Customer Reviews

WWE: Shawn Michaels - My Journey

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Shawn Michaels is one of the most charismatic and talented athletes in the history of entertainment. For more than 20 years he has wowed crowds, earning accolades, championships and numerous monikers, including "The Icon," "The Main Event," and "Mr. WrestleMania." Now, for the first time ever, Shawn Michaels sits down and in an intimate interview retraces his early days in Texas through his Rocker tag-team partnership in AWA and WWE through his multiple reigns as WWE Champion. Shawn Michaels: My Journey offers surprising insights and absolute candor as he relives the highs and lows of his historic career. Over 20 amazing matches from the 80s, 90s and 2000s --most available on DVD for the very first time--demonstrate why Shawn Michaels is truly "The Showstopper."

A Boy in a Man's World

Shawn Michaels vs. One Man Gang
World Class Championship Wrestling January 11, 1985

Our Big Event

Midnight Rockers vs. `Playboy' Buddy Rose / `Pretty Boy' Doug Summers
AWA WrestleRock April 20, 1986

Rockin' All Night

AWA World Tag Team Championship
Midnight Rockers vs. Nasty Boys
AWA Championship Wrestling March 5, 1988

"They Wanted Us"

Rockers vs. Brain Busters
Boston Garden March 18, 1989

Tag Team Success

Rockers vs. Hart Foundation
Madison Square Garden November 25, 1989

Going Solo

Intercontinental Championship
Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart
Ottawa, Ontario June 2, 1992
Alternate Commentary: Michael Cole / Shawn Michaels

Always Having Fun with Davey

Shawn Michaels vs. British Bulldog
RAW March 6, 1995

Contrasting Styles

Intercontinental Championship
Shawn Michaels vs. Sid Vicious
RAW September 11, 1995

High Flyers

Shawn Michaels vs. 1-2-3 Kid
RAW March 4, 1996

The Champion

Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind
RAW August 11, 1997

D-Generation X

WWE European Championship
British Bulldog vs. Shawn Michaels
One Night Only September 20, 1997

This Is Going To Be Art

Casket Match for the WWE Championship
Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker
Royal Rumble January 18, 1998

Ups & Downs

Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho
WrestleMania XIX March 30, 2003

My Friend

Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair
Bad Blood June 15, 2003
Alternate Commentary: Michael Cole / Shawn Michaels

High Expectations

Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle
WrestleMania 21 April 3, 2005

Montreal & The Hulkster

Shawn Michaels Promo in Montreal on Hulk Hogan
RAW August 15, 2005

Tribute to the Troops

Boot Camp Match
Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H
RAW December 19, 2005
Alternate Commentary: Michael Cole / Shawn Michaels

The Veteran

Fatal 4-Way Match for the WWE Championship
John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Edge vs. Randy Orton
Backlash April 29, 2007

Legend Killer

WWE Championship Match
Shawn Michaels vs. Randy Orton
Survivor Series November 18, 2007

The Family Man

Unsanctioned Match
Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho
Unforgiven September 7, 2008

Mr. WrestleMania

Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania 25 April 5, 2009

Mr. WrestleMania

Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania 25 April 5, 2009

This match ALONE is more than enough to buy this DVD. I rented the Wrestlemania Pay-per-view just to see it and that was about $50 so I am more than willing to buy this for about $20-30.

It has everything a great match needs and it is a long match but it keep your interest the whole time.

This match was way better than the main event that night.

BUY IT!

SHAWN MICHAELS
MY JOURNEY

I hate what went down at Wrestlemania this year with my favorite wrestler of all time Shawn Michaels being retired. Seriously leaving and not apart of a storyline I could not believe it, I wanted Taker's streak to end so bad. Although I must say that I was thrilled earlier when Bret Hart demolished Vince. The next night on RAW was crazy with Shawn giving his farewell speech, I can't believe it. So of course with this new release I had to review it and relive some of the greatest moments in Shawn's career. Now I know some people are going to look at this and say "5 star matches every time?", but to me especially now they all are. Shawn is the greatest of all time and it is sad to see his career come to an end.

I love how this DVD was put together. The interview segments were brilliant and well done. With most WWE DVD's like this it is just someone hosting it and giving an intro to each match. This time around they actually had a very entertaining sit down interview with Shawn. And unlike a lot of times on these he was not in character. He gave his true feelings and insights into the matches and moments from his career. Excellent format that I hope they continue to do.

