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Shawn Michaels has been a household name among wrestling fans for at least three generations, something not many can say.
A legend who has helped shape the careers of Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Undertaker, Bret Hart, and John Cena - Michaels is known for his 'show-stopping' performances. Even in non-wrestling roles as a commentator and commissioner, he proved he didn't have to wrestle to stay relevant in the Attitude Era.
With his successful career comeback from 2002-2010, there should be no secret why WWE wanted him to come out of retirement once again.
That's where I get a little upset at WWE when they try to go back and undo their own near-perfect storyline that tied together Ric Flair's retirement to Michaels, and The Undertaker's undefeated WrestleMania streak to Michaels' own retirement.
Storytelling at its best intertwined three legends on the biggest stage of all - WrestleMania.
Last November, WWE hosted its second Pay-Per-View from Saudi Arabia named Crown Jewel. The main event was D-Generation X vs Undertaker/Kane. We would've been fine with this, if not for two things -
#1 A 1998 main event doesn't work in 2018
#2 Michaels had to come out of retirement to make it happen.
The sight at Crown Jewel was sad, as DX (bald heads and all), struggled to maintain relevance in a bout slammed by many for its slow pace. One has to wonder if the reactions to this match had a hand in Michaels' decision to never want to wrestle again.
As we look back, we ask - was the nostalgia trip truly worth it?
Not even the slightest.
Michaels has a career catalogue to be proud of, and now thanks to Crown Jewel, his appropriate WrestleMania send-off will forever be tainted.
WWE can avoid this in the future if they just focus their attention on the current stars, and less on legends/part-timers. We need more of what we saw on Raw recently with Finn Balor, and less dependence on the past to carry the company.
The company has a vast array of talent that covers many divisions and diversities. If there ever was a time to push the future, it's now. The future is today's present, and the past can only do so much.
Michaels is best utilized on the sidelines these days, not in the ring. Keep him where he works best. Don't undo history to make more history. Plain and simple.
