The 411 Wrestling Top 5 4.07.10: Week 69 – Shawn Michaels Matches

Hello everyone and welcome to 411 Wrestling’s Top 5 List. What we are going to is take a topic each week and all the writers here on 411 wrestling will have the ability to give us their Top 5 on said topic, plus up to three honorable mentions. Most of our topics will be based on recent events in the Wrestling World, looking at those events that make us think of times past.

So, on to this week’s topic…

SHAWN MICHAELS MATCHES

For as simple of a topic that this looks like, this had to be one of hardest topics the 411 Wrestling Staff has ever had to take on. There are so many matches to choose from, how could anyone narrow done the list to just Top 5 when it comes to Shawn Michaels? The Heartbreak Kid has had tons of great matches and just about every WrestleMania he performed in could have made the list.

So what did our group of writers select? Let’s find out…

Aaron Hubbard

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Shawn Michaels vs. Vince McMahon, Wrestlemania 22 – Once again, doing my favorites here, not necessarily “the best”, although quite a few are “the best”. This one isn’t, but you know why I love it? Whenever WWE does a really stupid storyline, I watch this and I feel better. Very cathartic.

Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker, Badd Blood – I’d say this is the best match Undertaker and Shawn had together, although it isn’t my favorite. Perfect storytelling and one of the most brutal beatings, leading up to some of the sickest bumps; I love this match.

Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart, Wrestlemania 12 – One hour of greatness. Not perfection, but greatness. I love one-hour matches, and I love watching both Shawn and Bret wrestle. Ergo, I love this match.

5.Shawn Michaels vs. Jeff Jarrett, In Your House 2 – Sometimes styles make the match. Jarrett is a showman first and a worker second. HBK is a worker first and a showman second. So they can both cater to each other’s styles. Jarrett ups his workrate, HBK ups his showmanship, and there’s your match. I love this match, simply because it’s so easy to watch. If you have half an hour to waste and want to watch a fun match, pop this one in. You won’t be disappointed.

4.Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker, Wrestlemania 25 – I know the popular thing is to talk about how this match is nothing but finishers and lying around. Well, whatever. You’re entitled to your opinion. I loved almost every second of this match (except for the sloppy DDT), and I literally watched it the other day and I still love it. No wasted motion in this match; everything means something, they play off of their history, and they have one heck of a match doing it. Absolutely deserved its match of the year talk.

3.Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho, Unforgiven 2008 – I can’t quite explain the effect this match had on me when I first saw it. When Michaels entered the arena looking like he was going to kill Chris Jericho, I became a mark again. Not a “jump up and down, scream at the top of your lungs” mark. I mean I sat there with my eyes on the screen, not criticizing a single thing, and just watched the match. It takes a very special match to overcome flaws (huge flaws in this case) and become one of my favorite matches ever. This match did it. The feeling I got watching this is the same feeling I had watching Avatar in theaters; I had witnessed something very, VERY special. And I almost don’t want to watch it again just to preserve the memory of how it sucked me in and took all of my cynicism away. Almost. It’s too good not to watch again. Shawn Michaels deserves an Oscar for this match.

2.Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H, Summer Slam 2002 – My first time seeing Shawn Michaels in a main event position, and the match that made me the wrestling fan I am today. I still love this match; it’s an act of fan service to everyone who loved Shawn Michaels, and a great education for those of us who were too busy watching the n.W.o. to care about him the first time. If this had been Shawn’s last match, it would of been okay; instead, it was the start of another eight years. In that time, Shawn went from being one of the best of all time to, in my opinion, the very best ever.

1.Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind, Mind Games – This is my favorite match from both guys. People often praise this as Foley’s best work, but I also think it was Shawn’s best work. I’ve watched this match about two dozen times, and I swear everytime I do, I pick up something I missed. Little touches like how Foley doesn’t go for a single pin attempt until HBK brutally attacks his Mandible Claw hand, or how Shawn goes for Sweet Chin Music two minutes into the match, or Foley’s character psychology that only works with Mankind’s character (stabbing your leg with a pencil for circulation, throwing yourself at the mat in frustration) make me love this match. Plus, the workrate is at an all-time high and there are some sick bumps for both guys. If it weren’t for the non-finish, this would be my pick for greatest match ever.

LARRY CSONKA

This is like choosing between my children! I am going favorite, not “best” just for clarification…

(EURO TITLE MATCH 9.20.97): Shawn Michaels vs. The British Bulldog – Shawn had good matches with just about everyone, and the Bulldog was included in that. The saddest part is I wonder how good the matches would have been if Davey was clean and Shawn wasn’t a crying little bitch at this time.

(WRESTLEMANIA XXI): Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle – As Kurt Angle started to become great, this was one of those dream matches that many thought would never happen. Not only was this match great but the build was fantastic, including Angle’s version of SEXY BOY, Sherri Martell included.

(WRESTLEMANIA X): Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon – The “Bad Guy” may have walked out as the “Undisputed” IC Champion; but together HBK and Razor set the standards in which ladder matches were and still are judged by to this day. All in a nights work to make another classic.

