shawn michaels a&e biography dailymotion

• News & Rumors
• Event Reports
• Hall of Fame

Select Page

A&E/WWE ‘Biography’: A paint-by-numbers portrait of Shawn Michaels’ career

Posted by Dave Hillhouse | May 16, 2021

Tonight’s episode of Biography , featuring Shawn Michaels (and strangely booked up against WWE’s own WresleMania Backlash), provides a quick look at the main points of his long career, meaning that nothing is delved into too deeply. It’s a fine, dutifully told story, but you won’t get much new out of it if you’re already a fan. On the other hand, if you are new to Shawn Michaels, then consider it as an HBK History 101 course.

Michaels himself gets the most airtime to discuss his career, with clear-cut supporting roles given to Triple H and Marty Jannetty, but among the first to speak through archival footage are his parents, Carole and Dick Hickenbottom. Along with his childhood friend Kenny Kent, filmed in the present, they talk about Shawn’s youth as Michael Shawn Hickenbottom, loving contact sports and finding wrestling on TV — immediately deciding that it was his future.

His parents ushered him into college, but Michaels insisted that he knew what he wanted: to wrestle. He connected with Jose Lothario to start his training and the show quickly moves to teaming up with Marty Jannetty. With AWA Championship Wrestling filming matches for TV in Las Vegas in 1986, Michaels hits a jackpot on the slots and laughs about taking his first line of blow, all in the same night. A throwaway line by Curt Hennig about how Michaels and Jannetty didn’t start partying until midnight inspires the name of The Midnight Rockers.

The history is moving by so quickly, because admittedly there’s a lot to tell, so we go quickly to 1987 when they get the call to head to the WWF. Michaels breaks down the accepted version of the story, incorrect in his words, that an incident at a bar with the WWF wrestlers cost them their jobs. He insists that the legend, that they started a ruckus in a Buffalo bar, has been blown up over time, and that because of this, they were gone in one day. Bruce Prichard appears to suggest how unfortunate it was that hearsay cost them their jobs.

You can’t argue against the details of what happened in a bar in 1987 — was it a mild event or a big dust-up — but Michaels and Prichard both stress the point that The Rockers were done with the WWF after one day, and that ‘s not true, although clearly more dramatic. Michaels details his reliance on cocaine in the time after being fired, and how he and Jannetty worked to get Vince McMahon’s attention again. Pat Patterson pushed on their behalf, and the duo got their second chance in the WWF.

Soon, we’re at Saturday Night’s Main Event, featuring The Hart Foundation versus The Rockers, where Michaels and Jannetty were booked to win the tag titles. One of the top ropes broke off during the match, and Bret Hart talks about how they knew the match was taped and they’d be able to fix the rope and edit the match together, but the teams were told to just finish the match.

They finished and won the belts, with both teams hamstrung by the broken rope and failing to put on a memorable match. It never made it to air, so the titles never went to The Rockers for anyone not in attendance that night. This story is nothing new, but it’s nice to see Hart and Michaels on the same side of an issue … for now.

Michaels looks back upon his career in a still from Biography . Photo: WWE

Blurring the lines, as always, between real life and wrestling storytelling, Jannetty tells of a time that Roddy Piper spoke to them backstage and was pumping Shawn up for a singles run, while saying to Jannetty that he had work to do still. Jannetty recalls saying to Piper that this wasn’t the best time to talk about that, at which point Michaels shoves his partner and a fight breaks out. Michaels corroborates it, but it leads directly to WWF programming talking about trouble brewing between The Rockers.

It all comes to a head on the Barbershop and the superkick heard around the world. Michaels says he was both nervous and primed to set out on his own. For the second week in a row in the Biography series, Sherri Martel gets the short-shrift. With both Booker T and Michaels, she appears on screen but her part isn’t told.

Skip ahead again to Michaels’ Intercontinental Champion days, as he beats The British Bulldog for the title, is suspended for steroid usage but refuses to relinquish the belt, and essentially makes his name as Mr. WrestleMania in the ladder match against Razor Ramon at WrestleMania X. Quickly moving on now, Triple H sets up a joke: Shawn Michaels, British Bulldog, and The 1-2-3 Kid walk into a bar.

It’s no joke, of course; this is where Michaels throws some attitude at a group of marines and is beaten up out in the parking lot. Is it nine marines, as told by Michaels on a WWF programming clip? Was it six marines, as told by Triple H? I think I’ve heard the number seven more than any other number, but it’s not all that important. Hart talks about giving and taking a lot of stiff shots during the Iron Man match at WrestleMania XII, while Michaels says the feeling of winning wasn’t what he thought it would be.

Mani Mohtadi tells of going to a WWF house show on May 19, 1996, and filming the infamous clip of The Kliq’s curtain call. Heels and babyfaces had been caught being friendly before, of course, but this was shocking to see because it was in the ring and in front of the fans, and especially because it was caught by Mohtadi on camera and the footage was passed around. We get a fleeting glimpse at Michaels being told by Dr. James Andrews that he had torn his ACL and wouldn’t be able to wrestle again, and announcing his retirement, famously punctuating the speech by claiming he had lost his smile. Hart gives his opinion that he never believed the injury was real, and when Michaels returns and forms DX with Triple H, the tension between Hart and Michaels reaches its boiling point at Survivor Series in 1997.

The events, which are going to be covered in detail in Bret Hart’s episode of Biography coming up on June 6th, are told in brief as The Montreal Screwjob unfolds.  Even though the story is so well-known by this point, it is told here in such vague details that it’s hard to imagine someone who doesn’t know the story having any idea what’s going on. Now we’re at the Royal Rumble in 1997 where Michaels hurt his back after landing on the casket outside of the ring. Going into WrestleMania XIV, he was hurt and mad at his impending retirement due to the injury. Mike Tyson makes an appearance, but pretty well keeps to kayfabe.

