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Views from the Hawke’s Nest: The Shawn Michaels Story – Heartbreak & Triumph – Discs 1 & 2

June 21, 2015 | Posted by TJ Hawke

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Views from the Hawke’s Nest: The Shawn Michaels Story – Heartbreak & Triumph – Discs 1 & 2

Disc 1

Documentary

I was not a fan of this one. It turned into a major propaganda piece to put over Shawn (and everything he touched) as the greatest thing ever, bury wrestlers like Bret and Hogan (without hearing their sides of the issues), and to force this “heartbreak and triumph” narrative that prevents anything about his second run being even given the appearance of being open to criticism. WWE doing in-house documentaries will always be problematic, but this was one of the worst victims of that process. As soon as it got to Shawn’s first WWF singles run, this just became eye-roll inducing and nauseating. I’m just going to get right to the “Other notes.”

Other notes on the feature:

– Shawn really put over how much he learned at Mid-South, and that it gave him a leg up on everyone else. He claimed that it allowed him to start calling matches with more experience wrestlers after leaving the territory.

– Footage of Sherri being interviewed was used. She revealed a great anecdote about The Midnight Rockers playing with action figures to come up with tag team movez. Awesome.

– Pat Patterson was the one who saw The Midnight Rockers in AWA and “brought them to New York.”

– Shawn’s drug problem started (according to him) after he got fired from WWF. He said he also considered suicide during this period.

– Random WCW burial: Shawn says in the late eighties that there was only one place to go to be successful (WWF).

– We don’t get a ton of Marty’s take on the eventual split. That was disappointing.

– I learned that Shawn got the IC title from Bulldog. Good to know Shawn returned the favor with the European title in 1997!

– Shawn claims he wasn’t taking steroids when he failed a steroid test. Shawn refused to cooperate after that. He got suspended but didn’t send back the IC belt. (Fortunately, that leads to the ladder match with Razor.)

– Patterson claims credit for the Iron Man match (something I’d be too embarrassed about to “take credit” for). Shawn later revealed on his “Mr. Wrestlemania” set that Patterson warned them that not doing any falls could make the crowd less than enthusiastic. No one on either set pointed out that the match was largely met with silence and that a large portion of the crowd walked out on the match.

– Shawn keeps it strictly kayfabe on the “I lost my smile” title forfeit. He said his doctor told him his career was potentially over. There’s a graphic about Shawn returning “three months later” that completely undermines that idea (intentionally or otherwise). Nothing else about it was discussed.

– The DX talk was nauseating. Both time periods.

– The Montreal Screwjob section was the WWE version of events. Shawn is portrayed as a “good soldier.” Gerald Brisco actually puts Shawn OVER for putting himself at risk! Unreal. Ted DiBiase says that Bret should be a “man” and mend the fence with Shawn. Jim Ross buries the rest of the roster for having animosity towards Shawn for the whole thing.

– They were alluding to the plans for a DX vs. Kane/Taker match at Wrestlemania 17, but Shawn showed up one day pilled out of his mind.

– Shawn’s gawd stuff is Jericho’s Fozzy.

– They skipped over Shawn’s super-long feud with Triple H when discussing his return to the company; they only mentioned the initial match and the title change.

– The Hogan match discussion is a hit on Hogan, and Shawn’s tantrums throughout the match were not discussed in the slightest.

– For the first time in my life, I got see some of the Vince promos from the Vince vs. Shawn/gawd program. It seems like great stuff! I wish I was around for that one! “I think God was intimidated by me.”

Special Features

There were some promos, a music video, and stories/scenes cut from the documentary.

– The Shawn Michaels Wrestling Academy was briefly discussed. Bryan Danielson/Daniel Bryan was alluded to but never specifically mentioned.

– I’ve heard the anecdote before, but Shawn’s story about the crew putting too big of a ladder underneath the ring for the Vince match remains a good laugh.

– Jericho and HHH trolled Shawn about his haircut and the shit pants he had for Survivor Series 2002. The pants were really bad.

Disc 2

WCCW
January 11, 1985

Sean Michaels vs. Billy Haynes (w/ Sunshine)

As best as I can tell, this was Shawn’s second ever match but on his first show. He was squashed earlier in the taping by One Man Gang. The ring announcer mispronounced “Michaels.”

According to the commentator, Shawn didn’t say much before the match. He only requested that they pronounce his name correctly. He should have asked the ring announcer to do the same. Shawn was squashed here. He did a backflip off the turnbuckle and then got caught in the full-nelson. He quickly tapped out.

