If Shawn Michaels never injured his back PT.1
At the Royal Rumble 1998, Shawn Michaels defended his WWF title against The Undertaker in a Casket match where he took a bump off the casket which would lead to his retirement a couple of months later. But what if Shawn never took that bump, what if HBK never retired?
No Way Out of Texas: In Your House
HBK starts off the match for his team while Austin does the same for his, we get a little preview of Mania before HBK tags in Helmsley and he and Austin fight. Eventually Owen Hart is tagged in and goes after HBK, Owen wants revenge for Montreal and is going to get it one way or the other. The match ends with Austin pinning Helmsley while the others brawl on the outside, HBK is thrown back into the ring where he receives a Stone Cold Stunner and the ppv ends with Austin holding the WWF title foreshadowing what's to come..
WrestleMania XIV
"Michaels going for another kick-Austin...HE GOT IT! THE STUNNER!! MIKE TYSON AND-AUSTIN IS THE CHAMPION!! STONE COLD! STONE COLD! The Austin era has begun!!"
Build to Unforgiven: In Your House
The next night on RAW Michaels comes out with Helmsley and Chyna and talks about Mania and Tyson. He promises he'll get the WWF belt back and kick Austin's teeth down his throat, Austin cuts a promo telling him he'll whip HBK's ass again and that's the bottom line cause Stone Cold says so.
Unforgiven: In Your House
HBK and Austin go at it again, Michaels does everything he can to win back the WWF Championship but Austin won't give up. Michaels goes for a superkick but Austin reverses it and-No! Michaels reverses it and hits the superkick!! He goes for the cover but Austin is near the ropes and the ref doesn't count, Michaels is upset and gets in the ref's face. The referee tells him Austin was near the ropes but HBK isn't hearing it and is about to hit the ref when Austin spins him around and hits the Stunner before pinning him for the 1, 2, 3, and retains his WWF Championship.
Build to Over the Edge: In Your House
HBK disappears for a while but returns to RAW on May 18th, where he helps the New Age Outlaws retain the tag titles against The Rock and Owen Hart (turning him face in the process). The next week The Nation (particularity Owen, D'Lo, and Kama) challenge D-Generation X to a match at Over the Edge and DX accepts.
Over the Edge: In Your House
The second six man tag match for HBK as he leads Helmsley and X-Pac against the Nation's Owen Hart, D'Lo Brown, and Kama Mustafa, Michaels and Owen start the match. Re-kindling their feud over the years, Michaels is in charge for a while but Owen gets some shots in before tagging in D'Lo Brown. D'Lo and Michaels fight for a while and Michaels nearly gets a 3 count on Brown but Owen and Kama break it up. HBK tags in Pac and hangs out in the corner with Helmsley, at the end of the match DX stood tall when HBK hits Sweet Chin Music and pins Owen for the victory.
Build to King of The Ring 1998
Owen Hart is tired of Shawn Michaels and wants to finish him once and for all! At King of The Ring, it's made a No Holds Barred match between Owen and Shawn with both DX and The Nation barred from ringside. Shawn and DX mock The Nation by dressing up as them and cut a promo as them, with "The Crock" (Helmsley) and Mizmark Henry (X-Pac).
King of The Ring 1998
This rivalry is so heated that Owen jumps Shawn during his entrance, starting the match early. It barely resembles a wrestling match and more of a hockey fight, eventually steel chairs come into the picture. HBK is busted open and is locked in the sharpshooter, Shawn manages to reach the ropes but Owen won't let go. And since it's a No Holds Barred match, the ref can't dq him for holding on to the submission and Shawn screams out in pain. Somehow he manages to break out of the hold and quickly grabs a steel chair and wacks Owen's legs, knocking him down. HBK struggles to get up and deliver Sweet Chin Music but he does manage to do so and wins the match.
Build to Fully Loaded: In Your House
Shawn switches from one member of The Nation to another, the WWF IC Champion The Rock. HHH and Rock resume their rivalry from '97 (when Rock was Rocky and HHH was the blue blood Helmsley) this time with HBK in Helmsley's corner. We get a tease of a match between the champ and Michaels but sadly it doesn't happen as NOD attack Michaels leading to DX storming down and brawling with them.