Michaels leads us through his time at home out of wrestling. He opens up the Shawn Michaels Wrestling Academy and notes that there were “a couple of guys” that went on to have success — it shows, but doesn’t name, Bryan Danielson, Lance Cade, and Brian Kendrick. Instead, Michaels recounts seeing Nitro Girl Whisper on WCW Nitro, who would became Rebecca Hickenbottom, marrying Michaels not long afterwards.

Rebecca discusses facing the reality of Michaels’ fight against his addictions, and Michaels himself coming to grips with the growing realization that his son Cameron, at two years old, was starting to recognize the times when “Daddy’s tired.” He up and quits drugs and drinking and, after a gift of a Bible from Rebecca, joins a Bible study group.

Rebecca identifies the overnight healing of Michaels’ back as a miracle, and so we’re back in the ring for his SummerSlam 2002 match against Triple H. We don’t hear any juicy gossip on the awkward haircut he had for winning the World Heavyweight Championship in the Elimination Chamber, so we move ahead through the Ric Flair retirement match, skip Michaels’ Hall of Fame induction altogether and, not surprisingly, Saudi Arabia and the DX versus Brothers of Destruction match is not mentioned.

We watch the truce between Hart and Michaels, and finally Michaels’ retirement match loss against The Undertaker. The coda is seeing Michaels backstage at NXT with the young crew, especially Adam Cole, paying tribute to him.

It feels like a very quick two hours, because everything is told at breakneck speed. I wouldn’t say that you’re going to come out of this with any clearer idea of who Shawn Michaels is than what any previous documentary of his life story has provided. The best audience for this is simply someone who wants to walk — or maybe run — down memory lane.

RELATED LINK

• Shawn Michaels story archive
• Read more in Slam Wrestling’s Hollywood Headlock

About The Author

Dave Hillhouse

Dave Hillhouse started writing for Slam Wrestling in 2005. His first taste of writing about wrestling was doing work for Burlington, Ontario’s Renegade Wrestling Alliance – and a lot of posting on AOL message boards. He enjoys exploring the quirky side of pro wrestling, and luckily there's no shortage of material. Much of his writing focuses on the connections between wrestling and film, TV, documentary, and more. In his off-time, he runs the Great Wrestling Tournaments fantasy voting page (click on the Facebook logo below to visit). Feel free to drop him a line (especially if you have some info about upcoming productions with a wrestling connection) at [email protected] .

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Latest Stories

• Raw: Becky Lynch recaptures gold, Damien Priest needs nobody
• Goldberg slams AEW
• Another NXT superstar cut
• United Empire, Just Five Guys run the Gauntlet
• Book excerpt: ‘Sitting Ringside’ by David Penzer
• AEW Dynasty filled with some surprises and suffering in the squared circle
• Ospreay retiring move after Danielson injured at Dynasty
• Ref Korderas on old friends and properly taking a bump
• Countdown to AEW Dynasty
• Moose retains, but his mood is ‘broken’ by return of Matt Hardy at TNA Rebellion

Who would you rather have as the new WWE Women's World Champion?

• Candice LeRae
• Chelsea Green
• Indi Hartwell
• Becky Lynch
• Shayna Baszler
• Sonya Deville

May 4: WWE Backlash May 11: MLW Azteca Lucha May 18: NWA Crockett Cup May 25: WWE King & Queen of The Ring May 26: AEW Double or Nothing Jun 1: MLW Battle Riot VI Jun 9: NXT Battleground Jun 15: WWE Clash at the Castle Jun 30: AEW Forbidden Door Jul 6: WWE MIB Jul 7: NXT Heatwave Jul 21: TNA Slammiversary Aug 3: WWE SummerSlam Aug 25: AEW All In Aug 31: WWE Bash in Berlin Aug 31: MLW Gold Rush Night 1 Sep 1: MLW Gold Rush Night 2 Sep 1: AEW All Out Oct 12: AEW WrestleDream Nov 23: AEW Full Gear Dec 28: AEW Worlds End

About Slam Wrestling

Privacy Policy

> Archives > The Artist Canvas > Books > Career Records > Canadian Hall of Fame > Collectibles > Gaming > Movies & TV > Music > Obituary Archive > Photo Galleries > PPVs & PLEs > Sporting Connection > Video > WrestleMania

• True Crime Blog

Biography: WWE Legends

• Episode Guide
• A&E Classics
• A&E Crime Central
• Link A&E on facebook
• Link A&E on twitter
• Link A&E on youtube
• Link A&E on instagram
• Link A&E on tiktok

4 Seasons | 33 Episodes , 29 Unlocked

• Season 1 8 Episodes Available
• Season 2 9 Episodes Available
• Season 3 10 Episodes Available
• Season 4 6 Episodes Available

Biography: Bret "Hitman" Hart

Biography: WWE Legends presents “Biography: Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart.” Directed by George Roy (“The Curse of the Bambino,” “Mayweather,” HBO “Mantle”), the film tells the story of Bret Hart, one of the greatest technical athletes in WWE history, earning him nicknames “The Hit Man” and “The Excellence of Execution.” Throughout his storied career, the five-time WWE title holder famously defeated “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Ric Flair and Yokozuna, and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006.

Biography: Mick Foley

Biography: WWE Legends presents “Biography: Mick Foley.” Directed by Thomas Odelfelt (24/7 “Mayweather-Marquez,” HBO “Courtside At The NBA Finals”) and Executive Produced by Jake Rogal and Jason Hehir (“The Last Dance,” “Andre The Giant”), the film follows the unique, multifaceted career of Mick Foley, a 2013 WWE Hall of Fame inductee better known as “Mankind.” A fan favorite during WWE’s “Attitude Era,” Foley shocked audiences in 1998 during a career defining match as he was thrown off the top of the Hell in a Cell by Undertaker.

