Shawn Michaels Articles - Page 2

After dominating NXT as one of the true pillars of the post-Black and Gold era, Carmelo Hayes has officially taken his talents to SmackDown as one of the promotion’s first-round picks in the 2024 WWE Draft. For Hayes, this has been a long time coming, as the former indie standout has won the North American […]

Grayson Waller is not a fan of the UK. Need proof? Well, look no further than last summer, when, in an impromptu segment with John Cena at Money in the Bank, Waller marched out to boldly declare that if WWE has an international edition of WrestleMania, it’s not going to be in “The Champ’s” preferred […]

When Will Ospreay marched down the ramp to his song “Elevate” at Full Gear to announce to the fans in the Kia Forum and beyond that he was signing with AEW, it felt like a massive loss for Triple H and WWE, who were also pursuing the multi-time IWGP Champion. Now granted, if there’s any […]

Though some fans still desperately want to see him turn heel, with Bully Ray suggesting he’s an Emperor Palpatine away from becoming the next Darth Vader, Cody Rhodes remains firmly committed to being the sort of true, red, white, and blue babyface who can headline both nights of WrestleMania 40 and maybe, just maybe, bring […]

After weeks of watching cryptic video packages on NXT that could have signaled the debuts of anyone from Tama Tonga to NXT’s Kevin O’Conner Kazuchika Okada, fans across the IWC were surprised to see the developmental debut of Shawn Spears, the former “Chairman of AEW” who had worked for the promotion previously as the “Perfect […]

When it comes to having a finger on the pulse of what’s going on in the Performance Center in Orlando, few are as tuned in as Booker T, the two-time WWE Hall of Famer, host of the Hall of Fame podcast, and color commentator of NXT’s weekly show. Whether tasked with immortalizing important moments in […]

There was a time when the Grizzled Young Veterans, Zack Gibson and James Drake, looked like they had the potential to become one of the hottest acts in the WWE Universe. A throwback tag team with a recognizable gimmick, a tough style, and the legacy of British wrestling behind them, GYV looked about as can’t-miss […]

When Johnny Gargano‘s run in NXT came to an end at the culmination of his contract, fans wondered where the leader of The Way would wrestle next. Would he stick around in WWE, returning to the promotion for another run in NXT or a spot on the main roster on RAW or SmackDown? Or would […]

When telling the story of NXT, few performers are as tied to the promotion, especially since Shawn Michaels took over creative, as Johnny Gargano. An NXT Triple Crown Champion who found incredible success in his tag team with Tommaso Ciampa, #DIY, a loving faction in his familial The Way, and even legendary status as HBK’s […]

After steamrolling through the competition as a make-shift tag team on NXT television, Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin, collectively known as the Wolf Dogs, etched their names in the annals of WWE history alongside the likes of AOP, The Undisputed Era, and The Creed Brothers by besting Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes to become the […]

When Jordynne Grace made her surprise debut as the fifth participant in the 2024 Royal Rumble, it marked an incredible moment in the history of WWE and TNA. Sure, TNA performers had appeared in the Royal Rumble in the past, most notably Mickie James in 2022, but she was a legacy performer who had extensive […]

With Vengeance Day rapidly approaching, Shawn Michaels afforded media members a chance to ask him questions ahead of NXT’s Premium Live Event of 2024. Normally, this would have served as a chance for wrestling media members to ask about the members of the NXT roster, like Bron Breakker, Carmeo Hayes, Roxanne Perez, and Tiffany Stratton, […]

When news broke that Vince McMahon was resigning from WWE after being accused of some truly heinous activities in a lawsuit by former employee Janel Grant, fans, pundits, and professional wrestlers alike all tuned into the Royal Rumble press conference to see what Paul “Triple H” Levesque, the promotion’s creative lead and Mr. McMahon’s son-in-law, […]

In a tournament filled with high-stakes drama, Senegal’s unexpected exit from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) was softened by a moment of pure brilliance with football fans in stitches. During their clash with Ivory Coast, a Senegal player, amidst the intensity of first-half stoppage time, showcased an acrobatic feat that left viewers in awe […]

With the 2024 Royal Rumble rapidly approaching, you’d think Cody Rhodes would be solely focused on besting the likes of Gunther, CM Punk, and 27 other performers on his way to the first back-to-back winner this decade. Sure, winning the Battle Royal match marks the start of a story, not the completion of a mission, […]

When news broke that Cora Jade suffered an injury at an NXT live show in Florida that was eventually ruled an ACL tear, it left fans across the professional wrestling landscape incredibly disappointed… and incredibly interested in what Booker T would have to say on the subject. On paper, it made sense, right? In addition […]

When Patrick Clark, the wrestler formerly known as the Velveteen Dream, was released from WWE in 2021 following some pretty ghastly allegations of inappropriate behavior, it was surprising for one reason and one reason alone: WWE actually fired the NXT standout. That’s right, after news started to break midway through 2020 during the Speaking Out […]

When CM Punk signed with WWE after nearly a decade with the company, there were many different assumptions about what caused “h*ll to freeze over” and usher him back into the promotion. Some assumed it because Vince McMahon was gone from a creative role, with his son-in-law, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, being far more in […]

When Ilja Dragunov agreed to a match against Ridge Holland at the top of NXT, it seemed innocent enough to fans out of the know. After soft splitting with Butch on SmackDown following a long-term injury suffered by Sheamus, Holland has been on the lookout to “find himself” within the WWE Universe, hoping to finally […]

