An interesting note on Michaels' place in SS

[Rorschach]

So, as it has been announced....this coming Survivor Series will have the WWE Title defended in a Triple Threat match between Shawn Michaels, HHH, and John Cena. This intrigues me for one important reason....the placement, and predicament, of Shawn Michaels.

See, back in 2004 at WrestleMania XX, it was a wiley, but overlooked veteran named Chris Benoit who had clawed his way into a title match against HHH, when Shawn Michaels decided to horn in on the action and made it a Triple Threat, thus putting Benoit in the underdog role against two of wrestling's marquee names...surely, we were lead to believe, there was no way that Benoit, a midcarder for life, could beat BOTH Michaels and HHH?

Flash forward to Survivor Series 2009, and inadvertently ( I don't THINK this was planned this way, anyway) WWE has sort of mirrored that main event, except this time...it is Shawn Michaels who is in the Benoit spot. Not in the sense that Michaels is a struggling midcarder trying to live his dream of winning the big one....but in the sense that it is Michaels, (ironically NOT John Cena), who is in the position of "overcoming the odds" and triumphing against two opponents who, according to everything we've been shown, he really is the underdog to. Just as Chris Benoit was years ago.

Now, it is Michaels who has to somehow get by HHH, and then John Cena (both of whom have proven to be harder to pin to the mat than a Hunchbacked bellringer) and who has the deck stacked against him. When was the last time Michaels WON a World Title match he was in? In every sense, he really is in the Benoit role here. Not many fans think he has a chance...WWE history tells us as much. The winner of this match WILL be either HHH or Cena, more than likely Cena due to a "DX" miscommunication or argument, if we go on past performances and angles, with high odds that Cena is the one to pin Michaels. But what if....what if WWE does throw us a curveball this time, much as they did with Benoit? What if Shawn Michaels does the impossible and beats Hunter and Cena? Admit it, in this match, it is the most unlikely outcome imaginable.

All in all...I just find it odd that in the years since...Michaels has gone from being one of the favorites in a Triple Threat match...to being in the role of the man he helped put over in that very match.

[MainManOfCCW]

I really hope your right......HBK has constantly put over new talent and deserves a run with the title. I wouldnt be opposed to Shawn vs Cena and I hate Cena but at least it would be kinda fresh.

[Ben Wyatt]

I have NO issue with HBK getting one last title run for say, a month or 2

[bob]

I believe the last match involving a world title Michaels won was the Elmination Chamber where he wore the awful tights

[Soultastic]

I don't like the guy, but he's the only one of those 3 men who deserves a title run right now. He's been involved in awesome matches, put talent over and basically worked his ass off ever since he came back in 2002. I know I'll be rooting for him.

[rnrk supports BLM]

I so expected this thread to be another Montreal discussion.

Anyway, HBK's in a curious position where he's spent years being booked as on the level of the various main eventers, but hasn't actually held a world title since '02. And he won his last two world titles both at Survivor Serieses. Hmm...

It could work, though I doubt they'll take the belt off Cena barely a month after ending the Orton feud.

[The OP]

I think he's there to lose to Cena so Triple H doesn't have to take the fall.

[Ishmeal Loves BBL Bayley]

Oct 30, 2009 22:33:11 GMT -5 The OP said:

I think he's there to lose to Cena so Triple H doesn't have to take the fall.

We have a winner! Michaels takes the fall, and we instantly have ourselves Cena-HHH XXXIV

[Trout Stratus]

Oct 30, 2009 22:33:11 GMT -5 The OP said:

I think he's there to lose to Cena so Triple H doesn't have to take the fall.

I SECOND THAT!

[♥ Bunnyslinger ♥]

Oct 30, 2009 22:33:11 GMT -5 The OP said:

I think he's there to lose to Cena so Triple H doesn't have to take the fall.

[calibancalhoun]

Oct 30, 2009 22:33:11 GMT -5 The OP said:

I think he's there to lose to Cena so Triple H doesn't have to take the fall.

And all our expectations, hopes, and dreams were crushed in the face of this most obvious truth.

But for a second there...I believed

[Rorschach]

See...this is where it gets interesting. Back then, how many of us HONESTLY thought that Benoit was walking out the champ in the WM XX Triple Threat? I know that personally, I thought he was just there to eat the pinfall so that SHAWN wouldn't have to, thus giving us HHH/HBK for the title for the umpteenth time.

Now it's Michaels in that role, and to be honest, I can't say that I would be shocked if you guys were right, and Michaels eats the FU and the pin from Cena. But just for the sake of argument, is it not possible that the WWE knows a lot of fans are thinking that, and might just serve up the mother of all swerves and have Michaels steal a pinfall from HHH, thus giving us Michaels as the...well, not really HEEL, but as the sneaky, opportunistic champion, and HHH coming after HIM for the title he feels HE should have won? Meanwhile, John Cena has to deal with Ted and Cody, who come after him to PROVE that they can succeed where Randy failed?

To me, that's the freshest way to go with this. How many here would be STUNNED if Michaels walked out the champion, a la Benoit? I know I would be. Of the three, he's the dark horse.

[cernex]

Oct 30, 2009 22:33:11 GMT -5 The OP said:

I think he's there to lose to Cena so Triple H doesn't have to take the fall.

[Bub (BLM)]

If Shawn Michaels walks out of Survivor Series as WWE Champion, it will restore some of my faith in WWE. They've put major championships around the waists of tired old acts like Triple H and Undertaker repeatedly over the past few years, so I don't understand why they won't do the same with Michaels. It's been so long since he's had a run with a world championship that it would feel fresh, despite him being a twenty-year WWE veteran.

[Deleted]

I'm personally very strongly pulling for Cena, myself.

[fw91]

I actually expected Benoit to win at WM XX, Especially after Eddie Retianing.

[Yami Daimao]

The Good = Shawn is champion, a fresh champion
The Bad = What the hell was the point of Cena beating Orton?

Personally I'd love to see Shawn with the title one last time, but while the Shawn/Benoit similarities are there, the booking was waaaay different back then than it is today.

Honestly, I'll echo what others have said (or quoted to be precise) and say that Shawn is only in that match so Hunter doesn't have to take the fall from Cena (or vice versa if their stupid enough >_>), as much as I hate to see it.

[Rorschach]

Could this be sowing the seeds for the dissolution of DX, though? Maybe Shawn tries to cheat Hunter out of the win, it backfires, and Cena pins Shawn? Thus we get the heat between Michaels and HHH, and maybe we sow the seeds of Hunter trying to screw Shawn down the road by getting Vince to make Shawn the #1 entrant into the Royal Rumble?

If he could believably do it ONCE....how awesome would it be to see him win the RR from #1 AGAIN? Or even, as unbelievable as it might be....have him come this close in the Rumble, get screwed by HHH....and then have him enter and WIN Money in the Bank.

A champ HHH....or even a champ Cena being chased by MiTB winner Michaels? Would liven RAW up a WHOLE lot, in my books.

[Deleted]

man... i fully endorse any and all ideas that get HBK a title run. i believe it is the thing i would mark for the most in wrestling right now

[Rorschach]

And here's something else....what would you guys think of Michaels being the first guy to cash in MiTB.....and lose?

He'd certainly live up to his moniker if he did that. MILLIONS of hearts would break as he was pinned for the three count....coming thisclose to one final reign. And at WM no less....he would steal the show and maybe have a career best match.