Shawn Michaels Talks Relationship w HHH, Flair & Taker, Hell in a Cell, etc | Exclusive Interview 

I can’t really put into words what HBK has meant to me thru out my life I was a kid that was living in a house of abuse and my only reprieve was WWF then later WWE but more specifically Shawn Michaels it’s unquantifiable what he did for me as a kid..for that I will always cherish this dude THANKS SHAWN 🫡

I was in the crowd at WM12. Ten years old, seeing my wrestling hero descend from the sky was amazing.

Shawn is one of my great heroes. Not just as a wrestler, but as a man and as a Christian. He's turned his life around and become better than ever. Not easy to do for anyone and I totally respect him.

HBK was my all time favourite. His run as HBK heel, leader of the original DX and the face of the WWF circa 96-97 was off the chart. Man had charisma and was an incredible performer.

I remember being in my living room, watching Raw. Waiting on HBK, doing push ups and sit ups. Getting ready to mimick the whole entrance.

Listening to Shawn Michaels share his experiences as a wrestler, promoter, Dad, and husband, is special. Love listening to the behind-the-scenes moments, too. Thank you Sam Roberts for this interview.

All of Shawn’s matches, from when he came back in 02’ to when he retired, were awesome. 19 with Jericho, the main event of 20, 21 with angle, 22 with Vince, 23 with Cena, 24 with flair, 25 with taker and then 26 in the retirement match. They were all amazing. I think his second run was better than the first.

That 1st Hell in the Cell HBK vs Undertaker was definitely the best one.

To me being an 80’s baby/90’s kid then seeing his comeback HBK is the best of the best. Including Hogan and Flair. Dude was just perfect at everything he did in professional wrestling/sports entertainment as a matter of fact he was the best at both. Him and Taker had 3 of the best matches ever the 2 mania matches and the first hell in the cell. Him and Bret carried the mid 90’s

Shawn, Triple H, and Taker. Those three made WWE in thier heyday. They brought atmosphere NOBODY has matched....yet.

This guy was a hero to me growing up and the main reason I started wrestling. DX are responsible for most of the telling offs I got from teachers.

shawn michaels is big part of my life! i cannot believe how much he filled in my childhood! everytime i go back and watch the hell in the cell, it just brings me back to when i was 11. nothing but apreciation for shawn & taker! the 98 rumble match too. it was great feeling!

Love ya Shawn. Thanks for all the memories

I met HBK IN 97 at an autograph signing. PWI had a pic of him wearing a nWo shirt. I had him sign it. He said, "I got in trouble for wearing this." I know he was in a bad place at the time but he was cool. This was shortly after his lost smile speech and before KOTR 97. Pre DX. I was glad to be able to meet him. A legend.

Excellent interview. Nearly perfect balance of drawing back to iconic times, helping trace the stories and trajectories of his career, and great questions. I don't think i once heard him say "comment about this", or "talk about your feelings on this subject", which is where most interviewers work from these days. Really classy, entertaining, and informative interview. Appreciate it a lot.

i didn’t get to watch wrestling a bunch live but i knew that i loved shawn michaels and the day after wrestlemania i saw that he retired and i cried my eyes out. got to see him in 2018 at Raw ❤❤

Shawn might have been a better PERSON in his second run but man...his first run...it changed the game. Shawn michaels wm 10-14 era was an otherworldly performer. Far better than the next greatest guy. In his second run he was still the greatest but he'd lost his edge. Even working heel you can tell that the chip was gone off his shoulder.

In terms of an in ring performer Shawn was the greatest of all time and for me its not particularly close. There were many people who were bigger draws but nobody could tell a story in the ring like Shawn. Greatest of all time for me.

As a fan I saw the potential in Shawn as a Rocker. I loved the HBK storyline, and charisma he had. He played the villan so well, he was one of the 1st likeable heels. My all time favorite, and played the underdog tag in his 2nd run so well.

To think, 1997 DX is running WWE is crazy! I can’t believe how old HBK, Hunter, Undertaker, & Austin look these days. I forget 1998 was 25 years ago and they were already mid 30’s by then. But they still looked good in 2009, 2010, the last 10 years flew by and POOF- Old men.

This is awesome. HBK one of my all time favourites

This guy's career is just unreal. Guys in my top three.

Shawn was wrestling to me in the 90's and 2000's.

Shawn seems so relaxed here. Great to see! And good job with the interview, Sam

Not saying this is the top of any Shawn Michaels list, but his match against Rick Martel (a stupidly underrated talent) at Summerslam 92 is great entertainment. One that gets a little hidden by everything that came after.

