What would have happened to HBK?

**ttetf** · 02-12-2006, 12:41 PM

I just wanted to throw a question out to all of you. It�s been bugging me ever since the summer of 2002. What do you think would have become of Shawn Michaels had he not suffered a back injury in 1998? It�s safe to say that what everyone thought would be his �last� match with the WWF at Wrestlemania 14 took him out of the picture of the booming WWF Attitude era, a time when wrestling seemed to achieve mainstream popularity.

Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, DX � all became household names at that time.

Because of this, some of these guys went on to be the highest financial draws (during their place in time, mind you) in WWF/E history.

Now take it back to just before Wrestlemania 14 when this whole wrestling = really popular kicked off with Austin winning the title. At that point in the WWF, HBK, (whether you thought he was an absolute dick for doing to Hart what he did, or not) was hands down the best performer in the WWF. Now please don�t take that as he was the best in the business, but certainly the top in-ring performer in the WWF at that time. I believe that the matches he had with Owen Hart and the Undertaker in late 97� early 98� were untouchable classics. Also, his heel promos with DX were fresh and hilarious. Sure there was Austin and the fan momentum building behind him, but if he was going to be the #1 face, HBK was certainly set to be the #1 heel for the future.

Then Shawn lands wrong on a casket and the WWF champion and top performer is reduced to near crippled status. He manages one last match to ensure the belt gets to Austin the old fashioned way, and walks out the door just as the company he struggled with through the Monday Night Wars blasts off to become a billion dollar business.

Ever since that day, I�ve wondered what would have become of HBK had he not been injured. What kind of storylines would have been tossed his way throughout the Attitude era? Stay with DX? Don�t? Do you think he would have become as huge as Austin or the Rock or Foley? Would he have had the status to take an absence yet get huge pops whenever he did show up, rather than the confused garble of at least half the crowd not knowing his name when he did come back for good in 2002?

I�m a fan of HBK but more so of �the old� HBK, prior to his back injury. I definitely think he missed the boat in a lot of ways during his 4 year absence from the ring (only diehard HBK fans could give a shit about him being the commissioner and then the spokesperson)
What are your thoughts on this? Do you think he could have become a bigger name than he is today, or not? Do you think we would have seen more HBK/Austin, HBK/Foley, HBK/Undertaker matches? What about the possibility of a Rock/HBK match back then? What would they have done with the Showstopper?

02-12-2006, 12:41 PM	#1
ttetf Posts: 133	What would have happened to HBK? I just wanted to throw a question out to all of you. It�s been bugging me ever since the summer of 2002. What do you think would have become of Shawn Michaels had he not suffered a back injury in 1998? It�s safe to say that what everyone thought would be his �last� match with the WWF at Wrestlemania 14 took him out of the picture of the booming WWF Attitude era, a time when wrestling seemed to achieve mainstream popularity. Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, DX � all became household names at that time. Because of this, some of these guys went on to be the highest financial draws (during their place in time, mind you) in WWF/E history. Now take it back to just before Wrestlemania 14 when this whole wrestling = really popular kicked off with Austin winning the title. At that point in the WWF, HBK, (whether you thought he was an absolute dick for doing to Hart what he did, or not) was hands down the best performer in the WWF. Now please don�t take that as he was the best in the business, but certainly the top in-ring performer in the WWF at that time. I believe that the matches he had with Owen Hart and the Undertaker in late 97� early 98� were untouchable classics. Also, his heel promos with DX were fresh and hilarious. Sure there was Austin and the fan momentum building behind him, but if he was going to be the #1 face, HBK was certainly set to be the #1 heel for the future. Then Shawn lands wrong on a casket and the WWF champion and top performer is reduced to near crippled status. He manages one last match to ensure the belt gets to Austin the old fashioned way, and walks out the door just as the company he struggled with through the Monday Night Wars blasts off to become a billion dollar business. Ever since that day, I�ve wondered what would have become of HBK had he not been injured. What kind of storylines would have been tossed his way throughout the Attitude era? Stay with DX? Don�t? Do you think he would have become as huge as Austin or the Rock or Foley? Would he have had the status to take an absence yet get huge pops whenever he did show up, rather than the confused garble of at least half the crowd not knowing his name when he did come back for good in 2002? I�m a fan of HBK but more so of �the old� HBK, prior to his back injury. I definitely think he missed the boat in a lot of ways during his 4 year absence from the ring (only diehard HBK fans could give a shit about him being the commissioner and then the spokesperson) What are your thoughts on this? Do you think he could have become a bigger name than he is today, or not? Do you think we would have seen more HBK/Austin, HBK/Foley, HBK/Undertaker matches? What about the possibility of a Rock/HBK match back then? What would they have done with the Showstopper?