Shawn Michaels On Which NXT Superstars Remind Him Of Himself

The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels was the a stand out performer of his generation. Helping change the WWE landscape in the New Generation era and rising to the top despite not being a massive powerhouse like hulk hogan or Bruno Sammartino, HBK became a huge inspiration the the next wave of wrestlers breaking into the business.

Now a coach at WWE’s Performance Centre and helping oversee NXT alongside buddies Triple H and Road Dogg, Michaels has had to leave HBK behind and focus his efforts into helping the new breed reshape the business as he once did. And one or two of them remind him of himself.

Whilst speaking to My Mom’s Basement podcast, Michaels said the following:

“I think there have been a number of guys and people have come and gone here and there. I think the easy one obviously for everybody is Adam Cole. Adam Cole is one of those people that we have similarities, not just physical, but he also has that attribute that you say ‘Adam Cole just has it’ and you can’t define what that is, but he’s got a mixture of all of it. He’s just good and he’s consistent all the time.

“Then you have guys like Johnny Gargano, who to me, in the ring, is far more well-rounded than I ever was. If Johnny is on the show, your work is gonna be cut out for you. It’s just that simple. Tommaso [Ciampa] is the same way. He’s rougher around the edges than everybody else, but he and I connect on a mental level because I understand his aggressive passion like mine was when I was younger. I appreciate that. There are so many different attributes of so many different guys that I can connect with.”

H/T: 411 Wrestling