Biography: Ultimate Warrior

Biography: WWE Legends presents “Biography: Ultimate Warrior.” Directed by Daniel Amigone (“Chain of Command,” “The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth”) and Executive Produced by Jake Rogal and Jason Hehir (“The Last Dance,” “Andre The Giant”), the film shares the story of Ultimate Warrior, a WWE Hall of Famer who inspired an entire generation of fans living by his mantra of “always believe.” With his colorful face paint and equally colorful interviews, Ultimate Warrior is perhaps best remembered for defeating Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VI to become both the WWE Champion and the Intercontinental Champion.

Biography: Shawn Michaels

Biography: WWE Legends presents “Biography: Shawn Michaels.” Directed by Joe Lavine (ESPN 30 for 30 “Playing for the Mob,” HBO “Namath”), the film chronicles the wild life of one of WWE’s greatest performers and most enduring villains. After drug addiction nearly cost him his life, Shawn Michaels, aka “The Heartbreak Kid,” made one of the most improbable late-career comebacks in WWE history. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011.

Biography: Booker T

Biography: WWE Legends presents “Biography: Booker T.” Directed by Emmy and Peabody Award winner George Roy (“The Curse of the Bambino”, “Mayweather”), the film showcases one of the greatest Superstars in sports entertainment history. Booker T is an 11-time WCW Tag Team Champion, a six-time World Champion, winner of the 2006 King of the Ring Tournament, and a two-time (2013 and 2019) inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame. In addition to his Hall of Fame career in the ring, Booker T also went on to become a color commentator for WWE’s weekly programming.

Biography: "Macho Man" Randy Savage

Biography: WWE Legends presents “Biography: ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage.” Produced by Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman (“Cocaine Cowboys,” “Screwball,” ESPN 30 for 30 “The U”), the film tells the larger-than-life story of one of the most colorful and charismatic Superstars to ever step foot inside the ring. With two WWE Championships, four WCW® World Championships and a 14-month reign as Intercontinental Champion, Savage became known for his famous catchphrases, larger-than-life personality and the enormous, flashy robes he wore into the ring.

Biography: "Rowdy" Roddy Piper

Biography: WWE Legends presents “Biography: ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper.” Directed by Emmy and Peabody Award winner Joe Lavine (ESPN 30 for 30 “Playing for the Mob,” HBO “Namath”) the film focuses on “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, who is universally considered one of WWE’s greatest villains. During his Hall of Fame career, he played the role of the antagonist against a who’s who of WWE greats, while amassing more than 30 championships.

Biography: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin

Biography: WWE Legends presents Biography: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Directed by Jake Rogal and Executive Produced by Jason Hehir (“The Last Dance,” “Andre The Giant”), the film traces the story of the man who became WWE’s biggest star in the 90s. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s authentic, fiery personality epitomized WWE’s “Attitude Era” and transformed him into a pop culture icon. After nearly being paralyzed by a neck injury, Austin made one of the greatest comebacks in WWE history. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009.

Get Instant Access to Free Updates

Don’t Miss Out on A&E news, behind the scenes content, and more!

• Privacy Notice
• Terms of Use

Need help with the site?

Create a profile to add this show to your list.

• Action/Adventure
• Children's/Family
• Documentary/Reality
• Amazon Prime Video

More From Decider

Bill Maher Compares Nickelodeon To Neverland Ranch After Watching 'Quiet...

Woody Allen in Exile: 'Coup De Chance' Finally Arrives On Streaming, Where...

Donald Trump Once Invited 'The View's Joy Behar To Be On 'The Apprentice'...

'Bob Hearts Abishola's Billy Gardell Tells ‘Live’ About His Bariatric...

'The Golden Bachelor' Stars Gerry Turner And Theresa Nist Divorcing Three...

'The View' Reacts To O.J. Simpson's Death: "The Tragedy Was The...

'The View' Forced To Evacuate Their Studio Before Wednesday's Show After...

'X-Men '97' Gives Gambit a Hero Moment You'll Never Forget

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to copy URL

A&E’s ‘WWE Legends’ Documentary Live Stream: How To Watch ‘Biography: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’ Live

7 cartoons that are perfect for 4/20 streaming, how to watch and stream the 2024 nba play-in tournament: everything to know, where to watch '9-1-1' season 7, episode 5: stream on hulu and disney+, bravo streaming service: how to watch your favorite shows without cable.

I guess there’s no such thing as a WrestleMania hangover because not one but two new WWE programs premiere tonight on A&E!

The first of eight original two-hour documentaries centering on a spate of WWE legends will air tonight as Biography covers the life and career of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. An iconic grappler who helped usher in the vaunted “Attitude Era,” the film traces how Austin’s infectious charisma and fiery personality helped transform the “Texas Rattlesnake” into a pop culture icon. The “Stone Cold” documentary will immediately be followed by the series premiere of WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures .

Future episodes of Biography: WWE Legends will center on a number of beloved wrestlers, including “Macho Man” Randy Savage, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Booker T, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Mick Foley, and the Ultimate Warrior. How can you watch A&E’s “Stone Cold” Steve Austin documentary live online? Here’s everything you need to know.

WHEN DOES BIOGRAPHY: WWE LEGENDS PREMIERE ON A&E?

The first episode of Biography: WWE Legends premieres Sunday, April 18.

WHAT TIME DOES BIOGRAPHY: STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN START ON A&E?

Biography: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin will air from 8:00-10:01 p.m. ET on A&E. An encore presentations will air at 11:05 p.m. ET.

