Shawn Michaels was forced to retire from the WWE in 1998 with a severe back injury. It was assumed he would never wrestle again. However four years later, in the summer of 2002, wrestlers and fans alike were shocked and excited to discover that Shawn Michaels had decided to return to the ring as an active wrestler. The plan was originally for Michaels to wrestle one final match at Summerslam against his best friend Triple H. Following that match, and despite Michael's initial concerns, many believed that 'The Heartbreak Kid' had 'not missed a step' and could quite easily return as a full time wrestler. Buoyed by his experiences of wrestling Triple H, Michaels would start a feud with The Game that would lead them to Survivor Series 2002. This cross brand pay per view would host the first ever Elimination Chamber Match for the World Heavyweight Championship. Triple H was the defending champion, and Michaels was billed as the man whose only goal was to make sure Triple H did not walk out of Madison Square Garden with the title. Few expected Michaels would walk out of the Garden as the Champion himself. Yet as the match progressed and eliminations were made, it would be Triple H and Michaels as the remaining two men in the chamber. As fans willed Michaels to do the unthinkable and win the World Heavyweight Championship, a missed Sweet Chin Music and subsequent reversal into a swift Pedigree seemed to confirm that Michaels would lose the match. However, when Michaels kicked out of the pin and reversed a second Pedigree attempt, fans were left open mouthed as they witnessed a battered Michaels connect with a sudden Sweet Chin Music and defeat Triple H by pinfall. In that moment, when Michaels connected with Sweet Chin Music, the WWE Universe witnessed the return of Shawn Michaels the champion in what would be his last ever WWE heavyweight championship victory.
