WWE: 5 Returns That Rocked And 5 That Fizzled

2. Shawn Michaels (2002)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lijB2Yfe5Y Back in 1998, things were looking grim for Shawn€™s career and continued livelihood. After dropping the WWF title to Steve Austin, he seemed to be permanently retired thanks to spinal fusion surgery and a spiraling drug habit. Even as late as 2001 there were attempts made to get him back into the mix again in a program with BFF HHH, but his demons resulted in getting sent home to sober up and HHH getting punished by losing to Undertaker at Wrestlemania X-7. And then, in 2002, he found Jesus, and more importantly discovered that his back might not be in as bad of shape as previously thought. The combination of spiritual peace and sobriety (along with a successful marriage) suddenly opened the door for a comeback, and he never looked back. In fact, his second run in the main event was so spectacularly successful that most fans today only know him as the legendary guy who delivered Wrestlemania classics year after year from 2002 until his second retirement against Undertaker in 2010. From the guy who screwed Bret Hart in Montreal to Mr. Wrestlemania and a beloved legend is not a bad career trajectory.