Shawn Michaels = REAL Superstar of the Year

[Magnum DA]

No one had the year Shawn Michaels had, in terms of big match delivery, character development, and gripping storylines.

I think Y2J is right up there with him, and there are a number of other folks you could make an argument for, but I would eliminate Hardy, Cena, Orton, Batista, and others due to injury or wellness violations...but Shawn was the man this year, from January to December.

[Deleted]

had 2 out of the three best storylines of the year and was amazing in both of them.

i'll agree with this

[a1TheEnigma1a]

Totally agree, Michaels gets alot of shit from idiots. But he carrys alot more than some realise.

Still the man.

[Frank Castle]

The guy still has it, I'd give it to him too.

[Mozenrath]

I'd say Jericho was. That feud with Shawn was his, too, and he castrated the Animal in the Cage, and was in bigger matches overall. I prefer him, though obviously Shawn gets honorable mention.

Shawn comes close by retiring Flair, but he wasn't champ or in the main event in general as much.

[thedavefather]

hmmm tough call here. Like i am still debating between both actually. But one word here, i hate when people try to say that Jericho and Hardy carried HBK to great matches.... PLEASE HBK has a great match with just about anyone, to say he is being carried is just plain silly.

[kitsunestar]

Dec 26, 2008 0:41:01 GMT -5 thedavefather said:

hmmm tough call here. Like i am still debating between both actually. But one word here, i hate when people try to say that Jericho and Hardy carried HBK to great matches.... PLEASE HBK has a great match with just about anyone, to say he is being carried is just plain silly.

But...but...but he screwed Bret!

That means he can't wrestle for shit!

</sarcasm>

[thedavefather]

HA HA HA nice nice nice. Good stuff Kitsune!

Anyways looking at this based on Matchs alone let see here. They are VERY close in reality

Royal Rumble
HBK was a big part of the first half of a SUPERB rumble
Jericho was in an OK match with JBL
Winner : HBK

RAW
HBK had a superb match with Jeff Hardy on Feb. 11
Jericho had a superb match with Jeff Hardy don't no date
Winner : hmmm i will say tie, though i like HBK vs Jeff better i know lots how love the other

No Way Out
Both in a AMAZING Elimanation Chamber match
Winner : Tie

Wrestlemaina
HBK in a match of the year contender with Ric Flair
Jericho in a match of the year contender Money in the Bank
Winner : Though these two had the best matches of the card HBK is clearly the winner here

Backlash
HBK had an ok match with Batista
Jericho not on the card
Winner : HBK

Judgement Day
HBK and Jericho have a fantastic compleletly underrated match that stole the show
Winner : tie

Night of Champions
Jericho has an ok match with Koffi
HBK cost him the match nothing more
Winner : Y2J

One Night Stand
HBK has a fairly underrated match with Batistia
Jericho comes out in that match nothing more
Winner : HBK

Great American Bash
HBK and Jericho have a brutal and fantastic match that was the best of the night
Winner : tie

Summer Slam
both cut the promo of the year but either wrestles
Winner : tie

Unforgiven
HBK and Jericho again steal the show with a great match
Jericho goes on to win the title in an awful Scramble match
Winner : Jericho

No Mercy
Both steal the show again with an outstanding Ladder Match
Winner : tie

Cyber Sunday
Jericho has an ok match with Batista
HBK comes out for that match
Winner : Jericho

Survivor Series
Team HBK vs Team JBL is an excellent match that is getting underrated
Jericho and Cena have a solid match that is gettin getting overrated
Winner : Jericho

Dec. PPV
HBK cuts a meh promo
Jericho faces off with Cena in a solid match
Winner : Jericho

Jericho has another really solid match on Raw with CM Punk


HMMMM Jericho still comes out on top here. AND I am a huge HBK fan sooo

[stinger]

So...I don't understand how Jericho wins some of those at the end. Like Survivor Series, since you said his match w/ Cena was "solid" but "overrated" and that HBK's match was "excellent" and "underrated."

Also, someone said something about HBK not holding the title any this year... There are several reasons that figure into who has the belt. In all seriousness, HBK is above the WWE Title or World Heavyweight Championship. Would I like to see one last run as champ? Of course. But he doesn't need it. People like CM Punk, Jericho, and Jeff Hardy need it to establish themselves as main eventers. (I am fully aware of Jericho's main event history, but after he left and came back I think he kinda had to re-establish himself.)

