Shawn Michaels' 1996 was dominated by constant interactions with Jim Cornette, the overbearing and loudmouth manager of Camp Cornette, which consisted of Vader, "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith and Owen Hart. It was Hart that had put Michaels out of commission late in 1995 and by February's In Your House pay-per-view, it was time for the Heartbreak Kid to gain a measure of revenge. He did, planting the King of Harts with Sweet Chin Music, then moving onto WrestleMania XII, where he beat Owen's brother Bret in the first-ever Iron Man match for the WWE Championship. After dispatching of Diesel in April, Michaels faced a ferocious challenge in the form of Davey Boy Smith, who was motivated by claims that Michaels had come onto his wife Dianna. Smith was never one to be confused with a great worker on his own but when paired with someone who was, he produced some incredibly results. That was the case throughout the spring of 1996 as he and Michaels wrestled two quality main events at consecutive pay-per-views. Again, Michaels frustrated Cornette by knocking off one of his charges. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN6It-IuWVI That would change when Cornette led Vader to the top of the company. At In Your House: International Incident in July, Vader pinned Michaels in a huge six-man tag match, positioning himself as the No. 1 contender to Michaels' heavyweight title. The mastadon-like competitor would provide the smaller Michaels with the biggest challenge of his reign. He would beat the Heartbreak Kid around the ring, punishing him with his brute strength and power-based offense. But Michaels refused to give up. Showing the resiliency that ultimately made him champion, Michaels withstood the onslaught and won the SummerSlam main event, despite controversy over two previous finishes to the contest. It was a huge win for Michaels, one that helped change the perception of him in the eyes of the fans, some of whom thought of him simply as a pretty boy. Now, he proved his toughness against three of the top stars in the business and would continue to do so throughout the rest of his career.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
