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X-Blog #0054: Why The Wrestling World Doesn't Need Shawn Michaels
By: Derek X | Posted: 04/01/10



I know today is April Fools Day, so you might think that title is intentionally misleading. It isn't. This past Sunday the world of professional wrestling lost one of it's best and brightest when Shawn Michaels officially retired. Saying 'officially retired' these days is almost misleading in itself. So many times retirements are squandered for chants of "one more match," and "you've still got it." In Shawn Michaels' case, he does still have it. Hell, he never lost it. And never mind him being capable of one more match, he's still capable of about fifty more. But he needs not to take the bait. He needs not to take the payday. He needs to stay away from pro-wrestling for as long as he possibly can. Because the world of professional wrestling no longer needs him.

Okay, I admit the title was supposed to be catchy. (Not to mention a blatant rip-off of Lois Lane's article.) I'm sure loads upon loads of bloggers are writing or have written their articles summing up HBK's career and talking about how he revolutionized the industry and how it won't be the same without him. And they are absolutely right. He did all of that... in the past. The current state of pro-wrestling isn't the same one he revolutionized. It's changed. And fans like me, who salivate at the thought of it ever returning to it's Attitude-era glory might as well give up the hope - because it never will.

Here is where I get nostalgic. It was March 20th, 1994. I was only eight years old. I just happened to spend the weekend over my aunt's house. She was preparing to go to church one Sunday and I didn't want to go. My uncle stepped in and said I could stay with him at home. So I did. Later that evening he sat me on the couch next to him and showed me something I would never forget. This sounds like the buildup to some molestation story with the funny uncle, but what he showed me wasn't anything erotic - it was Wrestlemania 10. I remember watching Owen Hart defeat Bret Hart. I remember watching Bret Hart defeat Yokozuna for the WWF Championship. But the match that caught my attention like no other was Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon in a Ladder Match. It think it was mostly the ladder. I was only eight years old, after all. I couldn't believe two grown men were fighting using a ladder. That began what has been since then become a lifelong love for professional wrestling. HBK had everything to do with it.

If that's not evident of anything else, just look at my stage name: Derek X. DX. That's why I adopted it. Look at the color scheme of my blog. Shawn Michaels was the bait that drew me into pro-wrestling, but DX was the hook. Shawn Michaels' inclusion in D-Generation X was the reason I fell in love with the stable. Let's face it - before DX, Triple H had no personality. He learned everything he has now from Shawn Michaels. HBK was DX. Without him, DX would never have succeeded and after he left, it floundered. Well, it didn't so much as flounder as it did completely change. They turned into babyfaces and eventually aligned with the McMahons, which was something the original DX never would've done under HBK.

The above example is what I mean by pro-wrestling not needing Shawn Michaels. The current state of pro-wrestling is a changed field from what it used to be in Shawn Michaels' heyday. And I know HBK's so-called 'heyday' wasn't over in the turn of the millenium, but it sure seemed like it. Here's a 'Did You Know?' for you... Did you know that HBK hasn't been WWE/World Champion since 2002? Despite turning in match after match of glorious proportions - HBK was never thought of as championship worthy. In fact, aside from his Match of The Year matches with Ric Flair and The Undertaker, he was just thrown away in D-Generation X's worst years, dragging Triple H right along with him. Feuding with Shane & Vince, feuding with The Spirit Squad - all of which were just not up to HBK's standards. Sure, in between there was a Wrestlemania WWE Championship match, but he lost and tapped out to John Cena of all people.

Which brings me to my main point. John Cena is the current state of pro-wrestling. It's a watered down pro-wrestling. One which caters to children and marks - something HBK never would have been guilty of when he was on top. There is no space for Michaels in the current state of pro-wrestling. Not unless you're okay with him being squandered and passed-over while superstars with little to no wrestling ability like Cena and Batista reign supreme.

I think Shawn chose the right time to walk out of the door. If not a year too late. The match he and Undertaker had last year was the best match he could pull out at his age. That match should have been the Streak vs Career match with the finish being the same. Over the past year, he's done nothing significant aside from winning the Tag Titles for the first time in his career. And while that was poignant, it was still unnecessary. No one would have thought less of him if he had never won the Tag Titles. No, this is not a place for someone like Shawn Michaels. The world of pro-wrestling as it stands today is no place for a talent like him.

I hope he stands true on his word that he will not return. In fact, I don't even want to see his face live on-screen again until his name gets called for the Hall of Fame. And I don't care if that takes five years or ten. I don't want Shawn Michaels back. I don't even want him back for a General Manager role or something. I want Shawn to walk out those doors with his head held high and believing - correctly - that his legacy will be enough to speak for itself.

I love you Shawn, I enjoyed watching your career and I hate to see you leave. But I never want you back!
- Derek X
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