Match Rating: Squash

AWA
February 10, 1987

Buddy Rose & Doug Somers(c) (w/ Sherri Martel) vs. The Midnight Rockers (Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty) [AWA Tag Team Championship]

This was a legendary feud. Despite it taking place during the later/dying years of AWA, it’s one of the most celebrated in-ring feuds that the company ever did.

The Rockers had a ton of success early on. The champs cut Marty off eventually and then worked him over. This didn’t go on as long as I expected. Shawn made a hot tag. Shawn predictably got cut off though and then worked over as well. This went on for a real long time. Shawn finally escaped, and Marty made a big hot tag. Shawn got back involved very quickly. Double superkick to Rose. Shawn and Marty then hit Somers with a suplex/diving crossbody combo: 1…2…3!!!! Finally!

Unfortunately for this very good match, it pales in comparison to the tag title match these two teams had on the “From the Vault” Shawn set. It just didn’t have the heat, electricity, or intensity that that one did. As I said though, this was very good. It was well-executed 80s tag wrestling in front of a crowd that was clearly invested. That is almost always a good time. It’s hard to believe Shawn was such a great face in peril way back when considering he would grow to have such a naturally unlikable disposition.

Match Rating: ***3/4

AWA
June 12, 1987

The Midnight Rockers(c) (Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty) vs. Super Ninja & Ninja Go [AWA Tag Team Championship]

The Rockers were DESTROYING the Ninjas for a long time. Shawn even hit a pescado. 1987 is officially the earliest outside dive that I’ve ever seen now. The Ninjas cut Marty off shortly after that though. They worked him over for a very long time. It’s so sad to see how empty this building is. The fans that are there cared at least. Marty ended up on the floor, and Shawn was hitting him to get him to fire up. It briefly worked, but Marty got worked over some more. He finally managed to dive back to his corner though, and Shawn made a hot tag. Wow, Shawn actually got cut off. I did not see that coming given how long Marty was worked over. Marty decided to help Shawn, and they gave one of the Ninjas a double superkick: 1…2…3!

This felt like two-thirds of a great match. This needed an epic comeback by the Rockers to really reach that next level, but the finish instead felt like they just escaped with the titles. That’s fine and can lead to great things down the line. It just took away from this match.

Match Rating: ***1/2

WWF
January 23, 1989

The Rockers (Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty) vs. The Brain Busters (Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard)

The Rockers had a lot of success early on. The Brain Busters threatened to cut Marty off, but Shawn saved them. The Rockers then gave them stereo superkicks. They continued to just dominate The Brain Busters until Shawn finally got cut off and then worked over. After Shawn escaped the lengthy beatdown, Marty made a red-hot tag. Shawn recovered and got involved a bit too quickly for my tastes. Arn tripped up Marty during suplex attempt on Tully, and that allowed Tully to pin him for the victory.

Their matches are acclaimed for a reason. This one is quite good despite the anti-climatic finish. Much like the Ninjas match above, this is two-thirds of a great match that required a more satisfying finish to get into that “great” category.

Match Rating: ***1/2

Watch this match here.

WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event
October 1990

The Hart Foundation(c) (Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart) vs. The Rockers (Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty) [2/3 falls for the WWF Tag Team Championship]

The teams battled for control for a while during the first fall. There were so many cut-off teases. Just as the Harts looked to have cut off Shawn, Bret got sloppy and Marty was able to tag in. Marty caught Bret with a pinning combo: 1…2…3!
The Hart Foundation: 0
The Rockers: 1

Marty was cut off immediately to start the second fall, and he was then worked over. After he was able to tag out, the top rope came undone during a simple corner spot. You could hear Neidhart cursing after it happened. Bret then applies a front chancery on Shawn for a while so they can presumably try to figure out what the fuck to do. Bret continued to use rest holds for much too long. Then Marty got worked over. Shawn tagged in but then ate The Hart Attack: 1…2…3
The Hart Foundation: 1
The Rockers: 1

That was obviously a very cautious Hart Attack given the situation with the ropes. That second fall was a mess after the rope broke.

By the time the third fall started, the rope was fixed. Shawn briefly got worked over, and Marty then made a hot tag. Despite the top rope being repaired, there was just an awkwardness to this match that could not be overcome. Marty got cut off and worked over AGAIN. Shawn prevented a Hart Attack, and Marty fell on Neidhart: 1…2…3

This tag title switch would be erased from history though because of what happened with the ropes. The Rockers would never win the tag belts. Sadly, this match is just a mess after the strong first fall, and it’s probably for the best that it was not aired nor considered canon at the time.

