Shawn Michaels has given his thoughts on the multitude of wrestlers using superkicks in the modern era.
Shawn Michaels became synonymous with his version of the superkick, Sweet Chin Music, in the 1990s. The Heartbreak Kid used the move to bring a quick finish to classic matches and title victories. However, since his retirement, it has become as ubiquitous as the DDT in wrestling move sets.
Speaking to Carmelo Anthony on 7PM in Brooklyn, Michaels discussed the move and said Nic Nemeth – formerly Dolph Ziggler – was the first star to ask if he could use it after his retirement.
“I can remember with Sweet Chin Music, the Superkick, it was a couple years after I retired and getting a phone call. One guy wanted to use it. ‘Is it okay?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, it doesn’t matter to me’. I want to say I think it was Dolph Ziggler. And I just thought like, ‘Sure, I’m not there anymore’”
Shawn Michaels Didn’t Want To Get In The Way Of Progress
That request opened the floodgates for the superkick, but Shawn Michaels had no issue with others using the move, as he had come up against resistance from veterans when he was new to the business.
“I didn’t want to be an old timer that stopped the progression and the evolution of the business. I ran into that a lot. ‘Kids are killing the business, you’re going too fast’. I didn’t want to be one of those kinds of guys. And so once I said yes to that one, it was like sort of opening a floodgate. I don’t know.”
The WWE Hall of Famer finished by pointing out that if people using Sweet Chin Music was the worst of his problems, that was fine with him.
“I guess, I’ll say this. I’m always happy because that question comes up in darn near every interview I do. I still feel like the move is always still gonna be synonymous with me, which I’m appreciative of. And I think to myself, if I’m laying there on my deathbed and my biggest problem in my life is that too many people are using the damn Sweet Chin Music, come on now. That’s hardly anything to complain about.”
On April 17th, a new documentary on the career of Shawn Michaels will air on Peacock. It is set to focus on both the star’s in-ring career and current role developing talent in NXT.
H/T to F4WOnline for the above transcription.