1.HBK VS ONE MAN GANG-this is a really fun one right here that is short, but it is sweet. Shawn is basically in a squash match, literally. Shawn [spelled as Sean for this match] you could tell had a great time in this, fun match.5/5

2.MIDNIGHT ROCKERS VS BUDDY ROSE & DOUG SOMERS-this is one of the matches between these two, classic feud that went back and forth. The action is good in this one thanks to the Rockers, their double team tactics were great. The psychology of this match is great, some funny stuff in this one. Sadly the Rockers loose some how, but it is still fun.5/5

3.[AWA TAG TITLES] MIDNIGHT ROCKERS VS THE NASTY BOYS-this one was very back and forth which is something you may not expect from The Nasty Boys. But this was a very good match between the two with the Nasties of course doing everything they could to win. The Rockers proved to be to much with their double team onslaught, excellent match.5/5

4.ROCKERS VS THE BRAINBUSTERS-this one is very much one of the best matches on the entire set. The Rockers actually dominate a lot of this match taking it to the veterans. Still The Brainbusters [half the Horsemen] lay into these two every chance they get. It is a great technical match up with The Rockers coming out on top via DQ.5/5

5.ROCKERS VS HART FOUNDATION-much like the last match this one is two of the greatest teams in wrestling history going up against each other. Excellent match pitting technique and power against tandem double teams and quickness. Bret and Shawn of course are against each other in this but this was before the legendary beef. Great match that I deem another classic.5/5

6.[I-C TITLE] HBK VS BRET HART-the early battle between these two would continue but in singles action this time. Bret was the I-C champ and Shawn wanted it, this was a fast paced match. There was reversal after reversal with both guys showing their speed and athleticism. A lot of high impact moves mixed with some technical stuff and you have this classic, The Hitman walks away with the title still around his waist.5/5

7.HBK VS BRITISH BULLDOG-this one right here is a rare match from RAW in 95 right before Shawn was going to face Kevin Nash at Wrestlemania. Shawn was the heel then and Bulldog [RIP] was the baby face. This is another excellent match with a lot of back and forth action, I miss those days. HBK of course takes it after some sweet chin music. Also this is when Sid was with Shawn as his body guard.5/5

8.[I-C TITLE] HBK VS SID VICIOUS-this was after Sid turned on Shawn after Wrestlemania and HBK had became the I-C champ. Shawn was always the best at wrestling Sid because he brought good matches out of him. Sid is a huge guy that really needed some one like Shawn in there with him. The match is great with HBK once again beating a giant.5/5

9.HBK VS 123 KID-this match was between two real friends, although not in the story line. Two of the greatest athletes in pro wrestling history put on one of the best shows in RAW history. Excellent back and forth action with each hitting all kinds of high spots. But of course it is the greatest of all time Shawn Michaels who walks away with the victory.5/5

DISC 2

1.HBK VS MANKIND-extremely happy this match is on the set because the RAW matches are harder to come across. This is one of the best matches in the history of RAW, definitely one of the most entertaining. This was right before DX really took off with HHH, Chyna, and the late Rick Rude all making their way down to the ring. Every time Shawn faced Mankind he went a little more hardcore and aggressive. A lot of great action including HBK dropping a great elbow on Mick while he was on the announcers table. Excellent match and one of my favorites on the set.5/5

2.[EUROPEAN TITLE] HBK VS BRITISH BULLDOG- This is the legendary night that Shawn won the European title from Bulldog and the DX era really kicked into high gear. This match is full of non stop action with Bulldog pressing and slamming Michaels all over the place. HBK resorts to some quicker moves and stays a little more light on the feet, but Bulldog stays on him. After a while Rick Rude, Triple H, and Chyna make their way down to ring side, once there they interfere. It is this interference that leads to the shocking changing of the title to HBK beating Bulldog in his home town. There are some really iconic shots of DX after the match that live on in various highlight reels. The Hart Foundation make their way out after the match to save Bulldog, but my question is where were they during the match when DX was interfering.5/5

3.[WWE TITLE] CASKET MATCH - HBK VS UNDERTAKER-man I can remember this match like it was yesterday especially because it is the match that almost ended HBK's career. During this match he is back body dropped onto the casket and hurt his back. After Mania that year he was gone for four years, almost never coming back. Great match although every heel at the time basically comes out to help Shawn. Still HBK and Taker always had classic matches. Still HBK pulls it out and forces Taker to loose his second casket match at the Royal Rumble [remember 1994], also love the burning casket at the end.5/5

4.HBK VS CHRIS JERICHO- some people have said that this match is overrated while others have said it was a classic, I tend to agree with the latter. I remember watching this and thinking man this feels like Wrestlemania, this one felt like a big time match. For any one who watches these knows that Wrestlemania is the one event where even the under card feels like big time matches, not every time but they are supposed to. This match is great and has a lot of near falls as both these superstars go at it, their story line going into this was great and it showed in the pay off. Their styles in this match were similar but it made for a very interesting story and some classic moments. Both deliver a lot of punishment threw out the match that seems like it could end it, I thought Jericho had it at one point. But luckily HBK pulls it off in a way I have to admit I did not see ending this match, classic.5/5

