"We've come a long way" - Shawn Michaels details the difficulties WWE RAW faced transitioning to live TV
WWE legend Shawn Michaels recently revealed what it was like when RAW transitioned to live television two decades ago.
He last wrestled in Saudi Arabia at WWE Crown Jewel in 2018. The Heartbreak Kid teamed up with Triple H to defeat The Brothers of Destruction (Kane and The Undertaker). Shawn now serves as the Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative for the company.
Speaking on WWE's The Bump, Shawn spoke about the difficulties the wrestlers faced as the company transitioned to live television.
"As Shelton (Benjamin) can attest to, we've come a long way now as far as commercial breaks and how you get there, the timing, and stuff like that. Honestly, that was the most difficult transition was understanding live television, going to commercials, and coming back from commercials," said Shawn Michaels. [00:04 - 00:36]
Michaels noted that the talent already had enough to worry about with the match and it took some time to get used to the live TV aspect of the business.
"You have all these things that are already running through your head in a wrestling match. The added element of live television was something that was truly fascinating, and groundbreaking at the time for me. But again, all of it a wonderful journey to have been able to take part of," added Shawn Michaels. [00:37 - 00:54]
WWE legend Ric Flair names Shawn Michaels as the greatest performer of all-time
Ric Flair recently named Shawn Michaels as the greatest wrestler of all time.
He was recently a guest on RAW announcer Corey Graves' After the Bell podcast. The 16-time world champion was asked who he believed was the greatest performer in wrestling history. Flair named The Heartbreak Kid and listed several reasons.
The 73-year-old noted that Michaels could portray a babyface but was also great as a heel earlier in his career. Ric claimed that Shawn carried him in their match at WrestleMania 24. The legendary match was supposed to mark the end of the Nature Boy's career, but he kept performing up until Ric Flair's Last Match event last summer in Nashville.
The WWE Royal Rumble is just around the corner, scheduled for January 28th. It will be interesting to see if any legends of the past show up as surprise entrants during the premium live event at the Alamodome.
Which legends would you like to see appear on RAW's 30th-anniversary show or at the Royal Rumble? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit WWE and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.