WWE Hall of Famer & Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative Shawn Michaels is currently celebrating 35 years with the company.
After working for various NWA territories, including WCCW, along with Texas All-Star Wrestling and the AWA, Michaels was hired by WWE in 1987, but Michaels and Marty Jannetty (The Rockers) were released two weeks later over a bar incident, which Michaels has called a misunderstanding. The Rockers were re-hired by WWE one year later, and made their official WWE TV debuts on the June 18, 1988 edition of WWE Superstars of Wrestling, defeating Iron Mike Sharpe and The Intruder in a squash match.
Michaels took to Twitter today to mark the major milestone.
“35 years ago, I entered @WWE as The Heartbreak Kid and what a ride it’s been! Thank you to WWE for giving me an opportunity of a lifetime and to the incredible WWE Universe for your unending support! You’re the reason I’ve still got that sweet chin music after all these years!,” he wrote.
The Heartbreak Kid would go on to become a three-time WWE Champion, a one-time World Heavyweight Champion, a three-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, a one-time WWE European Champion, a one-time WWE Tag Team Champion, and a five-time World Tag Team Champion. He was WWE’s first Grand Slam Champion and the fourth Triple Crown Champion. Michaels, who was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011 by himself and again in 2019 with DX, currently helps run WWE NXT and the company’s developmental system.
You can see HBK’s full tweet below:
35 years ago, I entered @WWE as The Heartbreak Kid and what a ride it's been!
Thank you to WWE for giving me an opportunity of a lifetime and to the incredible WWE Universe for your unending support!
You're the reason I've still got that sweet chin music after all these years! https://t.co/K4nqqcFm1p
— Shawn Michaels (@ShawnMichaels) June 18, 2023
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