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5 reasons why Shawn Michaels' initial WWE run was better than his second stint
![Shawn Michaels was spectacular in both 90s and 00s](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/01/e911f-16418000928406-1920.jpg?w=500)
Shawn Michaels is one of the finest performers to ever compete in WWE. Commonly known as The Heartbreak Kid (HBK), he had a decorated career in Vince McMahon's promotion.
Fans may infer that his 20 years of pursuit are split into two parts. Shawn Michaels was brought in the promotion as a tag team player with Marty Janetty. The two superstars were jointly booked as The Rockerz.
His first stint in WWE featured him rising to the top of the ladder. He successfully made a name for himself in professional wrestling when an unfortunate incident happened.
In 1998, Michaels suffered a career-threatening injury. He was forced to stay out of action for years. After a gap of 4 years, he returned to wrestle again.
With this, his second stint began in 2002. While he was already a well-known superstar, Michaels had to strengthen his stature, alongside brawling after a lengthy period. He proved his excellence once again.
Fans have always loved him at all times. But the topic as to which stint was better is often argued. We will review these five reasons why Shawn Michaels' initial run with WWE was better than his second run.
#5. Shawn Michaels was remarkable in Royal Rumble
Michaels is the first-ever superstar to win the Royal Rumble match after entering at number 1. He outlasted everyone else to accomplish this feat. Moreover, he won the next Royal Rumble too. In 1996, he became the second superstar to win the famous Battle Royale more than once.
There is an interesting fact associated with Michaels and Royal Rumble. In 1994, the only instance of two Royal Rumble winners occurred. Both Bret Hart and Lex Luger were acknowledged co-winners. As Michaels was the previous individual eliminated, he was the official runner-up of the Royal Rumble match.
He was spectacular in Royal Rumble matches during his first run in WWE, which is a reason why he was superior in the 90s.