Seth Rollins is widely regarded as one of the best professional wrestlers in the world today. However, he credits a WWE Hall of Famer for making him believe he could pursue a career in wrestling in the first place.
Speaking on the Chicago Bears’ YouTube channel, Rollins revealed that it was Shawn Michaels who inspired him to believe he could become a professional wrestler. The Visionary explained that during HBK’s debut, the industry was dominated by giants like Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant. Yet, Michaels was selling out shows and captivating fans worldwide with his charisma, showing Rollins that size wasn’t everything in wrestling.
The former WWE Champion credits that moment as the turning point when he realized he might not be as big as Hogan, but he could be like Shawn Michaels. He added that Michaels, along with Bret Hart, were of average size yet proved that anyone, regardless of their stature, could succeed in professional wrestling.
“I was like, “Oh, wait. I’m not going to be Hulk Hogan size, but I certainly could be Shawn Michaels size. I certainly could be Bret Hart’s size. I might be able to do this.” And, uh, and I love Shawn. So Shawn’s been my favorite wrestler probably since I was about, uh, you know, 10-11 years old.”
Although the former Shield member admitted that Hulk Hogan was his favorite superstar when he first started watching wrestling, things changed as he grew older. By the time he was 10 or 11, Shawn Michaels became his new idol and, eventually, his inspiration to pursue a career as a professional wrestler.
Michaels was a generational icon who inspired many stars of Seth Rollins’ era. With multiple world titles and a legendary career filled with unforgettable matches, he earned the title of Mr. WrestleMania. As a result, anyone from Rollins’ generation can truly understand the emotion behind his words.
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