10 World Champions Who Bombed TWICE

5. Shawn Michaels

Shawn Michaels found himself in the rather unfortunate spot of having to lead WWE during their opposition's most profitable period, and it's to the chagrin of many - your writer included - that his prime years on top played to the sort of figures that could hypothetically make one lose one's smile.

"The Boyhood Dream" was the subtitle for Michaels' first title win, and regaining it in San Antonio made for a similar fairytale the following spring, but neither victory could push back the growing momentum of an nWo-led WCW.

The New World Order's July 1996 takeover of World Championship Wrestling transformed the industry and reduced the former "Worldwide Leader" into second spot for just about the entire duration of all three of Michaels' original tenures on top. Michaels was ten times the wrestler just about anybody on Nitro was, but not enough people were catching Raw to find out.

And, alas, it wasn't just the 'Heartbreak Kid' that couldn't reverse a trend...