WRESTLING NEWS
Shawn Michaels: Facts Only Hardcore Fans Know About The Heartbreak Kid
By RYAN DROSTE
Shawn Michaels is a second-generation wrestler, though his wrestling style was slightly different from his father, who was an amateur wrestler with the University of Iowa Hawkeyes' wrestling team. While Shawn didn't succeed in the amateur ranks like his father, his athletic excellence would carry through to his career in pro wrestling.
Second Generation
Although his high school didn't have a wrestling team, the future Heartbreak Kid knew he wanted to be a pro wrestler from age 12. At the school talent show, Michaels set up a wrestling match with one of his good friends, getting hit by a chair and using food coloring as fake blood.
High School Talent Show
After one semester at Southwest Texas State University, Michaels found himself with a 1.4 GPA, so he cut a deal with his parents that if he pulled his grades up, he could explore wrestling as a career. Although he didn't fully improve his GPA, Michaels quit college and was introduced to legendary wrestler Jose Lothario, who trained him in just two months.
Dropped Out Of College
Following his training, Michaels teamed up with Marty Jannetty, eventually signing with WWF, but after their first tapings, they went to the bars with the WWF crew, where Michaels supposedly smashed a beer bottle over his head. Vince McMahon thought they weren't mature enough to be part of the WWF, and the two were unceremoniously fired.
Fired From WWF
The Rockers re-signed with McMahon about a year after being fired and became the most influential tag team in WWE history. However, during their championship match, the ring rope broke, and McMahon decided it was too much of an eyesore to air on television, meaning the title was never officially acknowledged at the time.
Tag Title Never Televised