5.HBK VS RIC FLAIR-two of the greatest ever go at it in this one as HBK takes on the man he wanted to be when he was young. This is with out a doubt a classic because of the level of psychology in this match. The way they both go off each other in this match with the back and forth showing each other up. Excellent match that has a great alternate commentary with Shawn and Michael Cole, love the ending even though Shawn gets screwed by Randy Orton. The alternate commentary with Shawn and Cole is great because you get to hear the behind the scenes with HBK and Ric.5/5

6.HBK VS KURT ANGLE-absolutely one of the greatest matches in not only Wrestlemania history, WWE history, but one of the best ever in the wrestling business. The magic that these two created in that ring that night was amazing, I still get goose bumps watching it. The back and forth action and near falls add to the excitement and the ending is absolutely great. Kurt may have officially one this match but in the fans mind no body lost. I wish they would have left in the standing ovation that both got, and the one Shawn got after Kurt left the ring.5/5

DISC 3

1.[BOOT CAMP MATCH] HBK VS TRIPLE H-any time the superstars go to wrestle for the troops over seas I can give nothing but respect. I remember watching this live of course and thinking man what a great thing to do for all those soldiers. Shawn and HHH tear it down on this one and the troops love it, this was a great main event from that show. Great match for a great cause, entertaining our troops, and of course HBK comes out on top. This one also features the alternate commentary with HBK and Cole and of course is great to hear.5/5

2.[FATAL FOUR WAY] {WWE TITLE} HBK VS JOHN CENA VS EDGE VS RANDY ORTON-this is absolutely one of the most fun matches on the set because these guys put on a great show for the fans. There is a lot of great action from all guys during this match and all four are some of the best ever. Shawn of course is the best ever and it is Shawn that ends this match, I love the ending of this match even though HBK does not get the title. The end of this match is one of the most fun endings ever.5/5

3.[WWE TITLE] HBK VS RANDY ORTON-another great match in which two of the previous four go at it with some rules in place. In this match Shawn could not use his super kick but if Randy got disqualified he lost the title. A lot of good action in this one but one hesitation from HBK leads to his downfall.5/5

4.[UNSANCTIONED MATCH] HBK VS CHRIS JERICHO-another very entertaining match with Shawn getting a little more aggressive. There is a lot of high impact spots in this one including going threw a table. There is even a fire extinguisher that is used by Shawn as he goes all out on Y2J.the end of this one is perfect story telling and Shawn pulls it off nicely, excellent addition to the set.5/5

5.HBK VS UNDERTAKER-of course any one who watches wrestling can tell you that this is possibly the greatest match in the history of Mania. It is also one of the greatest matches period, and that means of all time. I remember watching this one live and thinking man these guys are stealing the show. I was super tense, excited, and basically in awe of the performance these two put forth. They told an excellent story in the ring that night and the psychology was brilliant. The action was amazing and it looked like Taker almost killed himself at one point. Excellent match that is one of the all time greats, classic.5/5

So there you have an excellent look back at the greatest superstar in wrestling history, my favorite of all time Shawn Michaels. You know what else is great about this, my mom got to meet him one time. As you may or may not know I lost my mother recently but back 1999 or 2000 she got to meet him and shake his hand at a Wal-Mart in San Antonio Texas. When she saw him she asked if he was Shawn and of course he was, and being the excellent person she was she talked to him and shook his hand. The thing about it is she knew he was my favorite and could not wait to through it in my face. Of course I was jealous and she loved it, so did I. Miss you mama

3 Disc Widescreen Edition DVD Set (2009, Released 2010)

This DVD set has three discs and an approximate running time of 9 hours. Shawn Michaels' previous DVD Set, "Heartbreak and Triumph" really explored the timeline of his career from the early days up to 2007 with a deep foray into his less admirable habits and his fight back to a better place. Instead of the documentary format from that set, this one jumps into the other format of match-interview-match-interview, etc.

The difference here from sets like "Edge: A Decade of Decadence" is that like Triple H's set in this format, it is not done in character necessarily and the interview is Michael Cole in shot asking in depth questions. Michaels' answers are not edited down for time so they are completely honest with pauses and no time limits so the candidness can come off genuine.

Certain areas of Michaels' life have been covered thoroughly in the other sets so what is refreshing about this set is that it doesn't have to go in depth rehashing old material and goes a little further with other subjects. He does talk about his relationship with Triple H and working with Bret Hart and the British Bulldog as well as his old tag team partner, Marty Genetti.

