10 Shockingly Realistic WWE Angles

5. Shawn Michaels Collapses During Raw

This is an angle that WWE would never run now, given what we know about the effects of concussions. During a match on the November 20th, 1995 edition of Raw, Owen Hart nailed Shawn Michaels with an enziguri kick to the back of the head. Minutes later, Michaels collapsed in the centre of the ring. The match was stopped and the announcers feigned ignorance. Owen stopped wrestling and also look concerned. Vince and The King stayed quiet while the referee checked on HBK before eventually abandoning their posts and climbing into the ring themselves. This is the image that fans were left with as the show went off the air. This was different. This was real. Or so fans thought at the time. There was plenty of reason to assume that this was not a staged part of the show. Michaels had been attacked and hospitalised a fortnight prior when he was attacked by a group of marines outside of a Syracuse, New York nightclub. Was this a result of that beating? No, but it was an excuse for Michaels to leave the WWF for a couple of months and heal up from injuries. Not everyone in the back knew what was going down, either, and apparently only Vince, Shawn, Owen, Bret Hart and a couple of others were aware of what was planned. Michaels even took an ambulance ride after the show to sell the angle, causing greater confusion amongst the boys. This is an angle that could never happen today since it would just get debunked on the internet straight away. Credit must go to all involved for the sheer realism that the angle displayed.
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Student of film. Former professional wrestler. Supporter of Newcastle United. Don't cry for me, I'm already dead...