Tag: Shawn Michaels

DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show: The early 1990s

Posted on by Karl Stern

On this week’s DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show, you and I are heading back to the early 1990s to discuss the state of pro wrestling at the time.

While business was just about as bad as it could get, there were still plenty of great storylines and personalities. Hulk Hogan was gone from WWF, but we saw the rise of Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and others. WCW was a complete corporate mess but there was still great wrestling with Sting, Big Van Vader, Ron Simmons, Cactus Jack, and others.

I also look at the PWI 500 during the early 1990s from both the top and bottom of the rankings.

Click Here to Listen (sub needed)

Shawn Michaels: Experience on the road is ‘so important’ for WWE NXT roster

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Shawn Michaels believes getting experience outside the WWE Performance Center is vital to the development of NXT’s roster.

NXT will make the trip from Orlando to Tampa this weekend with Battleground 2025 being held at the Yuengling Center on Sunday. In an interview with Brad Gilmore of Reality of Wrestling to promote the event, Michaels explained how excited the NXT wrestlers are when they get a chance to compete on the road.

“When we get an opportunity to get out on the road, they’re just over-the-top excited about the opportunity to be able to do that. But, also, it is so important to their development and what it is they’re doing,” Michaels said. “So as we have the opportunity to get out on the road, even if it’s down the road in Tampa, it is just a phenomenal experience for our young talent. Obviously we do our best to try to harness that — you know, they’re all like wild stallions and we do our best to harness it. And every now and then they can keep a lid on it when they’re in Orlando, but any time they get out on the road they’re ready to cut loose in that ring and just excite that audience to no end. So in Tampa, at Battleground, Memorial [Day] weekend, it is going to be a big, big night and an incredibly exciting show because our talent are ready to go.”

NXT is on the road for all of its PLEs as well as select television episodes. Michaels said NXT having relationships with TNA Wrestling and Pro Wrestling NOAH has also benefitted some talent by allowing them to gain experience outside of the WWE system.

“When you’re in the ring with people better than you, you’re going to improve, you’re going to get better, you’re going to learn things that you didn’t know before,” Michaels said. “All of these partnerships and collaborations that we’ve been able to have… has helped our talent improve and it has also made NXT the must-see show on WWE programming.”

The TNA World Championship will be defended at Battleground with Trick Williams challenging Joe Hendry. Among the other top matches set for Sunday’s event are Oba Femi vs. Myles Borne for the NXT Championship and Stephanie Vaquer vs. Jordynne Grace for the NXT Women’s Championship.

Michaels oversees NXT in his role as WWE’s Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative. His full conversation with Gilmore can be watched below:

October 1, 2007 Observer Newsletter: Futures of Ric Flair & Shawn Michaels, UFC 76 review

Posted on by Dave Meltzer

There was a ton of conjecture over the past week regarding the careers of two of the best wrestlers of our generation and what, if any, plans there are for Ric Flair, who hasn’t been wrestling, and Shawn Michaels, who is out with a knee injury.

Flair who was doing a guest appearance on 9/22 at an auto race at the Dover International Speedway and was the hit of the media there. He told reporters that everything was fine with him and WWE and the stories that were being reported about him giving notice weren’t true. The reality was, by the weekend, they were even more true.

He said he never gave notice to WWE. What was funny was in the publicity for his appearance, he was being advertised as the recently retired pro wrestler Ric Flair. Flair said the Internet stories about him were false and he said he was coming back, denied his storyline had anything to do with it and basically said when you work for WWE, nobody is bigger than the organization and you do what they want you to do.

Subscribers can read this issue here.

