“Sometimes it is Hell trying to get to Heaven.” – The Undertaker
Those were the words that started a series of two matches between the Deadman and the Heartbreak Kid. For years, wrestling fans saw the very evident hints at the Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels during inter-promotional matches such as the Royal Rumble. These two legends were even the last two competitors in the 2007 Royal Rumble and competed for five wonderful minutes until the Undertaker would toss Michaels over the top rope to win the big match. For 2007 and 2008, the Undertaker and Shawn Michaels were busy with other big feuds for WrestleMania. Then with the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania in view, the fans pleaded and begged to get this dream match for WrestleMania’s Silver Anniversary. WWE would listen to the fans’ pleas and give us not one, but two matches between the Undertaker and Shawn Michaels at back-to-back WrestleManias. Each was a classic bout in its own right; one literally stole the show and the other signified the end of an era for the WWE and this business. These two matches have added more to the grandeur of the Show of Shows and solidified The Streak. If one of the greatest in-ring performers in Shawn Michaels could not end The Streak on two separate occasions, nobody should. This article we will look at both the Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels I and II from WrestleMania 25 and WrestleMania 26 respectively.
Going into WrestleMania 25, Shawn Michaels said he was not afraid of the Undertaker and his legendary Streak. Shawn Michaels played the classic good and evil card. That Michaels was the light and the Undertaker was the dark. This build even led into the phenomenal entrances as Michaels came down from the heavens dressed in white and the Undertaker rose from the depths of Hell dressed in black. From the opening bell, the crowd in the arena and the fans watching at home were in wonder and awe of the spectacular match they were witnessing. The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels went blow-for-blow, move-for-move. Michaels started the match with strikes to Undertaker’s leg. Each superstar hit all of their big finishing moves (the Elbow and Sweet Chin Music by Shawn Michaels and the Chokeslam, the Last Ride and the Tombstone by the Undertaker). Things would start to get really exciting when the Undertaker batted aside Michaels’ moonsault attempt from the ring post to the arena floor. This mistake on Michaels end would lead into the Undertaker’s signature plancha called Air Taker. At the very last minute, Michaels would shove the referee out of the way and then pull the cameraman into Taker’s move. Undertaker hit the ground a few centimeters before place where the cameraman was standing. Shawn Michaels would take this advantage to get the count-out victory and end The Streak. Everybody let out on big sigh of relief when the Undertaker rolled into the ring right before the ten count. The match would continue at an excellent pace then the Undertaker would throw Michaels over the ropes, but Michaels would hold on and try to skin the cat. Shawn Michaels would skin the cat right into a devastating Tombstone Piledriver, which looked like the end as I screamed, “Taker killed Michaels!!” Two seconds never felt that long as Shawn Michaels would kick out on the pin attempt. The crowd in Reliant Stadium and fans watching at home were speechless as Jim Ross called, “I just had an out-of-body experience!” Well it seemed as everybody did J.R. With no end in sight, Michaels would get his second wind by hitting his signature Elbow and Sweet Chin Music on the Undertaker, but to no avail. This phenomenal match would finally end when Michaels made his only mistake of the entire match. Shawn Michaels would go for another moonsault, but Undertaker would catch Michaels into a Tombstone Piledriver to go 17-0.
At the 2009 Slammy Awards, Shawn Michaels would challenge the Undertaker to one more match at WrestleMania. The Undertaker would not initially accept Michaels challenge. So Shawn Michaels would force the issue by costing the Undertaker his World Heavyweight Title at WWE Elimination Chamber. The Undertaker would accept Shawn Michaels’ challenge only if Michaels would put his own career on the line for a chance to end The Streak. Michaels would risk it all to get his chance at the Undertaker at WrestleMania XXVI.
Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXVI was every bit as good their match the previous year. For the second year in a row, Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker went out there in that ring and put on the best match of the night. Michaels expertly worked over the Underaker's leg after the Undertaker tweaked it when he went for Old School. On the flipside, later in the match the Underaker would work over Michaels’ arm after he put his knees up when Michaels went for the Elbow then locking in his Hell's Gate submission. These two have been in this business for over 20 years and they showed that every match does not have to have insane high risk spots, but well planned out moments that people will never forget and there were plenty of them. The Tombstone Piledriver on the floor, the numerous Sweet Chin Music from out of nowhere, the Moonsault onto Undertaker's leg (see how Michaels expertly works on the leg) through the table were just a few of those memorable moments. Throughout this whole match, the crowd and fans at home were in awe of how great these two were in the ring. They told one phenomenal story as Michaels believed with every bone in his body that he could end The Streak, even mocking him right at the beginning of the match and right at the end. Speaking of the ending, just like this match it was amazing. Michaels was trying to get back up to his feet by using the Undertaker's body. Undertaker went to taunt Michaels, but he decided not to, instead Michaels mocked the Undertaker just like did at the beginning of the match. The taunt was followed by one big slap across the Undertaker’s face. This act infuriated the Undertaker to the point that he grabbed Michaels and gave him a leaping, yes I said leaping, Tombstone Piledriver to end the match and Shawn Michaels' career. After Undertaker did his usual end match posing, he picked up Michaels and shook his hand, it was a great moment. When Undertaker left the ring, Michaels had his moment to look around and wave goodbye to the crowd in Phoenix as he made his final walk back from the ring at Wrestlemania as the broadcast came to an end. No music video, no highlights, we were left with Shawn Michaels walking to the back for the final time. And it is an image I personally will never ever forget.
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