Shawn Michaels coming out of retirement in 2002 is one of the most unbelievable wrestling returns of all time. Broadcasting legend Jim Ross reveals that he was one of the people who convinced HBK to lace up the boots once again.
JR discussed Michaels’ comeback during a recent Royal Rumble themed episode of his Grilling JR podcast. Michaels had a Hall-of-Fame-worthy career up until WrestleMania 14. Sadly, he was forced out of the ring due to a debilitating back injury. Towards the end of his run, Michaels was admittedly difficult to deal with. According to Jim Ross, he told the Heartbreak Kid that his legacy deserved better than how he was remembered in 1998.
“My pitch to Shawn was always that you can’t allow your legacy to end this way,” said Ross. “You have put a bad taste in peoples mouth, whether inadvertently or premeditatedly. I don’t know and I don’t really care. Right now, the perception of you is not so positive.”
Jim Ross recalls telling Shawn Michaels that he was up there with Ric Flair as one of the greatest pro wrestlers ever. He owed it to himself and the fans to make things right.
“For a guy that’s considered to be, along with Ric Flair, the two greatest in ring performers of all time, that’s just not right,” Ross recalls telling Michaels. “It’s not right for you or your fans.”
Shawn Michaels’ back was in bad shape for some time, but was worsened at the 1998 Royal Rumble during a match with The Undertaker. After dropping the WWE Championship to “Stone Cold” Steve Austin at WrestleMania, he closed the book on what was thankfully only the first half of his storied career.
Michaels made sporadic non-wrestling appearances for WWE over the next several years. He made a full-time return to the ring in 2002. He wrested a full-time schedule until 2010. That run included classic matches against the likes of Triple H, Kurt Angle, John Cena and of course, The Undertaker.
