Marty Jannetty Fredrick Marty Jannetty ( February 3 , 1960 ) is an American professional wrestler , best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation as part of tag team The Rockers with partner Shawn Michaels , and later as a singles competitor . While in the WWF , he became a one time Intercontinental Champion and a one time Tag Team Champion with the 1 - 2 - 3 Kid , and headlined Survivor Series 1989 . With Michaels , The Rockers became two time World Tag Team Champions in the American Wrestling Association . Most recently Jannetty has competed for the New Jersey - based UWA Elite company where he held their iChampionship . Professional wrestling career . National Wrestling Alliance ( 1984 – 1986 ) . Jannetty began his wrestling career in April 1984 , wrestling in the National Wrestling Alliance ' s Central States division . He wrestled in singles and tag team competition with various partners , including " Bulldog " Bob Brown and Dave Peterson and with Tommy Rogers as the Uptown Boys , until joining forces with fellow rookie Shawn Michaels in late 1985 . The two teamed as The Midnight Rockers and quickly won the Central States Tag Team Championship from The Batten Twins . American Wrestling Association ( 1986 – 1988 ) . In 1986 , the duo left the NWA for the American Wrestling Association . In the AWA , Jannetty and Michaels quickly built a reputation as a talented tag team , performing many acrobatic moves in tandem and electrifying crowds with their athleticism . The two won the World Tag Team Championship twice , first defeating Buddy Rose and Doug Somers and then Original Midnight Express for their second and final reign . They also won the Southern Tag Team Championship twice after defeating the Rock ' n ' Roll RPMs on two separate occasions before jumping to the World Wrestling Federation in 1988 . World Wrestling Federation ( 1988 – 1992 ) . Now called simply The Rockers , Jannetty and Michaels popularity carried over from their stint in the AWA and the team was often called " tag team specialists " by commentator Gorilla Monsoon . They made their WWF debut at a television taping on June 18 , 1988 and they faced tag teams such as Demolition , The Hart Foundation , and the Brain Busters for the rest of 1989 . Despite their previous success , The Rockers never officially won the Tag Team Championship during their three - year run together in the WWF . In October 1990 , The Rockers were scheduled to win the titles from The Hart Foundation due to Jim Neidhart , one - half of the championship team , being in the process of negotiating his release from the company . The match was taped with The Rockers fairly winning the belts , but soon after , Neidhart came to a stop - gap agreement with management and was rehired . The belts were returned to the Harts a week later , while the change was never broadcast or even acknowledged on television . When news spread , WWF explained that the original result was void due to a collapsed turnbuckle in the ring during the bout . Charles Austin controversy . In a Rockers tag team match at the USF Sun Dome in December 1990 , Jannetty executed his Rocker Dropper finishing move on jobber Charles Austin , who had been teaming with Lanny Poffo . Austin ' s neck was instantly broken as a result of tucking his head during the move , rather than " pancaking " flat on the mat . Austin was severely injured and sued Jannetty , Michaels , and Titan Sports . When the case finally came to court in early 1994 , Charles Austin was awarded $ 26 . 7M . End of The Rockers and departure . In a 1991 angle , Michaels was " accidentally " kicked in the face during a maneuver initiated by Jannetty on one of The Nasty Boys , which clipped Shawn in the face and resulting in an elimination at Survivor Series in Detroit , Michigan . Michaels got up after being pinned and began screaming at Jannetty , blaming him for being eliminated . Attempting to help settle their differences , Brutus Beefcake invited both on his interview segment " The Barbershop " . Michaels and Jannetty appeared to reconcile , but then Michaels hit Jannetty with Sweet Chin Music and soon threw him through the set ' s plate glass window . Jannetty was initially meant to work the injury , thus missing the opportunity to win the vacant WWF Championship at the 1992 Royal Rumble , before returning to start a feud which would culminate at WrestleMania VIII . However , six months of house arrest after attacking a police officer would prevent this , and Jannetty was released from the company in March 1992 . Return to the WWF ( 1992 – 1994 ) . Jannetty returned in October 1992 , challenging Michaels to a match at the 1993 Royal Rumble . Jannetty lost after interference by Sensational Sherri backfired . It was planned for the two to continue their feud , but Jannetty was released again after rumors circulated stating that he had been under the influence of alcohol or drugs during the match , leading to its comparably low quality . Jannetty