10 Things You Didn't Know About WWE In 2002
9. SummerSlam 2002 Was NOT The In-Ring Return Of Shawn Michaels
If Shawn Michaels was selling at WrestleMania XIV, he made Terry Funk look like Tom Magee.
The man was visibly in excruciating pain, but bumped like a pinball to get Steve Austin over. He always did business in the body of the match, when Vince got him in the ring, at least. His back was completely screwed in 1998. That much is certain.
A conspiracy theory has developed online concerning the veracity of the injury, or at least the extent of it, one driven by the idea that Shawn lacked credibility even by the standards of a professional wrestler. Shawn underwent spinal fusion surgery in January 1999, the details of which were both gruesome and bleak for his career prospects; the doctor discovered through the procedure that one of the discs in his back had been destroyed entirely. If he recovered quicker than he and WWE let on, an arduous recovery process was still required. That Michaels was a severe drug addict compounded everything.
He still bumped in his capacity as a trainer. In an amusing anecdote from his book, Bryan Danielson revealed that an exasperated Michaels, incensed that his trainees didn't get high enough off a back body drop, took one himself. In the process, his foot hit the ceiling and his mother gave him a b*llocking.
Shawn also wrestled for his Texas Wrestling Alliance promotion/school in April of 2002, months before SummerSlam, in a Bunkhouse Brawl against 'Venom'. Was this a dry run? Apparently not; Michaels was wary going into it, telling WWE.com that it was a "drawn-out decision" that he ended up doing only when the risk was mitigated. "It was camouflaged quite well."
He was apparently persuaded to do the Unsanctioned match with Triple H after WWE brought him back in a non-wrestler role when his guarantee expired.