The Night Shawn Michaels Found His Smile

Redemption song is sweet chin music.

Shawn Michaels Lost Smile
WWE Network

When Shawn Michaels claimed to have lost his smile, he was ridiculed - as far as punching up went, it was an uppercut many fans aimed in his direction, just to make sure - but he wasn't technically wrong. He was an unhappy man.

He was an unhappy man impossible to sympathise with. Shawn Michaels was the snake requesting forgiveness for literally the seventh time on February 13, 1997. He lost 10 titles throughout the course of his second run with the WWF between 1988 and 1998. Only three were dropped in the traditional manner, and that definition of "traditional" often includes f*ck finishes in the accepted tropes of sports entertainment. He allegedly pissed hot in 1993 and vacated the Intercontinental title on September 27. Michaels and Diesel dropped the Tag Team Titles on November 23, 1994, when they were unable to function as a team. They didn't/wouldn't put another team over. The titles were simply vacated and won back in a tournament that concluded at the Royal Rumble.

The story demanded a f*ck finish. Diesel and Michaels were headed to WrestleMania XI's WWF Title match. But, since Diesel couldn't do that job - he was three days away from winning the winged eagle - the responsibility fell on Michaels to take a fall very easily explained by the thrust of the narrative. He oozed out of it.

He had a valid excuse for vacating the Intercontinental Title to Dean Douglas on October 22, 1995, but the events of In Your House: Great White North - fellow Kliq member Razor Ramon won it from him immediately - acted as further proof of Shawn's political bullsh*t.

CONT'D...(1 of 6)

Advertisement
Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!