Shawn Michaels and the Night of the Infamous Syracuse Incident

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"WWE favorite took a real-life beating outside a North Syracuse club as the 1-2-3 Kid (Sean Waltman) and British Bulldog looked on!" – The Post-Standard Learn more

When Shawn Michaels won his third WWF Intercontinental Championship in 1995, he forfeited the belt, claiming he had been the victim of a Marine assault. This is the story of what happened that nearly fatal October 13th night in Syracuse.

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In the mid-’90s, one of the highlights of the then-WWF was the tremendous in-ring work of Shawn Michaels. "The Heartbreak Kid" was a top performer in front of the camera, but behind it, he was pulling strings and acting unprofessionally as a member of the Kliq.

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In 1995, The Kliq’s lineup was completed with company stalwarts Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and 1-2-3 Kid joining WWF upstart Hunter-Hearst Helmsley (Triple H) and unofficial leader Shawn Michaels.

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Although becoming increasingly unscrupulous, Michaels had the authority and popularity to ensure he would be the future of the WWF.

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On October 22nd, 1995’s In Your House 4: Great White North pay-per-view intro, Gorilla Monsoon revealed to the audience that Shawn Michaels was being stripped of his title belt.

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Shawn Michaels’s appearance was disturbing, with a bloodshot right eye. The commentators noted the severity of his injuries, with Jim Ross revealing he “just got his stitches removed yesterday.” The off-screen reason for it almost turned out fatal for Michaels!

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