Daily Update: NXT, Shawn Michaels, Naomichi Marufuji

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest Free YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

  • Running down AEW Dynasty, controversy over the finish, where the angles look to be going, Young Bucks return, what the PPV number says and what to learn from it, long-term, Chris Jericho update, Why the show was long, Swerve vs. Booker and match-by-match rundowns.
  • Update on the Mania card, what matches are on what night, what is up in the air on the card, length, odds, Kevin Owens injury, Paul Heyman angle, Flair vs Stratton and Stand & Deliver, ticket demand and more.
  • New Japan Sakura Geneis report, angles at the show, Best of the Super Juniors and Windy City Riot.
  • Update on the legal strategy of WWE, Vince McMahon and Linda McMahon regarding the ringboys lawsuit.
  • El Hijo del Santo’s possible last match in Mexico City
  • The most detailed look at the ratings for all the pro wrestling shows, including comparisons with a year ago quarters, demos, placings and competition.
  • Fantastica Mania Mexico
  • Arena Mexico hosting tournament of champions
  • Mina Shirakawa leves Stardom
  • Dragon Gate in Las Vegas
  • Lots of Las Vegas lineups for this coming week
  • Champion Carnival in All Japan begins
  • Junior Sakura Geneis thoughts
  • Anniversary of a legendary match
  • Advance ticket sales to the major WWE & AEW & Las Vegas wrestling events
  • Injury updates
  • Ospreay on Owen Hart
  • Aaron Pico signs with UFC
  • Major 2010 feud rematch falls apart
  • Lex Luger Hall of Fame notes
  • Legacy Hall of Fame notes

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Tuesday Update

 WWE

AEW & Other Wrestling

Shawn Michaels explains booking so many multi-person matches for NXT Stand & Deliver

Posted on by Bryan Rose

There are a lot of multi-man matches planned for WrestleMania, and Shawn Michaels is explaining why.

Joining The Bobby Bones Show podcast, the host asked the Hall of Famer if people are rewarded for standing out during a PLE. Michaels replied that they are, and revealed that’s the reason why there’s so many multi-person matches set for Saturday.

“We have a lot of multi person matches at Stand and Deliver. And look, a lot of people don’t like that. But these young men and women work throughout the entire year,” he explained. “Not all of them get an opportunity to be on PLEs, to be on those road shows, to be on those televisions that are on the road that we’ve been doing so much more of lately. We want to give as many people as we can an opportunity to perform on the biggest weekend. That’s the reason people get into this line of work to have that experience, to have those moments. And we’re hoping to have a lot of standouts at Stand and Deliver…I think it’s something that we definitely keep an eye on and any time there’s a performance or somebody that goes above and beyond whether its in a match or throughout the entire year, we try to take care of them as much as possible.”

Five matches have been announced for Saturday, with only one so far being advertised as a singles title defense, which will see new North American Champion Ricky Saints face the winner of a fatal four way match scheduled for Tuesday. Oba Femi will defend the NXT Championship in a three way against Trick Williams and Je’Von Evans, while NXT Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer defends against Giulia, Jordynne Grace, and Jaida Parker in a four-way.

WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event notes: Audio issues, HBK superkicks Owens, other legends appear

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Notes from WWE’s Saturday Night’s Main Event.

The start of SNME in San Antonio didn’t go smoothly. On the NBC feed, the show kicked off with simultaneous audio both in English and Spanish. This continued for several minutes until just before the start of the opening match, where Rhea Ripley successfully defended the Women’s World Championship against Nia Jax.

Much like the previous episode of SNME the show focused on a retro theme. Former WWE stars Ted DiBiase, Mark Henry, Dory Funk Jr., Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard, and Alundra Blayze were shown in the crowd.

WWE Hall of Famer and head of NXT Shawn Michaels appeared in his hometown to mediate the contract signing between Kevin Owens and Cody Rhodes ahead of their ladder match at next weekend’s Royal Rumble premium live event. As Owens lamented about his struggles in WWE and with Cody Rhodes, Michaels said that he thought Owens was jealous. The situation eventually led to a confrontation that saw Owens strike Cody then attack HBK, setting him up for the package piledriver. Cody quickly broke things up as HBK quickly recovered and took out Owens with a superkick to end the segment.

New match, HBK appearance set for WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event

Posted on by Ethan Renner

A new match is on tap for WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event on January 25, plus Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels will appear.