For instance, Michaels talks about what it was like to work with Hulk Hogan and is not afraid to call him out for how he wanted to do business and Hogan's lack of participation in promos and the way he reacted to it after the fact. Another subject that was surprising was Michaels' respect for Kurt Angle and how Angle motivated him to train harder to put together a different type of challenging match that played more to Angle's strengths in traditional mat wrestling. The match between Angle and Michaels at WrestleMania 21 is one of the best in this set.

Although the Shawn Michaels vs Ric Flair match from WrestleMania 24 is not in this set (It IS on the Ric Flair DVD Set which I will eventually review as I have it on hand here), they do have a match of the two competing at Bad Blood in 2003. Leading up to the match, they do discuss the lead up to WrestleMania 24 and Flair's emotional state at the time and how difficult it was for him to make that journey and how many tears Ric shed before that day.

Another man Michaels talks about is The Undertaker and how although they've both been in the business for close to the same amount of time that they have never really been friends that hung out but they have a mutual respect and appreciate the way each of them does business so that whenever they are in the ring together, they can just make "art." The last match on the DVD is the match against Undertaker from the 25th anniversary of WrestleMania last year that won a Slammy award for Match of the Year.

Some of the other great matches on this set are the Fatal Four-way from 2007 at Backlash that I remember seeing where Michaels used "sweet chin music" against Cena who fell on one of the others and it was counted as a pin for Cena. The match against Randy Orton in 2007 with the "no super kick" stipulation allowed for a more creative match with more submission holds than Shawn Michaels would normally use and Randy Orton is always an engaging performer to watch with his viper pumping up moves and stomping.

Shawn Michaels has had good instincts when it comes to the business of the WWE and really knows how to push the buttons of the people to get a reaction, particularly in his years as a heel. One example would be the ganging up on Davy Boy the British Bulldog at a show in England for the European Championship where Triple H and Chyna joined him to swing the match in his favor with interference since he knew that would have a huge impact on the people there since they loved Davy Boy so much. It worked to the tune of fans actually throwing things at them in the ring and a strong negative reaction can be just as good as a positive one as long as you get a reaction. His instincts served him well again when he let loose on Hulk Hogan at a promo IN Montreal and was the first to bring up the Montreal Screw-job because no one likes to bring up that event more than the WWE itself because of the controversy and emotional feedback it gets even if it no longer feels as bitter to the fans.

The Slammy Awards are a relatively new event to the WWE, but I have a feeling if his career had continued, Michaels could have won a Slammy every year for his work at WrestleMania. Michaels is an emotional performer as well as a talented high-flyer. No one can take a hit like Michaels and let the entire audience feel the impact. His spirit and defiance has inspired so many wrestlers and one can hope his body of work will continue to do that in years to come.

By now, everyone knows that the career ending match at WrestleMania 26 did not end in Michaels favor but the way it wasn't built up to as much as Ric Flair's and the fact that no one came out at the end of his farewell except for Hunter (my husband said that if the Big Show didn't cry, it wasn't real) makes it a little suspicious that while Michaels may not wrestle again, I think it could be very possible that he return in a different capacity such as General Manager for one of the shows or another administrative position. It is difficult to imagine him leaving the business completely but I think he has enough respect for it not to return to wrestling after the send off by the fans like Ric Flair did on another network (Sorry, but that was such a slap in the face to hear Ric Flair came out of retirement somewhere else after all the fanfare, farewells, and ceremony to his retirement in the WWE. It could NOT have been better or more emotional and those fans have to feel cheated.).

The ending of the DVD set asks what is next for Shawn Michaels and he speaks earnestly about wanting to spend more time with his kids and anyone who managed to finish getting through the 9 hours of content before WrestleMania would have already known the outcome of the match by his attitude. It is a little sad and bittersweet but also nice because he talks about wanting to go out on his own terms and Michael Cole asks what he wants his grandchildren to remember about Shawn Michaels and he answers as best as he can. No longer seeing Shawn Michaels in the ring is a little emotional but he does indicate he may continue to work with the business who did so much for him for so many years.

Matches:

Shawn Michaels vs One Man Gang - WCCW 1985
Midnight Rockers vs Buddy Rose & Doug Somers - Wrestlerock 1986
Midnight Rockers vs Nasty Boys - AWA 1988
Rockers vs Brain Busters - Boston Garden 1989
Rockers vs The Hart Foundation - Madison Square Garden 1989
Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart - Intercontinental Championship 1992
Shawn Michaels vs British Bulldog - RAW 1995
Shawn Michaels vs Sid Vicious - Intercontinental Championship at Raw 1995
Shawn Michaels vs 1-2-3 Kid - RAW 1996 (Who IS this guy???)
Shawn Michaels vs Mankind - RAW 1997
Shawn Michaels vs British Bulldog - European Championship at One Night Only 1997
Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker - Casket Match for WWE Championship at Royal Rumble 1998
Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho - WrestleMania XIX
Shawn Michaels vs Ric Flair - Bad Blood 2003
Shawn Michaels vs Kurt Angle - WrestleMania 2005
Shawn Michaels vs Triple H - Bootcamp Match at Raw 2005
Shawn Michaels vs John Cena vs Edge vs Randy Orton - Fatal 4-Way Match for WWE Championship at Backlash 2007
Shawn Michaels vs Randy Orton - WWE Championship at Survivor Series 2007
Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho - Unsanctioned Match at Unforgiven 2008
Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker - WrestleMania 25

