The Chisme is a culture series looking at San Antonio’s fun facts, useless trivia, and, of course, local chisme of varying degrees.
As a teenager, Michaels was connected with Lothario, a former luchador who would go on to make him into a superstar. Lothario agreed to train Michaels, who was described as cocky in his youth. Michaels, whose real name is Michael Shawn Hickenbottom, was just out of high school (he was a linebacker at Randolph) when Lothario took him under his wing in 1983. Following his career as a wrestler, Lothario put his all into training Michaels, leading the young star to go professional the following year. Some believe that Lothario made Michaels into the star he became thanks to his signature moves.
Shawn Michaels (Photo by KMazur/WireImage)
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Over the years, Michaels leaned into the villain persona and became known as “The Heartbreak Kid” or HBK for short to wrestling fans. With Lothario in his corner, Michaels won the 1996 WWF Championship, the same year Lothario became his manager, at WrestleMania XII when he won in sudden death overtime.
Lothario managed Michaels on and off through 1999, before the two split in matters inside the ring. Michaels and Lothario’s time together as mentor and mentee was well spent. In Lothario’s years as manager, Michaels says in his memoir that Lothario “always looked out” for him and was “very encouraging.”
Shawn Michaels (in the air) executes a wrestling move on an opponent at WrestleMania XIX in 2013.
John Giamundo /World Wrestling Entertainment
Though injuries led to Michaels stepping out of the ring from 1998 to 2002, he competed for another eight years in the ring and retired for good in 2010. Michaels was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame the following year.
Wrestler Shawn Michaels instructs one of his students at a recent practice session at Michaels’ wrestling school.
John Davenport, Staff / JD
The two worked together again to start a wrestling school and promotion here in San Antonio, but had a falling out. Still, Lothario has remained a legend for folks in Texas, where he won several titles, as well as throughout Latin America. He has been remembered for his own time within the ring and not just as Michael’s trainer. Though he went on a 500-something losing streak in his time in the National Wrestling Alliance, Lothario proved that he was a star with multiple tag-team titles. The Mexican star passed away in 2018 at the age of 83.
As for Michaels? The former wrestling star and living icon actually lives in San Antonio with his wife and children today.