If you weren’t around for Shawn Michaels’ hey day in the early 1990s, you just can’t fathom how completely unlikeable this guy was. He played the part of being an egotistical d-bag to the hilt, to the point that some questioned if that’s just how he actually was. SPOILER ALERT: that’s just how he actually was.
Still, it made for some fun times, such as today’s SQUASH of the Week as he takes on Gary Sabaugh. The important thing to note here is that apparently backstage he told his opponent, “Hey, I have this great idea. I’m going to wrestle and never take off my hat.” To which I can only assume Gary Sabaugh said, “That hat is really stupid looking, that’ll be some great heat!” And to THAT I can only assume Shawn was like, “Just for that, I am going to make you look like a total fool, because THIS HAT RULES.”
So we get in the ring as Shawn dances around and clobbers Sabaugh right upside the head with a short right hand, then tosses him to the floor. Shawn removes his chaps because let’s be serious, he may be able to work the whole bout with a hat on, but keeping the chaps on would be just too far fetched.
Shawn invites Gary back into the ring, but of course it’s just a ploy so he can punch him in the face again. Kinda stupid on Sabaugh’s part here to be honest.
Shawn slams him to the mat, the heads to the second rope and dropping an elbow. Not sure if it is the hat, but, well…is it just me, or does Shawn look like Popeye there?
I mean, not as much as he does now but still.
Punch punch punch goes Shawn…
…then we get a flying elbow and a chin lock. And amazingly he never bothers to adjust his hat!
Sabaugh attempts a comeback, which forces Shawn to not only nail him with a drop kick but LOSE HIS HAT IN THE PROCESS. I love Shawn looking at the hat as if it wasn’t Shawn’s fault it came off, but rather the HAT’S FAULT.
Shawn puts it back on and while Sabaugh is able to land a quick elbow, he stupidly lowers his head and gets punted in the kisser as a result. Sweet Chin Music naturally follows, and Shawn falls backwards on him to pick up the win….with his hat remaining intact as he does so. You want to know why so many folks consider HBK the best ever? This match would be a good example!