HOW TO WATCH A&E’S STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN DOCUMENTARY LIVE ONLINE:

If you have a valid cable login, you can watch Biography: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin live on A&E’s website or with the A&E app . The special will also be available for next-day streaming on A&E.com .

HOW TO WATCH A&E’S BIOGRAPHY: WWE LEGENDS SERIES WITHOUT CABLE:

You can also find an A&E live stream with an active subscription to Sling TV (Blue) ,  fuboTV , or  Philo . All of the aforementioned services offer A&E in their channel lineups. Free trials of the streaming services are available for new and eligible subscribers.

CAN I WATCH BIOGRAPHY: WWE LEGENDS LIVE ON HULU?

You can’t live stream Biography: WWE Legends with a traditional Hulu account, but you can watch the series with an active subscription to Hulu + Live TV , which gives you the opportunity to stream the show live or on demand.

WILL A&E’S STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN DOCUMENTARY BE ON HULU?

Nope. Unfortunately, the series isn’t available for next-day streaming on Hulu.

Where to stream Biography: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin

• Biography: WWE Legends
• documentaries

Does 'Yellowstone' Return Tonight? 'Yellowstone's Season 5, Part 2 Premiere Date Updates

Are 'Chicago Med,' 'Chicago Fire' and 'Chicago P.D.' New Tonight? Here's When 'One Chicago' Returns to NBC With New Episodes

'Bob Hearts Abishola's Billy Gardell Tells ‘Live’ About His Bariatric Surgery and 170 Lb Weight Loss: "I Went From A Young Jackie Gleason To An Old Paul Newman"

Is 'Grey's Anatomy' New Tonight? Here's When The Next Episode of 'Grey's Anatomy' Is On ABC And Hulu 

Whoopi Goldberg Confronts Her 'View' Co-Hosts After Nearly All Of Them Fail To Carry Out Guest J. Lo's Request: "How Come Y'all Weren't Dancing?" 

Does Mariko Die in 'Shōgun'? Anna Sawai Explains the One Big Difference Between the Book and Episode 9 "Crimson Sky"

Shawn Michaels

Who Is Shawn Michaels?

Growing up in a military family, Shawn Michaels moved around frequently before settling in San Antonio, Texas. Although his high school didn’t have a wrestling team, Michaels decided at 12 years old that he wanted to be a professional wrestler. After later dropping out of Southwest Texas State University, he made his professional wrestling debut in October 1984. He and tag team partner Marty Jannetty wrestled as The Midnight Rockers in the AWA before joining the now WWE as The Rockers. The duo parted ways in 1992, and Michaels took on the “Heartbreak Kid” persona, competing until he suffered a serious back injury in 1998. Following four years in retirement, Michaels returned to the WWE in 2002 and continued to wrestle until 2010. The WWE Hall of Famer has a wife named Rebecca, with whom he shares two children.

Born Michael Shawn Hickenbottom on July 22, 1965, Michaels is the son of Dick and Carol Hickenbottom. Because Michaels’ father was an Air Force pilot, he spent his childhood moving from the United Kingdom to Maryland, before settling in San Antonio, Texas when he was about 8 years old. His parents described him as a well-loved, quiet and shy boy, who was heavily involved in sports, including football. Michaels recalls deciding he wanted to be a professional wrestler someday when he was 12, though his high school didn’t have a wrestling team. His father was an amateur wrestler at the University of Iowa, and he also grew up idolizing such pros as Ric Flair.

Michaels attended Southwest Texas State University but dropped out after failing his second semester.

Pro Wrestling Career

The rockers.

Michaels began training with Mexican wrestler Jose Lothario in 1983, and before making his pro debut with the National Wrestling Alliance's (NWA) Mid-South Wrestling territory in October 1984. He later joined with tag team partner Marty Jannetty to form The Midnight Rockers, and they won their first American Wrestling Association (AWA) world championship in 1986. Renamed The Rockers in 1987, Michaels and Jannetty joined and were fired from the WWE in 1987 after just one day following a Buffalo, New York bar fight.

After their WWE dismissal, the duo joined Continental Championship Wrestling (CCW) in Birmingham, Alabama, where Michaels says they wrestled in front of 25 people for $300 per week. The WWE rehired The Rockers in 1988 on a probationary basis, and they won the later-rescinded Tag Team Championship in October 1990. (The WWE never aired their championship match against Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart because a top rope had broken mid-event.)

Michaels ended his and Jannetty’s partnership by smashing his partner’s head through a window during a 1992 episode of Brutus Beefcake's talk show. The breakup marked the beginning of Michaels’ villain persona.

'Heartbreak Kid'

After meeting him in a locker room in 1993, Michaels recruited Kevin Nash to take on the role of his bodyguard and eventually won his first world championship at WrestleMania XII in March 1996. Michaels and Nash also became part of “The Kliq,” along with Scott Hall, Sean Waltman and Paul Michael “Triple H” Levesque. He announced in February 1997 that he was retiring due to a knee issue, but decided to return to action several months later.

Upon his return, Michaels formed Generation X with Triple H and Chyna. His intensifying feud with Bret “Hit Man” Hart reached its peak in what became known as the “Montreal Screwjob” of the 1997 Survivor Series, which was also Hart’s final WWE match before leaving the company. During a January 1998 Royal Rumble match with The Undertaker, Michaels blew a disc in his back, and a doctor told him he’d never wrestle again. He recalls asking for enough drugs to get him to his final WrestleMania XIV match with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin .

WWE Return and Retirement

After battling drug and alcohol addiction for about a decade, Michaels started a family in San Antonio, got sober, and found religion. More than four years into his retirement, Michaels says he prayed his back pain away, and returned to professional wrestling at SummerSlam 2002 in a match with Triple H. He went on to wrestle for eight more years before a final watch with The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXVI in March 2010.

