Another match that actually took place, Shawn Michaels defended his World Wrestling Federation Championship against Vader at the 1996 SummerSlam event. The good ole Heartbreak Kid walked away with the victory and retain his coveted title but thats not what was originally supposed to happen. Vader was a colossal competitor and a monumental coup for the Federation. He was a former WCW World Heavyweight Champion and one of the most feared big men in the wrestling world at the time. Vader debuted for the Federation at 1996s Royal Rumble and immediately began to dominate the competition. By the summer of that year, Vader had been built up as the man who would destroy Shawn Michaels. The original plan called for the so-called Mastodon to defeat HBK for the title and carry it until the next years Royal Rumble pay-per-view. The reason was that the Rumble was going to take place in Shawns hometown of San Antonio, Texas. Therefore, the company wanted a big babyface victory for Michaels in his hometown. However, the Heartbreak Kid decided that he didnt want to lose his precious championship -- as he would do numerous times in later years. Its arguable whether this was just an early example of Shawn being Shawn, or if there was legitimate heat between he and Vader. Regardless, it seemed that HBK was not a fan of the massive competitor, as evidenced by his behavior during the contest. While Michaels did, indeed, work a match with Vader, he simply refused to put him over in any way. As a result of Shawns in-ring actions and backstage politicking, Vader star began to fade in the world of the WWF. It wouldnt be long before the big man was no longer considered a monster and destructive candidate for the world title.
Douglas Scarpa is a freelance writer, independent filmmaker, art school graduate, and pro wrestling aficionado -- all of which mean he is in financial ruin. He has no backup plan to speak of, yet maintains his abnormally high spirits. If he had only listened to the scorn of his childhood teachers, he wouldn't be in this situation.
