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Shawn Michaels on Cody Rhodes–and WWE partnering with ESPN

Posted: Sep 11th 2025 By: Justin Barrasso

As a child, Shawn Michaels’ favorite promotion was Southwest Championship Wrestling.

Tully Blanchard and Wahoo McDaniel were two of the promotion’s biggest stars, as well as Terry Funk and Gino Hernandez. Michaels was particularly fond of Eddie Mansfield’s run in the territory, especially during his angle with Scott Casey that ended with Mansfield getting his head shaved in a hair-versus-hair match.

“It’s not a big, well-known match, but it’s always been the one for me,” said Michaels. “I also loved when Gino Hernandez went after Terry Funk with a bull rope and dug it into his ear.”

By 1982, Southwest Championship Wrestling reached the big leagues with a television deal on the USA Network. The network aired Southwest Championship programming on Sunday mornings, which was a significant deal at the time.

But the USA Network in ’82 is a far cry from ESPN in 2025.

In addition to enjoying the old wild west style of Southwest Championship Wrestling, Michaels constantly studied Japanese wrestling.

“I had a collection of VHS tapes with matches from Japan,” said Michaels. “Those were some of my favorites. I couldn’t watch enough Tiger Mask. To me, he was so before his time.”

At the time, the grainy VHS footage felt cutting edge. But technology has advanced considerably since then. And when WWE makes its debut on ESPN on September 20 with Wrestlepalooza, it will do so live and in high definition.

“I can’t describe how big this is for us as a company,” said WWE. “It was so different when I was growing up in wrestling. We’re not this outside entity. We’re part of the global culture, and it’s phenomenal.”

One of the greatest wrestlers of all time, Michaels has found a new home in wrestling as WWE’s Senior Vice President of Talent Development, Creative. He oversees the creative aspects of the NXT brand, where he continues to flourish as a teacher and leader.

“It’s a role I love,” said Michaels, 60. “None of it feels like work for me. And if it helps the men and women here grow personally and professionally, then those are positives.”

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Once known as one of the industry’s most untamed stars, Michaels has matured into a guiding light for rookies and veterans alike. He offers perspective on returning from injury, making the most of each opportunity, and connecting with the crowd–all lessons that he can speak on from his remarkable firsthand experience.

“I’m supposed to be giving back, and I’m thankful that I can do it in a line of work that I know a lot about,” said Michaels. “It’s like sharing experiences and knowledge with your children. We apply that to the young men and women who walk into the WWE Performance Center, and it’s the same thing from a career standpoint. I understand the personal struggle that goes on during this. To not recognize that would be an injustice. I want to make sure we’re covering everything and do my part in trying to help them.”

NXT is unique because, unlike other promotions, it is attempting to build stars so they can leave the brand. The current NXT men’s champion is Oba Femi, who has been dominant in NXT, and it will be fascinating to see where he fits in WWE.

As for WWE, Michaels believes that it is paramount to have the right champion to lead the way. And WWE has that, he says, with Cody Rhodes.

“You’re always comforted when you’re handing over the reins of this business to someone that respects it, honors it, and enjoys it,” said Michaels. “That gives all of us a lot of peace and comfort.

“When Cody comes into the Performance Center, it’s very fortunate for us. He wants to pass it on to the next generation and echoes a lot of what we say. That’s a huge help and comfort to everyone in WWE. You know the business is in good hands moving into the future.”

Michaels never had the chance to wrestle for WWE on ESPN. But he is incredibly excited to see the current crop of stars make a lasting impression on a network synonymous with professional sports.

“This is ‘The Worldwide Leader in Sports’,” said Michaels. “Now WWE is part of it.”