I'd have to put Shawn #1 as well. If Flair agreed to retire after losing to to him. Come on. How much respect is that? Shawn changed the game. Hogan is immortal. He's above the whole list. Untouchable. HBK was a Rocker. Didn't have it. The guy is a worker. He made us love him. Shawn brought it for like 20 years and became the best in the buisiness.
I myself am a mark for certain wrestlers from my childhood.
But, I’m also realistic, and freely admit their faults because you must not allow any mark-like devotion to blind yourself to the facts.
Below are some facts, figures, and extremely astute observations from one of wrestling’s biggest authorities regarding Shawn's big reign.
From Dave Melzer’s Wrestling Observer newsletter:
…Michaels did a superb job in 1996...however, let’s not rewrite history to say Shawn’s reign was Hogan-like from a business standpoint, because nothing could be further from the truth. TV ratings collapsed in June of 1996 on Shawn’s watch, not Bret’s, and reached company all time lows for the rest of the year. Not just Monday night ratings due to Nitro - ratings across the board. Syndication died. Shawn’s work in the ring can’t be denied…but the buy rates fell through his reign and it was during Shawn’s reign, for the first time in a decade that WWF in both PPV and TV ratings fell to no. 2 in the U.S....Let’s not forget that there were numerous cases of Michaels throwing unprofessional hissy fits throughout his title reign in the ring.
These are not the qualities of a #1 guy.
We can debate who was number one on many levels as far as guys like Flair, Hogan, Sammartino, etc., but while Shawn was an incredible worker, he doesn't have the total package to be ranked above the aforementioned men.
The difference is in the business they drew, and the business the promotion did on their watch.
Bottom line:
WWF lost money while Shawn was in the driver's seat.
