Note: I've pretty much watched all Shawn Michaels' top tag matches but I can always go back and watch some more. So here is his early singles run. It's notorious for average matches because of his inability to adapt to a singles style for ages, let's see if that's true.
Shawn Michaels vs Tito Santana - WWF 05/04/1992
Shawn is much less refined and less of the HBK that we all know but he still very smooth and slick. He hasn’t got the shitty overselling, bratty tendencies that take you out of the match just yet. He is cocky but he keeps it in check. Sometimes that’s the best thing a wrestler can do. Santana is one of my faves from the 80’s but he was past his prime here. However he played the craft vet very well. Controlled the pace with his tight looking headlocks and basic offence. It allowed Michaels to shine with his flashy moves. The finish was awkward but oh well. Solid match. **1/2
Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels - WWF 05/06/1992
This is a dark match for the Wrestling Challenge tapings so it doesn’t show up on any of the usual sites unless you actively look for it. A nice little gem. The match itself starts of fine. Shawn’s walk down to the ring as pretty great, I must admit. His mannerisms and facial expressions were top notch. And Bret’s initial work on the arm is decent albeit pointless filler. It turns into your basic heel works over the face match however with Shawn getting a bit too friendly with the headlocks.Bret makes a good comeback that the fans react strongly to. And the finish is clever. Nothing all that special but considering it’s a dark match, that isn’t a big surprise. And it does it’s job well. **1/2
WWF Intercontinental Title/Ladder Match: Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels - WWF 21/07/1992
A good prototype for future ladder matches in WWE. They build using the ladder well, there are some big bumps taken into and off the ladder. The crowd is fairly hot for the match and both guys put in a ton of effort. ***
WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Shawn Michaels vs Davey Boy Smith - 14/11/1992
A good big, strong face vs the sneaky heel dynamic this had. Early on, Michaels trying to do his usual stuff only for Bulldog to rag you around like you were nothing. Bulldog even bringing out the Backlund “picking up your opponent using one arm” spot. Michaels bums well for Bulldog and does a good job of adapting his offence to revolve around counting Bulldog’s big moves, which allows Michaels to start working on the back of Bulldog after throwing him outside the ring, and cheating. Bulldog didn’t really sell it at all but his comebacks were pretty great. Very explosive and full of energy. The finish was weak but it fits the chickenshit heel persona that Michaels had. But on the other, it’s not the finish that he needed going into Survivor Series, a match that people are already not buying a title change. ***1/2
Shawn Michaels vs Tito Santana - WWF 05/04/1992
Shawn is much less refined and less of the HBK that we all know but he still very smooth and slick. He hasn’t got the shitty overselling, bratty tendencies that take you out of the match just yet. He is cocky but he keeps it in check. Sometimes that’s the best thing a wrestler can do. Santana is one of my faves from the 80’s but he was past his prime here. However he played the craft vet very well. Controlled the pace with his tight looking headlocks and basic offence. It allowed Michaels to shine with his flashy moves. The finish was awkward but oh well. Solid match. **1/2
Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels - WWF 05/06/1992
This is a dark match for the Wrestling Challenge tapings so it doesn’t show up on any of the usual sites unless you actively look for it. A nice little gem. The match itself starts of fine. Shawn’s walk down to the ring as pretty great, I must admit. His mannerisms and facial expressions were top notch. And Bret’s initial work on the arm is decent albeit pointless filler. It turns into your basic heel works over the face match however with Shawn getting a bit too friendly with the headlocks.Bret makes a good comeback that the fans react strongly to. And the finish is clever. Nothing all that special but considering it’s a dark match, that isn’t a big surprise. And it does it’s job well. **1/2
WWF Intercontinental Title/Ladder Match: Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels - WWF 21/07/1992
A good prototype for future ladder matches in WWE. They build using the ladder well, there are some big bumps taken into and off the ladder. The crowd is fairly hot for the match and both guys put in a ton of effort. ***
WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Shawn Michaels vs Davey Boy Smith - 14/11/1992
A good big, strong face vs the sneaky heel dynamic this had. Early on, Michaels trying to do his usual stuff only for Bulldog to rag you around like you were nothing. Bulldog even bringing out the Backlund “picking up your opponent using one arm” spot. Michaels bums well for Bulldog and does a good job of adapting his offence to revolve around counting Bulldog’s big moves, which allows Michaels to start working on the back of Bulldog after throwing him outside the ring, and cheating. Bulldog didn’t really sell it at all but his comebacks were pretty great. Very explosive and full of energy. The finish was weak but it fits the chickenshit heel persona that Michaels had. But on the other, it’s not the finish that he needed going into Survivor Series, a match that people are already not buying a title change. ***1/2
Best Matches List
AWA World Tag Team Title Match - Buddy Rose & Doug Somers (c) vs Midnight Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels) - AWA 30/08/86 [****3/4].
The Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels) vs The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers (Jacques & Raymond Rougeau) - WWF 10/10/1989 [****1/2].
The Brain Busters (Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard) vs. The Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels) - WWF 18/03/1989 [****1/4].
The Brain Busters (Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard) vs. The Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels) - WWF 23/01/1989 [****1/4].
Steel Cage Tag Team Match - Buddy Rose & Doug Somers (w/Sherri Martel) vs. The Midnight Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels) - AWA 25/12/1986 [****1/4].
The Brain Busters (Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard) vs. The Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels) - WWF 11/03/1989 [****1/4].
AWA World Tag Team Title Match - Buddy Rose & Doug Somers (c) vs. The Midnight Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels) - AWA 27/01/1987 [****].
The Orient Express (Kato & Tanaka) (w/Mr. Fuji) vs. The Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels) - WWF 19/01/1991 [***3/4].
WWF World Tag Team Title Match - Demolition (Ax & Smash) (c) vs. The Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels) - WWF 24/10/1988 [***3/4].
The Fabulous Rougeaus Brothers (Jacques Rougeau & Raymond Rougeau) vs. The Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels) - WWF 25/07/1988 [***1/2].
WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Shawn Michaels vs Davey Boy Smith (c) - 14/11/1992 [***1/2]
The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart & Jim Niedhart) vs. The Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels) - WWF 28/04/1990 [***1/4].
The Heenan Family (Haku & The Barbarian) (w/Bobby Heenan) vs. The Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels) - WWF 24/03/1991 [***1/4].
The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart & Jim Niedhart) vs. The Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels) - WWF 25/11/1989 [***1/4].
WWF Intercontinental Title/Ladder Match: Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels - WWF 21/07/1992 [***]
Two Out Of Three Falls Match: The Brain Busters (Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard) vs. The Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels) - WWF 25/11/1989 [***].
WWF Intercontinental Title: Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels - WWF 05/06/1992 [**1/2]
Shawn Michaels vs Tito Santana - WWF 05/04/1992 [**1/2]
The Rockers (Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels) vs The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers (Jacques & Raymond Rougeau) - WWF 13/10/1989 [**1/2].
Kato vs. Shawn Michaels - WWF 15/03/1991 [**]
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