What if Shawn Michaels never broke his back?
 

When Shawn Michaels hit the casket at Royal Rumble 1998, it pretty much sealed the first part of his carrer's fate, allowing him to take several years off and return to what was arguably the better part of his career.

However, what if it never happened, and he went over the casket, or landed flat-back on it? Would he have continued wrestling? Would he still have taken time off? Would he have been a bigger part of the Attitude Era? Would the second half of his career ever have happened?

There are many possibilities, so let's discuss them.

He'd be dead from drugs and would have been te frat high profile victim. He would have had his breakdown earlier but gone to WCW when let go and continued getting high.

I dont think hed be alive. That brilliant second half of his career would have never happened for sure.

The only thing we know for sure is that we would not be discussing it :)

He would have never lost his smile, he would have never found Jesus, so he would most likely die from all the coke he was snorting.

He would be a washed up has-been in a few years, still refusing to put certain guys over, high on drugs most of the time and maybe buggered off to WCW and raise havoc over there.

We would have gotten to see HBK vs. The Rock

Not if you believe the rumours about Rock despising Shawn. Oh, and this post from Rob.

Now, I do predict James may see this and feel the need to say something. To counter any argument about 'that quote's bullshit', I don't know if it's true, I don't know if it's false but either way, I don't care if that's fact or fiction. I would have liked to see Rock and HBK go one on one, however it's not going to happen with Shawn being retired and Rock having interests outside of wrestling and I hope we can agree that's a damn shame.

He probably would have reached the status Undertaker enjoys with the fans loving him due to either his long career with the WWE or his quality matches/feuds. Vince might also have rewarded HBK the same he does for Undertaker's loyalty and help with the annual break and title reign.

It is also possible that Triple H either never would have risen to the top as quickly as he did or at least postpone it for another few years since he started to take off once he led DX and eventually the Rock-HHH feud.

Austin probably wouldn't have won the belt at Wrestlemania 14

I'll doubt that, Austin was ready to become the megastar in the company at the time. But HBK woulda been amazing as heel working with vince against austin.

Austin was more than likely booked to win at Wm14 before HBK got hurt.

SN Before I Start: Shawn was never scheduled to drop the belt to Sid, he was suppose to drop it to Bret at WM 13.

I think about this quite often, and what always comes to mind is Stone Cold Steve Austin. I've always wondered how HBK would re-invent himself and DX. DX would of been HBK, HHH, Syxx, & NAO. I also believe that he would of either held HHH back, or HHH wouldn't of been able to avoid HBK's shadow, but either way a fall out among friends would of happened. Thus this causing HBK to once again be a loner, because I don't think HHH was as big of a dick as HBK was. I think HBK would of been great for the Austin & the Austin Era, horrible for DX due to the turmoil backstage between him and HHH causing a write off of the group, so NAO would never of been as popular as they ended up becoming. In my opinion, Shawn would of def been the leader of The Corporation, with The Rock playing second fiddle, but not for long because The Rock would of out shined him causing the writers to break them up. (I.E. Randy Orton & Evolution)

Before this gets out of control, because this is one of those topics that should def be brought up in real life, this would be great discussion with hours of dialogue. I believe the only wrestler that would of been drastically different from where they ended up without HBK being around, as far as their push or popularity is concerned would of been HHH, Chyna, the NAO, and maybe even Mick Foley. Austin & Rock were run away trains with no tracks at the end, it would of been IMPOSSIBLE to stop them.

The good that would of came out of it would of been a LONGER HBK & UT feud with both men in their PRIME, the conclusion of Austin & HBK, HBK vs HHH, Mick Foley vs HBK repeat of Mind Games, and of course The Rock vs HBK.

If that happened...he'd still be a Hall of Famer, but he wouldn't be as loved by most people. Wouldn't be first ballot either. I agree with anyone who said without the time off, he'd be in shambles, maybe even dead.