Extras:

The one interesting feature added on to this set is that while it flows from interview to match to interview to match and there are no additional features to click on, there is an option for alternative commentary on one match on each disc with Shawn Michaels and Michael Cole. So for three matches, you can hear a little more background about what was going on at the time and how the matched played out from Michaels' perspective.

I knew I was buying a more match oriented DVD collection, but I was still hoping of getting a better insight into his career and in certain matches. I found out I was right that the Shawn Michaels Heartbreak and triumph DVD set is a much better DVD for those who really watched his entire career and saw him evolve. This dvd set has matches that were never put on dvd but you will only watch it once and put it aside.

Normally with these superstar profile DVD sets, I'll try to do an introduction to the superstar or subject but quite frankly...there's nothing I can say to give the career of Shawn Michaels the justice it deserves but it took around 3 different DVD sets (6 if you want to get technical with the VHS to DVD re-releases along with the DX sets) to get it down. This DVD anthology is setup like the previous sets of Triple H & Steve Austin where the only person you'll hear from is the profiled wrestler himself, which is Shawn in this case (with Michael Cole interviewing him), while also watching a series of his high profile bouts along with some rare & forgotten ones. Some of subjects you'll hear Shawn talk about inbetween matches include his early career in World Class & AWA, who intimidated him when he first game to WWE, analyzing the tag team division during his time as part of the Rockers, how he felt he was able to have good matches with anyone, how he didn't like the "Boyhood Dream" story behind his first title reign, what memories made him say "I'm sorry" to Michael Cole, the blowup he had at the WrestleMania XIV press conference, his relationships with certain wrestlers, the one person that made him go "I'm going to have to train harder than I usually do", his relationship with the fans in Canada, and his personal life such as his children.

Matches Include:
vs. One Man Gang - One of Shawn's early matches but nothing more than him playing the "jobber" as One Man Gang squashed him.
"World Class Championship Wrestling" Jan. '85

Midnight Rockers vs. Buddy Rose & Doug Summers - This was the most famous (or infamous) feud that Shawn & Marty Jannetty had in the AWA against Buddy Rose & Doug Sommers with Sherri Martel. The match began with Buddy Rose trying to upstage the Rockers showcasing his athletic ability only to have a funny conclusion. They've always had a good series of competitive matches (to the point where this is the fourth one released to DVD) & this is no exception with the action getting really out of control afterwards.
AWA WrestleRock'86

AWA Tag Team Champions Midnight Rockers vs. Nasty Boys - As Shawn pointed out in the interview before this match, these teams traveled & partied together for around a year so they had good chemistry together which showed in this match. Both teams went back & forth and worked well together in a good match that goes against the Nasty Boys reputation of being more brawlers than actual inring wrestlers.
"AWA Championship Wrestling" Mar. '88

Rockers vs. Brain Busters - The Rockers dominated early in the match as they kept getting the best of the former Horsemen with both former Horsemen tasting the turnbuckle & victims of double figure four leglocks that Arn & Tully started to lose paitence with each other. They were able to recover & kept Jannetty in their half of the ring to work over him for a very long time until he was able to make the hot tag to Shawn leading to victory. The Rockers & Busters rarely have a bad match & this was no exception.
"Boston Garden" Mar. '89

Rockers vs. Hart Foundation - Both teams where babyfaces here so the crowd was split between both teams. Rockers got the early advantage by using their speed before the Harts were able to recover & work for Shawn for a long time. This was a very athletic & heavily competitive match as each team had so many close near falls & got more aggressive as time went on to the point where the result didn't solve anything & had to have wrestlers come from the back to seperate both teams.
"MSG" Nov. '89

vs. WWE Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart - Unfortunally the DVD I rent this from had a defect here to the point where I wasn't able to watch this match but you can't miss with a Shawn vs. Bret match.
June '92

vs. British Bulldog - Bulldog was out for redemption after losing the Royal Rumble to Shawn due to a technically of only one of Shawn's feet touching the floor but Shawn came with backup in his new bodyguard at this time, Sid. Bulldog dominated early in the match showcasing his power by launching Shawn out of the ring various times. Shawn was able to regain control & attempted to work over Davey's arm with a short arm sissors only for Bulldog to power out of it before Bulldog ended up hurting his knee on the outside. Sid did get involved various times including catching Shawn after Bulldog backdropped him over the top rope but overall, a good competitive match.
"RAW" Mar. '95

