9 Wrestlers Who Refused To Lose

Hulk Hogan is known as one of the best (or worst, depending on your perspective) backstage politicians in wrestling history. From negotiating record-breaking deals to ensuring that his closed friends remain gainfully employed to, yes, dictating when and where he does the job, The Hulkster has few equals in this area. It's why he's been able to stay on top for so long, despite flirting with irrelevancy on numerous occasions.

Another master manipulator is Shawn Michaels, a man who forfeited more titles than he actually lost in the mid-to-late 90s and who, as a member of the notorious Kliq, has also been accused of being a backstage politician by many or his former peers. When HBK met Hogan in the summer of 2005, something had to give. That 'something' was The Showstopper, who by then was a born-again Christian and supposedly reformed character.

Michaels even played heel for the first time in six seven years in order to appease 'Terry' during their short feud, with the understanding that there would be a trio of main event pay-per-view matches between the pair. The plan was for Hogan to triumph at SummerSlam, Michaels to get one back at Unforgiven and then for the winner (more than likely Hogan) to be decided in the rubber match (possibly at Survivor Series).

Then, shortly before he was scheduled to go over at the biggest party of the summer, Hogan informed WWE management that his knee issues were worse than he feared and that he would only be able to work the one match, brother. The one he was due to win, naturally. Incensed by this swerve, Michaels comically oversold most of Hogan's offense during their clash and seemed to take particular glee in taking shots at Hulk during promos after the fact.