In a new bout set for next Saturday’s NBC and Peacock special, Braun Strowman and Jacob Fatu will lock horns. The bout was set up with an angle on this week’s SmackDown where Strowman and LA Knight brawled with The Bloodline’s Fatu and Tama Tonga in the ring.

WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels has also been added to the lineup for next Saturday’s show, serving as a special enforcer for a contract addendum signing between Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens.

SmackDown GM Nick Aldis confronted both Owens and Rhodes on Friday’s SmackDown in an attempt to get both to sign an addendum — likely to ban the package piledriver in their upcoming ladder match at the Royal Rumble.

After both Rhodes and Owens refused to sign, Aldis declared that at SNME, both competitors will relinquish their WWE titles to be suspended above the ring at Royal Rumble, and that HBK will enforce the contract addendum signing.

The updated WWE SNME lineup for Saturday, January 25 in San Antonio:

  • World Heavyweight Champion Gunther defends against Jey Uso
  • WWE Intercontinental Champion Bron Breakker defends against Sheamus
  • Jacob Fatu vs. Braun Strowman
  • Contract signing for Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens — Shawn Michaels special enforcer

Naomichi Marufuji says he received message from Shawn Michaels

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Pro Wrestling NOAH star Naomichi Marufuji recently received a correspondence from WWE NXT boss Shawn Michaels.

Marufuji — a veteran wrestler and behind-the-scenes figure in NOAH — posted a tweet last night revealing that he’s received a message from Michaels. Though he did not disclose what the message was about, Marufuji said he was happy with it.

“Through a certain person I received a message from Shawn Michaels,” he wrote. “The contents are…I’m happy.”

At NOAH The New Year 2025 on Wednesday, the 45-year-old Marufuji shared the ring with WWE wrestler Omos in a tag team match. Omos & Jack Morris defeated Marufuji & Takashi Sugiura to become the new GHC Tag Team Champions.

WWE’s Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles have also competed in matches for Pro Wrestling NOAH as part of the working relationship that exists between the two companies. Since November, NOAH talent Yoshiki Inamura has been in the United States as a member of the NXT roster.

Michaels oversees NXT and has the job title of Senior Vice President of Talent Development, Creative in that executive role.

May 28, 2007 Observer Newsletter: Shawn Michaels injury, WWE Judgment Day recap

Posted on by Dave Meltzer

Just when it appeared the injury bug couldn’t devastate WWE’s Judgment Day show, and long-term plans, anymore than already done, more injuries caused full-scale switches in plans for the next several months.

Shawn Michaels, who turns 42 in July, and has been plagued by bad knees for more than a decade, is expected to undergo major knee surgery this week. Michaels has been in need of surgery for several months, but has been continually working through it because of the lack of depth at the top. Unfortunately, the reliance on older wrestlers working so hard, and setting an example for the rest of the roster for working through injuries, like Michaels and Undertaker have done in recent months, has its drawbacks. In the end, you can only ignore your body for so long before a minor injury becomes a major injury. Michaels was injured during his 5/14 Raw match with Edge. After the show went off the air, he couldn’t walk to the back and had to be helped to the hotel.

Subscribers can read this issue here.

Shawn Michaels welcomes NOAH talent Yoshiki Inamura to WWE NXT

Posted on by Ethan Renner

WWE’s vice president of talent development, creative Shawn Michaels has welcomed a Pro Wrestling NOAH talent to WWE NXT.

In a social media post Tuesday as WWE NXT aired on the CW, Michaels welcomed NOAH’s Yoshiki Inamura to the WWE Performance Center to train as part of WWE and NOAH’s business partnership.

Inamura is a well-traveled international talent who has spent time in Progress and WXW this year, gaining valuable experience.

Michaels posted:

“I’m excited to welcome @noah_ghc Wrestler @noah_yoshiki to #WWENXT. This hard-hitting young man is going to be a problem for anyone he steps in the ring with. I look forward to growing NXT’s partnership with @noahglobal in the future. #WWENXT”

WWE’s partnership with NOAH has included sending AJ Styles to Japan for a match against Naomichi Marufuji earlier this year, as well as Tavion Heights and Josh Briggs taking part in NOAH’s N-1 tournament. Shinsuke Nakamura also traveled to Japan in 2023 to face The Great Muta on a NOAH show.

