Michael Shawn Hickenbottom was born on July 22, 1965.  However, the world knows him best as Shawn Michaels, the WWE Superstar who appears on Raw.  He joined the WWE in 1988, making him one of the wrestlers who have been with the company for the longest. 

Prior to that, he wrestled with Mid-South Wresting and the American Wrestling Association.  His AWA tag partner, Marty Jannetty, joined the WWE along with Michaels in 1987, but they were released from their contracts two weeks later.  In 1988, they were signed again and made their debut as The Rockers.  The two split in 1991 and Michaels feuded until Jannetty left the WWE. 

In 1992, Michaels took on the name the Heartbreak Kid.  Still a heel, he feuded with Bret Hart for the Intercontinental title finally winning it from The British Bulldog in October. It was during this time where Kevin Nash (as Diesel) made his debut as the bodyguard of Michaels. He had his first WWE Championship match where he was unsucessful against Bret Hart. In 1993, he was suspended for a period of time, during which he wrestled for United States Wrestling Association.  He returned to the WWE in November.

In 1993 after making his return, he set out on his quest to win back the Intercontinental title. At this point, Razor Ramon had the belt but Michaels never lost it saying he was the real champion. This set up a Ladder match between the two at Wrestlemania 10. Ramon won but many have said that was the greatest ladder match of all time.

In 1994, Michaels joined Diesel to win the WWE World Tag titles.  Their alliance, however, did not last long.  Following WrestleMania XI, Michaels took some time out.  He returned in June of 1995 and joined the Clique stable.  He won the Royal Rumble in 1995 and 1996, a rare back to back win. He won his frst WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 12 against Bret Hart in an Iron Man match. He held the belt until November 1996 where he lost to Sid but won it back at the Royal Rumble. He reliquished the title a couple of weeks after winning the title. He returned to win the Tag Team titles with Steve Austin and began to set up the highly anticipated rematch between himself and Bret Hart. This feud started the stable D-Generation X and also helped Michaels become the first Grand Slam winner  (WWE Title, Intercontinental, Tag Team, European) in history. Michaels won the WWE Title once again at Survivor Series 1997 in controversial fashion due to Bret Hart leaving for WCW.

At the 1998 Royal Rumble, however, Michaels was injured.  He retired after this; however, he returned in November as the WWE Commissioner and as a part of McMahon’s Corporation stable.  In 1998 and early 1999, Michaels was an active part of Raw.  He was absent during much of 1999 and 2000.  It was during this time that he opened the Shawn Michaels Wrestling Academy.

He returned in 2002 as a part of the New World Order.  Over the next six years, he would feud with many high profile wrestlers, including Triple H, Kurt Angle, Hulk Hogan, and even Vince McMahon himself. He won the World Heavyweight title in 2003.  In 2007, he and John Cena paired up to claim the Tag Titles.  In mid-2008, Michaels flirted with retirement, but in August, he announced he was staying with the WWE. He is the man to beat Ric Flair in his final match in the WWE at Wrestlemania 24 and was engaged in what many people were saying as feud of the year with Chris Jericho in 2008.

At Wrestlemania 25, he faced The Undertaker to attempt to be the man to break The Undertaker's undefated streak at the biggest show of the year. Micahels lost the match but people say that the match between the two of them stole the show at Wrestlemania. After taking some time off, he returned to join Triple H on Raw once again. Along with Triple H, he won the Unified Tag Team titles from JeriShow in a TLC match.