Love you Shawn Michaels 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

I miss the days of wrestling when is was all about the match, not storylines lasting months. Back when a wrestling show actually had more matches than all the bs we see now

Great convo!! I hope there’s more of these style interviews from HBK to come. And from what I’ve been seeing lately we’re getting closer and closer to what I’ve been looking and pleading for outta him which is to have more retrospective convos on his iconic time coming up in the early to late 90’s and FONDLY remembering those moments instead of condemning it. Believe me I get it he had to jump out in front of all the negativity around him and the kliq’s rep from all the shoot interviews in the past so it was necessary. But I think we’ve now come to the point where we’re past focusing only on the negativity that he was at the helm of as a community and we can allow him to be supported when speaking freely on his more prickish if you will days as a top guy in the bizz. Just hearing him speak the words buzz sawyer and Tommy rich did a-lot for the wrestling fan in me when given credit for the inception of the hell in the cell idea even though I was always pretty sure that’s where it came from it hits different and almost allows you to lay the thought to rest when you hear him say it. It’s funny cause he spoke on being given second chances and making the most out of them cause coincidentally it’s about time he gets that 2nd chance in his post career interview voyage from the wrestling community. I need to hear his perspective on a lot of the various incedents good and bad that spanned throughout the first WWF run. Was a massive fan like everyone else of him from 94-98 and was so conflicted at wm12 as bret had been my #1 guy since I could remember being born in 88 by the time I could remember things clearly around 92-93 bret was the/my champion but by 96 I felt it was Shawn’s time. A lot like blade Bret’s son on the PPV as much as it hurt to see papa bret loose lol I was singing Shawn’s theme crying tears of joy as a 8 year old that he was finally champ. Sadly I started watching WCW shortly after because they had the hotter product during Shawn’s run to no fault of Shawn’s but that time period is so valuable and really he can only speak to the landscape as being the champ and Vince’s go to guy at that time. Everyone else from the golden/new gen era has given there takes from when they were atop the mountaintop in the WWF I think it’s time to hear Shawn’s. Holla if ya hear me and again I’m happy cause it looks like at least here he’s finally starting to open up without the constant rebuking his every mistep along the way cause he was arguably the most charismatic in ring talent of the 90’s.

He’ll always be my all time favorite, along with The Undertaker. I rank them over ANYONE on ANY given day. Both staples to my childhood and thankful I was able to see both of them perform live. Shawn’s story is my favorite. From the moment he broke into the business and reached main event status as a singles performer to his retirement. All the classic matches, the epic promos and moments. Can’t thank him enough.

Literally ordering a cut out of this guy to stand proud in my house HBK lives on forever ❤one of the best there is or was

it was ANOTHER 10 year run from when he came back in 02 at least, I know he wrestled sporadically with dx and the last match at crown jewel but man what a career

I love this guy. One of my childhood heroes!!!! And I was a little boy all the way back in India

When you get to the rick flair retirement match vs h.b.k. and that last little bit "iam sorry I Love You" it still gets a tear or 10 from me every time and at that point I had well over 20 years invested in watching the both of them and the thought tgat if Rick lost that was it even if under kayfabe it was by choice kinda like h.b.k vs undertaker wrestle mania pt 2 Shawn's retirement match bitter sweet poetry in motion hell it was probably closer to 25 -30 years invested in that story and I just kinda felt it I had no internet or inside scoop but my life long expierences watching the territories stuff i could catch as a kid the first wrestlemania the you get the idea felt it comming down the pipe the way h.b.k abd hunter had won the tab belts both sets as D-x basically all the yber kool Kat stuff accomplished did a great deal of building new superstars and gave back to tge buisness as well as made as miny wounds heald as the folks that had them would give him a chance to heal/ make Wright it was full circle and as a greedy fan I never wanted shawn too age or retire both unfair and tottaly emposiable but yeah that second currier from the summerslamm 02 nonsanctionend vs HHH the first illumination chamber wins the belt on a auditable call holds it for a month drops it in a 3 stages match that was wow the wrestle mania vs Jericho I mean just hit after hit even in defeat cenna taker angle nuff said he'll Cena would still be great an all but without h.b.ks gift of a wretlemania win and moment Cena would of been a few if not more degres lower but hay that's still way higher than most ever fly and that does not slight h.b.ks gift too him of a kick ass wrestlemania match

Awesome. HBK is one of my favorites of all time.....loved him and Taker, And how he helped put it over for a great match.... one of my favorites of all time..... awesome

I've been a fan of HBK since I was like 8yo WM14 days. My 3 favorites were HBK, Scott Hall & Undertaker. We lost one this year RIP Scott Hall.. HBKs theme song is my background music 4 life 🤘💔

I loved having shouting matches with Shawn in Indy. My son still talks about it. You Rock Shawn. !