Shawn Michaels: WWE ‘taking it slow’ with Giulia, Stephanie Vaquer due to language barrier

Posted on by Ian Carey

Shawn Michaels says the language barrier is one of his biggest challenges in working with Giulia and Stephanie Vaquer.

The two new WWE signings picked up a win over Fatal Influence in the main event of Tuesday’s NXT and are set to face Cora Jade and Roxanne Perez at Halloween Havoc. Michaels appeared on Busted Open Radio before last night’s show and mentioned that he has to choose his words carefully when speaking with Giulia and Vaquer.

“The most challenging thing, right now, with those particular talents is the communication aspect and making sure that they’re understanding what you’re conveying, especially when you’re talking about those subtleties,” Michaels said.

“Sometimes words mean different things in other languages, so making sure that I choose my words carefully with the two of them has been the biggest challenge, certainly from my standpoint.”

“We’re also taking it slow because of that language barrier. We’re obviously being patient, I think they are being unbelievably understanding and I think they’re also doing their best to find better way to communicate with us as well.”

In the closing moments of last night’s WWE NXT, another big new signing debuted as Delta, now known as Zaria, walked out just before the show went off the air. Earlier in his appearance on Busted Open Radio, Michaels talked about the reaction in the locker room to all the new names coming in.

“You can get along with people and have a great relationship with people behind the scenes, but when the newbies come in and there’s a lot of excitement – there is a good wholesome competition going on in our women’s division right now because it is so stacked. So you have people coming into NXT with outside fanfare so to speak, and our girls take offense to it, and nobody more than Cora Jade and Roxanne Perez.”

Daily Update: Shawn Michaels & Triple H, NXT, Emi Sakura

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest Free YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

  • The new issue of the Observer is on the site today. Our lead story is the most detailed coverage of the new AEW TV deal, an analysis of what it means for business, profits losses, what the deal does and doesn’t cover, FOX rumors and analysis and much more. We also have a major history piece looking at the 2024 Hall of Fame and the candidates and their credentials.
  • Value of the deal for each specific year
  • What the deal does and doesn’t cover
  • Update on the PPV business
  • What AEW is losing in the deal
  • How PPV will be distributed
  • Quotes from Tony Khan and WBD
  • MAX and cable distribution
  • Breaking down expenses, revenue, profits and losses and the financial future of AEW
  • Analysis of the potential FOX deal
  • A look at the first NXT show on CW, business, ratings and how the segments did
  • Update on Bad Blood and WrestleDream, including interest levels for both shows
  • A look at the 2024 Hall of Fame voting, candidates and favorites in each category
  • A rundown of the leading candidates, some of who you would know and wouldn’t.
  • New Japan building King of Pro Wrestling–What business lesson was reinforced by CMLL Noche de Campeones this past week
  • The most detailed look at the ratings for all the major television shows, competition, comparisons with a year ago, placings and segment-by-segment
  • Woman wrestling star retiring to become a referee
  • CMLL head gives stats on how many fans come to Arena Mexico from other countries
  • What major celebrity was at Shinjuku Face for a pro wrestling show
  • Hall of Famer having 40th anniversary show
  • Major Japanese celebrity does two matches this week
  • Notes on the deaths of Pete Rose and Kris Kristofferson and both men’s connections to pro wrestling
  • Jimmy Hart prior to wrestling
  • AEW and WWE current injury rates
  • What percentage of fans watch shows live vs DVR
  • AEW video game notes
  • Major star opening up a gym for post-wrestling business
  • International TV ratings
  • Injury stats regarding PowerSlap
  • What famous boxer turned down a two fight series with Conor Mcregor
  • How many people watched the Mr. McMahon documentary and an approximation of how it would compare to a regular WWE TV show
  • Martha Hart reacts to the documentary

