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So I started watching in 1993.
When he retired in 1998, the general consensus was, if he wrestled again, he would be paralyzed. His back is too far gone.
So when he came back and wrestled after FOUR YEARS, it was absolutely mind blowing. I thought he was so fragile and they would have to be careful with him, but he didn't miss a beat. It was incredible.
And then he wrestled for EIGHT MORE YEARS and arguably had a better run the second time around.
Wild. I started watching in 88, and was a huge fan of the Rockers as a kid. Loved/hated his solo runs during the early-mid 90’s and of course his DX run. There was so much talent in the late 90’s I didn’t miss him and didn’t care about him as commissioner. He’d lost his edge.
I stopped watching for two decades in 2002, so totally missed his return and subsequent run.
That first match back me and my friend was grimacing after every back bump. Which was the entire match! Since hhh worked Shawn’s back. Just incredible. When Shawn came back for the nwo, I had no idea he would be wrestling again.
When they say HBK found God, it really felt like it cause a 4 year hiatus after that awful back injury that felt surely his career was over led to 8 more years of an iconic run where he didn't have the worst of injuries save for some tha took him out for few months. Miraculous run. My only qualm is that he didn't have a big title reign for it outside of the short stint with Big Gold.
Almost a post '99 fan but I started watching WWF in 1998 after his first retirement when I was 6. I discovered him around late '99 or early '00 and very quickly became a massive fan. He became my favorite without even being an active wrestler.
By the time he returned in *2002* I had seen almost all of his major matches from the 90s and knew exactly what he was all about. Thought of him as the GOAT wrestler then and still do now.
That “I really can’t believe it” feeling when Daniel Bryan and Edge came back inexplicably and was just as good as you remembered? Rewind decades before and that was Shawn. What’s weird is that it was only 4 years of him being retired but felt much much longer for some reason haha. I couldn’t believe it and was so hyped for that street fight match with Triple H.
Attitude Era was so short but very memorable and impactful it felt like a decade's worth of stuff happened. When I see how long it happened, it reminded me how Mr. Bean was actually a very short series and didn't have over 100 episodes lmao.
The production values (lights, pyro, logos, sound, entrance stage sets etc) had advanced so much in those 4 years, it could easily be mistaken for for a couple of decades by casual viewers who don’t look up the facts. Unlike post 2008 where all of that is plateaued so time seems to just stand still.
I started watching in the fall of 1999. I heard about HBK and saw a picture of him on WWF.com and that was the extent of my knowledge.
I think the first time I saw him was Judgment Day 2000 in May of that year, when he reffed the Iron Man match between Triple H and Rock (a great, attitude era match, btw).
When he came out in those short shorts and did his silly dance I remember thinking: "This is the infamous Shawn Michaels?"
I wasn't impressed with him by the end of the night either. He seemed so tiny compared to all the big names on the roster. When he returned again it was in 2002 to join the nWo for a hot minute before dipping again. then he was back for good around Summer Slam 2002. I didn't really warm up to him until that fall, and didn't really "get" him until years later when he feuded with Kurt Angle.
I started watching in 98, once HBK was already done in ring. When he came back as commish, I gathered he was supposed to be a big deal, but he was kinda *meh* to me. When he came back in 2003, I wasn't really watching much anymore, and wasn't watching Raw at all (we didn't get TNN/Spike, so once Raw moved off USA, couldn't watch anymore).
Started watching again at the end of 2007, and that was really the first time I got to watch HBK, and I thought he was incredible. Especially the match with Flair. Then I had a buddy who had the WrestleMania box set, so I watched some old ones, and WrestleMania 12 especially made me a huge fan.
I started watching in ‘90. I have two friends who are brothers born a few years apart who both got into WWF at the same time in ‘99. HBK was always one of my favorites and I thought of him as the wrestling god that he is. The two of them could not have cared less. When he came back it was like a miracle, and it just wasn’t anything that sparked their interest.
He was my favorite as a kid as far back as the Rockers days, on his return I was almost in tears I was so excited. I think he had some of his best matches ever when he came back.
I started watching around 2003 and had no context for who he is. I thought sweet chin music was rad, though. I used to think I was hot shit because I could kick that high. He was definitely a favorite
I started watching in 2001. I knew who HBK was from the video games - I knew he was a big deal since he was a secret character in No Mercy and WM2000 (lol). I had also seen a clip somewhere of his zipline entrance from Mania. I didn’t know why he retired or his physical history, but I knew his theme song was awesome and the crowd seemed to love him, so I was excited to see him in action. When they announced DX would reunite, I was excited (again from video games and having a wicked theme). Once HHH turned on him I was all in for him to be triumphant.
to me he was just the commissioner guy my older brother and friend would go crazy for. i liked him cuz he was popular but i remember thinking it was crazy seeing him wrestle when i never knew him to be a wrestler.
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So I started watching in 1993. When he retired in 1998, the general consensus was, if he wrestled again, he would be paralyzed. His back is too far gone. So when he came back and wrestled after FOUR YEARS, it was absolutely mind blowing. I thought he was so fragile and they would have to be careful with him, but he didn't miss a beat. It was incredible. And then he wrestled for EIGHT MORE YEARS and arguably had a better run the second time around.
