10 Unique Ways Wrestlers Were Convinced To Lose Matches

4. Follow Up That Was Never Coming

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WWE

Shawn Michaels wasn't the same egotistical nightmare he'd been in the 90s by 2005, but he still had his moments. Before SummerSlam, HBK suddenly turned heel so Hulk Hogan could pretend it was the 80s all over again and play heroic babyface.

That concession was largely fine by Shawn if the pair were going to have a series of matches, and if Hulk would put him over at least once. Everyone seemed to be on the same page - WWE had a dream match to help sell the biggest event of the summer, Hogan would get the first win, and then Michaels would gain some measure of revenge in a rematch.

A rematch was never actually coming.

Hulk suddenly developed a bad back, and Bruce Prichard has revealed that Vince McMahon got cold feet on a three-match series anyway. Basically, everyone but Shawn knew that SummerSlam was a one-and-done situation.

He may not have jobbed in the main event had he known that.

 
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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.