10 Wrestlers We Had To Love Before We Could Hate

5. Shawn Michaels

Shawn Michaels Sherri
WWE.com

Fun fact: The Rockers were responsible for more wet panties than a Bon Jovi gig in the late-'80s.

Together, handsome high-flyers Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty had teenage girls screaming with joy and young men high-fiving over their rad double-team moves. That chemistry couldn't stop Shawn from smashing Marty through a window, turning heel, and reinventing himself.

The affection Michaels had experienced as part of a heart throb tag-team definitely helped his cause when he suddenly agreed with the people that he was delicious and referred to himself as the 'Heartbreak Kid'. By embarking on this reinvention, Shawn managed to change everyone's minds about cheering him.

He was the WWF's new bad guy, and the kind of arrogant sod who would blow kisses at himself in the mirror before taking an age to take his earrings off pre-match. HBK was the rockstar he'd played with Jannetty, only turned all the way up to 11 and with a healthy helping of self-importance.

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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.