The 2011 WWE Hall of Fame class' final inductee was introduced by a brief word from Jerry Lawler and an induction speech by Triple H. Hey, go read our interview with Michaels and Triple H. Here's his speech:
First of all before I get started, is it so loud in here? Shawn's never gonna let us live this down. For the rest of his life, he's gonna brag, "They were hanging from the rafters." The only reason I agreed to do this tonight was because he asked me to say something nice about him.
What do you say about Shawn Michaels? Do I talk about his overwhelming physical presence, six-foot, 225? Like five-ten, 185, but still. Yeah they had to close the garage door because it's windy and he might blow off the stage, but he did all right.
I could tell you about the first time we met. He walked up to me, dressed up in a nice pair of blue jean farmer overalls with no shirt and his bushy chest hair. And this outfit was complete with gold jewelry, two bandanas around each wrist, a mullet, and a fannypack. We were all fashion mavens, but Shawn Michaels took it to another leve.
I could talk about hte titles he's won. I could talk about The Rockers. I could talk about the unbelieveable matches he's treated us to over the years. The Iron Man match with Bret Hart. The greatest ladder match in hisrory, with Razor Ramon. The greatest Hell in the Cell match in history with the Undertaker. All the classic WrestleMania moments and matches.
Or do talk about the guy who, after back surgery and thinking his career was over, would step through the ropes for the very first time live on pay-per-view and wrestle for 45 minutes with me in one of the greatest matches I've ever had?
I could talk about us forming DX. I could talk about all the guys that I'm sure if I asked them, probably almost all of them would tell me that they were inspired to get in this business because of Shawn Michaels.
Do I talk about the family man? Or do I just come up here and talk about my best friend? Shawn and I have spent more of our adult lives with each other, and that includes our wives. That's if you want to consider us adults. My wife still calls Shawn my road wife.
Or do I talk about the giving performer? He and I had this unbelievable chemistry. We knew each other so well. Especially when it came to the comedy stuff. Shawn was a giving guy, and that's what it was based on. I gave Shawn the comedy gift of my nose, but Shawn was the gift that just kept on giving. It started with assless chaps with a dangling belly button ring, a leather vest with mirrors, and then came Playgirl. He told me, "Hunter, the chicks are gonna love it!"
In more recent years, Shawn's gift has been his refusal to acknowledge his place in the Hulk Hogan hair club. Most recently, Shawn has given me the ultimate gift. [Makes a face. Everybody is laughing at it.] Shawn is an avid hunter, and the google eye makes it so he can hunt birds and rabbits at the same time.
I could talk about all that, or I could tell you about my best friend. My brother, and I mean that. I could just talk directly to Shawn, and say I love you. You are the greatest performer I have ever seen in my life. [Totally crying.] You are the [lists all of Shawn Michaels' nicknames]. But I've got another nickname for you, and this one fits better than anything, and that is Mr. Hall of Fame.
For more on WrestleMania 27 and pro wrestling, join SB Nation’s Cageside Seats. Browse our family of 300 sports blogs to find a community devoted to your favorite team. And here’s the WrestleMania 27 match card and weekend schedule.