Ex-Wrestler Says Shawn Michaels Stopped Him From Becoming WWE Champion

A former WWE star says Shawn Michaels blocked his World Title ambitions.

Ahmed Johnson WWE
WWE.com

Former WWE wrestler Ahmed Johnson claims that Shawn Michaels blocked him from becoming the company's World Champion back in 1996.

Johnson told the 'Iron-On Wrestling' show that Vince McMahon wanted to push him straight to the top in '96, but then-WWF Champ HBK was having none of it. In fact, according to Ahmed, Michaels stopped a main event push from happening and didn't want to work opposite Johnson.

Ahmed believes Shawn was threatened by his emerging popularity.

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By his own admission, Johnson says he was "still green and learning" when Vince revealed his plans. However, McMahon was determined to make the musclebound newcomer a success story and wanted to make him World Champ. That didn't sit well with Michaels.

Ahmed went on to say that Shawn was really the one calling the shots in the federation at that time and "basically picking who was going against him". He shot down any creative pitches of a babyface vs. babyface feud with Johnson and that was that.

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During the interview, Ahmed also alleged that racism might've been a factor: "From my understanding, what I heard, he didn’t think it was time for a black man to be World Champion. I didn’t hear him say that when I was Intercontinental Champion and popping the house everywhere we went".

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.