Fact File

Statistics

Real Name: Michael Shawn Hickenbottom
Wrestling Name: Shawn Michaels
Originally Named: Sean Michaels
Date of Birth: 22, July 1965
Billed Height: 6ft 1in (1.85 m)
Billed Weight: 225 lbs (102 kg)
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
Billed From: San Antonio, Texas
Trained By: Jose Lothario
Pro-Wrestling Debut: 16, October 1984
WWF/E First Debut: 1987
WWF/E Second Debut: 7, July 1988
Wrestling Status: Retired (28, March 2010)
Roster: Raw

Wrestling Facts

Finishers
Modified figure four leglock (early 2008)
Spike piledriver (1993-1994)
Sweet Chin Music (Superkick, with theatrics)
Teardrop Suplex (Leg hook Saito suplex) – (1992–1993)

Signature Moves
Arm trap crossface (2007–2010)
Backhand chop
Belly to back suplex
Diving elbow drop (with theatrics)
Dropkick
Figure four leglock
Flying forearm smash followed by a kip-up
Inverted atomic drop
Moonsault, sometimes while springboarding to the outside
Skin the cat
Slingshot crossbody

Nicknames
The Heartbreak Kid (HBK)
The Showstopper
The Headliner
The Main Event
The Icon
Mr. WrestleMania
Mr. Hall of Fame

Managers
Diesel
Jose Lothario
Luna Vachon
Rick Rude
Sensational Sherri
Sycho Sid

Previous Federations
Mid-South Wrestling (1984)
Texas All-Star Wrestling (TASW) – (1984)
World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) – (1985)
Central States Wrestling (CSW/NWA) – (1986)
Continental Wrestling Association (CWA) – (1987)
Continental Championship Wrestling (CCW/CWF) – (1987)
American Wrestling Association (AWA) – (1987)
World Wrestling Entertainment/Federation (WWE/F) – (1988 – 2010)

Tag Teams
American Force TASW (1985 – 1986)
The Rockers (also known as The Midnight Rockers) – (NWA 1985-1986, AWA 1986 – 1988, CSW/CWA/CWF 1987-1988, WWF/E 1988-1992) – (One off reunion in 2005)

Stables
The Kliq (WWF 1995-1997)
D-Generation X (WWF/E 1997-2010)
The Corporation (WWF 1998-1999)
New World Order (nWo) – (WWF/E 2002)

Wrestlers Trained
Bryan Danielson
Chris Krueger
Eddie Craven
Fast Eddie
Jayden Draigo
Lance Cade
Masada
Matt Bentley
Oz
Paul London
Pete Lothario
Ruckus
Shooter Schultz
Simply Luscious
Spiro
Brian Kendrick
Todd Sexton
Tomko
Tony Santarelli
UK Kid

Championships & Achievements

American Wrestling Association
AWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Marty Jannetty

Central States Wrestling
NWA Central States Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Marty Jannetty

Continental Wrestling Association
AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Marty Jannetty

Pro Wrestling Illustrated
PWI Feud of the Year (2008) vs. Chris Jericho
PWI Match of the Year (1993) vs. Marty Jannetty on Monday Night Raw on May 17
PWI Match of the Year (1994) vs. Razor Ramon in a Ladder match at WrestleMania X
PWI Match of the Year (1995) vs. Diesel at WrestleMania XI
PWI Match of the Year (1996) vs. Bret Hart in an Iron Man match at WrestleMania XII
PWI Match of the Year (2004) vs. Chris Benoit and Triple H at WrestleMania XX
PWI Match of the Year (2005) vs. Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 21
PWI Match of the Year (2006) vs. Vince McMahon in a No Holds Barred match at WrestleMania 22
PWI Match of the Year (2007) vs. John Cena on Raw on April 23
PWI Match of the Year (2008) vs. Ric Flair at WrestleMania XXIV
PWI Match of the Year (2009) vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXV
PWI Most Popular Wrestler of the Year (1995, 1996)
PWI ranked him #1 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the year in the PWI 500 in 1996
PWI ranked him #10 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the “PWI Years” in 2003
PWI ranked him #33 of the Top 100 Tag Teams of the “PWI Years” with Marty Jannetty in 2003

Texas All-Star Wrestling
TASW Texas Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Paul Diamond

Texas Wrestling Alliance
TWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment
WWF Championship (3 times)
WWF European Championship (1 time)
WWF Intercontinental Championship (3 times)
WWF/E World Tag Team Championship (5 times) – with Diesel (2), Steve Austin (1), John Cena (1), and Triple H (1)
WWE Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Triple H (1)
World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
Royal Rumble (1995, 1996)
Fourth Triple Crown Champion
First Grand Slam Champion
Slammy Award for Best Slammin’ Jammin’ Entrance (1996)
Slammy Award for Best Threads (1996)
Slammy Award for Squared Circle Shocker (1996) Won for collapsing; Owen Hart accepts the award for making Michaels collapse
Slammy Award for Master of Mat Mechanics (1996)
Slammy Award for US West Match of the Year (1996) vs. Razor Ramon in a Ladder match at SummerSlam
Slammy Award for Leader of the New Generation (1996)
Slammy Award for Best Finisher (1997)
Slammy Award for US West Match of the Year (1997) vs. Bret Hart in an Iron Man match at WrestleMania XII
Slammy Award for Match of the Year (2008) vs. Ric Flair at WrestleMania XXIV
Slammy Award for Match of the Year (2009) vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXV

In October 1990, Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty defeated The Hart Foundation for the title. Despite winning the match, the win and reign are not recognized by WWE, as the ring ropes broke and the match was not aired on television. As a result, Michaels is only officially recognized as a 5-time World Tag Team Champion.

Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 2003)
Best Babyface (1996)
Feud of the Year (2004) vs. Triple H and Chris Benoit
Feud of the Year (2008) vs. Chris Jericho
Match of the Year (1994) vs. Razor Ramon in a Ladder match at WrestleMania X
Match of the Year (2008) vs. Chris Jericho in a Ladder match at No Mercy
Match of the Year (2009) vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXV
Most Charismatic (1995, 1996)
Tag Team of the Year (1989) with Marty Jannetty as The Rockers
Worst Feud of the Year (2006) with Triple H vs. Shane and Vince McMahon