Then, of course, the belt has to be on people like Cena, Batista, Edge, and Orton so fans will continue to buy them as the elite in wrestling. HBK doesn't need it. Fans know he's great without seeing him with the belt. Another good example of this is Undertaker. HHH is almost there, but keeps winning championships so he can tie Ric Flair's number. (In all fairness, though, HHH as champ isn't that bad sometimes.)

[Metalheadbanger Man]

He cut the bulk of the best promos this year. Even though I'm not a huge fan of his current angle with JBL, I reckon Shawn's had one of his most stellar years yet, which is saying something.

[Deleted]

I'd still go with Jericho, especially for his work in the latter half of the year. I love that he gets booed out of the building for being a good heel, unlike most face wrestlers who receive the same treatment. Plus, some excellent matches to boot.

But this wouldn't have been done without Michaels. Him and Jericho had some of the best matches this year, along with one of the best storylines. Despite the fact that it made more sense for Jericho to be the face in the feud, but whatever. He made heel Jericho by his great selling of the assault at the GAB.

[Porter]

Why don't you people ever hop off Shawn Michaels.........horse?

Y2J's personality recreation made him the most thunderous heat
getter next to Vickie Guerrero.Good TV matches,carrier of Raw and
verbally unconquered in the HBK feud.

He simply took over and out shined ever other "top talent" like overrated HHH,played out Undertaker,watered down John Cena,etc

The list goes on.Dude is YOUR SUPERSTAR OF THE YEAR.Live with it.

[Cactus Jack]

Power Slam magazine rated him the top wrestler of the past year too.

[Chris the Bambikiller]

I don't like the person Shawn Michaels AT ALL, but even I have to admit, he might very well have been WWE's MVP this year. But don't forget, he gets roles in the best storylines because he is Shawn Michaels. Someone else might have been just as good, but never got the chance to prove it.

[The Lunch Break Kid]

Dont really like him, but yeah. O admit he has been the standout superstar this year.

[stinger]

Dec 26, 2008 8:22:45 GMT -5 Chris the Bambikiller said:

I don't like the person Shawn Michaels AT ALL, but even I have to admit, he might very well have been WWE's MVP this year. But don't forget, he gets roles in the best storylines because he is Shawn Michaels. Someone else might have been just as good, but never got the chance to prove it.

You're right, he does get all the storylines because he's Shawn Michaels. Because he's Shawn Michaels, one of the top entertainers this industry has ever seen, on the mic as well as in the ring. The reason he has all this "backstage pull" is because he is a consistent performer that has established himself as one of the top players the business has ever seen. He has influence because of decades excellent performance. Any influence he has has been earned in the ring.

[Pooh Carlson]

Sure, Shawn Michaels had a huge role in WWE this year, but if it wasn't for JERICHO, I don't think he would have had as much of an impact in 2008. I love Michaels as a wrestler, but to me he has zero personality. The majority of his feud with Jericho was him standing with an emotionless look on his face. Jericho carried the story of the feud -- not necessarily carried the MATCHES but carried the STORY ... thanks in large part to the acting classes that Jericho took while he was out. Without Jericho and his entertainment abilities, that feud would have been nothing.

[King Boo]

I love Shawn (tho admittedly not as much as Jericho) and fully admit to the huge role he played this year, but to say he was more important to his feud with Jericho isn't fair to Jericho at all. He was the one getting the heat with the promos, he was the one getting the heat in his matches and he was the one garnering the sympathy for HBK simply by being his character. Sure, Shawn played his role perfectly, but Jericho's role was the bigger of the two.

[Confused Mark Wahlberg]

I think Braden Walker had JUST as good a year.

[tap]

I thought Jericho/Michaels from late 2002-early 2003 was a better angle. Both performers were interesting (Jericho's heel turn didn't become interesting for me until he got the WHC), it had a logical build (Jericho being the "Michaels" admirer, realizing he was better than his idol... what exactly WAS the reason Jericho turned on Michaels, because he "faked" a knee injury?), and the WM 19 match had the epic feel of something we've never seen, whereas HBK/Jericho this year was so drawn out, they had to fake a retirement angle AND bring in Shawn's wife. Sure, it was nice to see Jericho have a banner year, being trusted to carry the company to some degree, but it felt like too little too late.