Match Rating: *

WWF Royal Rumble
January 19, 1991

The Rockers (Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty) vs. The Orient Express (Kato & Tanaka) (w/Mr. Fuji)

The Rockers were in control to start and even hit stereo tope suicidas. Shawn eventually got cut off and worked over briefly. He made his own comeback though. The Orient Express played the numbers game though to cut him off yet again. Shawn made his own comeback again and even hit a moonsault. The match broke down, and all four men were involved again. SHAWN DID A FEINT 619! The Rockers hit stereo planchas. Shawn got cut off AGAIN. Bananas. They worked him over some more. The structure of this match is so different than usual. I honestly can’t remember seeing a match where one wrestler was worked over three separate times in a tag match. It’s really helping the match stand out. The Express tried to cheat, but Shawn thwarted them. Marty made a RED HOT tag. Dear lawd. Both teams were trying to play the numbers game now. Kato ate a double superkick, but Tanaka saved him. Shawn then saved Marty from a double team maneuver, and Marty caught Tanaka with a sunset flip: 1…2…3!

Wow, this was a great tag match. I loved the structure of Shawn continuously getting cut off by surviving. I also really dug how not-smooth the final minutes were as it helped to reinforce how chaotic the finish was. One of the best tag matches I’ve seen in WWF/E history.

Match Rating: ****1/4

WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event
November 8, 1992

The British Bulldog(c) vs. Shawn Michaels [WWF Intercontinental Championship]

It took a bit, but Shawn did of course cut off Bulldog. Shawn was in control for a while until Bulldog escaped an abdominal stretch. Bulldog then made a comeback. Shawn slowed his momentum by sending Bulldog into an exposed turnbuckle. Shawn then reversed a superplex into a crossbody: 1…2…3!

This was okay. I was very distracted by what seemed like obviously canned noise. You could literally dozens of people sitting with their arms crossed while the crowd supposedly reacted like this Hogan/Andre. I might take another look at this one down the line. [Update: I’ve watched this on two different sets now, and it still seems like the noise is canned. It remains distracting.]

Match Rating: **1/2

WWF Royal Rumble
January 22, 1995

The Royal Rumble Match

Shawn Michaels was #1. The British Bulldog was #2. Eli Blu was #3. With only one minute intervals between entrants, there is probably not going to be much to recap. Duke Droese was #4. Jimmy del Ray was #5. Sionne was #6. Tom Pritchard was #7. Doink was #8. Kwang was #9. Rick Martel was #10. Owen Hart was #11, but Bret Hart attacked him during his entrance. Owen cost Bret the world title earlier in the show. Owen and the Dumpster were eliminated. Timothy Well was #12 and quickly eliminated. A lot of people were eliminated during this stretch thankfully. Bushwacker Luke was #13, and Shawn and Bulldog were the only remaining competitors. Luke was immediately eliminated. Jacob Blu was #14. Shawn immediately eliminated him. King Kong Bundy was #15. Mo was #16 and immediately eliminated by Bundy. Shawn and Bulldog were somewhat working together on Bundy. Mabel was #17. Mabel and Bundy squared off. Bushwacker Butch was #18. Mabel eliminated Bundy. Shawn eliminated Butch. Lex Luger was #19. He quickly eliminated Mabel. MANTAUR was #20. Aldo Montoya was #21. Henry Godwinn was #22. Billy Gunn was #23. Bart Gunn was #24. Bob Backlund was #25. Bret Hart showed up again and attacked him. Steve Dunn was #26. After Luger eliminated Backlund, Bret continued to attack him. Dick Murdoch was #27 and looking very old. Adam Bomb was #28. Fatu was #29. Crush was #30. Derp. There were too many people left in the match, and it felt like a battle royal. The final four were Luger, Crush, Shawn, and Bulldog. Luger was eliminated next. Bulldog eliminated Crush, and the match comes down to the first two entrants. Bulldog had all the momentum, and he seemingly eliminated Shawn. His music even played. Shawn then returned to dump Bulldog to the floor. Shawn only touched the floor with one foot, which meant he was never eliminated.

This was easy to watch if nothing special. There were a ton of random names, and it was a fun look at the state of the WWF in 1995. The short intervals between entrants prevented the match from being great, but it also prevented it from being boring.

Match Rating: **1/2

Watch free Shawn Michaels matches:

Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair

Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart

Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho [Last Man Standing]

Shawn Michaels & Triple H vs. John Cena & The Undertaker vs. The Big Show & Chris Jericho

Shawn Michaels vs. John Cena vs. Kurt Angle [Great match]

Shawn Michaels vs. Shelton Benjamin [One of my personal favorite Shawn matches]

Shawn Michaels vs. Batista

Shawn Michaels & John Cena vs. The Undertaker & Batista [This is fun. Recommended.]

Shawn Michaels vs. Owen Hart [Title vs. Title]

Shawn Michaels, Goldberg, & RVD vs. Randy Orton, Batista, & Kane