to this day denies having been intoxicated at the event , but explains having been rather tired because of lack of sleep , and that the rumor had been started by Shawn Michaels . Intercontinental and Tag Team Champion . Jannetty returned once again in May 1993 , challenging Michaels for the Intercontinental Championship after appearing out of the crowd on " Monday Night Raw " . Jannetty won the title that night , but lost it back to Michaels just a few weeks later due to interference from Michaels ' bodyguard Diesel . According to Jannetty it was Curt Hennig who brought him back to the WWF , who was on good terms with Vince McMahon and convinced him that the bad performance at the Royal Rumble was indeed Shawn Michaels´ fault . Jannetty believes that consequently his own title win was meant as punishment for Shawn Michaels . Throughout the summer of 1993 , Jannetty feuded with Doink the Clown , eventually winning the program with a final best of three falls match on " Monday Night Raw " . Jannetty then formed a tag team with the 1 - 2 - 3 Kid , with the two being the winners and survivors of their match at Survivor Series . Jannetty won the Tag Team Championship with the 1 - 2 - 3 Kid from The Quebecers ( Jacques and Pierre ) on the January 10 episode of " Monday Night Raw " . However , they lost it back a week later at Madison Square Garden at a non - televised event when 1 - 2 - 3 Kid was pinned following an assisted senton . A clip of the finish of the match aired on the 1994 Royal Rumble video . In the lead up to WrestleMania X , the court case brought forward by Charles Austin was heard . While neither the WWF or Jannetty admitted that it was the outcome of this case which resulted in Jannetty ' s sudden disappearance from the promotion , it has never been denied either . Jannetty then vanished from the mainstream wrestling scene until mid - 1995 when he made several appearances in Extreme Championship Wrestling . Return to the WWF ( 1995 – 1996 ) . Later that year , just months after Michaels made a shocking face turn that got him over , Jannetty returned to the WWF in September 1995 . He continued to wrestle as a face , despite bad blood between him and Michaels that had carried over in the storylines . Jannetty teamed with Razor Ramon during November and December in a feud with Sycho Sid and the now heel 1 - 2 - 3 Kid . Following this , Jannetty turned heel in 1996 by joining Leif Cassidy to form " The New Rockers " . However , The New Rockers were unsuccessful in their attempts to win the Tag Team Championship . Jannetty interfered unsuccessfully in a singles match between Michaels and Cassidy , then faced Michaels in a non - title match , with Michaels emerging victorious . Jannetty left the WWF following Survivor Series after asking for his release , as he was unhappy with the team ' s lack of success and management ' s refusal to split them up . Post – WWF ( 1997 – 2004 ) . After his run with the World Wrestling Federation , Jannetty joined the New York - based independent promotion Ultimate Championship Wrestling in 1997 along with other WWF alumni . He resurfaced in World Championship Wrestling in January 1998 , where he competed in its cruiserweight division before being released in March 1999 by Eric Bischoff , while Jannetty was recovering from a shoulder injury he suffered during a match with Konnan . After wrestling one match in Extreme Championship Wrestling in 2000 , Jannetty resumed working in independent promotions , including a stint in Jimmy Hart ' s XWF promotion . Return to WWE ( 2005 – 2007 , 2009 ) . On the March 14 episode of " Raw " , Jannetty returned for a one - time only reunion with his former tag team partner Shawn Michaels , once again billed as The Rockers and performing their traditional entrance with their original music , against La Résistance ( Sylvain Grenier and Rob Conway ) . Jannetty scored the win for his team after he used his signature Rocker Dropper . This was preparation for Jannetty ' s match with Kurt Angle on that week ' s " SmackDown ! " , as Angle had challenged Jannetty prior to his WrestleMania 21 match with Shawn Michaels . Angle claimed that since Jannetty had taught Michaels " everything he knows " while part of the Rockers , he could teach Michaels " how to tap out " by forcing Jannetty to submit on " SmackDown ! " . Angle made good on his promise and forced Jannetty to submit to his ankle lock , but only after a nearly twenty minute match and an impressive showing for Jannetty which saw him nearly pin the Olympic champion . WWE soon signed him to a new contract , but due to a domestic incident , he was arrested and unable to meet the commitments of his WWE contract , leading to his release on July 6 . On the February 20 episode of " Raw " , Shawn Michaels was pitted against four of the five members of the Spirit Squad in their in - ring debut . After he had used Sweet Chin Music , Michaels was attacked by all five members until an unknown man came storming in to