Shawn Michaels Was Trained By This Legendary Luchador

At 12 years of age, Shawn Michaels knew he wanted to pursue professional wrestling. However, it wasn't until seven years later that he officially began his journey. 

Growing up in San Antonio, Texas, Michaels couldn't legally obtain a wrestling license in the state before the age of 19. In addition, his poor grades in college initially discouraged his parents from allowing him to train to be a wrestler. Michaels soon made an agreement with his parents that if he could reach at least a 2.5 GPA at Southwest Texas State University, he could then enroll in training school.

Michaels ended his semester with a mere 1.4 GPA but convinced his father to let him train through a loophole. As per his autobiography "Wrestling for My Life: The Legend, the Reality, and the Faith of a WWE Superstar," Michaels claimed that he filled out the incorrect paperwork while attempting to drop a course — which would have estimated him to a 2.5 GPA without it. 

Upon approval from his father, Michaels met with promoter Fred Behrend, who then introduced him to a legendary luchador who went on to alter the course of Michaels' wrestling career.

Earning the nickname "Super Sock," Jose Lothario gained much respect through his work in professional wrestling as well as boxing. The National Wrestling Alliance would become a central hub for Lothario in three different decades — starting in the late 1950s, before extending until early 1985. Upon meeting the future Showstopper, Lothario said he could train him for $3,000.

Shawn Michaels then pleaded with his parents, ensuring he would commit to the expensive endeavor, as it was what he "really wanted to do." After convincing them, his father took out a loan with the exact amount needed to send him off to train with Lothario.

Described as "old-school" by Michaels, Lothario trained The Heartbreak Kid three times a week in a storage facility next to San Antonio's Joe and Harry Freeman Coliseum. Lothario would go on to teach Michaels the basics of pro wrestling over the next several months. When he was deemed good enough in the ring, Lothario planned to move Michaels on to wrestle elsewhere.

Shawn Michaels' first day with Jose Lothario "consisted entirely of exercise and drills," including Hindu squats and tumbling, as Michaels attested in his book. Gradually, Michaels learned more fundamental moves like headlocks, hip tosses, and arm drags. Tying in the essentials of proper positioning and bumping, Michaels naturally adjusted to the environment of the ring. Upon landing a backflip off the top rope, Michaels then transitioned into a different style of professional wrestling: Lucha.

Although he never experienced much outside the physical aspects of wrestling, Michaels highly impressed the legendary luchador. Lothario even touted Michaels as a future champion, merely a month into their training. Described as "a great teacher" who "always looked out for" Michaels, Lothario aided the young trainee in choosing his ring name, Shawn Michaels, which wasn't far off from his real name, Michael Shawn Hickenbottom.

A few months later, Lothario sent him to Bill Watt's Mid-South Wrestling, based in Louisiana. There, Watts was "very pleased" with Michaels' performance, according to Jose Lothario on "World Wrestling Insanity." Michaels continued impressing those in the pro wrestling business, eventually earning interest from WWE Hall of Famer Pat Patterson and former NWA World Champion Verne Gagne, for whom Michaels would make a few promotional appearances.

A decade later, Jose Lothario and Shawn Michaels reunited on the Grandest Stage of Them All, WrestleMania.

Shawn Michaels made his true mark in WWF beginning in 1988, as one-half of The Rockers, alongside Marty Jannetty. The Rockers found decent success in the World Wrestling Federation, before Michaels turned on his tag team partner, delivering a superkick and smashing his face through a glass window on Brutus Beefcake's "Barber Shop" show.

Michaels would go on to morph into an excellent singles star, notably winning the Intercontinental Championship on three occasions. Upon Michaels' rapid ascent in WWF, he finally earned a shot at the company's most prestigious title: the WWF Championship.

With his former trainer Jose Lothario by his side, Michaels entered WrestleMania XII in 1996 for a match against Bret "The Hitman" Hart. Michaels and Hart battled for over an hour in what was a 60-minute Iron Man Match for the gold. Ultimately, Michaels would score the pinfall in sudden death overtime to capture the title, accompanied by the same man who once proclaimed him a future champion.