Michael Shawn Hickenbottom (born July 22, 1965), better known as Shawn Michaels, is an American professional wrestler. He performs for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), formerly the World Wrestling Federation, on its Raw brand. Hickenbottom is one of the more senior performers in WWE, having joined its ranks 1988.

Hickenbottom began his wrestling career with Mid-South Wrestling, which is now known as Universal Wrestling Federation, and American Wrestling Association (AWA). During his time with AWA, he performed in partnership with Marty Jannetty, as The Midnight Rockers; together they won the AWA World Tag Team Championship twice. They then signed with World Wrestling Federation (WWF), while in contract with AWA. They returned to AWA, and went back to the WWF in 1988.

Hickenbottom later worked solo, taking on a new persona of “The Heartbreak Kid.” He then became the leader of a backstage group known as The Kliq, which was known for performing an unscripted act during the Madison Square Garden “Curtain Call” incident in 1996. The next year, he teamed up with Hunter Hearst Hemsley, more known as Triple H (HHH), and Chyna to form the group D-Generation X (DX). They were infamous for their sophomoric and childish humor. That same year, Hickenbottom took part in one of the most controversial matches in wrestling history, against Bret Hart, dubbed as the “Montreal Screwjob.”

A back injury forced him to retire following his WWF Championship loss at WrestleMania XIV. After this he opened The Shawn Michaels Wrestling Academy, in order to train new and upcoming wrestlers. He made his in-ring return at SummerSlam in 2002 and in 2006, Hickenbottom and Triple H briefly reformed DX. He returned to singles wrestling after Triple H sustained an injury.