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue

Tuesday Update

WWE

  • WWE has posted the full World Heavyweight title match between Gunther and Sami Zayn from Monday’s Raw.
  • The company posted a video featuring Shawn Michaels and Triple H spoofing their ‘State of the Union’ promo from 1997 while hyping NXT, replacing profanity with modern-day lingo.
  • WWE posted a vlog featuring NXT stars that was taped ahead of the brand’s premiere on The CW.
  • Regarding WWE stars’ travel amid the arrival of Hurricane Milton in Florida, Dave Meltzer wrote on X: “With the Orlando airport being shut down, NXT talent at this point are under the impression they will have to spend several more days in St. Louis until it clears up.”
  • World Central Kitchen posted a video of Titus O’Neil helping volunteers and staff in response to Hurricane Helene.
  • Sheamus posted a photo of his bruised back following the good ‘ol donnybrook match from Raw on X, writing: “BUTCH IS DEAD. LONG LIVE PETE DUNNE.”
  • Becky Lynch posted a photo of herself on Instagram writing “When something’s broke, I wanna put a bit of fixin’ on it. @pearljam”
  • A trailer for the upcoming film ‘Let’s Start A Cult’ featuring CM Punk.
  • Recent matches from WWE Vault include Randy Orton vs. Damien Sandow from the March 27, 2013 edition of NXT and Tables, Ladders, and Chairs IV from the October 7, 2002 edition of Raw.
  • WWE Vault has also uploaded dark matches from 2003 featuring Mortis, the alter-ego of Chris Kanyon used during his run in WCW.

AEW & Other Wrestling

  • Emi Sakura wrote about her upcoming match against Mercedes Mone: “In 2019, I met a girl in Sendai Girl’s Korakuen Backstage. She introduced herself and was friendly. I had never seen American wrestling before, so I didn’t know who she was. She calls herself a CEO now, and that nice respectful girl is nowhere to be found. I gotta beat that respect back into her it seems.”
  • Michael Nakazawa is celebrating a birthday today.
  • Hiromu Takahashi & Titan vs. Callum Newman & JJ Gale has been added to RevPro’s Global Wars UK event on October 19.
  • Former TNA star Jesse Godderz will be part of the second season of E!’s House of Villians reality show, which premieres tomorrow.

Shawn Michaels could ‘absolutely’ see CM Punk running WWE NXT one day

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Shawn Michaels could “absolutely” see CM Punk running WWE NXT one day if Punk is interested in the job.

While being interviewed by The Ringer Wrestling Show to promote NXT’s CW premiere, Michaels was asked — given the interest Punk has shown in the NXT brand and working with its talent — if he sees Punk as a natural successor to his role leading NXT at some point in the future. Michaels responded by voicing his support for Punk and saying he would do everything he can to help him.

“Sure. If that is in his heart to do, absolutely,” Michaels responded. “And again, I will say — whether it’s CM Punk or anyone that has a passion for that — look, I absolutely would understand it because it happened to me. This place is infectious. Again, the environment here in NXT and at the Performance Center and down here in Orlando is unlike any other culture in the entire business. That’s why everybody does come around here, because it takes them back to the beginning when this business was about the making it, and the being in the ring, and the excitement about the future.

“And I would have never thought in a million years a guy that loved performing like I did, and being out there, and having all the eyes and focus on me would get such a joy out of doing everything he can to provide that for the future stars of the WWE. And CM Punk obviously seems to be somebody that enjoys that as well. So I will say this as I’ve said on many occasions: When he’s ready to make that move after his in-ring career, I’ll support him every step of the way and help in any way that I can.”

Michaels’ job title in NXT is Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative. He’s worked behind the scenes with the brand since 2016 and has taken on greater responsibility over the last couple of years.

Punk will be making an appearance on NXT’s premiere episode on The CW Network tonight (October 1). The show is taking place from Punk’s hometown of Chicago — and he’ll be the special guest referee for the NXT Championship match between Ethan Page and Trick Williams.

