Michael Shawn Hickenbottom (born July 22, 1965), better known by his ring name, Shawn Michaels, is an American professional wrestling personality, television presenter and retired professional wrestler. He has been signed to WWE, as an ambassador and occasional referee, since December 2010. He wrestled for WWE, formerly the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), from 1988 until his first retirement in 1998. He held non-wrestling roles from 1998 to 2000 and resumed wrestling in 2002 until retiring ceremoniously in 2010.

In the WWF/WWE, Michaels headlined major pay-per-view events from 1989 to 2010, main-eventing the company's premier annual event, WrestleMania, five times. He was a key player in the highly successful stable, Degeneration X. He also wrestled in the American Wrestling Association (AWA), where he founded The Midnight Rockers with Marty Jannetty in 1985. After winning the AWA Tag Team Championship twice, the team continued through to the WWF, and had a high-profile breakup in January 1992.