10 WWE Injuries That Came At The WORST Time
6. Shawn Michaels Loses His Smile
This might be the most divisive entry on this list.
During the build-up to WrestleMania 13, Shawn Michaels announced on RAW that he was vacating the then-WWF Championship due to a knee injury. It was heavily intimated that the injury was serious enough to make the Heartbreak Kid retire from the ring, and the champ was given enough time to say his goodbyes to the audience before being played off with an emotionally charged video package.
Which made it somewhat embarrassing when it became apparent the injury was the wrestling equivalent of a head cold.
Far from being career-ending, Michaels' injury was fixed with minor surgery. Naturally, this caused the rumour mill to go into overdrive as reporters and wrestlers alike theorized that Shawn was faking the injury to avoid dropping the belt to his real-life nemesis Bret Hart. Whatever the reality of the situation, Michaels' vacating of the belt turned out to be a double-edged sword for the fans who watched WrestleMania XIII. While we got the classic, Hall of Fame worthy bout between Bret Hart and Steve Austin as compensation, it also meant that the main event was the insomnia cure of Undertaker vs. Sycho Sid - a match that was about as entertaining as watching a zombie slowly paw at a piece of luggage.
Was the Hart/Austin bout worth sacrificing the main event of WrestleMania for? History would certainly suggest so, but that soporific closing match is a big reason why WrestleMania XIII is hardly knows as one the best wrestling shows ever despite Bret & Steve's excellent adventure...