While speaking on a recent edition of his “Monday Mailbag” podcast for Ad Free Shows, former WWE referee Mike Chioda talked about a wide range of topics, including WWE SummerSlam 2005. The show was headlined by Shawn Michaels’ loss to Hulk Hogan and Michaels’ overselling to Hogan.
“It was popping me inside,” Chioda said. “I was laughing inside, I was having fun with it, like he was. He was basically overselling. I kind of got the picture. He was just popping me inside without the smiling on TV. Of course, you can’t smile as a referee on TV. You can smile if you’re babyface and a heel. They don’t know what you’re smiling about … But not as a ref. But yeah, it just popped me way inside … It was just kind of like ‘holy sh*t!’ I knew what was going on. What are you going to do? I was like, ‘He’s making Hogan look strong!’”
He added, “He’s the best at selling. Shawn Michaels could sell his ass off. It’s what babyfaces should do, heels should do, it’s both ways.”