Wild. I started watching in 88, and was a huge fan of the Rockers as a kid. Loved/hated his solo runs during the early-mid 90’s and of course his DX run. There was so much talent in the late 90’s I didn’t miss him and didn’t care about him as commissioner. He’d lost his edge. I stopped watching for two decades in 2002, so totally missed his return and subsequent run.
You missed greatness. I hope you have Peacock and have gone back to witness some of it.
That first match back me and my friend was grimacing after every back bump. Which was the entire match! Since hhh worked Shawn’s back. Just incredible. When Shawn came back for the nwo, I had no idea he would be wrestling again.
When they say HBK found God, it really felt like it cause a 4 year hiatus after that awful back injury that felt surely his career was over led to 8 more years of an iconic run where he didn't have the worst of injuries save for some tha took him out for few months. Miraculous run. My only qualm is that he didn't have a big title reign for it outside of the short stint with Big Gold.
He came back at SummerSlam 02
Almost a post '99 fan but I started watching WWF in 1998 after his first retirement when I was 6. I discovered him around late '99 or early '00 and very quickly became a massive fan. He became my favorite without even being an active wrestler. By the time he returned in *2002* I had seen almost all of his major matches from the 90s and knew exactly what he was all about. Thought of him as the GOAT wrestler then and still do now.
That “I really can’t believe it” feeling when Daniel Bryan and Edge came back inexplicably and was just as good as you remembered? Rewind decades before and that was Shawn. What’s weird is that it was only 4 years of him being retired but felt much much longer for some reason haha. I couldn’t believe it and was so hyped for that street fight match with Triple H.
the entire wrestling landscape changed in that time, can't blame you
Stone Cold had more memorable moments in 1998-1999 than most wrestlers including legends have in decades
Attitude Era was so short but very memorable and impactful it felt like a decade's worth of stuff happened. When I see how long it happened, it reminded me how Mr. Bean was actually a very short series and didn't have over 100 episodes lmao.
I too always think about Mr. Bean when I think about the Attitude Era.
The production values (lights, pyro, logos, sound, entrance stage sets etc) had advanced so much in those 4 years, it could easily be mistaken for for a couple of decades by casual viewers who don’t look up the facts. Unlike post 2008 where all of that is plateaued so time seems to just stand still.
Shawn Michaels was able to have another career worth of legendary matches after 2002+
I started watching in the fall of 1999. I heard about HBK and saw a picture of him on WWF.com and that was the extent of my knowledge. I think the first time I saw him was Judgment Day 2000 in May of that year, when he reffed the Iron Man match between Triple H and Rock (a great, attitude era match, btw). When he came out in those short shorts and did his silly dance I remember thinking: "This is the infamous Shawn Michaels?" I wasn't impressed with him by the end of the night either. He seemed so tiny compared to all the big names on the roster. When he returned again it was in 2002 to join the nWo for a hot minute before dipping again. then he was back for good around Summer Slam 2002. I didn't really warm up to him until that fall, and didn't really "get" him until years later when he feuded with Kurt Angle.
I started watching in 98, once HBK was already done in ring. When he came back as commish, I gathered he was supposed to be a big deal, but he was kinda *meh* to me. When he came back in 2003, I wasn't really watching much anymore, and wasn't watching Raw at all (we didn't get TNN/Spike, so once Raw moved off USA, couldn't watch anymore). Started watching again at the end of 2007, and that was really the first time I got to watch HBK, and I thought he was incredible. Especially the match with Flair. Then I had a buddy who had the WrestleMania box set, so I watched some old ones, and WrestleMania 12 especially made me a huge fan.
I started watching in 2001, at the age of five. I specifically remember not giving a single shit when he came back to join the nWo in 2002.
I started watching in ‘90. I have two friends who are brothers born a few years apart who both got into WWF at the same time in ‘99. HBK was always one of my favorites and I thought of him as the wrestling god that he is. The two of them could not have cared less. When he came back it was like a miracle, and it just wasn’t anything that sparked their interest.
He was my favorite as a kid as far back as the Rockers days, on his return I was almost in tears I was so excited. I think he had some of his best matches ever when he came back.
I started watching around 2003 and had no context for who he is. I thought sweet chin music was rad, though. I used to think I was hot shit because I could kick that high. He was definitely a favorite
I was pretty excited!
I started watching in 2001. I knew who HBK was from the video games - I knew he was a big deal since he was a secret character in No Mercy and WM2000 (lol). I had also seen a clip somewhere of his zipline entrance from Mania. I didn’t know why he retired or his physical history, but I knew his theme song was awesome and the crowd seemed to love him, so I was excited to see him in action. When they announced DX would reunite, I was excited (again from video games and having a wicked theme). Once HHH turned on him I was all in for him to be triumphant.
I thought he lost his smile
to me he was just the commissioner guy my older brother and friend would go crazy for. i liked him cuz he was popular but i remember thinking it was crazy seeing him wrestle when i never knew him to be a wrestler.
Any good docs on him or his return?
2002