Ranking Every WWE Champion Of The Attitude Era

While there should be no doubt in anyone's mind that Shawn Michaels is one of the most brilliant and gifted superstars to set foot into a WWE arena, his time as the top dog during the Attitude Era was short and riddled with controversy.

After winning the title via the infamous Montreal Screwjob in November 1997, Michaels barely had time to readjust the his strut to account for the extra weight around his waist when he took a career-altering back injury in a Casket Match against The Undertaker in January of '98.

That kept him pretty much out of competition altogether until he dropped the belt to Stone Cold at WrestleMania XIV, taking a four year hiatus from the ring immediately afterward.

All told, HBK only defended his title four times during the entire duration of the Attitude Era. And while both the Casket Match and the WrestleMania outing were both entertaining, they aren't nearly enough to cement him as one of the best champions of the time period.