Why did Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker not happen until late 1997?

[President Evil]

Shawn Michaels' WWE career started in 1989, and Taker started with the company in late 1990. Both had meteoric rises to the top. They established their names right away. But for some reason, these 2 did not officially meet in the ring during the first 8 years of their career. By the time they first met in the ring at the Ground Zero 1997 ppv, both of their careers were winding down, they werent in their best physical shape and they didnt look as youthful as before. The point Im trying to make here is that these 2 should have went against eachother much sooner, Id say around 1993-1995.

If I remember correctly, in Shawn Michaels book, he said that Vince's belief back then was that having a big guy like Diesel, going against a smaller opponent (Michaels) wouldnt work. And thats why he put Sid in Michaels corner at Mania 11. To sort of even things out. Which I think is complete bullshit. I actually enjoy the big guy vs smaller guy, its sort of a brain vs brawn.

We have seen almost a dozen classic Michaels vs Taker by now.

But for a long time Ive always asked myself why Michaels never met in the ring with Taker up until 8 years of both of them being in the business. As far as I see it, Vince could have made good money booking this around 1995, when the company was not at its best.

 

[ckoneagain]

Undertaker came into the company as one of the top guys to beat, straight away, Micheals had to fight his way to the top, i think it just didn't make sense character wise until '97, plus it worked out great coz if they'd met before a load of times then we might not have had the Wrestlemania classics of recent years between the two.

 

[Morpheus101]

Quite simple: when Undertaker debuted in 1990, he was pushed right to the very top of the pile as the unstoppable monster. Michaels enjoyed (I say "enjoyed" because it worked out well for him) a much slower push, going from tag team (one of the greatest tag teams of all time) to the IC title to DX to the World Title. By 1997, HBK was big enough of a household name to go against the Undertaker.

Another theory is that guys of HBK's size and stature were not really getting pushed until the mid 90's. Prior to that, it was mostly bigger guys that got placed in the World title picture, prior to HBK and Bret Hart.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

I read in Michaels' book the reason why HBK vs. Undertaker didn't happen until 1997 was because McMahon didn't feel HBK would make a believable opponent for The Undertaker due to the size difference. Which feels consistent especially when most of Taker's rivalries early on were with big men.

 

[wwf1998]

as previous posts have stated, shawns career took a much slower pace than takers; taker was forced against big men and "slay all the giants" of the wwe; it wasnt until takers feud with mankind in 96 that the office found out that taker can actually wrestle great matches against the bret harts and the shawn michaels of the business; shawn did not become a main eventer til the 95 rumble and even then vince did not believe in him enough and told diesel to kick out strongly after the superkick at mania; and in 96, they were the top 2 babyfaces of the company and taker had the year long feud with mick while shawn was wrestling all the strong heels at the time

 

[Chauncy Talon]

Breakdown.

Shawn Michaels played the role of a heel for to long. So did Undertaker. When they both were on opposite sides of the end, they were in feuds that meant more then Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels.

Undertaker was fighting Big wrestlers. They went with the Immoveable Object vs the Irresistable Force matches with Undertaker.

Shawn Michaels was the cocky arrogrant kid that was trying to live up a dream. That is really hard to put two persons like that, during the 90's.

If it was not for WCW putting Cruiserweights/Jr.weights/Lightheavy weights, against the big wrestlers, that match would never had happen.

I think Shawn Michaels biggest opponent before that time was Diesal. But look how long that took. It took 2 years before that match happen.

Undertaker only fought lightweights on Superstars and Wrestling Challenge. He had to put over. Also, Undertaker was a Main Eventer, where Shawn Michaels play Midcarder for almost 8 years.

 

[Showstopper530]

Well, all the replies here are pretty much correct and make a lot of sense. Whatever the real reason, I say thank God, because who knows what might have happened had they met earlier. Shawn may not have been a believeable opponent at that point in his career, or Takers style back then (he was a lot stiffer back in his early career) may not have been great for an athletic match, and had those matches been sub par, we may have never seen 4 of the greatest bouts of all time, in the first Hell in a Cell, their very underrated casket match at the 98 Royal Rumble, and the 2 Mania matches. So I'd say the destiny of these two meeting in the ring worked out absolutely perfectly..

 

[DL23]

But for a long time Ive always asked myself why Michaels never met in the ring with Taker up until 8 years of both of them being in the business. As far as I see it, Vince could have made good money booking this around 1995, when the company was not at its best.

NO!!!!

Shawn was positioning himself for a face run hell he made his own best friend (Nash) look like a complete jackass at Wrestlemania 11 so the fans would cheer for him resulting in one of the new, freshly turned top bad guys into a good guy.

From mid 1994-mid/late 1995 Undertaker feuded with the million dollar corp, in between he finished off feuds with Yoko and started feuds with Mabel to get the new top bad guy over which was Shawn's job until his face turn.

The thing is, back in 1995 WWE had 5 major PPV's and 7 non big PPV's (ironically the first two HBK/Taker matches happened at IYH shows) it's all about timing.

Imagine HBK/Taker feuded at Mania 21 & 22 and HBK retired at Mania 22? his retirement would of been lost in the shuffle, WWE however saw this and did it at the Mania 25 and at the 25th Aniversary show (26) to give the shows a more authentic and big huge match feel.

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

As far as I see it, Vince could have made good money booking this around 1995, when the company was not at its best.

It worked out in the end didn't it??

To be honest, I have to ask the same question...why didn't they? What I think though is, they were always on a different path..I mean they were both on the same show? Raw every week...but they never ever crossed paths, maybe they thought with all the other huge men e.g. Diesel, Psycho Sid, Giant Gonzalez etc.. they thought it would make more sense if they had a big man taking on a big man..this kinda goes with the OP's post of not having a small person take on a big person...

 

[theHeadliner]

Somebody earlier who said Michaels sabotaged Nash's face momentum at WM11 was wrong. It was Vince's idea to have Diesel kick out at a strong 1 after the ref took forever from twisting his ankle. Michaels and Nash were totally against it thinking it would be over kill and make Nash look like he was getting pushed too hard and looking too strong since it was sweet chin music and his finisher. It resulted in that. Diesel got booed and Shawn got sympathy. Also, they were both in their prime in 1997. Shawn was the best worker in the biz at that point at Undertaker was right up there with him. According to Shawn, Vince didn't think him facing a guy like Taker would be believable, but he faced Diesel twice before and beat him alone the 2nd time so I don't get that argument. I guess the whole putting Michaels with DX to bug the hell out of Taker and out number him worked with the angle. In the fall of 1997 they were main-eventing PPVs while the champ Bret Hart was the undercard, so that says something. I don't think the feud would have worked any earlier than when it took place. Their characters were developed to the point they needed to be and the WWF needed a feud like that to get them over the top.