While Monday’s final RAW segment involving Shawn Michaels, Triple H and Brock Lesnar was designed to build the match between the latter two performers, it more notably launched a potential feud between Michaels and Lesnar.
Just as a “broken arm” angle fueled the feud between Triple H and Lesnar, Lesnar’s kimura on Michaels would theoretically have the same effect. Viewers will want to see Triple H avenge his friend this weekend, but as a long-term payoff, they would certainly want to see Shawn Michaels and Brock Lesnar lock horns in the ring.
An alternative storyline, meanwhile, focuses on the long-term tease of a rift between Shawn Michaels and Triple H. The character dynamic between Michaels and HHH during the latter’s feuds with The Undertaker and Lesnar has occasionally been tense, and if Michaels were committed to doing one more match, it would be conceivable for their drama to boil over into an all-out feud.
F4WOnline.com, which analyzed the possibilities of Shawn Michaels vs. Brock Lesnar and Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H earlier in the week, nonetheless says sources maintain Michaels is not coming out of retirement. While he seems very willing to work angles when needed, he is doing everything in his power to stay out of the ring.
Though WWE.com is saying HBK will not be at Summerslam, it is of course possible that he comes out at the very end for some sort of involvement in the finish. But even if that does happen, the purpose of his involvement–whether he costs Lesnar the match or somehow hurts HHH’s chances–will, at this time, not be to setup a match with either man.
