8 Facts Fans Should Know About Shawn Michaels' Injuries

Injuries are inevitable when it comes to the world of professional wrestling as the wrestlers put their bodies through years of abuse with continuous high intensity in-ring action throughout their careers.

Such injuries might affect the longevity of a wrestler's career, and even those who had lengthy careers felt the effects of their careers in their bodies at later stages in their lives.

Shawn Michaels is one such wrestler who spent nearly three decades as an in-ring performer and reached a legendary status over the years. He has overcome a fair share of injuries throughout his iconic career, ane one of them even ended his career prematurely. With that said, let's take a look at eight facts fans should know about Shawn Michaels' injuries.

Match Record	1435 Wins	583 Losses	92 Draws
Career Length	26 Years	Start Year - 1984	End Year - 2010 (One-Off Match In 2018)
Major Accomplishments	WWE Championship (x3)	World Heavyweight Championship (x1)	Royal Rumble Winner - 1995 & 1996

8 WWE Booked A Kayfabe Concussion In 2007

To Cover For His Knee Surgery

Date & Event: Judgment Day, May 20, 2007
Time Out: 4 Months
Return: Raw, October 8, 2007

Wrestling promotions often book kayfabe injuries for their wrestlers in order to cover up the real reason for the time they might have to miss. WWE did so for Shawn Michaels back in 2007 when the company announced that the Hall of Famer suffered a concussion during his match against Randy Orton at Judgment Day 2007.

WWE did this to cover up the fact that Shawn Michaels needed to undergo knee surgery as HBK battled issues with his knees throughout his in-ring career.

7 The Spirit Squad Injured Shawn Michaels' Knee In 2006

WWE Booked The Injury Segment To Allow HBK To Take Time Off For Surgery

Date & Event - Raw, May 22, 2006.
Time Out - 21 Days
Return - Raw, June 12, 2006

After Vince and Shane McMahon defeated Shawn Michaels and "God" at Backlash 2006, The McMahons stacked up the odds against HBK by making him compete against The Spirit Squad in a 5-on-1 handicap match on the May 22, 2006, episode of Raw.

WWE booked The Spirit Squad to injure Michaels' knee during the match, which was done to allow HBK some time off to undergo surgery to repair some nagging issues with his knee.

However, Michaels returned within a few weeks and reunited with Triple H to reform D-Generation X and feud against The McMahons.

6 He Worked With A Torn Meniscus At Taboo Tuesday 2004

Took On Triple H For The World Heavyweight Championship

Date & Event: Taboo Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Time Out: 3 Months
Return: Raw, January 17, 2005

During the road to the 2004 Taboo Tuesday PPV, Shawn Michaels sustained a torn meniscus on the October 18, 2004, episode of Raw. The injury required Shawn Michaels to take a few months out of action, but HBK battled through the pain and competed in his World Heavyweight Championship match against Triple H at Taboo Tuesday 2004.

Following the event, HBK took some time off action, and while he returned to WWE in December 2004, he wouldn't return to in-ring competition until January 2005.

5 He Sustained A Small Triceps Tear In 2008

Took Place During A Contract Signing Segment With Chris Jericho

Date & Event: Raw, September 1, 2008
Time Out: No Time Missed

Shawn Michaels had an intense rivalry against Shawn Michaels in April 2008, which saw them competing in a series of matches over the following months. The rivalry reached a boiling point by September 2008 when both Jericho and Michaels accepted to compete in an unsanctioned match at Unforgiven 2008.

During a contract signing segment on the September 1, 2008, episode of Raw, which ended in a brawl, Shawn Michaels sustained a torn triceps injury. While early reports suggested that HBK might take around six months out of action, the damage was significantly less, and HBK went on to compete at Unforgiven with the injury and didn't miss any considerable time out of action.

4 How He "Lost His Smile" In 1997

Relinquished The WWE Championship

Date & Event: Raw, February 13, 1997
Time Out: 3 Months
Return: Raw, May 26, 1997

The real-life rivalry between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart is well-documented in pro wrestling history, as the two legends shared intense hostility towards each other both inside and outside the ring.

Their feud reached a boiling point in 1997 when Michaels was the WWE Champion. However, HBK announced that he sustained a career-threatening knee injury on the February 13, 1997, episode of Raw, and delivered his infamous "Lost My Smile" promo and relinquished the WWE Championship.

While it was a fact that Michaels had been battling knee issues, many questioned the severity of the injury, and Bret Hart also claimed on multiple occasions that Michaels faked the injury to avoid losing the WWE Championship to him.

3 He Sustained A Torn ACL During A House Show

Worked With The Injury At SummerSlam 1990

Date & Event: House Show, August 4, 1990
Time Out: 2 Months
Return: WWE Superstars, October 27, 1990

As mentioned earlier, Shawn Michaels has a history of knee injuries throughout his career, and the first major knee injury he sustained came during a house show in August 1990, when he blew out his ACL. However, HBK managed to compete the match by fighting through the pain.

It happened a few weeks before SummerSlam 1990, and HBK once again fought through the pain and competed at the event, following which he had to take two months out of action before returning in October 1990.

2 He Suffered A Herniated Disc At Royal Rumble 1998

It Was The Reason For His First Retirement

Date & Event: Royal Rumble, January 18, 1998
Time Out: 2 Months Until WrestleMania 14 & Then 4 Years
Return: SummerSlam, August 25, 2002

During his Casket Match against The Undertaker at Royal Rumble 1998, Shawn Michaels took a back body drop to the outside of the ring and hit his lower back on the casket. It resulted in him herniating two discs and crushing one completely, and while it first resulted in him missing out two months of action, Michaels ended up announcing his retirement from in-ring competition after his match against Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 14.

While HBK continued as an on-screen figure after his retirement, he didn't return to the WWE ring until he got cleared to compete in 2002.

1 He Once Got Legitimately Assaulted Outside A Bar In 1995

Had To Relinquish The Intercontinental Championship

Date & Event: Original Injury On October 1995, Kayfabe Concussion On Raw, November 20, 1995
Time Out: 2 Months
Return: Royal Rumble, January 21, 1996

In October 1995, Shawn Michaels became the victim of a real-life assault outside a bar in Syracuse, New York. He reportedly got into an altercation with four other men outside the bar and sustained severe injuries as a result.

It resulted in him having to relinquish the Intercontinental Championship, and WWE had to book a concussion angle to write Michaels off television. Michaels sustained a kayfabe concussion during a match against Owen Hart on the November 20, 1995, episode of Raw and spent two months out of action before returning at Royal Rumble 1996.