Shawn Michaels to Be Special Guest Referee for NXT Championship Match

Ever since he fell to the Undertaker at WrestleMania 26, fans have been clamoring for one more match from Shawn Michaels. HBK is steadfast in maintaining his retirement, but it looks like he found a loophole in his own statute.

The Showstopper is coming back, but he won’t be competing. Instead, Michaels will be serving at as the guest referee in the NXT Championship match between Drew McIntyre and Adam Cole at NXT Takeover: War Games.

The November 17th show will be taking place in Michaels’ hometown of San Antonio which makes the decision to add HBK to the card that much more logical.

Up Next: Shawn Michaels Concerned WWE is Not Evolving its Characters

Michaels has been working as a trainer in NXT since 2016. In an interview with Channel Guide Magazine, Michaels was asked what his NXT duties looked like.

“I would clearly define my role if my role was clearly defined and knew what it was, but I don’t. That has sort of been the way I have been most of my life, most of my career. I just hang around so often that people just eventually are too afraid to tell me to leave,” he said.

Despite his unclear role in NXT, Michaels intentions are clear.

“So, I’ve been hanging around for quite some time at the Performance Center. It’s one thing to sit there and watch things back on film and do your best to help people here and there or address certain things,” he added.

More: WWE: Enzo Amore Posts Childhood Photo With Shawn Michaels

HBK said that the atmosphere in NXT is unique and understanding their audience was a priority for him.

“I also wanted to get a feel for the crowds. The crowds are different from town to town, city to city and state to state. So, I feel the better I know the better I can help and be an asset to not only the talent but Matt [Bloom], Sara [Amato] and Hunter [Paul Levesque] who have worked so hard to make the Performance Center and NXT a successful product,” Michaels said.

While it doesn’t sound like he’ll ever compete again, maybe he can influence the next Showstopper, whoever that may be. As a young wrestler, there may not be a more ideal coach than Michaels. During all stages of his career, no one was more fluid in a wrestling ring than HBK.