'Shawn Michaels ' .....the best there was, the best there is and the best there will be.🤟❤🙏

My favorite wrestler since my childhood, now as an adult, and forever, Shawn Michaels!

HBK was my absolute favourite especially in 97/98 as a heel, there really hasn't been anyone like him since. It makes me laugh when I see folk on line banging on about how great the likes of Hogan, the ultimate warrior, savage ect were back in the 90's. Truth be told none of them could hold a candle to Shawn Michaels ability, in fact the only person to come even close to matching HBK in the ring was The Hitman but as we all know there's a lot more to pro wrestling than wrestling ability in the squared circle, you also need to be talented on the mic and be charismatic which is where Bret Hart was left rather short and Shawn absolutely excelled. There was never a dull moment when Shawn was on TV he was great to watch and gave me countless hours of enjoyment over the years and for that I am truly grateful for.

The greatest ever ❤

Loved him when I was a teen but of course getting older and learning the truth of what happened back in the 90's.... but glad he sobered up and grew up.

My favorite of all time! Thanks for the memories legend 🙏🏻

An entire generation has had groin pulls from trying to super kick things. Pre-back injury Shawn was so fun to watch, everything he did was fast paced, his bumps always looked painful and somehow entertaining, he sprinted and flew off the ropes. Just the absolute best.

Shawn no matter what whether its the Midnight Rockers, or being solo you were always the true winner that I cant say enough about. No matter what there are many things that I dont need to say either. I pray for all of you Shawn for safety reasons bar none

Best of all time HBK!

Cool interview. HBK is stupidly good at wrestling .... like RIDICULOUSLY good at putting on a match. There aren't many who even come close.

Can't wait for this

Once you're in the quick sand and you can't turn back. It is a good time to know you're paving ground for the future wrestling industry.

HBK will always be my hero no matter how old I get dawg like fr 💪💔🐐

I absolutely adore Shawn Michaels. His ultra rare God-given gifts and also the man he has become today. It makes me happy to see him so healthy and happy. The GOAT, and nobody comes close. ❤

man this shit hurt....I remember watching all these guys as a kid and how old they have gotten:( but times changes everyone...HBK will always be one of my favorites!!

Shawn Michaels is the reason I became a WWE fan

Shawn especially mid 90s era is one of my favorites up there with austin and savage

My favourite superstar ever. Loved both runs buy especially his rum as a heel in 96-97 when he was the man and the heel leader of such an engaging nee product like DX

This guy really humble, great Convo, then turns Super Saiyan in the ring 😆, and for me the original DX lol

This is such a good interview.

Jon Moxley is a good interviewer.

Sam went from looking like a bearded HBK to the offspring of HBK and Mick Foley.

Growing up watch wrestling in the early 2000’s this man really did steal the show

