Sweet Chin Music is undoubtedly one of the most iconic and beloved finishers in the history of pro-wrestling/sports entertainment. It started as a unique move decades ago and it still maintains that intrinsic charm despite being commonly used by numerous performers over the years.
Modern-day wrestling features numerous performers who use superkicks quite often, but none of them can hit it quite like Shawn Michaels. There's a significant difference between a normal superkick and Sweet Chin Music, since it has always kept the same level of excitement whenever he strikes. The beauty of Sweet Chin Music is that it can truly be struck out of nowhere.
This article will dive into 5 times "The Showstopper" doled out the legendary finisher when no one saw it coming. Before we get to our list, we'll also have a look at an honorable mention.
What was your favorite Sweet Chin Music by Shawn Michaels? Sound off in the comments!
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Honorable Mention: UFC fighter James Vick
A nasty kick to the face is not something that can be shrugged off in an actual fight. Superkick roots back deep into martial arts and hence, it's not uncommon to witness MMA fighters practicing superkicks during sparring.
Notable UFC fighter James Vick took the world by storm when he channeled Shawn's Sweet Chin Music during his MMA fight against his opponent Francisco Trinaldo at UFC Fight Night 126.
Impressed to see his staple move being executed out of nowhere in a UFC fight, Michaels took to Twitter to congratulate James Vick on his performance inside the octagon.
#5. "See, I just kicked Stan!"
Shawn Michaels has always been splendid when it comes to comic timing and delivery. With a plethora of hilarious moments in his career, one particular segment stood out the most when he went on a superkicking spree during a backstage DX segment at Cyber Sunday 2006.
While arguing with Triple H about still being controversial, HBK decided to hit Stan (who later went on to become Tye Dillinger/Shawn Spears) with an on-point Sweet Chin Music out of nowhere, much to the delight of fans. Another iconic spot in the segment was when he put down another backstage guy, thereby launching a lot of papers into the air.
#4. Knocking out Mike Knox
One of the most picture-perfect Sweet Chin Musics of HBK's career emerged in Survivor Series 2006 when he took out Mike Knox within the first 20 seconds of the match. The match began as Triple H hilariously waved his hand at Kelly Kelly at ringside when, out of nowhere, Michaels advanced to hit Mike Knox with an eye-widening kick.
The crowd reaction and Jim Ross' iconic response reflected how surprised the audience was with this unexpected strike. Michaels then hilariously asked the official if the match had even started so he could pin him. After eliminating Knox from the match, he kept asking Triple H about the whereabouts of the guy that he eliminated.
#3. A Gold Standard Kick to Shelton Benjamin
Hands down, one of the most beautiful Sweet Chin Musics that "The Showstopper" has ever hit in his illustrious career!
An instant classic match between Shelton Benjamin and Shawn Michaels took place in the Gold Rush Tournament at RAW in 2005. Some incredible wrestling and this unforgettable finish transformed a non-pay-per-view match into one of the most glorious matches in WWE history.
Shelton attempted a springboard leap from the top rope across the ring for a body splash to HBK, only to be connected by the utmost well-precised kick to the face in mid-air. One slight mistake could have resulted in something truly nasty, but Michaels is regarded as the greatest pro-wrestler of all time for a reason.
#2. Hunting the Hunter down
Michaels was known for changing the game when no one expected him to. The triple threat match between Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and John Cena at Survivor Series 2009 is a perfect example of this.
Heading into the match, everyone expected that the DX would stick together against John Cena but HBK had a simple yet shocking plan in mind from the get-go.
As soon as the bell rang, the three icons stared each other down. Shawn, much to everyone's shock, executed a picturesque and impactful Sweet Chin Music at Triple H, thus making him bounce out of the ring. To this day, the vast majority of fans believe it to be the best Sweet Chin Music out of nowhere.
#1. Marty Jannetty and the barbershop glass
The most talked about moment of Shawn Michaels' career that marked the transformation of "The Showstopper" into "Heart Break Kid" came when the most unexpected Sweet Chin Music of Shawn's career ended the reign of "The Rockers" and kick-started the era of HBK.
At Wrestling Challenge 1991, the pro-wrestling world witnessed the infamous "Barbershop with Brutus Beefcake" segment. Shawn caught the fans off guard by turning on Marty Jannetty. Much to everyone's shock, Michaels delivered a precise Sweet Chin Music out of nowhere to Marty before launching him through the barbershop glass window.