10 WWE Disasters That Became Life-Changing Moments

8. HBK’s Injury Launches A New DX

Mustafa Ali Kofi Kingston
WWE.com

Shawn Michaels was a physical wreck by 1998, but somehow managed to grit his teeth and pass the torch to Steve Austin at ‘Mania XIV. The WWF had another problem though: Shawn’s career looked over due to back injuries, but they weren’t ready to give up on his D-Generation X faction just yet.

On Raw, power shifted to see Triple H in the leadership position. Full of p*ss and vinegar, Hunter then recruited the New Age Outlaws (who had been in cahoots with DX before) and a returning X-Pac. Immediately, the stable became an even better version of itself despite Shawn’s absence, and changed the Outlaws' respective careers forever.

They never looked back.

Michaels being struck down by a potentially career-ending injury was a nightmare for both wrestler and company, but pivoting to Triple H in charge of DX somehow upped the ante for the group. They became even cooler than they had been pre-WrestleMania, which was never a given.

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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.