NXT had aired on USA Network since 2019 and is now joining The CW in a new five-year TV deal.

Shawn Michaels teases ‘big surprises’ coming to WWE NXT

Posted on by Ian Carey

With WWE NXT moving to The CW this week, Shawn Michaels says the brand has some big surprises “coming down the pike.”

Ahead of Tuesday’s show, Michaels told Sports Illustrated that he believes NXT has the best women’s roster in the world and teased new additions to the division are coming.

“The best stacked women’s roster in all of the world, if you ask me,” Michaels said. “Roxanne Perez, Kelani Jordan, Jaida Parker, and then of course, two of the hottest free agents in all the world with Giulia and Stephanie Vaquer. And there are other big, big surprises coming down the pike. If you thought we were stacked before, you haven’t seen anything yet. And that goes on both sides of the roster.”

There are a few possibilities as to who Michaels could be alluding to. Jordynne Grace’s TNA contract expires in January and she could officially sign with WWE then. Talent from Rossy Ogawa’s Marigold promotion could also be brought in. On the men’s side, HIkuleo and both members of The Motor City Machine Guns are expected to land in NXT shortly.

Michaels continued to say that his brand is on a hot streak as they move into a new era, mentioning they have seen a significant rise in key demographics.

“NXT has had a great deal of momentum in the last year. Very proud to say that we’re 15 percent up in those advertising demo viewers that everybody likes to throw around these days. We’re still doing fantastic and the futures look even better as we launch on October 1st on the CW Network,” Michaels continued.

Michaels’ full interview with Sports Illustrated is available here.

In an earlier interview with The Chicago Tribune, Michaels also said there are changes coming to the appearance of NXT.

“Certainly we want to make a big splash on the CW Network,” Michaels said. “We’ll have some big changes, but I think more of that will be from a look and physical standpoint. We will still be what NXT is, which is bringing some of the most talented, young, diverse athletes in all of the nation, and developing them into the WWE superstars of tomorrow… The hunger, the passion that’s always been the core value of NXT is always going to be there. But certainly we’ll try to put on some pretty cool bells and whistles for the CW launch.”

WWE NXT (Tuesday, October 1) —

  • NXT Champion Ethan Page defends against Trick Williams with CM Punk as guest referee
  • Street fight: Wes Lee vs. Zachary Wentz
  • WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill appear
  • The Miz hosts Miz TV with guests NXT North American Champion Oba Femi and Tony D’Angelo
  • Jaida Parker & Lola Vice vs. two members of Fatal Influence
  • NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez defends against Giulia


WWE NXT on The CW will have ‘big changes’ from a look and physical standpoint

Posted on by Joseph Currier

There will be some changes to WWE NXT’s presentation on The CW Network.

NXT makes its move to The CW starting with next Tuesday’s premiere. While speaking with the Chicago Tribune in advance of the episode, Shawn Michaels confirmed that — from a look and physical standpoint — WWE has some changes in store for NXT.

“Certainly we want to make a big splash on the CW Network,” Michaels said. “We’ll have some big changes, but I think more of that will be from a look and physical standpoint. We will still be what NXT is, which is bringing some of the most talented, young, diverse athletes in all of the nation, and developing them into the WWE superstars of tomorrow… The hunger, the passion that’s always been the core value of NXT is always going to be there. But certainly we’ll try to put on some pretty cool bells and whistles for the CW launch.”

The Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois is hosting NXT’s CW premiere next Tuesday (October 1). An appearance by hometown hero CM Punk is set for the show, with Punk serving as special guest referee for the NXT Championship match between Ethan Page and Trick Williams.

“We have numerous fantastic legends and coaches here on NXT, but it is always fantastic when you have a current main roster WWE and global superstar like CM Punk come visit,” Michaels told the Chicago Tribune. “He has come down here on various occasions. He’s been very supportive of NXT, the talent and the system that we have here.”

NXT is moving to The CW in a new five-year TV deal. The show had aired on USA Network since 2019.

Michaels oversees NXT with the job title of Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative.