WWE Jukebox: December 2004 (part 1)

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So I continue my slow ass work of “catching up”, and we’ve made it to the December 2004 Jukebox, featuring 6+ hours of material from everyone’s favorite superstar: Triple H.

However, before we even hit that, I urge you read the latest from my man Bryon Frazier, who claims he’s so worn out from writing this piece we aren’t going to hear from him for 2 more months… For shame!

And now: All the Triple H/Shawn Michaels matches you can stomach in one sitting…shortly! First, GODWINNS!!!!

HUNTER HEARST HELMSLEY vs. HENRY O. GODWINN (with slop bucket) (in an Arkansas hog pen match)
December 17, 1995

WWE Preview: The object of this match is to throw your opponent into a hog pen. Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Henry Godwinn get down and dirty in this unique type of match, but was The Game able to avoid being slopped?

HILLBILLY JIM is introduced as the guest referee. Vince can’t laugh loud enough about how hilarious this Arkansas hog pen is. Godwinn threatens to slop Helmsley, but winds up nailing one of the ring crew by mistake. The match starts, and Henry backdrops Hunter. Triple H takes a powder. Back in, Godwinn nails an uppercut and ties Hunter up in the ropes. He grabs a handful of slop, and rubs it all over Hunter’s face. Vince coughs up a lung from laughing so hard. Triple H makes faces, then gets vicious and pounds on Henry. Whip to the buckle – and that’s followed with a swinging neckbreaker. Hunter drops a knee and pounds away while Vince pimps Jarrett on the superstar line RIGHT NOW. They head outside, and Godwinn runs Hunter face first into the ringsteps. With Helmsley out, Henry starts to carry Hunter towards the hog pen – but Triple H slips away and sends Godwinn to the guardrail. An Irish whip sends Henry into the pen, and Triple H sets to finish with a Pedigree… Godwinn tries a backdrop, Triple H teeters on the edge of the hog pen, but hangs on and doesn’t fall in. Hunter rushes back to the ring for safety. Godwinn plants Hunter with Vince’s favorite move, the “WHATAMANOEUVER”, better known as the wheelbarrow suplex. That’s followed with a whip to the turnbuckle, causing Triple H to Flair flip to the outside. We’re headed back down the aisle again, and Henry goes for the Slop Drop on the concrete…but Hunter holds the guardrail and Godwinn crashes down hard alone!!! They head right next to the hog pen where Godwinn reverses a whip, and sends Hunter into the pen. Off the impact, THIS time he hits the Slop Drop! Ready to finish, he sets himself up and charges…right into a backdrop, sending Henry into the hog pen, and Hunter is still undefeated at 9:04. *1/4 Post-match, Triple H makes the mistake of getting into a shoving match with Hillbilly Jim, which leads to him getting tossed into the awaiting arms of Godwinn, and dumped face first to the muck.

HUNTER HEARST HELMSLEY (with Bimbo) vs. SHAWN MICHAELS (with Jose Lothario) (for the WWF world heavyweight title)
May 13, 1996

WWE Preview: Triple H and Shawn Michaels have fought in countless memorable battles over the years, but this was one of their first encounters. Michaels came into the match as the WWE Champion, but did he leave the ring with the belt at the end of the night?

Hunter takes Michaels down with a hiptoss, and poses. Vince starts talking about people making unfounded accusations about Michaels, which is of course in reference to his angle with the Bulldog and his wife. Hunter dodges a backdrop and sweeps Michaels’ feet out. Michaels shows frustration, and we have to take a break.

Upon return, Michaels is taking Helmsley down, and walks over his back. A HARD Cactus clothesline takes Hunter to the floor, but Michaels skins the cat. Then he skins it back out, hits on Triple H’s Bimbo du jour, punches Hunter in the face, and heads back in. Shawn yanks Triple H back, dragging him over the top, and catching him in a headlock while Hunter’s still draped over the top. The referee wants Michaels to release, so he does, and Hunter crashes face first to the mat. Hunter screams about his massive nose being broken, so Michaels checks it, figures it’s fine, and sends him to the buckle. A snapmare gets 2. Vince: “Shawn Michaels will take chances like no other superstar!” Lawler: “Yeah, he’ll ask anyone’s wife out on a date!” Michaels misses a crossbody, and lands on the top. Hunter boots Michaels, sending him to the floor. Vince notes that Hunter’s nose is starting to swell. Triple H hits a baseball slide dropkick, and we see MR. PERFECT wander out to ringside. We take another break.

Upon return, Perfect hasn’t gotten any closer to the action, and Hunter is still in control of the match. Hunter hammers Shawn in the corner, following with a running kneelift and gets 2. Hunter punches Shawn in the midsection, and takes him down with an uppercut. A backdrop is reversed in mid-air, and Shawn lands on top for 2. Hunter’s not thrilled, and pounds Michaels down in the corner. A swinging neckbreaker gets 2, and we steps aside for a third time!

Back to the action, Michaels is caught in a chinlock on the mat, and passing out quickly. Hunter gets a series of 2 counts as Michaels falls, but he can’t get the 3. Michaels is fired up and escapes. Helmsley tries the Pedigree, but it’s reversed into a catapult. Shawn stomps on Hunter’s face, slams him, and heads up for the elbow! It hits, and Michaels gets a 2! Triple H tries a powerbomb, but Michaels turns it into a rana! Hunter uses the momentum from the rana to land on top, and gets a 2 count! He tries another Pedigree, but gets backdropped this time. The band is warmed up, Michaels hits the Sweet Chin Music, and scores the win at 13:05! ***1/4 Mr. Perfect just walks to the back, shaking his head.

TRIPLE H, RIC FLAIR, and RANDY ORTON vs. TWO DUDES WITH ATTITUDES and THE HURRICANE
June 2, 2003

WWE Preview: Triple H’s Evolution competes in classic six-man-tag action on an edition of RAW. Kevin Nash was hot on Triple H’s trail at this point, but was he able to get his hands on The Game during this match?

Michaels starts with Orton. Michaels takes Orton down and walks over Randy’s back, before giving Ric a “WOOOO!” Flair wants in, and in the distraction Michaels blind tags the Hurricane. Orton doesn’t see the impending dropkick to the back, causing Randy to stumble into Shawn’s awaiting arms, and he’s slammed. Hurricane mocks Orton’s pose, and together with Shawn, Orton is dumped. Nash gets in a cheap shot on the floor, and Orton’s rolled in for 2. Randy flips, and runs Hurricane into the turnbuckle. Triple H is tagged in, and he runs Hurricane to the other buckle. Hurricane starts armdragging Hunter, and tags out to Shawn. Michaels flies off the top, hits a sledge, and threatens to tag in Nash. Hunter flips, and pounds away at Shawn to prevent Nash coming in. Flair heads in illegally to clip Michaels, and Triple H starts dropping elbows on the legs. Orton is tagged in, and he also works over Michaels’ leg. Evolution starts tagging in and out really quickly, each hitting moves on Shawn’s leg. Flair comes in to stay now, since he was feuding with Michaels at this point, and takes his shots. Michaels tries to fight back, but Ric hits the single leg atomic drop, and applies the figure four! Nash rushes in and drops an elbow to break that up. Flair tries to keep Shawn from tagging out, but eats an enzuigiri. Tags on both ends to Nash and Orton. Nash slams Orton and Flair before dragging Hunter into the ring. Nash hits his corner elbows, clotheslines Flair and Orton, and gives Hunter the snake eyes. The powerbomb is set…but Flair starts chopping at Nash. Nash no-sells and dumps Flair to the outside. He sends Triple H right behind, and gives Orton the big boot. Hurricane is tagged in and hits a crossbody off the top. Atomic drop is followed by a Shining Wizard which gets 2. The Blockbuster gets 1 before Flair breaks it up. Hunter rushes in, hits the Pedigree on Hurricane, and Orton scores the 3 at 10:19. ** Nash cleans house on the heels post-match, hitting a Jackknife on Triple H as the exclamation point.

HUNTER HEARST HELMSLEY (with Chyna) vs. DUDE LOVE
September 20, 1997

WWE Preview: This was a pay-per-view event that was exclusive to the United Kingdom, and Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Dude Love kicked off the show. Dude Love also had to contend with Chyna at ringside. Was one of Mick Foley’s alter egos able to overcome the challenge?

Dude Love cuts a pre-match promo, trying out his worst English accent. He suggests that he and Chyna do some “grooving” after the match. Dude takes down Helmsley with a shoulderblock, and slaps him in the face. Dude hits a backdrop and dances, so Hunter’s had enough and drives his thumb into the eye. Dude comes back sending Hunter face first to the buckle, and struts around the ring. Helmsley rolls out for a second, and when he tries to get back in, Dude simply clotheslines him back to the outside. Back in, Dude Love hits a legdrop on Hunter’s arm, and applies an armbar. A series of armdrags are used to pull on the joint, but Hunter hammers his way out of the holds. He tries a drop toe hold, but Dude skips over it, and hits one of his own! Dude starts working an Indian deathlock, and then ties him to the tree of woe. Dude does the 10 punch count-a-long on Hunter’s ankle, stops at 9, and drops an elbow on his face for #10. Dude warms up the band, goes for Sweet Shin Music, but Hunter hops over it and rolls outside. They run around the ring, and Dude runs right into a clothesline from Chyna, drawing some LOUD heat from the fans! Hunter takes over the ring, and Chyna gets in a cheap shot when the referee isn’t looking – giving Helmsley a 2. A running kneelift gets 2. Hunter puts on an abdominal stretch and uses the ropes for leverage. The referee sees it and threatens to DQ Hunter. Helmsley shoves the referee, and the referee shoves him back harder – and goes NUTS! Triple H dives to the floor for safety from the official, and the fans pop like mad! When things settle down, everyone gets back in, and Dude Love hits a bulldog for 2! Hunter comes right back with a swinging neckbreaker and does his bow. They start trading punches, which Dude Love wins, and slams Hunter’s face to the buckle 10 times. He sets up for a charge, and hits a corner clothesline. A second attempt has Dude run into a big boot, and Hunter goes up. Like his hero Ric Flair, Hunter is caught on the top, and hiptossed back in. Again, the band is warmed up, and Dude hits the Sweet Shin Music this time! Double Arm DDT hits, but Chyna puts Hunter’s foot on the rope, causing a break at 2! Dude argues with the referee, giving Hunter a chance to hit a Pedigree and score the win at 12:53. **1/4 Relatively boring affair, but technically sound.

ALEX WRIGHT vs. JEAN PAUL LEVESQUE
December 27, 1994

WWE Preview: Before WWE fans came to know Triple H, he was Jean Paul Levesque in WCW. In a rare WCW pay-per-view appearance, Levesque takes on Alex Wright in a battle of up and comers.

This match took place in the midst of Alex Wright’s initial 6-year non-stop push, that saw him essentially defeat every midcarder on the roster, whether or not it was completely inappropriate for him to be doing so. This is also Levesque’s only WCW pay-per-view appearance. They lock up and fight back to the corner, where Levesque pinches Alex’s cheeks like a baby. Levesque hits a hiptoss, and starts working over the arm. Wright cartwheels around to escape, and hits a dropkick! That’s followed with a rana, and Levesque backs off. Levesque tries to work a headlock, but Alex escapes, rakes Levesque in the eyes, and hits a dropkick. Wright works an armbar, follows with a dropkick, and goes back to the armbar. Levesque uses the knee to escape, but Wright puts on a headscissors and tries to put him to sleep. Instead, he only succeeds in putting the crowd to sleep. Alex tries to work a crucifix rollup, but can’t hold Levesque down since he’s so much bigger. Levesque punches Wright in the face, and starts stomping Wright down. Levesque chokes out Wright, follows with a spinning heel kick, and Alex is down! Levesque hits a snap suplex for 2. A kick to the head gets another 2 count. Wright tries a flying crossbody block, but Levesque casually lies down out of the way, and Alex crashes to the floor. Levesque follows with a baseball slide dropkick, sending Wright sprawling. Levesque heads to the apron and kicks Wright in the face. Back in, Wright hits a slingshot sunset flip, but Levesque just punches him in the face to break that. A powerslam gets 2. Levesque works a headlock on the mat, and Heenan declares that from 1995-onwards, Levesque is going to be a huge star. Well, he was right… A dropkick gets 2, and Levesque goes back to the headlock. Levesque nails a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, and does his Hunter Hearst Helmsley curtsy. Up he goes…and he misses the crossbody off the top! Wright starts back with the European uppercuts, and hits a hiptoss for 2. Levesque comes back with a knee to the midsection, but both guys try to do shoulderblocks and knock each other out. Alex manages to hit a rollup seconds later, and scores the pin at 14:02. *1/2 I seem to recall liking this match an awful lot more the first couple times I watched it, but time has NOT done this any justice.

GOLDUST (with Marlena) vs. HUNTER HEARST HELMSLEY (with Curtis Hughes) (for the WWF intercontinental title)
January 19, 1997

WWE Preview: Intercontinental Champion Hunter Hearst Helmsley takes on the bizarre one in the opening match of the 1997 Royal Rumble. It was Mr. Hughes’ last pay-per-view appearance as Triple H’s bodyguard. He made his presence known, but did it lead to a victory?

Goldust attacks Hunter on the ramp before the match even starts, pounding the holy hell out of him. They head back in and get the opening bell. Hunter is promptly dumped, and given a hotshot onto the guardrail. Back in, Goldust slams Hunter into the turnbuckle, and pounds away. Triple H rushes out of the corner with an atomic drop and goes for the Pedigree. Goldust blocks it, and catapults Hunter to the floor! Goldust follows, and slams the ringsteps over Hunter’s back!!! The referee tells Goldust to get back to the ring, so he does after throwing Hunter face first to the steps. Helmsley comes back with a neckbreaker over the ropes. Back in, Triple H chops away and whips Goldust to the corner. Goldust comes back with a clothesline for 2. Hunter gives Goldust a lowblow, sending him out to the floor to recover. Hunter comes off the top rope with a double axehandle to the floor, and follows with a whip to the ringpost! Goldust comes back by kicking away at Hunter, and slams the ringsteps over his back for a second time! Back in, Goldust works over Hunter’s knee, but Triple H is able to power out of the hold. So he turns things over to the figure four, getting a very sad reaction from the fans considering there’s 60,000+ in attendance. Goldust uses the ropes for leverage, and the referee catches him, forcing him to break. Outside they go, and Goldust clips Hunter on the floor. Triple H is hurting, and it isn’t getting any better because Goldust uses a single leg atomic drop onto the ringsteps. Once again, they re-enter the ring, and Hunter gets a knee to Goldust’s midsection. Goldust tries to give Hunter a crossbody, but misses, and winds up crashing to the outside. Helmsley follows, and whips Goldust into the guardrail. Goldust stumbles around, right into a drop toe hold from Hunter into the ringsteps. Helmsley grabs Marlena’s director’s chair, but the referee pulls it away. Goldust is tossed into the guardrail once again, and rolled back in. Triple H gives Goldust a snapmare, and drops a knee to the head…but that re-aggravates the leg that Goldust has been working over, and he’s slow to cover, getting a late 2. Goldust clotheslines Triple H, and heads up. The Whoopie Cushion misses, and Curtis Hughes throws the IC title to Hunter. Hughes distracts the referee, and Hunter uses this to…kiss Marlena??? Oooookay… Goldust recovers, knocks the belt away from Hunter, knocks him cold with it, and gets 2 before Hughes pulls Helmsley to the floor. The referee starts screaming at Hughes, as does Goldust, and they miss Hunter clotheslining Goldust from behind, and following with a Pedigree for the win at 16:50. * That was about 10 minutes WAY too long for these guys at that point in their career. I’m going to have nightmares for weeks.

TRIPLE H (with Ric Flair) vs. SHAWN MICHAELS (in a 2-out-of-3 falls match for the world heavyweight title)
December 15, 2002

WWE Preview: This epic battle included a Street Fight, Cage Match and a Ladder Match. Shawn Michaels entered as the champion, but will he exit with the belt? The Ladder Match is a match made famous by HBK, but watch as Triple H tries to beat him at his own game.

Oy, reliving this wankfest is going to be painful. Triple H and Shawn Michaels had put on a couple of surprisingly good matches at SummerSlam and Survivor Series, and so they decided to take it to another level and wrestle for approximately 6 hours. This match was born. The referee ejects Ric Flair before the match even starts, because he’s NOT in the mood. First fall is a street fight. Michaels attacks before the bell, so Triple H attempts to dump him. Michaels skins the cat and clotheslines Hunter to the outside. Triple H grabs a trashcan, just in time to put it in the way of Shawn Michaels who’s trying to hit him with a plancha. The announcers start talking about the back of Michaels, while Triple H throws him into the security wall. Michaels comes back with a crossbody off the apron, onto Triple H who’s holding a trashcan. Shawn grabs a table and sets it up at ringside. Hunter blocks an attempted suplex, but can’t block having his face smashed into the ringsteps. Michaels picks up a trashcan, and dives off the top rope…but Triple H puts his foot up, and drives it back into Shawn’s face. Michaels tries a crossbody, but Triple H rolls through for 2. Now it’s Hunter who sets up another table at ringside, next to the original one, and wants to suplex Shawn over the top through them, but Michaels blocks and suplexes Hunter back in for 2. Triple H comes back with a running kneelift for 2. Triple H starts pounding away at the lower back of Michaels, and sets up a chair in the middle of the ring. He tries to use it as a nasty backbreaker, but Shawn slips away and sends Triple H THROUGH the chair back first! They head outside, and Shawn drives Triple H back first into the ring apron several times. Back in, Michaels slaps Triple H with a trashcan lid several times, and goes for the Sweet Chin Music. It’s blocked by Hunter, and turned into a dragon screw. Hunter senses an injury, and starts driving the knee into the mat, and a nearby trashcan. From there, we move towards the ringpost, and Triple H wraps Shawn’s knee around it several times. Back in, Hunter dives at the knee, and clips him in nasty fashion! To the figure four! Shawn screams in pain, but refuses to give up. He starts to claw to the ropes while Triple H yells at him to give. With all his might, Shawn manages to reverse the hold, but the damage is long done. A loud trashcan over the head appears to knock Michaels out, but a cover says otherwise because he kicks out at 2. Triple H decides to take it up the aisle, and they head dangerously close to the fire at the top of the set. Instead, Hunter throws Michaels head first into the sheet metal that makes up the set. Triple H wanders backstage and comes back out with a barbed wire two by four! He goes to attack, but then stops, and the announcers suspect he’s had second thoughts. Instead, he dips it into the fire, and comes back to attack. Shawn boots him in the midsection, grabs the torch, and hits Triple H in the face with it!!!! That prompts a “HOLY SHIT” chant from the fans! Back to ringside, Shawn throws Triple H face first into the ringpost, and it should be noted that Hunter’s a bloody mess. Back in, Michaels clocks Hunter over the head with a trashcan lid and sets up a chair. Unfortunately, whatever he had planned backfires when he is given a drop toe hold into the chair, and then hit with a DDT! Triple H goes for a Pedigree, but Shawn gives him a lowblow. That’s followed by a flying jalapeno, and Shawn nips up! He staggers however, on the weak leg, and Hunter immediately connects with a chop block, followed by the Pedigree, and THAT scores the first win at 20:34! Realistically though, that should have been enough.

Instead, off we go to our second fall, this time inside of the cage. While it’s lowered, Triple H quickly loads the ring up with as much PLUNDAH from ringside as possible. And, immediately, he slams a trashcan over the head of Shawn and sets up a table against the turnbuckle. Michaels is catapulted into the mesh, and now he’s bleeding as well. Hunter pounds away to open it up further, and adds another trashcan shot. Enough with the trashcans already!!! Triple H rubs Michaels’ face against the cage for kicks. Shawn shows he’s alive by throwing Hunter into the cage a couple of times, and delivers a clothesline. The Thesz press is good, but Triple H shrugs him off with ease and starts to climb up. Michaels follows, and they fight up top. The fans start “WOOOO”ing, indicating that Ric Flair’s returned to ringside. Michaels winds up nearly falling off the cage, with only one foot holding him up, but Triple H pulls him back up. Flair sets up even MORE tables on top of the two already there, bringing the stack to four. After 2 minutes of sitting on the cage, they finally head in where Shawn crotches Triple H on the top rope, and follows with an elbow drop. The band is warmed up, but Flair gets himself into the cage with a chair. Michaels fights him off, then yanks Triple H back in, who was trying to crawl out. The heels are destroyed with chairshots, and Michaels grates Flair against the cage, busting HIM open. 10 punch count-a-long on Flair, but there’s Triple H, waiting for a Pedigree. Shawn backdrops out, hits Sweet Chin Music on Flair, and then Sweet Chin Music on Triple H!!! Instead of going for the pin, he sets up a table like a tool. He places Hunter on top, climbs to the top of the cage, and splashes Hunter through the table off the top for the pin at 31:09.

So no, it’s STILL not over, we have a ladder match to go. Flair’s looking the worst of bunch, completely purpled with caked blood all over. Shawn grabs the big Jeff Hardy ladder, and sets it up in the corner. Hunter and Shawn slug it out, which Michaels wins after whipping Triple H into the ladder. Michaels picks up the ladder like a battering ram and uses it as such on Triple H. Shawn suplexes Triple H on the ladder, and sets it up in the corner. Michaels climbs and goes for a splash, but Hunter rolls away. Triple H quickly hits the Pedigree, and starts his climb. Neither guy is moving at all at this point. Michaels pulls Hunter off the ladder, hits Sweet Chin Music which sends Triple H to the floor, and climbs himself. Just before he grabs the belt, Triple H shoves the ladder over, sending Michaels through the stack of 4 tables at ringside!!!! That draws a “HOLY SHIT” chant. Triple H is able to easily climb now, and ends this FINALLY at 38:32, claiming World Title #6. ** This was worst match in the never-ending series of matches from these two. Not that they learned anything, since they damn near duplicated it with the 2004 Hell In A Cell.

TRIPLE H vs. RIC FLAIR
September 2, 2002

WWE Preview: Earlier in the night, the RAW General Manager awarded Triple H with the World Championship belt. In the belt’s first title defense since being reintroduced, The Game takes on the 16-time World Champion Ric Flair.

JR immediately starts praying that Hunter walks in here as the champion, having been handed the belt an hour ago, and leaves having dropping it to a 53-year old Ric Flair. They lock up, and Flair wins the exchange and struts a little. Flair goes his chain wrestling and takes Hunter down, and really starts his strut now. He hits a drop toe hold and tries to ride Triple H, but Hunter escapes. Flair chops so hard that Triple H has to roll to the floor to recover. Back in, Flair hiptosses Triple H, and starts to work over the arm. A wristlock has Hunter writhing in pain, but he gets back up and punches out. Flair chops back, but a big right rocks him. Flair tries to drive in the knife edges, but Triple H counters with a spinebuster. Ric’s sent headfirst to the buckle, and then is whipped to the corner, and Flair flips to the floor. Triple H brings him back in with a vertical suplex and gets 2. We move to the sleeper, but Flair gives Hunter a backdrop suplex to escape. He misses a kneedrop, and Triple H starts dropping elbows into Ric’s quad. In the corner, he drops a knee onto Flair’s quad, and starts doing the strut to some loud heat. Triple H goes for the figure four, but winds up getting cradled for 2! A backslide gets 2! Triple H isn’t impressed, and clotheslines Ric. Flair fires back with the chops once again, and knocks Triple H down several times. Hunter is whipped to the corner, and now he Flair flips to the floor! On his way in, he gives Flair a jawbreaker over the ropes – but back in, he’s hit with a single leg atomic drop! Flair quickly slaps on the figure four…but Triple H gets to the ropes! Flair tries again, but Triple H shoves him off with a foot to the back, and he accidently nails the referee. Triple H hits the lowblow, Pedigree, and scores the pin at 9:40. **1/2 CHRIS JERICHO immediately hits the ring after the match, and puts Flair into the Walls Of Jericho! ROB VAN DAM is quickly out to save his friend, but Triple H gets in RVD’s face. Van Dam gives Hunter a spinning heel kick which sends him sprawling, and points to himself as the fans chant along.

TRIPLE H (with Ric Flair) vs. SHAWN MICHAELS (for the world heavyweight title)
December 29, 2003

WWE Preview: The Game takes on Shawn Michaels in his own hometown of San Antonio, Texas. After the referee gets knocked out, RAW General Manager Eric Bischoff takes over, which eventually leads to a controversial decision.

This match was from the last RAW of 2003, and the awesomeness of the whole thing ultimately wound up leading to Shawn’s push as Triple H’s main nemesis throughout the course of 2004. They lockup, and trade basic wrestling holds. Shawn grounds Triple H with a headlock. Triple H manages to shove him off eventually, and knocks Michaels in the face with an elbow. Hunter tries to dump Michaels, but Shawn skins the cat. Triple H tries to knock him down, but walks into a rana, and is sent to the floor. Michaels struts in the ring, ala Ric Flair, pissing Flair off. Michaels decks Flair off the apron, and continues his strut fest. Michaels threatens a slingshot plancha, so both guys take cover, but it’s a fake, and he then dives with a springboard plancha as soon as they move, and hits both guys. Back in, Michaels starts pulling at Hunter’s arm. A loud “HBK” chant breaks out as he hiptosses Triple H. Michaels continues to work over Triple H, so Triple H goes to the safety of the ropes, stepping halfway to the apron. The referee orders a break, which is no problem, and then in a hilarious spot he casually boots the ropes, crotching Hunter. The referee reprimands him, and Triple H charges…right into another hiptoss. Triple H piefaces Michaels back to the corner, and drives his knee into Shawn’s midsection. Michaels comes right back with a series of chops, then whips Triple H to the corner, causing him to Flair flip to the floor. Michaels follows, and chops away on the floor. Back in, Michaels applies a sleeper in the middle of the ring, and when Triple H tries to backdrop out, Michaels rolls him up for 2. Triple H tries to apply a headlock, but Michaels counters with a headscissors. Hunter rolls over into a pinning spot, but at 2 Michaels is able to bridge out. He backslides Triple H for 2. This has been ALL Shawn Michaels to this point. Shawn chops in the corner, gives Triple H a big boot, but gets backdropped over the top to the floor. And we take a commercial break….

Upon return, Triple H is giving Michaels a jawbreaker on the ropes. In the ring, Triple H stands on the throat of Michaels, getting a 4 count from the referee to break. A backbreaker gets 2. Hunter starts dropping elbows on Shawn’s back, and JR goes into his usual spiel about “BROKEN BACK! CAREER OVER! BAH GAWD!” Michaels tries to fight back, but winds up getting dumped to the floor. Triple H is more than happy to follow, and whips Michaels shoulder first into the ringsteps. Back in, Shawn tries a sunset flip, and actually gets it off for 2! Triple H fires right back with a spear for 2. We move to the abdominal stretch, and Hunter makes it worse by pulling Shawn’s hair while we go. Flair helps Triple H with leverage. Shawn fights, and after several minutes manages to hiptoss his way out. Michaels starts to make a comeback with the chops, but a high knee ends that quickly for 2. Triple H starts limping, and the announcers speculate it’s the quad again. Michaels exploits THAT in a heartbeat, hitting an atomic drop, and whipping out the figure four!!! Flair throws a shit fit while watching this! Hunter nearly gets pinned several times, and after 2 minutes in the move, Flair has enough and gouges Michaels’ eyes wile the ref is checking on Triple H! Hunter drops Michaels to the outside, and collapses. Michaels isn’t done through, and heads up. He tries the double axehandle, but Triple H has the boot and Pedigree waiting. The fans are freaking out…but Michaels backdrops out, and they explode!!! Michaels hits a shoulderblock, then falls headfirst into Hunter’s crotch. Lawler wants a DQ, but Jerry’s not the referee so it’s not happening. A slugfest starts, which Shawn wins when he changes to chops, and gives Triple H an inverted atomic drop! He hits a second one, and continues to chop. Flying jalapeno…and Michaels nips right up!!! Shawn can feel it, and heads up to the top rope! He drops an elbow, and the fans are ready for what’s next. And indeed, Michaels warms up the band, but Flair distracts him and Michaels knocks him off the apron. Triple H attacks, but Shawn ducks and Hunter hits the ref! Michaels tries Sweet Chin Music on Triple H…but he blocks, and DDT’s Shawn!! Flair throws the world title belt into the ring, and Triple H clocks Shawn with it! A cover, and the referee recovers…for 2! That sends the crowd into ANOTHER frenzy. The “HBK” chants are nearly deafening as Triple H tries another Pedigree! Michaels escapes, but bumps the referee who falls to the outside of the ring. ERIC BISCHOFF rushes down to ringside to check on the referee while Hunter undoes the turnbuckle. Michaels avoids being thrown into it, and actually tosses Triple H face first into it!!!! Hunter collapses, and Michaels gets what feels like a 50 count. Bischoff’s seen enough, hits the ring, and counts 2 before Hunter kicks out! Triple H is bleeding now from the turnbuckle shot, and Michaels decks him for another 2. Triple H uses the knee as a facebuster, and draws a 2. Hunter heads to the top rope, dives at Michaels, but takes a boot to the face! Seconds later, Michaels hits Sweet Chin Music, collapses on Hunter, and scores the pinfall at 26:11!!!!!!!!! ****1/2 The fans are just going crazy for what they’ve seen, and praise Shawn as their god. However, Bischoff announces that Triple H is still the world heavyweight champion, and the fans can’t believe it since the pin was clean. However, the replay shows that Shawn had bridged back so far in his pin attempt that his shoulders were down as well – which had ALSO happened at Armageddon but nobody had said anything at that time. Still, ending aside, one hell of an amazing match!

Part 2 is still to come, featuring matches with The Road Dogg, Kane, and of course, your hero and mine, Kevin Nash!!! Stay tuned…