Shawn Michaels: Top 5 Definitive Moments Of The Showstopper’s Career

Career vs Streak

Two things in life are certain, death and taxes. Likewise, two things at WrestleMania up until this point were certain, The Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak and Shawn Michaels was going to steal the show. It only made sense then, that Shawn Michaels would target the Deadman’s streak to continue a legacy of career defining moments at WrestleMania.

Michaels and Taker would put on one of the most iconic matches at the show of shows, and following a hearty and masterful performance from Michaels, Undertaker vanquished HBK to extend his run to 17-0.

Following his loss, Michaels left WWE TV for a while. Triple H convinced his best friend to return to WWE in segments in August that year, before reforming DX and taking on Legacy at SummerSlam. At TLC, they captured the Unified Tag Team titles against JeriShow.

During his run, he was awarded the Match of the Year Slammy Award for his match with The Undertaker, and challenged The Undertaker in his acceptance speech. The Undertaker, World Heavyweight champion at the time, refused the challenge.

Michaels would see his obsession reach an extreme following failings in the Royal Rumble match and Elimination Chamber qualifiers. Eventually losing his tag titles to Miz and the Big Show. He snuck into the Elimination Chamber match and delivered Sweet Chin Music to The Undertaker to cost him the title.

Undertaker would agree to face Michaels at WrestleMania, but only if Michaels put his career on the line. Michaels agreed, stating that if he can’t beat the Undertaker, then he has no career.

Their match was also declared a No Holds Barred match, and had a general aura about it, it was hard to call, would the streak come to an end or would Michaels be forced into retirement at WrestleMania, the same way Flair was two years prior?

At WrestleMania XXVI, we saw Michaels and The Undertaker tear the house down for the second year running, and although looking at a match standpoint their WM25 battle was superior, the storytelling during this match reigned supreme.

Michaels had delivered the kill-shot to the career of Flair prior to his Mania feud with Undertaker, signaling the end of a highly storied and decorated career of an all-time legend. Undertaker replicated the work of Michaels, delivering a definitive Tombstone Piledriver to mark the end of the Showstopper. Michaels even delivered his own rendition of Flair’s raised fists as he taunted the Deadman with his own cut-throat taunt.

Michaels had one of the best careers in the history of wrestling, had helped WWE win the Monday Night War, returned from a career shattering injury to win titles and put on more classics.

He hadn’t entered his retirement a dilapidated old timer unable to string along two consecutive moves, he had entered a decorated veteran with the ability to go with the fittest and best.

HBK had showcased his storytelling excellence as battled a fellow WWE legend to the bitter end.