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match vs. Sid - Little known fact but this was actually the first RAW main event of the "Monday Night War" against WCW's Monday Nitro. Shawn was out for revenge for what happened the night after WrestleMania XI when Sid turned on him & took him out of action for weeks while Sid was a member of Ted Dibiase's "Million $ Corporation" at this time as well. This was an entertaining match as Shawn got more out of Sid than normal at this stage in his career with Shawn using his speed against Sid's power.
"RAW" Sept. '95

vs. 1-2-3 Kid - This was a rare occurance as the Kid was one of the few people that was smaller than Shawn which ment he could match his speed & agility but also ment that Shawn had a rare strength advantage which he showed early only with a press slam. Kid attempted to work over Shawn's head with headlocks & his various martial arts kicks before Shawn turned it up with his arial offense of a moonsault & elbow drop resutling in a very competitive match.
"RAW" Mar. '96

vs. Mankind - This was the rematch from the "Mind Games" PPV a year earlier and you knew that this match was going to be just as out of control as that one when Mankind came to the ring with a trash can. This was very physical to the point where Mankind's mask came off before Triple H & Chyna appeared at ringside along with the return of Rick Rude who nailed Foley with a chair helping Shawn gain the victory. This match was the beginning of the formation of what we now know as D-Generation X.
"RAW" Aug. '97
[D-Generation X]

vs. WWE European Champion British Bulldog - British Bulldog was out to defend the championship that represents his home continent, with his sister (who he dedicated the match to) & his wife Diana Hart at ringside, against the man out to become the first man to ever be a "Grand Slam" champion by holding all of the active WWF championships at that time. Bulldog was clearly the favorite while HBK had a mixed reaction here. This was a great match here with Bulldog using his power against Shawn's quickness. However, the bigger issue here was the appearence of Hunter & Chyna along with the "insurance policy" of Ravishing Rick Rude all getting involved in the match here & taking advantage of a match changing misstep by Bulldog. The ending along with the inring aftermath involving the Hart family that caused an almost riot-like atmosphere with the fans that saw tons of trash fill the ringside area as Shawn Michaels became the new European Champion in his usual controversal ways at that time.
One Night Only '97
[Bonus Match On "WWE Rebellion '02"]

WWE Championship/Casket Match vs. Undertaker - This started out with Undertaker being very dominate as Shawn kept trying to create distance & at times just avoid Taker before using powder & the ringside steps (including a piledriver ontop of them) to get the advantage in his favor including Hunter & Chyna getting involved at ringside. Both men delievered some unbelievable moves involving the casket such as Shawn doing an elbow drop to the inside while Taker gave Shawn a tombstone into the casket & also the infamous backdrop over the top rope onto the floor which Shawn's back hitting the casket on way down which eventually ended his career for years. These two have never had a bad match against each other & this is no exception but it should be noted that everything that happened after the match involving Kane & Paul Bearer isn't shown.
Royal Rumble '98
[D-Generation X]

vs. Chris Jericho - Shawn's WrestleMania return here didn't start off well as two of this pyro guns didn't go off & were duds. Both men exchanged wrestling early on with headlocks & armlocks Shawn attempted to work over Jericho's leg with moves like a figure four while Jericho worked over his back with various moves like a vertical suplex, the Walls Of Jericho on the outside, and ramming Shawn's back into the ringpost twice. Jerry Lawler made the comment that "both men are so similar that it's almost like wrestling yourself" which we saw apply to Jericho various times such as using Shawn's trademark moves like his flying forearm & Sweet Chin Music while Shawn pulled out some tricks of his own like the countering a suplex into a crossbody. This was definately a quality match fitting of Shawn's reputation of "Mr. WrestleMania."
WrestleMania XIX

vs. Ric Flair - This was the match between both men that happened 5 years before their more famous encouter at WrestleMania XXIV. This began with Shawn showing no intimidation towards Flair by slapping his face numerous times. Flair worked over Shawn's legs & even applied the figure four early on with Shawn later returning the favor & using the figure four against Ric. Shawn got aggressive & brought out a table to execute a crossbody splash onto Flair through the table. Fellow Evolution member Randy Orton did get involved here various times while Flair nailed Shawn with such a lowblow that it got the referee behind Shawn as well. This didn't match the quality we would later get at WrestleMania XXIV but this was definately a good match.
Bad Blood '03

vs. Kurt Angle - This was one of the most highly anticipated dream matches in history at that time. Shawn started this off with a slap in the face to Angle causing Kurt to get real aggressive with his amature wrestling doing various takedowns & riding however Shawn showed a few amature tricks of his own & even outwrestled Kurt. Kurt started to work over Shawn's back with an Angle Slam into the ringpost & many belly to belly suplexes including one attempt to do a german suplex off the ring apron onto the floor. Shawn had to resort to "desperate meastures" to prevent that before performing his own crossbody dive onto Angle on an announcetable. The matches got more aggressive & intense as it went on as Shawn was able to counter the anklelock various times while Angle delievered another Angle Slam off the top rope as both men came very close with the nearfalls & a very dramatic ending. A modern day classic encounter, period.
WrestleMania 21

