One Moment WWE Wants You To Forget From Every Year (1985 to 2026)
32. 1995 - Shawn Michaels Goes Coast-To-Coast, BUT...
...the company had no choice to obscure that his stint in the match doesn't even crack the top 50 in terms of individual longevity.
Shawn Michaels and fellow starter Davey Boy Smith wrestled 38:41, which in modern currency is about the length of a high end singles main event, and WWE were able to spin the achievement as one of the greatest in the history of the gimmick as a result. It was a decent smoke-and-mirrors deal, particularly considering that the winner and WrestleMania XI number one contender also earned the right to have Pamela Anderson accompany them to ringside. Michaels - in spite of Anderson's obvious chagrin - was a perfect heel to toast it at the Rumble then blow it on the 'Grandest Stage' in order for Diesel to link arms with her instead.
The Rumble, the roster and everything else had never mattered less. Anderson was a great get for WWE at the time, and the distraction had never been more valuable. One minute intervals created a match that ran less than 40, with a roster pool that had never looked or felt shallower. Michaels wasn't just the best choice - he was the only one. Bizarrely charismatic in contrast to Michaels' obnoxiousness, Anderson radiated a certain charm regardless of her shoot lack of interest, and for one night at least, the Hollywood star rub combined with the reduced achievement to make a whole far more impressive than the sum of its parts.