50 Things You Learn Binge-Watching Every WWE WrestleMania
31. ‘Mania XIX Was HBK’s True Return
Shawn Michaels looked like he hadn't missed a beat when he returned from a four year long injury layoff to work good pal Triple H in a dramatic unsanctioned match at SummerSlam 2002. Rightly proud of his efforts, Shawn agreed to another full-time run and won the World Heavyweight Title in the first Elimination Chamber match at Survivor Series months later. Clearly, he was brimming with confidence.
Or not.
Chris Jericho wrote in one of his books that Michaels was still pretty low on confidence heading into WrestleMania XIX. He’d been back on the road for a good few months by then, but only got his mojo back after wrestling ‘Y2J’ at ‘Mania. Speaking of being proud, Jericho was full of swagger that he helped build the legend's iron will back up again. He couldn't believe how nervous HBK was beforehand.
Things were different post-match. Shawn walked back through the curtain and loudly shouted: “Follow that” to anyone who'd listen. Almost hilariously, it was his friends Triple H and Booker T who were up next. They struggled to match what Michaels and Jericho had done before them.
Boot that match up now and you'll see Shawn growing in confidence the longer it goes on. He didn't have the crutch of an unsanctioned stip to fall back on here, and there was no cage to take centre stage like with the Chamber. Nope, Michaels would have to turn the clock back to pre-1998 and dazzle in a straight up 20+ minute match.
The old Heartbreak Kid arrived right on time. It was his first truly vintage Shawn Michaels performance since the back injury.