Shawn Michaels VS Undertaker (Career VS Streak)

[airvar]

That leg injury taker was sellign was amazing.. I think the fact he "tweaked" it going old school just added to it.. It acutally made you re-think if taker was legit hurt or if it was fake, it almost looked as if he actually tweaked his knee. Then selling his Knee buckling on the last ride/Shawn Michales Faceplanting him on the way down, and again on the chokeslam. Then the moonsault looked like it missed its mark but again Taker sold it landing on his knee perfectly and made it seem as if it he wasn't getting back up.

The whole Time I was rooting for Shawn to get the pin, and when he Kicked out of that last Tombstone I actually thought he might pull it off, but the ending was incredible and one for the ages. Taker telling him to stay down, and shawn doing that cut-throat movement and giving him one of the most vicous slap's I have ever seen , followed by what looked like the most vicous tombstone I have ever seen. The Jumping Tombstone was great, but the look on takers face was priceless when Shawn did that cut-throat motion across his neck, It honestly looked like Taker was going to try and kill him!

By far best match of the night, probably one of the best match's ever. I had no clue how they would top last year, or even come close to that, but man that had to be one of the best match's ever.

 

[Bobbywoodhogan]

This match was superb, Taker upped the ante and looked quicker than hes looked for ages, loved the selling of his need injury. Shawns never say die attitude was superb but I couldn't help feel sad when Taker told him to stay down. Thats when u knew the match was over. I dont think Taker's streak will ever be taken away from him. All though I hated Shawn Michael after the stuff in 97 I must say WWE will miss him. I really dont think hes coming back after this, it certainly felt like a real goodbye.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

I really wonder if I can add anything to this. I mean, everybody on this page alone has said a great deal of what I wanted to say. The match was about as close as you can get to flawless. Some observations we made last night:

1. This year's match felt like more of a struggle as opposed to choreographed pro wrestling. Shawn was amazing at telling the story of the man hell bent on keeping his career alive. The second he saw Taker favoring his knee, he was a shark to blood.

2. Thank god there was only one massive high spot. And no Sim Snuka to nearly kill Taker.

3. I applaud WWE for not "overusing" the no holds barred stipulation. In the attitude era, the match would have devolved into an ECW throwback with blood and chairs and all that crap. This match was flawless in that it stayed IN the ring most of the time, but accomplished allowing the wrestlers and the fans to focus on the quest for a pinfall or submission without being distracted by gratuitous violence.

4. Michael Cole was to the match what the Bret / Vince match was to Mania as a whole - certainly the worst part, but nowhere near enough to serious affect the legacy of the moment.

5. I doubt we'll ever see as solid an ending match as this for a long time. These are the two men WWE trusts the most in big spots, and they delivered HUGE.

 

[Lexy]

I've been watching Wrestlemania's since the first one. Never missed one actually and I have to say, this match ranks as one of the greatest ever in my book. As an "old-school" type person, I prefer good build ups and drama, emotion, etc. This match had it all and then some. Undertaker at the end after the most vicious Tombstone I think I have ever seen, did something you'll likely never see him do again when he picked Shawn up and hugged him. Like I said, I'm old-school, and that moment brought a tear to my eyes because that was an act of total unscripted respect towards Shawn. It was real and you could feel it through the tv.

Shawn, I'll never forget the "Show Stoppa'!". Thank you for entertaining me and many in my family over the years. I hope you are successful in whatever you do brother!

Undertaker, dude, you never stop amazing me. I don't care how old you are at this point, you are already a Hall of Famer and you showed that last night with your class and respect. I hope the younger wrestlers were taking notes because that my friend, that is how it's supposed to be done!



Everyone on here, can you imagine the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies for these two guys? When we reach that point and they are inducted, there won't be a dry eye in the house and you can take that to the bank!

 

[Jack-Hammer]

The match was everything I'd hoped it would be and more. A great story was told in the ring, there was only one high spot in the match and it was executed perfectly and didn't overshadow everything that was done before it or took place after it. Taker sold the shit out of the injured left leg. Given all the reports I've read about Taker's hips giving him problems, there were times I honestly thought that he was injured.

It was an emotional match, the kind of emotion that's rarely captured. No one wanted to see HBK lose and no one wanted to see the Undertaker lose. As with last year, they hit each other with their best shots and moves but just kept coming back. The last few minutes of the match were masterful with Taker stopping in the middle of giving his trademark throat cutting thing and looking sorrowful and regretful. I was sold on the impression that part of him didn't want to go through with it. You know, winning is one thing but ending a respected career is another. With both of them looking like they could barely stand, HBK just clawing and pawing at Taker to stay on his feet, Taker telling him to stay down, both men just staring in each other's eyes with determination. I dunno, it just gave me chills. The very last part of it, HBK's "realization" that he couldn't beat the Undertaker just had a great feel to it. It reminded me of things I've read about in books or seen in a few movies in which a great warrior knows he's lost and can't continue while his opponent is reluctant to finish him off.