When Baron Corbin returned to NXT at the end of May to become a featured player on Shawn Michaels‘ Tuesday night show, it didn’t really move the needle all that much in the WWE Universe. Sure, Corbin has earned a few pretty incredible accolades over his WWE career, retiring Kurt Angle, winning the United States […]

When CM Punk announced that he’d be stopping at SmackDown, NXT, and RAW before making his free agent decision, it felt like a technicality. Punk made his return on RAW, had the most built-in feuds with performers on RAW, and, after Randy Orton signed with SmackDown, it felt like overkill to add another main eventer […]

After discussing all things CM Punk’s return on his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T had to face the “Best in the World” head-on at NXT Deadline, where the duo both worked the show in their respective roles. Would Punk give Booker a hard time for going too hard or soft on him as part […]

After two weeks of anticipation, CM Punk took the ring on RAW for the final stop on his free agency tour, where he promised to tell fans of WWE which brand he would “sign” with moving forward. Would he choose SmackDown, working alongside fellow indie stalwart-turned-WWE personality Nick Aldis and fellow former Ring of Honor […]

In the lead-up to the final NXT Premium Live Event of the 2023 calendar year, Deadline, change was in the air at the Performance Center. From the elevation of acts like the Creed Brothers and Dragon Lee, to the announced injury that will place Wes Lee on the shelf for the better part of a […]

After heavily hinting at it on social media, CM Punk made his NXT Premium Live Event debut at Deadline and did so in the most CM Punk way possible, interrupting Shawn Michaels’ opening remarks while wearing a Bret Hart hoodie. After exchanging some pleasantries with the “Heartbreak Kid,” Punk decided to address the NXT crowd […]

Since securing a role in NXT and especially since landing the head creative role in NXT, Shawn Michaels has pretty much seen, not to mention booked, it all. He’s booked Goldberg-esque unbeatable babyface champions, put over “outsiders” from the main roster, and has even overseen multiple controversies that were out of his control, most notably […]

Ahead of NXT Deadline, it’s important to remember that Trick Williams has only been a member of the WWE Universe since 2021 when he left football behind to try his hand at becoming a WWE Superstar. Since then, he’s wrestled 75 matches, become Carmelo Hayes’ go-to guy, and even tasted gold as the North American […]

With NXT Deadl1ne rapidly approaching, the reigning and defending North American Champion, “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio, received a surprising endorsement from none other than WWE’s “Apex Predator,” Randy Orton. That’s right, stopping by Logan Paul’s ImPaulsive podcast, Orton discussed his relationship with the Mysterios, Rey and Dom, and just how proud he is to see the […]

When Brian Pillman Jr. left AEW and the familiarity of his famous family name to take a go at professional wrestling under a new moniker, Lexis King, on WWE’s NXT brand, it felt like a big swing. Sure, King had worked on television before, even if he wasn’t with much regularity, but how would he […]

When Wes Lee announced on NXT that he had suffered some sort of injury that would require surgery and leave him out of action for the foreseeable future, months more than days, it shocked fans eager to see the go-home edition of the Tuesday night program before the final WWE Premium Live Event of the […]

Bron Breakker has pretty much accomplished everything a performer can on the NXT Brand. He’s held the NXT Championship – twice, actually – wrestled huge matches against multiple main roster stars like Dolph Ziggler and Seth Rollins, and has even successfully shown that he can work heel or babyface, as he’s had incredible programs as […]

As the WWE Universe prepares for the final Premium Live Event of the 2023 calendar year, NXT Deadl1ne, Shawn Michaels took his usual trip around the proverbial horn to discuss with the media about what to expect from his Superstars like Ilja Dragunov, Trick Williams, and Wes Lee. Sitting down with Peter Rosenburg on his […]

When Randy Orton made his first in-ring appearance on WWE programming in 18 months at Survivor Series, returning in spectacular form as the final member of Team Cody Rhodes in the WarGames main event, it felt like a big deal. Sure, WWE chugged along just fine and well without the “Apex Predator” at the forefront […]

For much of his NXT tenure, Trick Williams was nothing more than a side performer, the Marty Jannetty to Carmelo Hayes’ Shawn Michaels, even if they were positioned more as friends than a traditional tag team. Sure, Trick Willie looked the part, acted the part, and even talked the part, but Melo was “Him,” an […]

Dominik Mysterio has been a member of the WWE officially since 2019, a full 16 years after his initial debut alongside his father, Rey Mysterio, in 2003. Over that tenure, he was popular, hated, intriguing, and hated once more, only now, fans have come to hate him in a sort of “love to hate” way, […]

Though Swerve Strickland is currently on top of the world as one of the hottest young stars in AEW, with a perfect record in the Continental Classic and a legitimate push from fans of the promotion to get some gold around his waist stat, there was a time when the “Realist” was really struggling to […]

When Shawn Michaels famously announced that he would happily take CM Punk as a member of his NXT roster, fans thought he was joking. Sure, of course, Punker would be a fantastic addition to WWE’s Tuesday night offering, as he’d likely help to elevate the weekly rating in a way that would help out both […]

In professional wrestling, be it AEW, WWE, NJPW, or otherwise, only so many performers get to be on top. Sure, winners come and go, and promotions make secondary belts and even brands to allow more performers to hold titles, but in a sport where shelflives end in the blink of an eye, if there are […]

When fans compare a wrestler to Shawn Michaels, it’s usually because they’re a dynamic, charismatic cruiserweight who can talk, wrestler, and play some Sweet Chin Music with a well-placed Superkick for good measure, too. But in John Cena’s opinion, that’s only part of what made HBK so darn special. Sitting down for an interview with […]