The Heartbreak Kid has wrestled his last match?

On January 12, Shawn Michaels underwent over four hours of major back surgery in his hometown of San Antonio, Texas. The injury occurred in last year's "Royal Rumble" casket match, involving the Undertaker. A disc in Shawn’s back was largely destroyed.

According the Observer's Dave Meltzer, the fall was similar to Rick Rude's career ending bump taken in Japan. Micheals was tossed over the top rope, landing harshly on the casket. Shawn was able to finish the match, and even face Steve Austin at Wrestlemania XIV in tremendous pain.

The San Antonio Express reported the orthopedic surgeon Pablo Vasquez removed a herniated disk and performed a bone graft to repair the wrestler's back. Michaels, 33, was advised by his doctors to retire from wrestling, and he did in the local San Antonio paper.

After Wrestlemania Michaels took a leave of absence, hoping the rest would evaluate the pain from his back injury. Michaels returned to the WWF to make a surprise appearance on "Raw" in July, and worked the show as a color commentator.

Various reports had Shawn's back feeling much better, in fact, speculation grew that Michaels could return to action as soon as the "Royal Rumble," or perhaps to face former DX buddy Triple H at this year's Wrestlemania in Philadelphia.

Vince McMahon named Shawn Michaels commissioner, a role that fitted "the Heartbreak Kid" better than as an announcer. Joining McMahon's corporation was a heel turn for Michaels, but when Michaels refused to send help to save McMahon's son Shane in a match against Mankind, the WWF owner “fired” Michaels.

To explain his departure from television, McMahon's corporation threw Michaels head first into a car windshield. Prior to the angle, Michaels pointed out that he could not be fired by McMahon, as he does not report to the WWF boss in his current capacity.

The three time WWF champion still has over three years left on his current contract, making a reported $780,000 per year. It was announced on the January 17th Sunday Night Heat that commissioner Michaels phoned in the main event for "Raw" the next night, a match involving corporation members Kane and the Rock.

For the next few months, Michaels will be in San Antonio relaxing and recuperating.

With Michaels still under his WWF contract, the feeling is that he will remain WWF commissioner. It has been reported that Michaels has received script offers to start a new career in acting.

Michaels has not spoken to his former Rocker's partner Marty Jannetty in quite sometime. However, Michaels has recently said that the duo has mended fences, and it is possible they will make an effort to keep in touch.

"I'm very lucky to have accomplished all the things I wanted to accomplish, there was nothing out there to make me second guess" the decision to retire, Michaels told the San Antonio Express. "I think it's important that they know I'm really going to miss performing for them because that's what drove me to get started in this business, that's what drove me to keep going when people told me I couldn't do things or shouldn't do things."

Michaels and wrestling legend Jose Lothario plan on starting a wrestling school in the San Antonio area.

[ HOME | [ LEGENDS/FREE AGENTS | [ WWE ROSTER | [ WWA ]