in 2002. Michaels, who had recently returned to the company, persuaded then-Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff to sign Triple H to a Raw contract as part of the "Brand Extension" at Vengeance. The following night on the July 22 episode of Raw (Shawn Michaels' 37th birthday), a week after the breakup of the nWo, Triple H handed Michaels a DX T-shirt and stated he "had an idea", suggesting that the two reform the group and make Eric Bischoff's life a living hell. The duo later came out that night to their old music and crotch chops, and pyro to the delight of the crowd. However, Triple H turned on Michaels that same night; he had teased the reunion as a ploy to appease Michaels and lure him to the ring before giving him a Pedigree, making Triple H a heel once again. This act led to the in-ring return of Michaels at SummerSlam in 2002 and was the genesis of a long feud between the two that ended with Triple H emerging victorious in a Hell in a Cell match at Bad Blood in 2004. Later Reformations (2006–2010, 2018) In 2006, a series of events began occurring which hinted at a DX reunion. At WrestleMania 22, former members Shawn Michaels and Triple H performed the crotch chop during their respective matches (the former against Mr. McMahon and the latter against John Cena for the WWE Championship), which was met with loud cheering from the fans in attendance. The two continued to deliver chops in the following episodes of Raw as Michaels feuded with Vince and Shane McMahon and Triple H focused on the WWE Championship, repeatedly running into McMahon in the process. On the June 12 episode of Raw, the events came to a head, when, during Triple H's gauntlet match against The Spirit Squad, Shawn Michaels came in to help his former friend. After the duo had laid out the entire Spirit Squad, the two men put aside their past rivalry and officially reformed. DX continued their brash antics at the expense of the Spirit Squad, the McMahons, and Jonathan Coachman for several weeks and repeatedly took part in blatantly camp product placement during Raw promos. DX would defeat the Spirit Squad in a 5-on-2 handicap match at Vengeance, with Michaels forcing Mitch’s face into Triple H’s buttocks after the match concluded. Most of their antics now involved practical