Just a masterful piece of wrestling storytelling and it alone was worth the $55 ppv pricetag.

 

[C.M.Savior]

It was a fantastic match, there really can be no complaints towards the wrestlers, they really gave it there all.

But Michael Cole ruined the whole show me, he missed called so many moves and has such a small dictionary it grinds on me. "Look look look" .."Did you see that"... Christian hits a reverse ddt from the ladder on Hardy and Cole calls it as a twist of fate, killing the spot. HBK reverses a lastride into a faceplant, Cole screams "Michaels is done", killing the spot! Get JR back into the booth please.

I completely agree with you. The announcing was just terrible throughout the entire night but I was really dissapointed with the announcing for Taker Michaels 2. The commentating is the reason I feel that last years match was better. JR had some awesome and memorable lines in that match; "chokeslams, last rides, tombstones...and a kick out, and a kick out, and a kick out." I mean JR just gives you that special feeling and main event feel out of certain matches and it was ahame we were forced to hear cole, striker and lawler call this fantastic match. It took away some of the specialness and drama that this match had for me. It was hbk's last freakin match and JR was not there to do it justice. It would have added so much more to this match and would have made it that more memorable. I was dissapointed at the end of the match as i felt there was no propper send of for the magnificient and incomperable career of hbk. At the end we got to hear king say hbk's career is over and the he whispered and subtlety said we will miss him. It was crap and I really wish JR was there to call the match between 2 of the biggest legends and all time greats that the industry has ever seen. They really need to get him back at ringside.

 

[pitada_tiago]

Streak vs Career

Finally the main event and one of the most anticipated matches of the PPV and most likely the year. After seeing what I saw at WrestleMania week, say it was very difficult to beat that fight, but everything changed. It was perfect in all aspects, all but everything was perfect even in this match. He had much more emotion that the fight last year and the finishers were well applied in each point of the fight. My congratulations to the bookers of this fight. Fight of the year and will be for sure top 3 of the best matches ever. 18-0 still thought that the Streak was over, but if not just now, will never end. A huge career wrestler to say that it was the best ever in the world of Wrestling. Many thanks Shawn Michaels in these 25-year career of the best there was.
Duration of combat: 25 min
Rating: 10/10

 

[Cena]

Did anyone else notice that they were channeling Kurt Angle during the match? I mean, Shawn using the Ankle Lock (I know it was part of his moveset before, but still), the way that Michaels reversed the Hell's Gate submission into a pin, the Undertaker RAAAAAAAAAAAAGING and taking off the straps (again, I know he does it sometimes too, but still). XD

 

[phlewfy]

Maybe I don't know shit about wrestling anymore and should just stop watching because even though it was an okay match, I was still very disappointed by it. Two of the all time greats headlining Wrestlemania, and this is what comes out of it? I don't know, maybe I just don't get it anymore, but give me any Hogan Wrestlemania match or an old Hitman match. It just didn't live up to the hype. Last year was a clinic and this year it was a botch fest. I'm sorry but I would rather watch Hogan and Flair blading for the 553rd time.

 

[SSJPhenom]

Maybe I don't know shit about wrestling anymore and should just stop watching because even though it was an okay match, I was still very disappointed by it. Two of the all time greats headlining Wrestlemania, and this is what comes out of it? I don't know, maybe I just don't get it anymore, but give me any Hogan Wrestlemania match or an old Hitman match. It just didn't live up to the hype. Last year was a clinic and this year it was a botch fest. I'm sorry but I would rather watch Hogan and Flair blading for the 553rd time.

Maybe you don't know anything about wrestling.

This match was even better than their match last year because it told a better story. HBK told a hell of a story of man trying to keep his career going and 'Taker told a hell of a story of man trying to hold on to his one and only legacy. The match wasn't as slow paced as last year's match was and that made it outstanding. BTW, that so called botch that you mentioned actually added to the match. He hit 'Taker on the legs which played perfectly to 'Taker's leg injury. Whether HBK meant to do it or not, it was well played. The match was just outstanding and it was definitely, like last year's match, the best match of this Wrestlemania by a mile.

If you can't respect the story that those two guys told and the respect that they showed each other at the end of the match, then you don't know much about wrestling.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

Wow....Just wow. This was an amazing match, which had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Personally, I liked their match from Wrestlemania 25 more, but this was a great, great match. Underataker and HBK told a great story in the ring last night, and they put so much emotion into this match. This was a PERFECT way to end the show. Taker VS HBK II at Wrestlemania had even more hype than their match last year, and this match surely lived up to it. The embrace between Undertaker and HBK was a very touching moment.

When I was I kid, I was such a huge fan of HBK. He probably was the first wrestler I became a fan of. If this was Shawn's last match, then he went out in a great way. Shawn Michaels is a true legend in pro wrestling, and if last night was his final match ever, then he will be greatly missed by wrestling fans every where.

 

[Steamboat's Iguana]

I liked the match. To me it was much more compelling than the one at 25, which in my eyes was just a series of "OMGWTFMUFFINS! He kicked out of the finisher AGAIN!"

