8 Most Legendary Shawn Michaels Performances In Defeat

5. Shawn Michaels vs Hulk Hogan €“ SummerSlam 2005

At Summerslam 2005, Shawn Michaels took on a way past his prime, Hulk Hogan. Hogan was wrestling on a surgically repaired body, and having a match that eluded him throughout his career, against The Heartbreak Kid. By this time Shawn Michaels was tasked with carrying Hogan by both legs to a good match. Initially, this match was basically set up around Shawn Michaels saying he had to know if he could beat Hulk Hogan, and find out who the true legend of WWE is. It then became a meeting of the 1980s versus the 1990s, and by this point Shawn called Hogan out for living on a reputation he made 20 years ago. To further illustrate that, he accused Hogan of doing the same act over and over, while he (Michaels) reinvented himself every night. Every good heel speaks with a bit of truth. Michaels further insulted Hogan in a hilarious parody video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iF4jE9InYEE Subsequently, Shawn was all about making dream matches happen by this point. He just turned 40, but oddly he was the much younger man in this contest. Shawn gave Hogan a match that had no business being this good. Hogan looked like a world-beater thanks to Shawn€™s chronic overselling. Shawn proved he could have a good match with anyone. It€™s a shame there was never a rematch, and had it happened in 1996 or 1997 this would have been even better. The Hogan vs Michaels debate wasn€™t settled in this match, but it ultimately didn€™t matter. They both exist in different worlds, but Shawn was clearly the star on this night.