Shawn Michaels on SummerSlam 2006 match against the McMahons: ‘There’s a different expectation in a match like that’

The “Heartbreak Kid” looks back on a very unique SummerSlam tag match from 2006 pitting DX against Vince and Shane McMahon

Last week, Shawn Michaels celebrated birthday no. 58.

He is especially grateful to still have his health, as well as his family, and his work in WWE as Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative. Michaels oversees NXT, which ran its Great American Bash card on Sunday, and he is working to build a new generation of stars.

But it is still peculiar to think the “Heartbreak Kid” is only two years shy of 60.

This summer marks 17 years since Michaels teamed with DX partner Paul “Triple H” Levesque against Vince and Shane McMahon at SummerSlam 2006, winning a match that exceeded all expectations.

“At one time, it may have been awkward to work against my boss and his son, but it wasn’t by that point in our careers,” says Michaels, who is three years younger now than McMahon was when that match took place. “Talk about two guys that are unbelievably giving and open to darn-near anything under the sun. They were hustlers who just worked so hard, there wasn’t anything they wouldn’t do.”

A few months prior to their SummerSlam encounter, Michaels defeated McMahon in a no holds barred bout at WrestleMania 22. Their feud continued beyond SummerSlam and into the next month, where Michaels and Triple H defeated the McMahons and Big Show in a Hell in a Cell match at Unforgiven.

“That’s an opportunity for those guys not to be what they usually are,” says Michaels. “That’s the boss. It was a time for Vince and Shane to cut loose. It was very enjoyable, and it was very easy. That’s one of the reasons I picked Vince for that WrestleMania. I put a lot of pressure on myself, and that led to a lot of anxiety, so I wanted to have one I could enjoy.”

SummerSlam in 2006 delivered a loaded card, featuring John Cena, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Randy Orton, Edge, Batista, Mick Foley, Big Show, Mysterio, Booker T, and Sabu. The DX-McMahons match helped viewers forget that an injured Kurt Angle was forced to miss the card, and it told a well-crafted story where the McMahons sent the Spirit Squad, William Regal, Mr. Kennedy, Fit Finlay, and The Big Show to attack Michaels and Triple H before the match. It finished when Michaels dropped Vince McMahon with his Sweet Chin Music, then Triple H hit a Pedigree for the win.

“There’s a different expectation in a match like that, and so much less pressure,” says Michaels. “For it to go so much better than we planned, that was a bonus. It’s the total opposite type of match for me. And they were willing to do anything. They were working for the best aspect of the match.

“It was very enjoyable for us to go through the creative process and put together the match with the boss.”

Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.