The Heartbreak Kid! But OLD!

Shawn Michaels v Shelton Benjamin (RAW, 5/2/05)

I've been thinking for a minute about doing a deep dive on post-comeback Michaels. I haven't really watched any of that run since he retired so I guess ten years (it does not feel like ten years) is long enough for a fresh perspective. If this is anything to go by I'll probably like most of it fine because I thought this ruled. The opening few minutes are really cool with Shelton schooling Michaels using his amateur wrestling. Michaels has to force three rope breaks, the first time laughing it off, the second time getting a little more frustrated, then on the third he's clearly annoyed. Even when he tries to work the headlock he gets outQUICKED and maybe the old guy with the googly eyes calling himself the Heartbreak Kid isn't actually as spry as this track star with the legit background. It wasn't Shane McMahon outwrestling Kurt Angle, it was a little bit of fun to start a friendly contest that absolutely didn't go as intended. Shelton looks pretty great the whole way through and Michaels gave him a ton. Any time Michaels would just about grab an advantage, Shelton would do something hyper-athletic in response. Great bit where a Shelton clothesline sends them both to the floor, but where Michaels crashes hard Shelton lands on his feet and strolls back in the ring with a grin, then Michaels audibly shouts at the cameraman to get out of his face. Michaels attempts the superkick three times and Shelton either dodges or reverses it on all three occasions, the best being his counter into a big roundhouse kick. This is your old man Duncan/Manu/Parker Spurs getting eaten alive by a bunch of dudes beating them off the dribble and attacking the basket at will. Pop is going badger shit on the bench but they're still hanging in there because they're the Spurs and that's what they do. Then the young guys overextend, Duncan blocks what everybody's expecting to be a highlight dunk and Manu ices it at the line. Finish is wonderful. I already hate myself for playing this card but it feels like most of the dumping on it is because it's Michaels doing it and he's a shitty actor with bad chops and easy to despise. "Oh it was a cool spot and everything but why would Shelton do a springboard from there in the first place? It's too contrived, obviously it's only there so Michaels can hit a big superkick." Bruh. Half the match was Shelton being this young and outrageously gifted athlete doing outrageously athletic shit to maintain an advantage. WWE trotted him out every Wrestlemania specifically so he'd do it in a ladder match. That was his whole thing! It would make less sense if he DIDN'T springboard from there! He's young and overextends and blammo, the veteran catches him slipping. There's a reason Derrick Rose never put Tim Duncan on a poster.