the ring to defend Michaels . During the melee , it was revealed that it was Marty Jannetty coming to defend his former tag team partner . Later on " Raw " , Vince McMahon came out to mention that he would offer Jannetty a full - time contract . McMahon added a stipulation , however , as Jannetty had to join Mr . McMahon ' s " Kiss My Ass Club " the following week on " Raw " . Jannetty refused , and McMahon instead offered Jannetty the possibility of breaking Chris Masters ' signature submission hold , the Master Lock . Jannetty appeared to almost break the hold , but Mr . McMahon ( who was officiating ) hit Jannetty with a low blow . Unable to break it , he was only released from the hold when Michaels ran in to save him . Shortly after Michaels had saved Jannetty , Shane McMahon ran in the ring with a steel chair and knocked out Michaels . The former Rockers were supposed to continue a program with the McMahons , but Jannetty was absent from the next episode of " Raw " and instead Triple H and Shawn Michaels reunited as D - Generation X . On March 3 , WWE announced that it had severed all professional ties with Jannetty without further explanation . On September 15 , it was announced on WWE . com that Jannetty had signed a new contract and would be returning as a veteran to work with younger talent . WWE . com also stated that Jannetty , along with Brad Armstrong and Rodney Mack , could also be granted a full - time contract pending the success of this initial venture . However , according to " Wrestling Observer Newsletter " , Jannetty was rumored to have been released yet again on September 29 . Jannetty himself countered this rumor on his Myspace page , stating it was untrue . The January 2007 issue of " WWE Magazine " , however , stated that Jannetty had indeed been fired . On December 22 , Jannetty replied through his MySpace website , stating that it was The Boogeyman who had been fired and not returned WWE ' s phone calls and insisted that the article in " WWE Magazine " was false . In a blog on his website , Jim Ross stated that Marty Jannetty was no longer with WWE on December 24 due to a court order in Florida preventing him from traveling on the road . On the December 3 episode of " Raw " , Mr . Kennedy , who was feuding with Shawn Michaels at the time , said that he would speak to three individuals who knew Michaels very well as part of a feud between him and Michaels . The three were imposters dressed as Razor Ramon , Diesel , and Jannetty . Along with a fake Michaels , they were all hit with Sweet Chin Music by the real Michaels . The next week on the 15th anniversary of " Raw " , Jannetty appeared along with Michaels in an interview . Michaels wanted to see what would happen when Kennedy fought the real Jannetty . In the end , he was defeated by Kennedy . On October 19 , 2009 , Jannetty made an appearance on " Raw " and losing in a match against The Miz . Chikara ( 2011 – present ) . On October 22 , 2011 it was announced that Jannetty had signed with Chikara as a trainer and as a wrestler . His debut match for the promotion was booked for October 29 against Tursas , but the show was eventually cancelled . He then made his official debut on November 13 at High Noon , Chikara ' s inaugural internet pay - per - view , by accompanying The Young Bucks ( Matt and Nick Jackson ) to the ring . Jannetty made his Chikara in - ring debut on August 12 , 2012 , when he teamed with Green Ant in a tag team match , where they were defeated by Los Ice Creams ( El Hijo del Ice Cream and Ice Cream , Jr . ) . Jannetty returned on September 16 , 2012 , when he and the 1 - 2 - 3 Kid won the annual tag team gauntlet match at the 2012 King of Trios . When Jannetty and the 1 - 2 - 3 Kid also defeated the Heart Throbs ( Antonio Thomas and Romeo Roselli ) on November 18 , they earned their third point , or third back - to - back win , and a future shot at the Chikara Campeonatos de Parejas . Jannetty and the 1 - 2 - 3 Kid received their title shot on December 2 at the Under the Hood internet pay - per - view , where they were defeated by the defending champions , The Young Bucks . UWA Elite ( 2011 – present ) . Marty Jannetty made his first UWA Elite appearance on the November 8 , 2012 edition of UWA Elite Action Zone officially challenging UWA Elite iChampion Hedges to a Championship Match . Two days later , Jannetty defeated him for the Championship at UWA Elite Last Breath at the SMG SportsPlex in Metuchen , NJ . The following month , Jannetty teamed with UWA Elite Champion " The Beast " Kyle Winant to defeated UWA Elite Tag Team Champions " Swag Mean " ( Vin Grayson & Robbie Roller ) in a special non - title " Champions vs . Champions " Match at UWA Elite Christmas Chaos . Jannetty held the UWA Elite iChampionship until March 20 , 2013 when he was stripped of the Championship because of injuries sustain in a parking lot attack during the March 15th edition of UWA Elite Action Zone . The attacker has yet to be discovered at press time .