Shawn Michaels Promo in Montreal on Hulk Hogan - This was the rare time since Shawn's return in 2002 that he played a heel here & had tons of fun at the expense of the Canadian audience playing off audiences hatred for the Montreal Screwjob and their love for Bret Hart & Hulk Hogan. An awesome promo during the period of Shawn's career where you didn't think he could go there anymore.
"RAW" Aug. '05

Boot Camp Match vs. Triple H - A rare match here that was really a glorified "No Holds Barred" match. Shawn outwrestled Triple H early before the match spilled onto the outside with various weapons coming into play like a sandbag, gascan, & a wet mop (you read that right). Along with a comedic moment involving the referee, this wasn't the high "classic" quality that you would normally get from this but this match was more entertaining than that & was fun to watch.
"RAW" Dec. '05

vs. WWE Champion John Cena vs. Edge vs. Randy Orton - This four way match wasn't a big cluster like most of these type of matches are and everyone was able to leave still looking somewhat strong. Each man had a chance to get certain highlight spots in like HBK's moonsault at the beginning of the match and each man attempting their finishers in the end cancelling one or another out of the match with the story of Shawn Michaels once again having the title slip though his fingers.
Backlash '07

vs. WWE Champion Randy Orton - If Orton got disqualifed, he would lose the title but if HBK uses "sweet chin music" then he'll lose the match & never get another title shot. This match basically revolved around HBK trying other manuevers to beat Orton since he couldn't use the superkick & had to stop himself from using it various times. The real highlights were the submission moves HBK pulled out like the sharpshooter, the anklelock and THE CRIPPLER CROSSFACE! The match itself was solid like their previous match at Cyber Sunday.
Survivor Series '07

Unsanctioned Match vs. Chris Jericho - Unlike most "grudge" matches I've seen, this one actually played out the fact that both men hated each other instead of two guys wrestling like they would a normal match. The match started out as a brawl with HBK using his boot in the opening moments & HBK heavily put over that he was out to hurt Jericho various times like stopping in the middle of "Sweet Chin Music" just to hurt him more. Lance Cade eventually made an appearence & helped work over HBK's injured elbow before HBK recoved and beat Jericho with his belt & fist until the match was stopped because Y2J couldn't continue. This match wasn't as "high impact" as the unsanctioned match between HBK & HHH 6 years ago but it was still intense to watch & was better than their last match at the "Bash" but didn't top the Judgment Day match. Various spots to look out for will be HBK's creative way of escaping the Walls Of Jericho, HBK's elbow on both Cade & Jericho through the announce table, and the aftermatch involving the referee.
Unforgiven '08

vs. Undertaker - This is one of those matches that I can try to describe & review but the words wouldn't do it justice. This match had everything (including the enique "Heaven & Hell" entrances) on a physical & emotional level of both men refusing to lose to the point where this was the cloest anyone had ever come to breaking the streak to the point where you saw the most emotion from Undertaker since his "Deadman" character returned 5 years ago & Shawn was even so desperate at one point, he was hoping for a win via countout. Instant classic here & quite frankly, this was the match that saved this show, should have ended it since nobody was going to be able to top it, and makes the DVD worth buying alone.
WrestleMania 25

In this end, this was a great match anthology of Shawn's career while also getting to know the performer of Shawn Michaels & some elements of the man Michael Shawn Hickenbottom & I really don't have anything negative to say here so this is definately one to add to the collection.

I bought this Shawn Michaels movie for my husband for Christmas; he has been a fan for years. I watched this movie with him and I must admit it is the best movie about Shawn Michaels I have seen. If you are an HBK fan, I highly recommend this movie!

One of the best WWE journeys and matches I have seen in a long time on the WWE. The matches were better than what's on WWE today.