Since retiring from the ring, Michaels has served as a key contributor to NXT, which he says began as a developmental brand that grooms WWE superstars.

Personal Life

After seeing her on TV as a WCW “Nitro Girl” named Whisper in June 1998, Michaels pursued now-wife Rebecca Curci Hickenbottom. The pair dated for just several weeks before marrying at the Graceland Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas. They are parents to a son, Cameron, and daughter, Cheyenne.

QUICK FACTS

• Birth Year: 1965
• Birth date: July 22, 1965
• Best Known For: Shawn Michaels is one of WWE’s greatest performers and most enduring villains. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011.

We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us !

CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Shawn Michaels Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/shawn-michaels
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: June 7, 2021
• Original Published Date: March 17, 2021

Famous Athletes

Jesse Owens

Alice Coachman

Wilma Rudolph

Tiger Woods

Caitlin Clark Prepares to Join the WNBA

Sha’Carri Richardson

Aaron Rodgers

Florence Joyner

Lionel Messi

10 Things You Might Not Know About Travis Kelce

Every Black Quarterback to Play in the Super Bowl

Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

A&e biography – shawn michaels: what we learned.

• May 18, 2021
• Eric E. Jenkins

The A&E Network series Biography is featuring a number of professional wrestlers on its show. This week, the featured wrestler was two-time WWE Hall of Fame Inductee, “The Heartbreak Kid,” Shawn Michaels . HBK is a four-time former world champion and the first WWE Grand Slam Champion. However, there is much that is not known about HBK. This week, viewers learned a lot more about Shawn Michaels.

Michael Hickenbottom was a military brat

Shawn Michaels’ father was active in the U.S. Air Force at the time of Shawn’s birth. He was born in Arizona. As a child, his family moved from Arizona to Maryland before landing in Texas.

Michael was a quiet child who loved contact sports

During his youth, Shawn Michaels was, according to his parents, a quiet and soft-spoken child. However, Michaels was active in sports, with football being his favorite. He enjoyed the physical contact of football over other sports. At the age of 12, Shawn discovered professional wrestling. He decided at that moment that wrestling would be his career.

HBK’s first public match was in front of a very unique crowd

After a few years of self-training in professional wrestling, Michaels and his childhood friend, Kenny Kent, performed a professional wrestling match on the stage during their high school’s talent show. At one point in the match, Kent threw Michaels off of the stage, with the latter landing in the seats of the auditorium. The fall caused Shawn to suffer a facial cut. The duo finished the match, but the act placed second in the show, behind a group of cheerleaders.

A chance golf game is responsible for Shawn Michaels’ professional wrestling career

One day, when Shawn’s dad happened to be playing golf with a promoter for Southwest Championship Wrestling , the senior Hickenbottom ask how his son could get into the sport. In order to keep Shawn from wondering what if, Shawn’s dad paid $3,000 for him to attend Jose Lothario ’s wrestling school in San Antonio.

Meeting Marty Jannetty was both a blessing and a curse

Shawn Michaels’ first match was in Mid-South Wrestling for Bill Watts . Michaels worked for Watts in Louisiana for nearly six months. From there, Watts helped him find work in Kansas City. It was here where Michaels met Marty Jannetty . In addition to teaming with Michaels, Jannetty introduced him to cocaine. Once arriving in the American Wrestling Association , the duo would often party with Curt Hennig and Vader , and developed a reputation for wild behavior such as destroying hotel rooms and bar fighting.

The Rockers’ WWF career initially lasted only one day

The team of Michaels and Jannetty got the call from Vince McMahon to join the World Wrestling Federation, but the duo’s reputation for wild behavior preceding them. This caused the boys to have heat in the locker room. The boys also damaged a bar on their first night with the company. They were fired the same day. The Rockers ventured to Continental Championship Wrestling before Pat Patterson convinced McMahon to give the boys another chance.

Shawn Michaels’ time in CCW was also a blessing and a curse

While working in CCW, The Rockers earned around $100 per night. Many nights, the management offered the boys their pay as half in cash and half in cocaine, which the boys agreed to “9 out of 10 times.”

The Rockers won the WWF Tag Team Titles, but you had to be there

During a taping for an episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event , the Rockers faced The Hart Foundation for the WWF Tag Team Championship. However, during the match, one of the ring ropes broke loose. Vince McMahon ordered the wrestlers to finish the match inside the broken ring. The Rockers won the match and captured the tag titles. McMahon was not happy with the match and, as a result, overturned the title change. The match never aired on SNME.

The public split of the Rockers may have started as a private split

One night, in a hotel in Denver, The Rockers were partying with some ladies when Roddy Piper came into the hotel room. Piper mentioned to Shawn that he had the skills to be a solo star. However, Piper told Jannetty he still needed work. While Jannetty did not wish to have the discussion at that time, Michaels agreed with Piper and pushed his partner over. The conversation erupted into a brawl between the tag partners.

Drugs and an inflated ego led to a legendary match

Prior to WrestleMania X , Shawn Michaels was suspended by the WWF. The suspension was due to him failing a steroid drug test. At the time, Michaels was the WWF Intercontinental Champion. However, Shawn refused to return the belt. The title was vacated, and shortly thereafter, Razor Ramon was awarded the title. When Michaels returned, claiming to be the true champion, the legendary WrestleMania X Ladder Match was booked to settle the dispute.

Diesel had more than one job in the WWF…

When Kevin Nash arrived in the WWF, he was named Diesel and booked as Shawn Michaels’ on-screen bodyguard. However, because Michaels had begun to rub people the wrong way off-screen, Nash kept Michaels safe by acting as his real-life bodyguard.

