moments outside the ring as they did inside the ring. And Michaels remained one of the most popular superstars when he returned on a regular basis in November 1998, eventhough it was in a non-wrestling capacity as Commissioner of WWE. But for a variety of reasons, Michaels resigned as commissioner in 2000, and has rarely been seen by WWE audiences since.
Perhaps the best indication of the impact HBK made on the business was the reaction he recieved on June 3, 2002, live on RAW, when he was introduced as the newest member of another controversial faction, the NWO. Fans at the American Airlines Arena cheered because they were happy to see him, or jeered because they were shocked he joined the NWO. But they were all on their feet, as they seemingly always are when HBK's "Sexy Boy" theme song hits. Luckily for HBK fans everywhere, the NWO folded soon after. Michaels then moved onto a successful singles run, highlighted by a victory at Survivor Series where he captured the World Heavyweight Championship.
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