Chris Cooley Presents The WWE Vintage Collection Episode 102: Shawn Michaels vs: Owen Hart, 123 Kid, The Undertaker, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, and Shelton Benjamin

Chris Cooley Presents The WWE Vintage Collection Episode 102: Shawn Michaels vs: Owen Hart, 123 Kid, The Undertaker, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, and Shelton Benjamin

When we last left the Vintage Collection, we looked at Part One, of a look back of the career of Shawn Michaels. This edition, is Part Two.

Episode #102

We begin with the ‘Tell Me A Lie’ music video, made for Shawn Michaels, after he was forced to leave due to injury in 1995, as shown at the end of Episode #101.

Shawn Michaels’ return, happened at the 1996 Royal Rumble, in which he last eliminated Diesel, to become the first back-to-back winner of the event.

MATCH#1: MAIN EVENT SPOT AT WRESTLEMANIA XII
Shawn Michaels vs. Owen Hart w/Jim Cornette
DATE OF MATCH: February 18, 1996

We join mid-match, with Owen in control. Michaels gets in a quick roll up, but it’s the King Of Harts with the advantage, delivering the enziguri, just like the one that sent the HeartBreak Kid out of action, but it only leads to two. Hart takes too much time with a corner attack, allowing Shawn to counter, and nail a Back Breaker. An attack knocks both men down, but both are up by 8.

Michaels connects with the Flying Elbow, then the ShowStopper nails the Macho Man elbow. Cornette tries to cause a distraction, but it’s to no avail, as the HeartBreak Kid nails Sweet Chin Music on the second attempt, and gets the victory.

YOUR WINNER: Shawn Michaels

COMMERCIAL

We return, to find Shawn Michaels one-hundred feet in the air at WrestleMania XII, followed by the Sweet Chin Music, that allowed him to win the WWF Championship.

MATCH#2: WWF Champion Shawn Michaels vs. 1-2-3 Kid w/Ted DiBiase
DATE OF MATCH: April 27, 1996

In progress, and the Kid has control, dominating the Champion. Syxx misses with a Senton Bomb, and Michaels gains control with a Piledriver. Shawn hits the Flying Forearm, followed by a stomp to the face. HBK with a Powerslam, and then he heads up top for the Macho Man elbow. Shawn then, gorilla presses 1-2-3 Kid over the top rope, then splashes on top of him from the ring. DiBiase tries to get involved, but Michaels grabs the money of the Million Dollar Man.

The Kid is being dismantled, as Shawn Michaels nails an Ax Handle off the top, followed by Sweet Chin Music, for the victory.

YOUR WINNER: Shawn Michaels

Shawn celebrates by throwing the Million Dollar Man’s money into the crowd, leading to an attack by Steve Austin. However, the WWF Champion easily takes care of him.

COMMERCIAL

A promo video for our next match is shown from Ground Zero: In Your House, between Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker.

MATCH#3: Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker
DATE OF MATCH: September 7, 1997

We join the match with Shawn Michaels arguing with Commissioner Slaughter, whilst the Undertaker throws the referee over the top rope onto Shawn. The Deadman is in total control of the matchup, laying a beatdown on the HeartBreak Kid at the entrance area, then he sends him down the ramp, and onto the steel steps.

The attack continues on the outside, as the Undertaker sends Michaels to the guard rail near the Spanish announce table. They finally end up in the ring, where Taker continues the assault. Undertaker knocks his opponent down with a clothesline, and an elbow drop, but the pinfall attempt is null and void, as there is no referee. Another referee comes down, as Michaels pleads with him to stop the match. This brings us, to...

COMMERCIAL

Undertaker catches the foot of HBK, as he tries for Sweet Chin Music, and takes control, ripping a piece of metal off the turnbuckle, and nailing the Show Stopper with it. Undertaker gets a loooooong two count, as Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Chyna look on. Undertaker chokeslams the referee for counting slow, as Tim White comes down and DQ’es the Deadman. This leads to Undertaker trying to take on both Helmsley and Chyna, but it ends badly for the Undertaker, as the future DX take over the post-match beat down. HHH ends up getting Tombstoned by the Undertaker, as referees and officials are being taken out by Undertaker and Michaels.

It takes several wrestlers to hold the Undertaker back, but he escapes and leaps over the ropes, landing on another group of wrestlers, trying to get Shawn Michaels to the back. Finally, HBK and Co. leave the ringside area, as the Undertaker stands tall in the ring.

Up Next... D-Generation X

COMMERCIAL

Both new and old DX footage airs, showing the good and bad times, of D-Generation X.

MATCH#4: WWF EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Shawn Michaels (c) vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley w/Chyna
DATE OF MATCH: December 22, 1997
Commissioner Slaughter thought he finally had the number of DX, but it was Michaels and Helmlsey who played the Sarge for a sucker, as HHH pinned the HeartBreak Kid, after running the ropes for 20 seconds, and then a rather unconvincing pinfall, leads to a new Champion.

YOUR WINNER AND NEW EUROPEAN CHAMPION: Hunter Hearst Helmsley

Slaughter arrives at the ringside area, as Shawn Michaels shows his “disappointment” at losing the coveted European Championship. Helmsley then shows us his best Rocky impression, with the aide of HBK and yelling ‘The Old Sarge, I did it. I did it!’.

COMMERCIAL

March 14, 2005, and a Rockers reunion, defeating La Resistance

MAIN EVENT: WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP GOLD RUSH TOURNAMENT
Shawn Michaels vs. Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin
DATE OF MATCH: May 2, 2005

The action is already underway, and Shelton is in control, getting a near fall. Michaels with the counter, which leads to the flying forearm, knocking both men down. Both men kipped up, and Shelton counters Michaels’ victory roll, into one of his own, for a two count. Shelton looks for the T-Bone suplex, but Shawn counters, and both men are down again.

Michaels looks for Sweet Chin Music, but Benjamin ducks, and nails the Show Stopper, with his version of the enziguri, getting another two count, and our final one of these.

COMMERCIAL

We have finished with all of our commercial breaks, and we are here until the end. Shelton looks for a superplex, but Michaels pushes him off, and nails the Macho Man elbow. Shawn springs up, and starts to tune up the band. Benjamin blocks the kick, and hits the Icon with a kick of his own, resulting in a very near fall. Shelton springs off the top rope, and nails Shawn with a flying forearm, for another near fall. Michaels sends his opponent over the top rope, but Benjamin lands on the apron, However, he springs off the apron and the top rope, right into Sweet Chin Music, and the three.

YOUR WINNER: Shawn Michaels

This match, was arguably Shelton Benjamin’s best singles match in the WWE. It’s a shame that he couldn’t really follow up from matches like this.

‘Mean’ Gene farewells us from this edition, telling us to watch more as the weeks and months go by. I second that motion, but I want you to keep checking out the review each and every week, of the show everyone outside of the U.S. gets on the box, the WWE Vintage Collection.