…But one of Shawn’s lowest moments may have been because Nash was not around

The mythical beating that Shawn Michaels suffered in Syracuse, NY happened because he pursued a Marine’s date in a bar. He was confronted by the Marine and beaten up outside of the bar. Unfortunately, the only backup Michaels had was Davey Boy Smith and Sean Waltman , who were held off by two other Marines. Michaels’ normal backup, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash and Triple H , were on a European tour at the time.

Triple H was the fall guy for the Curtain Call

After the infamous Curtain Call in Madison Square Garden, the WWF could not punish Scott Hall or Kevin Nash because they were leaving the company. The company also chose not to punish Michaels because he was the WWF Champion. As such, Triple H was punished for the actions of The Kliq . Steve Austin replaced Helmsley as the winner of the upcoming King of the Ring and took full advantage of the opportunity.

Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown

The pressure of being WWF Champion during a slow period in wrestling got to be more than Shawn Michaels could handle. His drug use increased, and with Hall, Nash and Waltman gone from the company, Helmsley became Michaels’ primary nursemaid. Helmsley took on the responsibility of getting Michaels into hotel rooms after shows. Helmsley would also check on his friend every couple of hours to make sure that he hadn’t died in his sleep from drug use.

Michaels’ “Lost Smile” was actually due to leg pain

Shortly before Shawn Michaels performed his “lost smile” promo, HBK suffered a torn ACL. The promo was a way to get him off of television so that he could recover from the injury.

Shawn Michaels and others knew about the Montreal Screwjob

Vince McMahon, Triple H and Shawn Michaels were among those who knew that Bret Hart would be screwed out of the WWF Championship at Survivor Series . McMahon told the boys to take the secret to their graves. The burden of having to carry around the secret and to lie about it was almost too much for Michaels.

The more that he worked, the more drugs Shawn used

During a casket match against The Undertaker at the 1998 Royal Rumble event, Shawn Michaels suffered a back injury that almost forced him out of the WrestleMania XIV main event. He was heavily self-medicated so that he could continue to work, and he dropped the title to Austin at the event. Michaels was bitter about having to lose the title.

Shawn found his wife while injured

While at home, rehabbing his back injury, Shawn Michaels saw a beautiful woman while watching WCW Nitro . Shawn contacted Hulk Hogan to find out who the girl on television was. Hogan introduced Shawn to Rebecca, who was working for WCW as Nitro Girl Whisper . After dating for two weeks, Shawn and Rebecca married. She would help him turn his life around.

Shawn and Hunter didn’t speak for over a year

Shawn’s belligerence boiled over, causing him to confront Hunter unnecessarily. The friendship between the two men became strained. They didn’t speak to each other for over one year. Shawn immediately quit taking drugs when his two-year-old son began to understand that something was wrong with his dad. During his recovery, Shawn apologized to Hunter and rekindled the friendship.

Rebecca led her husband from drugs to God

After seeing Shawn give up drugs, Rebecca began giving him bibles to read. This led to Shawn giving his life to Jesus Christ and helped him to become a better husband, father, and person.

Stay tuned to the  Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. “Macho Man” fan? You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on the WWE Network  and  Peacock .

Looking to talk wrestling, pro football, or any number of sports? Head on over to the  LWOS Boards  to engage in conversation with fellow fans!

Preview: WWE SmackDown (4/26/24) – Night One of 2024 WWE Draft

This week’s WWE SmackDown will host the first night of one the most exciting events WWE has: the WWE Draft. On this installment of WWE Friday Night SmackDown, the

Why Nic Nemeth Should Be TNA World Champion at Rebellion

Tonight Saturday, April 20th TNA Wrestling presents Rebellion 2024. The matches for Rebellion are pretty good but the one everyone is looking forward to is the main event. In the main event,

What’s Next For Each Member of The Judgment Day?

With Rhea Ripley’s unfortunate injury leading to her vacating the WWE Women’s World Championship, it’s left Judgment Day without – arguably – their biggest star.

Top WWE Championship Reigns Derailed By Injury

Coming down with an injury is one of the worst things that can happen to a professional wrestler. Not only is the initial injury and

Send Us A Message

TheSportster

10 facts we learned a&e biography: shawn michaels.

Shawn Michaels was featured as an A&E's Biography special. But what exactly did wrestling fans learn about The Heartbreak Kid on May 16?

Since his earliest days in Mid-South and the AWA, it was clear that Shawn Michaels had tremendous ability in the ring. But with The Heartbreak Kid’s ability came a wild and rambunctious and sometimes tortured soul. A&E took a look at the life of one of the top five greatest wrestlers ever in their most recent Biography special.

Related: 10 Ways Shawn Michaels Failed WWE

One of the great aspects of the A&E and WWE partnership is that even for the most ardent fan that thinks they know the whole story about their favorite wrestlers, there’s also plenty of nuggets in each episode that have seldom if ever been told. Shawn knows his life is an open book, but here are a few items you might have never known.

10 The Two Lives Of Shawn Michaels

Right from the get-go of the episode, the reoccurring theme of the entire biography was not just the idea but the incontrovertible fact that yes he might be the best ever in a wrestling ring. But the first half of his career, Shawn was a wild man chasing glory and redefining greatness, no matter the cost of his personal life. No matter the amount of booze, pills, and brash braggadocios, Shawn was going to show the world he was the best. The inverse side to that is that everyone from Vince McMahon on down the line was ready to beat the heck out of the guy.

9 Shawn In NXT

It’s been long known that Shawn Michaels has been keeping Triple H company down in NXT. But he’s so much more than just a right-hand man. Much of the entire NXT roster was influenced by The Heartbreak Kid at some point in their fandom and their own careers.