Just hearing HBK talk really makes me miss the old days of wrestling. There was a time in my life when I was just as big of a fan of wrestlers like Sting, Undertaker, Kevin Nash, Tracy Smothers, Scott Hall, Ricky Steamboat, Ron Simmons , X-Pac, Triple H, R&R Express, Road Warriors , DDP, HBK , Hogan, Harlem Heat, etc. as I was like bands and rappers, I was into at the time. Honestly, I would rather watch a Monday night raw or a WCW Saturday night from 1993 then I would watch an episode of Monday night raw or SmackDown today. And I think now that goes like HBK and undertaker are too old to come back for a wrestlemania match or something like that. The fact that they kept having to bring Legends from the 80s and 90s back to headline their shows says a lot about the difference between wrestling back then versus wrestling today. And it’s nothing against anyone that’s wrestling today if I were a wrestler and I decided 20 years ago I was going to dedicate my life to wrestling and that was my profession. I doubt there’s anything I would be able to do to change the business today because what made wrestling in the Monday night wars great was you had all these creative minds that were involved with wrestling from the late 70s to the mid 90s and he had wrestlers that learned how to work and learn how to get over and WCW and WWF were two wrestling promotions that did not start out as national companies. They started out as small territories and they work their asses off to make a big worldwide stage where everyone loved it. Today it feels like today’s wrestling is on a stage that it doesn’t deserve. They didn’t build the stage they’re performing on the wrestlers from the 80s and 90s built the stage, and the stage has been there since they built it and while I don’t blame any of the wrestlers. I do kind of scratch my head when I hear a fan or a “pro wrestling journalist. “ talk about how wrestling is better today than it’s ever been and having more wrestling available doesn’t necessarily mean that’s how you judge that. AEW I think the reason why it’s never going to be more than what it is is because everything about that company was just bought overnight. When you have a billionaire that buys TV timeslots and buys a wrestling ring and hands out fat contracts, that’s not how WWF or WCW got to where they really were in the late 90s. Yeah they were big contracts handed out but that’s because business was doing well. There were episodes of Monday night raw back in 1993 when there was may be anywhere from 2500 to 3000 people in the audience that had a 3.2 rating . If WWE or AEW got a 3.2 rating today it would be the biggest wrestling story of the year. And yeah there are fans but look how many fans were watching pro wrestling in the 80s and 90s during the high points. There was times that between Nitro and raw that there were close to 10 million people watching on that night. You had celebrities, wanting to be a part of pro wrestling because it was one of the best things on television. Dennis Rodman was on the greatest sports team in the history of sports with the Chicago Bulls and he wanted to be a part of what was going on with WCW at the time. The last time I saw an NBA player put out a tweet on social media about wrestling. They were making fun of how choreographed and stupid it looked, and it was something from an AEW clip. I’m not saying that you might not have celebrities here and there that want to do things but it’s not like it used to be. I feel like the fans today. Want to be a part of the show instead of going to see the show and that statement itself is kind of a problem because I remember buying wrestling tickets because I wanted to go see the action and I wanted to go see my favorite wrestler beat the wrestler. I hated the most. Going to a show because I wanted to be on camera and do a sing-along. Never entered my mind. The product was so good. I wanted to go see the product Today with the roughly 2,000,000 diehard fans that are left that are just going to keep supporting it no matter how bad it is. I look at them like I look at the Rocky horror picture fans. And it’s just something that they’re going to because it’s sing-along time. Yes, the wrestlers are more athletic today but the magic is gone. Because there were 365 moves in a match doesn’t mean it was a better match. There’s no psychology, there are no organic crowd pubs. Everything you hear from the fans all the chance or something that the talk about getting started, I have never seen the fans just unanimously all jump to their feet at the same time organically that wasn’t planned because those moments in wrestling haven’t happened in 20 years. HBK was one of those special people even when he was going through his dark. He would have these great matches and it was just the type of match she could have that would make you not want to miss a second of it. Yeah, every wrestler even back, then, had their four or five moves you knew you were going to see but HBK you never felt like you were just see the same choreographed match every time with him. There was so much emotion in his matches, and he was so good at cutting promos. What wrestlers today can’t compete with that because it looks so choreographed and most of these guys can’t cut a promo to save their life and now we have these “pipe bomb” moments, which are really more of what Shane Douglas would do in ECW, it’s not that they’re cutting great promos it’s just that let me say something so outlandish that it gets people talking. That’s a cheap pop. There’s a difference between a cheap pop in a good promo and I haven’t heard a great promo in a long time.

And for all you gave and all you gave up. I personally want to thank you, Sean Michaels.

My Goat since the end of his Rockers era

My favorite wrestler.. I only wish we had gotten a bit more heel hbk in his second run.

"im sorry i love you" is a Old Yeller reference they used in the promos between Shawn and Ric

HBK started as a wrestler I loved in The Rockers until he superkicked Marty Jannetty through the Barber Shop window. Then the feuds with Bret and the Montreal Screwjob. Obviously this is all just work….. but you’d have a hard time convincing me of that when I was 5-7 years old. Now as a coherent adult in recovery, I view Shawn as an inspiration. Full circle for this man. Absolute legend.

Love you HBK!

Quite simply the GOAT ♥️

I grew up watching him, when he retired I stop watching. For me he is GOAT. My hero

Hbk, Mr. wrestlemania, the show stopper, D-generation X. Shawn is the greatest in my opinion and he always will be, even when I was a kid I can remember the match he had with Mr. McMahon at wrestlemania he said suck it on top of that giant ladder and dropped down with that elbow. Greatest moment in the business, or when triple h said we got 2 words for ya look up☝️ those two are the greatest in the business

does anyone know what watch Sam is wearing

I have said this 100 times, either "NotSam" or "Jim and Sam" your not just a good interviewer, but you are a great interviewer. You always ask the questions i want answered. Great Job Sam!

You inspired me to kip up you inspired me to tell everybody suck it 😭 every move I use to practice on my nephew lmao big part of my childhood man I was so innocent didn't know he was going through real life problems I was so mad WM 25th anniversary but I'm glad you got your life together forever legend 🗣️

HBK really politely informs the interviewer straight off the bat that he had a “run” before 2002! Legend!

