WWE News: Shawn Michaels on His Relationship with Vince McMahon

For the last 25 years, Shawn Michaels and Vince McMahon have shared a storied relationship.

They've had their ups and downs, but overall, they have a mutual respect for one another that is arguably unmatched in wrestling circles.

Not many performers, past or present, can say they know the WWE chairman as well as "The Heartbreak Kid" does.

Sure, Triple H and Undertaker would qualify, but who else?

And can the aforementioned superstars who took part in WrestleMania 28's "End of an Era" spectacle say they have challenged McMahon's authority behind the scenes as often as Michaels has?

The answer is probably no.

In a recent interview with the Miami Herald (h/t 411Mania.com), "The Showstopper" opens up about his unique relationship with the godfather of the WWE.

Here are some select quotes:

"

...Vince McMahon, the guy I argued with more than anybody, understood it. He understood that it wasn't unprofessionalism or ego that was driving all that; It was a desire and a passion to be the guy and to be the absolute very best that I could be.

... He tells people all the time the reason he didn't fire me is because he could see through all that. Ultimately, when it came down to his way or my way, he always knew when he said, ‘This is what I want done, period.' He knew I'd do it, and I always did.

"

What Michaels says is interesting because it shows that McMahon doesn't mind being challenged insofar as the person doing so loves the business as much as he does.

In contrast to HBK, wrestlers of today don't necessarily take the initiative to get to know McMahon, such as what makes him tick, what he responds to positively, etc.

Instead, they spend most of their time dealing with the middlemen (i.e. writers), which can result in mistranslations and misunderstandings that can then hamper their push.

The best way to succeed in any avenue is to go to the head honcho on the top floor making the decisions.

Of course, it goes without saying that there is an art to befriending people in power in such a way that you can disagree with them on occasion without fear of reprisal.

Unlike the majority of his peers, Shawn Michaels has had that special skill.