10 Images Showcasing Precise Moments Wrestlers Got Over

5. Barbershop Epithet

Shawn Michaels Marty Jannetty Barbershop window
WWE.com

There was a glass ceiling erected above the head of Shawn Michaels and performers of his ilk in 1991; this was the age of the tanned, tall muscle monster. Michaels in comparison was slight and pale, his acrobatic bumping style fodder for the headliners of the day.

He literally shattered it in a seminal, unforgettable angle with Rockers teammate Marty Jannetty in December 1991, in which the popular if anonymous duo severed their partnership when Michaels severed the veins in Jannetty's forehead. Michaels was a cocky jackass throughout the whole thing, a summit held over the friction between them, proclaiming himself the captain of the team and bragging about wrestling Ric Flair - something Jannetty was never considered for. Michaels teased reconciliation before levelling Jannetty with a Superkick and, in a shockingly brutal scene, drilling his head through the plate glass window of Brutus Beefcake's Barber Shop set.

Bobby Heenan put the whole bit over the top - "Jannetty tried to escape through the window!" - but this was Michaels' night. Over a quarter of a century later, the image of those glass shards remains indelible.

It took time for Michaels to navigate the midcard, much less the main event. Still, this act of viciousness - almost unprecedented for the WWF at the time, give or take a cobra sinking its fans into Randy Savage's arm - positioned Michaels as a pr*ck in the eyes of fans.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!