Awesome DVD set! That's all I can say is awesome. I loved this set from start to finish. The set features Shawn in a sit down interview with Michael Cole in between the matches where he talks about a subject and then we see a match or two and then it goes back to Shawn. This was the first one of its kind and was pretty good. Most of the complaints I hear about this part of the set is that Shawn is speaking pretty low and is almost incoherent at times. Still, just turn your TV up and enjoy the DVD set. The matches are very good as well. The first one is Shawn against One Man Gang in WCCW in 1985. This was just a good match kind of like watching the Billy Jack match that was in the Heartbreak and Triumph set. Next we get the Midnight Rockers against Buddy Rose and Doug Somers for the AWA tag titles. This match again was good but really if you've seen one of their matches you've seen them all. Nothing new here. Next is the Midnight Rockers against the Nasty Boys for the AWA tag titles. This match was good, not half bad. Up next is the Rockers against Brainbusters from the Boston Garden. Man, add in a great venue plus two great teams and you got the receipe for a fantastic match. Once again these guys show what doing tag wrestling is all about. The next one you get is the Rockers against the Hart Foundation from MSG in 1989. I do like this match but I have a few of their matches and honestly they do a lot of the same spots, so it is hard for me to watch this one having seen others that are similar. Otherwise, this is a good match. The next match is a great one with Shawn taking on Bret for the IC title in Ontario. This was a stellar match and kind of showed that little spark from Shawn that he was going to be really good sometime soon. The next one is Shawn vs Bulldog from Raw in 1995. I don't know why they skipped 3 years from the last match to this one but this is a pretty good match between the two. Then we get Shawn vs Sid for the IC title on Raw as well. This one is just not good because of Sid. Honestly, did the man have a good match with anybody? No I don't think so. I do like the next one which is Shawn against the 1 2 3 Kid from Raw. You know Kid is very underrated and he has some really good matches on Raw and this is one of them. This match to me is worth the DVD alone. Up next it's disc 2 and the first match is Shawn against Mankind from Raw. This match is pretty good but don't expect no Mind Games match. The next one is when he wins the Grand Slam by beating Bulldog for the European title at One Night Only. Freaking good match and probably the best that the two have had. When Shawn wins it's just insane as to what happens. This is a fast paced hold for hold type of match and I love it. Up next is the Coffin match against Undertaker for the world title at Royal Rumble 1998. I still say this is the best coffin match in the history of the WWE. One of the things that makes this match good is the fact that they use that really huge coffin that was long and deep. When you give Shawn that type of atmosphere then he can use his imagination like no other in this business and he sure does in this one. The next match is the one from Badd Blood 2003 against Ric Flair. Honestly, I thought this match was bad. I thought Shawn really made Flair look bad as he was quicker, lighter more agaile. Just not a good performance from Flair. Last on this disc is the Wrestlemania 21 match against Kurt. People wanted this one on the last set and here it is. This is a great match and I remember when it was over I looked over at my brother and said that is match of the year and it win that. This match is just plain great! Disc 3 starts with a boot camp match between Shawn and Triple H overseas for the troops. This match, and I can't believe I'm saying this, sucked. I honestly don't know what else to say. This is probably their worst match of all time. Just boring and bad. The next one is a fatal four way match for the world title with Shawn battling Randy Orton, Edge and John Cena. The match was ok nothing special. I did like the next one with Shawn taking on Randy Orton for the world title at Survivor Series. This is a classic and I think the reason is because Shawn could not use the superkick or he would be DQ'd. I've always said if you do that to Shawn then it forces him to think outside the box. I mean he tried to win with an inverted figure four, an ankle lock and even the crippler crossface. Classic match! The next match was a brutal match between Shawn and Chris Jericho. This was the unsantioned match from Unforgiven 2008 and was another classic. I honestly think this may have been the best feud of Shawn's career as it got so personal even bringing Shawn's real life wife into the storyline. Great match and Jericho really proves here that is every bit as good as Shawn. People used to ask me when Shawn left the first time who's going to replace him and I would hear Jeff Hardy or RVD but I always said Jericho would do it and you know what? I think he came close to doing it. The last match is one of the greatest matches I have ever seen as Shawn took on Undertaker at Wrestlemania 25. Simply put this match is flawless and some people are already calling it the greatest WM match of all time. I don't know if I can argue with that. As a note I did forget to include on disc 2 that there is a match with Shawn and Jericho from Wrestlemania 19. This is just another one of their fantastic matches. I even think that this may have been the match of the night that night at WM. Great match and a great ending as well.

All in all this is another great set to add to your growing Shawn Michaels collection if you have one started. Put this with the Vault, Heartbreak and Triumph, the 2 DX sets and the new Bret vs Shawn set and you have a great collection at your fingertips. I'm hoping for one more set like maybe an unreleased edition like they did with Hulk Hogan. If so, here's hoping for the Ken Shamrock match at In Your House: DX. That match was cool. Still though, this set rocks!!

love the dvd from start to finish i miss hbk when he was in the ring his match with taker at mania 25 was awsome best match ever