Being a ladies man, and under the guidance of Sensational Sherri, HBK went on to win his first singles title, the WWF IC title later that year. This new reign as IC champion, was a big launching pad for a VERY successful career. Michaels defended the belt against all comers, including Marty Janetty, whom he lost the belt too, but won it back the next week. His most famous title matches were by far the epic matches he had against Razor Ramon, otherwise known as the ladder matches. Michaels was able to take the first one at Wrestlemania, but Ramon got him back at Summerslam in the ladder match rematch to win the belt.
HBK tagged up with good friend Diesel to win the Tag Team Titles twice as The Two Dudes With Attitudes. But once again, ego's got in the way between the two, similar to the Janetty/Michael situation, and they ended up splitting apart. Michaels though had recently defeated Jeff Jarrett to gain his third IC title. But in mid-late 1995, HBK was attacked in Syracuse NY, right before an IYH and was forced to give up the IC title to Dead Douglas, who coincidentally lost it to Razor Ramon the same night.
HBK them spent the rest of the year, recovering from injuries, in order to compete in the 1996 Royal Rumble, which he ended up winning, after being picked to enter the rumble at number 2. This entitles him to a World Title shot at the yearly Grand Daddy of all PPV's, Wrestlemania. This match got interesting between the two as feuds heated up. They turned this match into an Iron Man Match for the world title. Most pinfalls in 60 minutes got the win. The bell rang for the match and 60 minutes later, the bell rang to end the match, coincidentally while HBK was locked in Bret Hart's Sharpshooter. Neither man had any pinfalls scored so they had to go into overtime, and in the 67th minute, HBK laid out Bret Hart with 2 Superkicks to win the WWF World Title, and making him a WWF Triple Crown Winner.
Michaels continued to fly high until the Survivor Series of that year when he had to face his former friend and bodyguard, Psycho Sid. After SID attacked Michaels best friend and manager, Jose Latherio, HBK forgot about the match and tried to help Jose, and paid for it by getting hit in the back and eventually losing the World Title. They had a rematch at the 1997 Royal Rumble and HBK took back his gold for a second time. Later, in February, HBK said that he had "lost his smile" while being on top and vacated the World Title, which was eventually won by Bret Hart.
HBK made his return at Summerslam by being the special guest referee in the Undertaker/Bret Hart World Title match. HBK said he would call it down the middle, but during the match took a chair and tried to hit Bret with it, but missed and hit Diesel. HBK was then forced to make the count as Bret took home his fifth WWF Title. Controversy surround the Hart/HBK Survivor Series '97 match where HBK defeated Bret after Hart supposedly gave up to the Sharpshooter, although it is still disputed and is the reason Bret left the WWF for the WCW.
Shawn Michaels then formed D-Generation X and took control of the WWF until Wrestlemania 15, when he ran up against the hottest WWF wrestle since HBK himself, Stone Cold Steve Austin. During the match, he injured his back, and had Mike Tyson turn on him to enable Austin to win the belt. Since then, HBK is in a long process of healing his back, which will take the rest of the year. He has been discharged from dX, or that is what it seems like, and until he comes back, we won't know much more about the future of Shawn Michaels.