The one bit that let me down was knowing Michaels was going to lose the moment he stepped onto the ramp. His body language was far too relaxed, far too "just enjoying my last moment" and not at all the intensity he'd built up, the sense that winning meant everything.

Moment I saw that, any doubt as to who would win vanished. To me it was a noticeable kayfabe break, but I won't hold it against him. Especially if he actually stays retired.

 

[DRoHoF]

I thought about making a 25 VS XXVI Thread since i didnt see one, but i dont think i could do it justice. I witnessed both live and just damn. My camera ran out of charge right when Shawn Michaels came out and i really think this was a blessing in disguise so i could truly enjoy this match. When it first started out kind of slow I was a bit skeptical but after 5 minutes i was so into it i was the only guy in the whole stadium for that moment Shawn Michaels did the moonsault onto Takers legs. Again I say, SPIKE PILEDRIVER
Now. For the past 4 months I've been wondering how the hell PWI Magazine could label Shawn Michaels-Ric Flair from XXIV as Match Of The Decade when people say Undertaker-Shawn Michaels from Wrestlemania 25 is the Greatest Match in Wrestlemania history. And after seeing that match I have to say that I understand. HBK-Taker from Wrestlemania 25 will forever be the best Wrestlemania match of all time but HBK-Flair or Taker-Shawn-26 very well be Number Two. It may not make much sense but I see the two matches like I see the comparison between Shawn Michaels carreer and Ric Flairs career. Number Two is many times better than Number One but it doesnt beat Number One. It was a revalation that hit me on the way home and has been restlessly pounding in my soul searching but not quite reaching an answer. A went a bit off topic but that's what I have to say and I could not say it anywhere else.

 

[Takerfan93]

I have to say, I enjoyed their Wrestlemania 26 match much more than their Wrestlemania 25 match. It will be one of those split opinion ones, but we can all agree HBK could not have gone out in a better way. The fans last night were chanting "One more match" but I thought that was wrong of them because as Shawn said, it would disrespect the fans and the Undertaker

 

[Dagger Dias]

Undertaker will defeat Shawn Michaels.

I got this one right too.

WWE made the right choice by letting Taker and Michaels go last this year. The match was not as good as last year's nearly perfect match.... but it was definitely the match of the night because Taker and Michaels were able to deliver a match worthy of all the hype it was getting as one of the most anticipated rematches in history. I enjoyed every second of it. Michaels picked a great way to go out if he truly is done. Having this close the show like that was a perfect end to one of the best Wrestlemanias in years.

I give this match a rating of 8.5 out of 9.

 

[GenMe]

This match had alot of up and downs, I was stuck in my chair for the entire match. But I will have to say one thing, this match wasn't as good as last years match. And had a lot of up and downs, but it wasn't that exciting like last years.

Like Dagger said, I really think that WWE made a good choice by giving Undertaker the win, By giving HBK the win that would've pretty much kill the entire Legacy of the Undertaker. Don't get me wrong I love HBK I grew up watching him wrestle, But he is old with a lot of bad injuries and he actually needs some time off to spend it with his family.

This match was great, but not as good as last years match. I will give this match a rating of 9 out of 10

 

[Shocky]

This is one of those matches that you wait around and think, "where are they?". All anyone on the IWC has heard the last year was that last years match was over rated because Wrestlemania 25 was so bad. Blah blah blah, two old guys sitting around, rest of the card sucked, whatever, if you've been online at all the last year, you get where I'm coming from.

Flash Forward to Wrestlemania 26. An absolutely stacked card, with great matches, and which match was still by far the best match of the night, the same match that was the best match of last year.

The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels proved why they are the best in the business today, and that the gap between them and everyone else is a very large gap. On a card stacked with young talent putting on good matches, these two men in their mid 40's showed everyone up once again.

I know we will get bitching about this match closing the show, but in reality, no other match could have done this. The emotional investment the crowd had in this match would have made whatever followed fail miserably.

The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels showed what you can do with a no DQ stipulation without a match looking like a shitty ECW blood batch (Looking at you Rock and Austin). For my money, this is the best match I've watched to close a Wrestlemania ever, and without question, the easy favorite to win match of the year once again.

 

[Coco]

It was a fantastic match. A great match, even. Also, as stong of an ending as we've seen to a match in years. HOWEVER, I hardly see it as definitive proof of a HUGE gap between Shawn and Taker and the rest of the roster. Simply put, when you're given a storyline that primes for emotion like their's did, and when they have reputations like their's that prime people to believe they're about to see something epic, and when they're given more time to go out and put on a proper show than 95% of the roster, they'd have to try really hard to fuck it up. Simply put, given all that was put into it, the match was bound to be great no matter what. Not to take anything away from the match or the two men involved, but it hardly solidifies them as the best in the business today. I don't see how the logic on that one adds up. Although I'm willing to be proven wrong on that.

Like I said though, great match. Everything it needed to be.