The Sad Fate Of Marty Jannetty

Shawn Michaels Marty Jannetty
WWE.com

That was Marty Jannetty for you. If "troubled genius" is too much, it's certainly more accurate than "the one who wasn't Shawn Michaels".

The Rockers never ascended to the top of the division - when they did, a freak ring mishap convinced McMahon to strike their Tag Team Title win from the record - and Michaels was groomed for a singles run by late 1991. Vince saw more in him. Michaels had more of an obnoxious showbiz charisma to him - Marty by his own admission would "scoop up" his, eurgh, "leftovers" - where Jannetty was more earnest in his appeal. He had a down-to-earth, spirited quality prized by the promoters Vince McMahon had, by that time, driven out of business.

Jannetty was trouble, despite making a better impression backstage than he had in 1987. He blew a major WrestleMania VIII payoff because he had assaulted a police officer - after the intricate story had already been mapped out, from shattered glass to euphoric revenge - and was sentenced to six months of house arrest. Unable to be trusted, Jannetty was released from the company for a second time in 1992.

But as much as Vince didn't see headline potential in Jannetty, his unreal in-ring skill could not be denied. He was given several chances as the turbulence of the '90s played out because when Jannetty was in-form, he was one of the best hands in the land. He was not in form at the '93 Royal Rumble.

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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 current Undisputed WWE 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!