True Story Behind Famous Shawn Michaels’ WWE Moment

Shawn Michaels is to blame for “Stan.”

Shawn Spears began training to be a wrestler in 2002, and four years later he signed a developmental contract with WWE. After putting pen to paper he was quickly sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling, but it wouldn’t be long until he was thrust into the spotlight.

By Cyber Sunday 2006, the latest DX reunion between Shawn Michaels and Triple H was well underway, but The Game was looking for more from his friend. Triple H told Michaels that he wasn’t controversial enough, so Michaels decided it was time to prove a point.

An irate Michaels turned to a nearby producer who said his name was Stan and then superkicked him. HBK then set off down the corridor doing the same to everyone he saw.

As it turned out, Stan was a very young Shawn Spears.

Shawn Michaels Improvised

During a new interview with Chris Van Vliet, Spears reflected on his surprising WWE debut, revealing why Michaels decided to call him Stan.

“I still hear about that. So when they pulled me aside for that, Cyber Sunday 2006. I just gotten down to OVW, and they needed a few extras. So they grabbed me, pulled me over, and this is where I meet Shawn and Hunter for the very first time. They’re doing DX and they’re talking, Shawn is talking with Hunter. He’s like, maybe I’ll talk to him really quick.

Shawn turns to me. He goes, ‘What’s your name?’ And this is off [camera], We haven’t begun rolling yet, but we’re gonna roll live here at any minute. My name was Shawn Spears at the time, and I went, Shawn. And he goes, ‘Stan. I’ll kick Stan.’ So he just said ‘Your name is not Shawn, my name’s Shawn. Your name is Stan.’

So he actually gave me the name. No one else did. He just went, ‘I’ll kick Stan.’ I was like, this is the best! He’s gonna kick me! Just a kid in a candy store. But, yeah, he gave me the name. So I don’t know if anybody knew that, but it wasn’t creative, it wasn’t someone on the writing team or anybody else. Shawn Michaels, you’re at fault for Stan.”

Shawn Spears is again back working with Michaels after returning to WWE and NXT in February 2024.

H/t to ITRWrestling