Related: 10 Most Brutal Bumps Of Shawn Michaels' Career

But now, a very humble HBK is happy to take a huge step back and simply help groom the talent for the next generation. Terry Taylor put it bluntly - “there’s Shawn’s fingerprints on almost every talent in NXT.”

8 Beginnings

Michael Shawn Hickenbottom was born into a military family. His dad was a member of the US Air Force. The family moved all over until Shawn was about eight and settled in Texas. His folks described him as a nice boy, and Shawn described all of the sports he enjoyed playing, particularly football. But like a lot of future Superstars, when Shawn first saw wrestling on TV, his dad just assumed it would be a phase that he’d grow out of. Thankfully for wrestling fans, he hasn’t grown out of that phase yet.

7 High School Bumps

Shawn didn’t have a lot of fellow wrestling fans growing up until Kenny Kent moved to town during their sophomore year. They instantly became fast friends who put on wrestling matches. Like Mick Foley and many others before him, the future HBK and Kenny put on all sorts of matches everywhere. The two even wrestled a match for their high school talent show, which they lost out to cheerleaders.

Despite his parents wanting him to go to college, Shawn was deadset on becoming a professional wrestler. Through his father, Michaels met the wrestling promoter of San Antonio, as well as Jose Lothario. Not wanting his son to be 35-years-old and resentful that he missed his opportunity, Mr. Hickenbottom paid for Shawn’s entry into wrestling school. Later on, it would be Kent and his happy family life that Shawn admired but wondered if he was able to have both a great family and a great career.

6 Starting Out

Thanks to Jose Lothario’s training and his help, the legendary Luchador was able to get HBK his first bookings in Mid-South. Terry Taylor was amazed at how good Michaels was  in his first match. A little later on, Bill Watts, the head of Mid-South was able to book HBK in Louisiana, where he first met Marty Jannetty. They got thrown together for a match and immediately clicked.

Interestingly enough, it was Marty who first really saw something in Shawn and vowed to bring it out. It wasn’t just wrestling ability that Marty brought out, he also introduced Shawn to partying, and The Midnight Rockers were born. They also developed a reputation for being huge party kids; which everyone in the business instantly knew they got.

5 The Rockers' First WWE Run

After getting their start in late 1987, The Rockers wanted to behave. But Terry Garvin had suggested to them that they need to get down and mingle. Jimmy Jack Funk tried to test the boys and started chewing glass for some reason.

Related: 10 Things About Shawn Michaels Career That Made No Sense

In retaliation, Michaels smashed a wine glass over his head and the team left. But the rumor and innuendo immediately started and The Rockers were fired after just one day. Michaels at 23 thought he was done. Thankfully, Pat Patterson took a liking to the team, recognized the talent of HBK, and helped bring them back to the WWE.

4 The Heartbreak Kid

After some backstage egging on by Roddy Piper that he should be a singles wrestler , the seeds were laid for the iconic Barber Shop segment where he became The Heartbreak Kid. The character was something that Shawn had come up with - Elvis meets Freddie Mercury. Shawn actually alluded to the idea that those two rock gods were electric on stage but had something missing in their lives, something that he was able to relate to. But he was determined to crack through the glass ceiling and be the guy.

3 Keeping Shawn Alive

The extent to which Triple H needs to be praised for keeping HBK alive is immeasurable. He would make sure HBK was in bed every night with a pillow propped alongside him to make sure that he wouldn’t roll over in his sleep and choke to death. Even Vince tried to step in and get help for his greatest performer. He headed to Texas to meet with Shawn’s dad and clue him into the situation, which unfortunately the colonel didn’t know or want to hear anything about.

It was then that he tweaked his knee and was told he was done. HBK lost his smile and vacated the WWE Title . Shortly after, Triple H and Shawn would start pestering Vince to put them together and thanks to the back injury that happened at Royal Rumble , Shawn was pumped up with more drugs just to get to WrestleMania XIV with Austin.

2 Finally Getting Help

While sitting home watching Nitro , Shawn first laid eyes on Nitro Girl, Whisper aka Rebecca. They began talking on the phone and exchanging emails. They would date for several weeks before getting married by an Elvis impersonator. The new Mrs. Michaels learned quickly that Shawn had a huge problem with pills, but she did not give up on him. Hunter did, thanks to Shawn showing up at Raw messed up and belligerent.

Related: Shawn Michaels' Last 10 Rivalries, Ranked From Worst To Best

The two founders of DX had then stopped speaking for several years. But it was when Shawn’s son, Cameron began to realize what was happening with Shawn, that The Heartbreak Kid decided to stop with all of the drugs and alcohol. Kevin Nash would initiate Shawn apologizing to The Game. Rebecca had given him a bible for Christmas and Shawn then decided to join a bible study and get saved and was on the road to come back to the ring.

1 The End For HBK

After wrestling his final matches, including his love letter to the business and Ric Flair at WrestleMania XXIV , Shawn Michaels would retire after WrestleMania XXVI . But before retiring, HBK made sure to make amends with Bret Hart, who admitted that they carried a lot of animosity towards each other. Before that had happened, the instant classic between Shawn and The Undertaker from WrestleMania XXV would happen. Heading home that night, Shawn began to think that he wasn’t ever going to achieve that level of greatness ever again and began to realize that he would wind down his career as one of the greatest of all time.

