Shawn Michaels' Final 10 Matches Before His 1998 Retirement ...

Shawn Michaels unexpectedly sustained a serious back injury in his WWE Championship match at the 1998 Royal Rumble which caused him to retire after WrestleMania 14, but what were Michaels' best outings in his final batch of matches before his first retirement?

Arguably,Shawn Michaels was the biggest heel in WWE in the fall of 1997 after Bret Hart's departure. Michaels was in his groove as the reigning three-time WWE Champion. He was the leader of D-Generation X and wreaked havoc alongside Triple H. However, the history of professional wrestling changed when Michaels herniated a disc in his back in his WWE Title defense against The Undertaker in a casket match at the 1998 Royal Rumble.

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Michaels was in an insurmountable amount of pain, and he wrestled one more match before he took care of his health after WrestleMania 14. It remained to be seen if Michaels would step foot inside a WWE ring again, but thankfully he did after a four-year absence. HBK bowed out at the top of his game, but some of his matches showed fans what they were missing with HBK on the shelf.

10 Shawn Michaels Vs. Triple H - Raw (12/22/97)

DX's scheming finally caught up with them as Shawn Michaels was forced to defend his European Championship against Triple H on the December 22, 1997, edition of Raw. Michaels and Triple H did a masterful job of pretending that DX was going to split up, but it was a ruse.

When the bell rang, Triple H knocked Michaels down, and he ran the ropes with Michaels not moving like he was a statue. Triple H splashed Michaels and covered him to win the European Championship. They had the last laugh on Commissioner Slaughter who tried to split DX up.

9 Shawn Michaels Vs. Vader - Raw (11/24/97)

On the November 24, 1997, episode of Raw, Shawn Michaels collided with a familiar foe in Vader in a non-title match. Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart was a "member" of DX as he was in Michaels' corner. Nevertheless, Vader overpowered Michaels with ease. HBK attempted the Sweet Chin Music, but Vader clobbered him.

Neidhart and Triple H double-teamed Vader on the outside when Michaels distracted the referee. Moreover, Vader was going for his trademark Vader Bomb, but Triple H threw coffee in Vader's eye. The reigning WWE Champion sealed the deal with a couple of Sweet Chin Musics in a short match with Neidhart surplus to requirements afterward.

8 DX Vs. Legion Of Doom - Raw (12/15/97)

Former two-time WWE Tag Team Champions the Legion of Doom battled DX's Shawn Michaels and Triple H in the main event on the December 15, 1997, episode of Raw. LOD was in cruise control with Michaels aiming to head back to the locker room but Triple H dragged him back.

Michaels and Hawk had a nasty collision with both men clashing heads. Luckily, both were fine. Nonetheless, DX got back into the swing of things, and The New Age Outlaws interfered at ringside. Chyna low-blowed Animal and allowed LOD to prevail by disqualification in a disappointing tag team match.

7 Shawn Michaels Vs. Ken Shamrock - Raw (11/3/97)

Shawn Michaels was in action on the November 3, 1997, edition of Raw against Ken Shamrock. The World's Most Dangerous Man set the tone and he launched HBK over the top rope onto Triple H and Chyna who were perched at ringside. Shamrock dominated the proceedings, but Michaels managed to fight back.

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The match spilled onto the outside, and Rick Rude made his presence felt. HBK was going for the Sweet Chin Music, but Shamrock countered it with a belly-to-belly suplex. Michaels submitted to the ankle lock, but the referee was down. Rude hit Shamrock in the back with a briefcase, and Shamrock was victorious by disqualification.

6 Shawn Michaels Vs. Ken Shamrock - D-Generation X: In Your House, 1997

Ken Shamrock became the top challenger for Shawn Michaels' WWE Championship. The pair collided at DX's In Your House event in December 1997 with HBK's WWE Title at stake. While there was some decent wrestling in this match, it was a disappointing match overall.

Shamrock looked strong here, but he was never going to end Michaels' WWE Title reign considering the events of the Montreal Screwjob a month prior. Nonetheless, Triple H and Chyna sensed that Michaels' WWE Championship reign was in jeopardy, and they saved the title by attacking Shamrock. The World's Most Dangerous Man was victorious, although Michaels took home the WWE Championship.

5 Shawn Michaels Vs. Owen Hart - Raw (10/20/97)

Shawn Michaels' European Championship and Owen Hart's Intercontinental Championship were up for grabs in a title for a title match on the October 20, 1997, edition of Raw. These two always had excellent chemistry together, and The Hart Foundation had a closer eye on proceedings in the locker room.

Michaels was tuning up the band, but Owen intercepted the Sweet Chin Music with an enziguri. However, Steve Austin interfered and gave the referee a Stunner. Michaels connected with the Sweet Chin Music, but the referee was knocked down. Chaos ensured with Bret assaulting Michaels but Rick Rude, Triple H, and Chyna managed to rescue Michaels from Bret's clutches.

4 Shawn Michaels Vs. Owen Hart - Raw (12/29/97)

The final episode of Raw in 1997 closed out with Shawn Michaels and Owen Hart colliding over the WWE Championship. Owen was out for revenge, and he attacked Michaels before he was able to remove his entrance gear. Hart was in no mood to hang around and he suplexed Michaels on the steel ramp. Ironically, Earl Hebner was assigned as the referee.

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Michaels rallied back as the defending champion, and he talked some smack once he had things under control. Owen knew how to avoid the Sweet Chin Music, and he connected with an enziguri. Ultimately, Owen was closing in on the WWE Championship with a Sharpshooter but Triple H smashed Owen across the head with his crutches.

3 Shawn Michaels Vs. Steve Austin - WrestleMania 14

Shawn Michaels' final match in a WWE ring for four years came in the main event of WrestleMania 14. The Heartbreak Kid's DX theme song was played live, and his WWE Championship was on the line against Steve Austin.

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Credit has to be given to Michaels for gritting his teeth and soldering on in this WWE Title match. He was far from 100% and he grimaced his way through the match. Had Michaels been at 100% this match had the potential to be an instant classic. Nevertheless, Michaels did the job and he dropped the WWE Championship to Austin.

2 Shawn Michaels Vs. The Undertaker - Royal Rumble 1998

The rivalry between Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker culminated in The Deadman's specialty, a casket match for Michaels' WWE Championship in the main event of the 1998 Royal Rumble. Steve Austin was waiting in the wings for the reigning WWE Champion at WrestleMania 14.

Unfortunately, the course of WWE history altered early on in the bout as HBK's back caught the edge of the casket when The Undertaker hauled him over the top rope. Somehow, Michaels found a way to battle through the pain. It's a testament to both men's greatness, and they still managed to produce an excellent match. The Phenom Tombstoned Michaels into the casket which was a great spot. However, Kane interfered, and Michaels managed to retain his WWE Championship.

1 Shawn Michaels Vs. Bret Hart - Survivor Series 1997

Shawn Michaels challenged Bret Hart for the WWE Championship at Survivor Series 1997. It was their second meeting at Survivor Series for the WWE Title in six years. The stakes were higher this time around as The Hitman was in his home country of Canada, and before the bell sounded, Michaels and Hart brawled on the outside and in the crowd.

Since the Montreal Screwjob is remembered most about the match, it's often forgotten that this was a pretty good title bout between the pair. Nonetheless, The Heartbreak Kid applied the Sharpshooter and Earl Hebner was instructed to call for the bell with Michaels capturing the WWE Championship for the third time to go along his European Championship.