HBK has always been my favorite, since I was a little kid to today. I was born in 1984. My earliest memory of Shawn was the IN YOUR HOUSE where he battled Big Daddy Cool Diesel, his ex body guard at the time. I think this was 1994, that would make me 10. In the end, British Bulldog was running around freaking out because he heard HBK was sleeping with his wife. Ha ha!! Every time he stomped for that Super Kick, I was stomping with him. Shawn was always No. 1 in my book. I'm so happy to see, after all the rough times he went through, that he has built a good life and is happy.

بطل بامتياز مازلت حتى الآن اتابع حلقاته على الحلبة التي لعب فيها 2011 2012 رائع جدا

i love listen to hbk this is my childhood dude is so chilled and im glad he is a man of God as well much respect

I hated his guts for years for his role in Montreal especially after seeing him cowardly lie to Bret about it in Wrestling With Shadows. That being said after Bret forgave him and they became friends again in 2010 I was able to fully enjoy his work. Some of the best HBK matches are vs Bret at Survivor Series 92, vs Razor at WM10, vs Bret at WM12, vs Mankind at Mind Games 96, vs Sid at Survivor Series 96, vs Austin at KotR97, vs Taker at Badd Blood 97, vs HHH at SummerSlam 02, vs Taker at WM25, vs Taker at WM26.

One of the greatest and one of my favorite.

Flair and Shawn are two of the best in ring performers. I think the rock doesn't get enough credit for his in ring performances, he sells so well, i would put him up there in top ring guys.

Yes, I know what you mean.

Still remember getting suspended from school for sweet chin musicing my mate at primary school🤣

I loved wwe as a kid it will never be as good as the attitude Era with him and the rock, triple h, undertaker etc.

Part of me is glad that Shawn transformed into a true Christian but part of me also misses the old Shawn breaking the rules and being the best

HBK already has experience as VP because he ran the WWF back in the day with the click

Loved the finesse this guy had in the ring…

HBK is a goat!

Razor and Shawn, ladder match, EPIC!!!

Shawn looks exactly like Ed Harris in Westworld

Original heel DX was the best...i just wish they had: 1) stayed heels longer. 2) HBK stayed longer. 3) added New Age Outlaws WAY sooner. 3) added X pac with the original group since WCW had already released him then. 4) Had Rick Rude play his original Ravishing character with this Dx even being slightly injured. Could you imagine the pressure Wcw/Nwo would've had with a Dx team of: Heel Hbk (my favorite version), Original pedigree turned frat boy HHH (MY FAVORITE version), Pre op enforcer Chyna (my favorite version), X pac, The heel south park loving obnoxious Billy and Road Dog (MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE VERSION), and Ravishing Rick Rude (my favorite version, not the insurance policy one!) All together at once WITHOUT being babyfaces and having Tori, Hornswoggle and other "tag alongs" being thrown into the mix!!! An Nwo sized Dx with no filler!

Don’t forget the Jericho and Angle wrestlemania matches!

Shawn’s hair is growing again 👀

@#ShawnMichaels you say you aren’t being egregious but you were also ok w being the Guinea pig. Dude YOU ARE A LEGEND FOR YOUR IN RING PERFORMANCES!! YOU ARE THE MAN, MY ALL TIME FAVORITE!!!!!

HBK will always be on my Mount Rushmore with Bret. Those guys had the best matches in the history of pro wrestling.

HBK truly has walked in every type of shoes. I mean he literally has" BEEN THERE DONE THAT" . I was always kinda weirded out with his holy roller dialoging but I QUICKLY REALIZED THIS GUY IS SO AT PEACE WITH HIMSELF ITS REALLY INSPIRATIONAL. He found a place where he it all makes sense. KUDOS TO U AND GOTTA SAY IM AT TIMES JEALOUS. And now he gets to be involved with the new talent. MAN WHAT A RESOURCE FOR WWE / NXT TO HAVE.

ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE HEART BREAK KID SHAWN MICHAELS ......HES IN MY MOUNT RUSHMORE OF WRESTLERS !!!!!!!! ALSO THE FOUNDER OF DX!!!!!!!!! HE WAS UNSTOPPABLE IN THE 90S!!!!!!!!!! AND HES THEME MUSIC IS EPIC !!!!!!!!!💙💙💙💯💯💯🤘🤘🤘🤘🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑

One of them GOAT 🐐 s

Like Michael's as the rockers as well he was great as hbk I would love to see him in real life before I'm gone

I can only imagine the stories he has that will never be told

he is strong in his faith

I wonder what his relationship is like with Marty Jannetty these days