11. Ken Shamrock vs. Shawn Michaels - In Your House: D-Generation X
Ken Shamrock exploded onto the scene in 1997, a legitimate badass from UFC who had a penchant for snapping and laying waste to any fool stupid enough to cross him. He fit right in with the changing landscape of professional wrestling that year and had found a home nestled in the spot just above the main event title picture. In December, though, he had his first taste of a marquee singles match, a WWE Championship bout against leading degenerate Shawn Michaels in the main event of the final pay-per-view of the year, In Your House: D-Generation X. What should have been a defining moment in Shamrock's career essentially doomed him to mediocrity, thanks to a boring match that was only further hampered by Michaels intentionally making the newcomer look incompetent inside the ring, blatantly and obnoxiously yelling out spots for him to do in order to make him look like a buffoon to the smart portion of the audience. It was a disaster, improved only when Owen Hart hit the ring to destroy Michaels after the bell had already rung.
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.