Fully Loaded: In Your House
Michaels (along with Chyna) manage Helmsley while he takes on the IC Champ The Rock in a 2 out 3 Falls match, both men get a fall but sadly the match ends in a time limit draw. HHH and Rock fight on regardless until a superkick from Michaels knocks The Rock out cold and HBK and HHH crotch chop over the fallen champ before NOD make their way down.
Build to Summerslam 1998
Shawn is cutting a promo on RAW when suddenly he is hit with a guitar from Jeff Jarrett! Jarrett the next week explains why he did what he did and that Michaels (alongside he Kliq) held him back and that he's gonna embarrass him and send him to WCW bold! Shawn accepts his challenge and tells him that he's a talent-less nobody that will be crawling back to Atlanta where his boys (Hall and Nash) will finish what he started.
Summerslam 1998
While Jarrett has the former Godwinns in his corner, Michaels has his DX and Kliq member X-Pac at his side to counter them. The two put on a clinic with many spectacular moves and spots, including Michaels tossing himself over the top rope and splashing into Jarrett and his goons. Jarrett gets tired of HBK's antics and grabs his guitar and prepares to swing but as he does Michaels ducks and Jarrett hits Dennis Knight (the future Mideon) before being rolled up by Michaels for the three. Jarrett's pissed and refuses to be shaved but X-Pac holds him by the arms as HBK starts cutting off Jeff's golden locks before superkicking him and posing over his body.
Build to Judgement Day: In Your House
Triple H would be stripped of the Intercontinental title following an injury and a tournament would be held to crown a new champ. Ken Shamrock would become the new IC Champion by defeating X-Pac, the next week HBK challenged Shamrock for his IC title and a match was made for Judgement Day.
Judgement Day: In Your House
Ken immediately uses his UFC experience and takes Michaels down, and getting some punches in. HBK breaks away from Shamrock and creates some space between the two, Shamrock isn't going to let Michaels determine the pace of the match and takes him down again. Shawn quickly slides out before being followed by Shamrock, the two brawl back and forth on the outside and in the inside too. Michaels thinks he's got Shamrock where he wants and goes to hit a superkick but Shamrock catches it and locks in the ankle lock! HBK eventually taps and Shamrock retains his IC title.
Build to Survivor Series 1998
Shawn moves on from the IC title very quickly on to the WWF Championship as Mr. McMahon announces a tournament for the vacated title at Survivor Series, HBK defeats Al Snow in the first round on RAW before moving on to Survivor Series displeasing Mr. McMahon as he now has three men he hates (HBK, Rock, and Austin) in the tournament.
Survivor Series 1998
Shawn's next opponent is an old rival Mankind, the two go at it at the starting bell and with The Corporation at his side Mankind seems to have this in the bag. But never underestimate the show stopper as he pulls a comeback, fighting back an interference from Shamrock and beats Mankind in the first round.
For a third time this year Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin compete for the WWF title, this time neither are champion. The momentum shifts back and forth between the two men who use every move they know to beat the other, eventually Austin signals for the stunner but HBK reverses and hits the superkick! He covers Austin and advances to the finals! The boyhood dream is near!!
Finally! (as The Rock would later say), We get the heavily anticipated match between Shawn Michaels and The Rock. It seems any bad blood there was between the two is gone as they shake hands before the beginning bell, Michaels starts the match in his control but the rookie surprises him and gets control, The Rock eventually hits his signature move the Rock Bottom and goes for the cover but Shawn kicks out at 2 and a half! Shawn will not let his boyhood dream be taken from him and will do anything to become the WWF Champion but so will The Rock as he kicks out of Sweet Chin Music (something Shawn is very pissed at) and it seems we're at a stalemate until... "The Rock's got Michaels down and-THE SHARPSHOOTER!! And McMahon's saying ring the bell! What the hell?!"
History repeated itself as a screwjob took place at the Survivor Series but in a ironic flip, Shawn was the one getting screwed! Shawn can't believe the karma as Vince McMahon grabs the WWF title and gives it to The Rock and declares him the "Corporate Champion". Shawn gets up and spins Vince around and gets in his face, he yells at him for screwing him which has Vince reply, "What's the matter Shawn? Don't like it when YOU'RE the one who's screwed?" Vince laughs before Shawn superkicks him!! The Rock then hits the Rock Bottom on HBK and Survivor Series ends with The Corporation standing tall...
