During the mid-to-late-1990's, it's well-documented that Shawn Michaels wasn't an easy dude to get along with. There are numerous statements - some from the man himself - which back this up. An obnoxious kind of guy, Michaels was nonetheless one of the finest wrestlers to ever grace the then-WWF. Riding high as WWF Heavyweight Champion, January, 1998 would throw a serious curve ball his way. Working a 'Casket Match' against The Undertaker at the Royal Rumble, Michaels suffered an almighty bump that would change the course of his career. Taking a back drop from inside the ring, Shawn tumbled outside and thumped against the coffin sat at ringside. The corner of the solid wood prop instantly caused a pair of herniated and crushed discs in his back. Struggling on with the pain, Michaels was around long enough to drop the title to Steve Austin at WrestleMania XIV. Afterwards, he had to undergo surgery. That operation kept him away from the ring for just over 4 years. For a long time, the general consensus was that Shawn's career was firmly over, before he remarkably returned in the Summer of 2002. It's a good thing he did, because this would have been a cruel end.
Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.