Next: 10 Shawn Michaels' Rivalries We Completely Forgot About 

• Press Releases
• WRESTLING.BET
• The Tragic Death Of Owen Hart
• The Sale Of WCW to WWE
• The Death Of Eddie Guerrero
• The WWE Steroid Scandal
• The Chris Benoit Double-Murder Suicide
• Hulk Hogan Sex Tape Scandal
• The Sale of TNA Wrestling
• Vince McMahon “Hush Money” Investigation
• ADVERTISING

Biography: Shawn Michaels on A&E Network rating

The A&E Network Biography episode on WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels drew a total of 634,000 viewers, up 39,000 viewers from the Booker T episode. The show drew a 0.22 rating in the 18-49 demo, the lowest of the series. (Ratings credit: SpoilerTV.com)

• Shawn Michaels
• WWE on A&E

Stories you might also like RELATED Recommended to you

Wwe on a&e block (2024) ratings for week 7, wwe on a&e block (2024) ratings for week 6, wwe on a&e programming to return later in april and may following tonight’s episodes, wwe on a&e block (2024) ratings for week 5, latest news, dynasty 2024 live on pay-per-view tonight, slammiversary 2024 announced for montreal, sami callihan and mike santana return to tna, wrestling-online newsletter.

© Copyright - 1998-2024 WRESTLING-ONLINE.COM / COLIN VASSALLO

CONTACT: [email protected] ADVERTISING: [email protected]

Discover more from Wrestling-Online.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

We would like to send you notifications for the latest news and updates.

Help Support Our Website!

Fightful has been reporting all the latest breaking news from the wrestling world since 2016.

Ads have played a big part in being able to keep our content free for all to enjoy.

Please consider allowing ads on our site, and help continue to support Fightful.

WWE Teaming With A&E To Produce Documentaries On Steve Austin, Randy Savage, Shawn Michaels, And More

New WWE documentaries are heading to A&E.

WWE announced that they will be teaming with A&E Network to produce five two-hour documentaries on WWE superstars Steve Austin, Roddy Piper, Shawn Michaels , Booker T, and Randy Savage . The documentaries will be part of A&E's Emmy award-winning "Biography" series.

Breaking: @AENetworks is partnering with @WWEStudios to produce five two-hour documentaries under the award-winning “Biography” banner showcasing some of the most iconic @WWE Superstars: “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Rowdy” Roddy Piper, @BookerT5x @steveaustinBSR & @ShawnMichaels pic.twitter.com/4yqyE8eiLW — WWE Public Relations (@WWEPR) April 4, 2019

"Biography" has previously profiled Andre The Giant and The Rock .

Full press release:

A&E NETWORK PARTNERS WITH WWE STUDIOS TO PRODUCE FIVE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARIES ABOUT LEGENDARY WWE HALL OF FAMERS UNDER THE CELEBRATED 'BIOGRAPHY' BANNER New York, NY – April 4, 2019 – A&E Network is partnering with WWE Studios to produce five original two-hour documentaries under the award-winning "Biography" banner showcasing some of the most iconic WWE Superstars of all time, including "Macho Man" Randy Savage, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Booker T, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels. Through these in-depth films helmed by some of the industry's top directors and storytellers, "Biography" continues its focus on meaningful events and personalities as well as their impact on our culture. Through new and archival interviews and never-before-seen footage, each feature length film will give fans an in-depth look at the early lives, rise to fame and careers of some of the most influential stars in WWE history. "We are thrilled for the tremendous opportunity to partner with WWE Studios to produce these special films that honor some of the most impactful personalities who have left a lasting imprint on pop culture," said Elaine Frontain Bryant, Executive Vice President and Head of Programming, A&E Network. "We are thrilled to partner with A&E, and be in business with award-winning directors Billy Corben, Joe Lavine and George Roy, as we bring these documentaries to life," said Susan Levison, Senior Vice President & Head of WWE Studios. "This project further solidifies WWE Studios' commitment to deliver new programming across genres and platforms." The first three films, currently in pre-production and slated to air in Spring 2020, include: Biography: "Macho Man" Randy Savage – Directed by Billy Corben ("Cocaine Cowboys," "Screwball," "The U"), this film will tell the larger-than-life story of one of the most colorful and charismatic Superstars to ever step foot inside the ring. With two WWE Championships, four WCW World Championships and a 14-month reign as Intercontinental Champion, Savage became known for his famous catch phrases, larger-than-life personality and the enormous, flashy robes he wore into the ring. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015. Biography: "Rowdy" Roddy Piper – Directed by Emmy and Peabody Award winner Joe Lavine (ESPN 30 for 30 "Playing for the Mob," HBO "Namath") this film focuses on "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, who is universally considered one of WWE's greatest villains. During his Hall of Fame career, he played the role of the antagonist against a who's who of WWE greats, while amassing more than 30 championships. Biography: Booker T – Directed by Emmy and Peabody Award winner George Roy ("The Curse of the Bambino", "Mayweather"), this film showcases one of the greatest Superstars in sports entertainment history. Booker T is an 11-time WCW Tag Team Champion, a six-time World Champion, winner of the 2006 King of the Ring Tournament, and a two-time (2013 and 2019) inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame. In addition to his Hall of Fame career in the ring, Booker T also went on to become a color commentator for WWE's weekly programming. Directors for Biography: Stone Cold Steve Austin and Biography: Shawn Michaels will be announced at a later date. These films are slated to air in 2021. The celebrated 'Biography' brand continues to highlight newsworthy personalities and events with compelling and surprising points-of-view and remains the defining source for true stories from some of the most accomplished non-fiction storytellers of our time. Extensive on-air and branded digital content, including short form, will roll-out on all platforms, including Biography.com, the home to hundreds of profiles of notable cultural figures and influencers. The WWE "Biography" documentaries are produced by WWE Studios for A&E Network. Executive producers for WWE Studios are Kevin Dunn, Chris Kaiser and Richard Lowell. Executive producers for A&E Network are Elaine Frontain Bryant and Brad Abramson.