5.(WWE IN YOUR HOUSE MIND GAMES): Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind – Shawn and Foley do EVERYTHING possible to make this a great match. Mick really takes a beating, and there are times when you see him do various spots: Elbow to the floor, rammed to the stairs various times and a back suplex through the announce table, that you almost believe Jim Ross’s claims that he doesn’t feel pain. The psychology is good, with Shawn working the leg, as well as the hand of Foley (Mandible Claw); which in a match that could have easily have been a “garbage” match, it never degraded to it. It is one of Foley’s top five matches, and also a great match on HBK’s resume.

4.(IC TITLE MATCH IN YOUR HOUSE 2) Shawn Michaels vs. Jeff Jarrett – This is one (likely of many) HBK matches that gets forgotten or overlooked. But when you have the portfolio of greatness that HBK has, it happens. Many of today’s fans would hate on this because they hate J due to TNA. Many attitude era fans hate J for the push in WCW he got. But I have always felt that he was an under appreciated worker, that or some reason, some his own fault, never got past that” upper midcard guy” status. His match with HBK is another reason I feel that way. Sure most anyone can have a GOOD match, but HBK being HBK and JJ working his style just meshed perfectly.

3.(UNSANCTIONED MATCH UNFORGIVEN 2008): Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho – HBK should win some sort of Emmy, because the man gets across so much emotion just through the look on his face. An amazing performance once again from HBK as they played off of the angle leading in very well and continued the trend of making the match feel completely different from anything else on the card. The stoppage fell flat, partly because the audience isn’t educated on it and partly because they announced that “The only way to win is by pin or submission.” The stoppage can be seen like an MMA fight, in where the fighter cannot submit himself, so the referee does it for his own safety. But overall this was great stuff that will be remembered for a good while. As for the no blood stuff, I will again say that I completely understand those that were unhappy that they didn’t bleed. I too expected blood here, but again they brutalized each other and were showing the signs with REAL injures, not blade jobs. Jericho’s elbow was shredded, he was bleeding from his nose and had a TON of bruising on his back. So real injuries and bruising with real blood, plus the great storytelling were enough for me. But the rage in the eyes of Shawn was amazing, a man full of rage not only out for personal revenge but out for revenge for what Jericho did to his wife. I loved the way that Shawn constantly looked torn towards the end, falling down and weeping at one point. Finally the way that commentary played the, “will God ever forgive Shawn Michaels, but more importantly can Shawn Michaels forgive Shawn Michaels” was excellent. I still want these men to feud forever.

2.(WRESTLEMANIA XXV and XXVI): Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker – Yes I am lumping these together, because at the stage both men were at, not only was the build for both great, but they exceeded expectations both times. I thought that they could be good, but the first bout was phenomenal, and the second didn’t disappoint. Taker may have the streak, but HBK is Mr. WrestleMania.

1.(UNSANCTIONED STREET FIGHT SUMMERSLAM 2002): Shawn Michaels vs. HHH – There is one reason that this is my favorite match, HBK’s in ring career was thought to be over, and when he came back, most figured it would be a “one time deal’ so to speak. Instead it served as a rebirth of his career, a second part of his career that was better than we could have hoped.

Julian Bond

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Triple H/John Cena/Randy Orton series – TIE – With HBK being my second personal favorite wrestler next to good ol’ Mick Foley, I couldn’t in my right conscience get away with just doing a “Top 5” with limiting myself to just a handful of matches from the guy. So as not to cheat too bad, I lumped up a few matches starting with this pick. All of these matches above were all of the best matches from HBK in his “modern era” that I personally enjoyed: from putting on one hell of a f’n great series against friend HHH (i.e. Last Man Standing, the Summerslam match, Triple Threat match with Benoit, etc) to even making the young champs of today look like a million bucks with his matches against John Cena (with the infamous London bout and the Fatal Four-Way from Backlash) and Randy Orton (with his awesome storyline involving HBK superkicking Orton like every week up until their great Survivor Series match). I just couldn’t name a Top 5 without mentioning these great series of matches.

Razor Ramon (Wrestelmania)/Undertaker (Badd Blood) – TIE – In my book, both of these matches are equal to me because while they weren’t the best of all time (good, but not GREAT), they both had Michaels break ground on two types of crazy-ass violent matches with the Ladder Match and Hell In A Cell that we as wrestling fans find as an awesome standard done today.

Mankind (Mind Games)/Vader (Summerslam 96′)/Diesel (Good Friends, Better Enemies) – TIE – I had to lumped all of these together because they had the similar theme of HBK doing “everything in his power” to beat these various guys and equaled some great unique fights against some not-so-standard opponents (i.e. almost getting killed by insane Mankind, putting on a crazy bout with former friend Diesel, and continuously trying to take out the huge, seemingly unstoppable Vader with their multiple-finish bout).

5. Bret Hart (Wrestlemania 12) – In my humble and personal opinion, when I first started to hear about the criticism throughout the last few years as a hardcore wrestling watcher about this first “Iron Man” match, I kind of got a little pissed off. When I read about people’s opinions about how the match was overhyped and wasn’t really as good as everyone first believed it to be, I was so mad because I felt that they were totally forgetting and disregarding everyone’s feeling when they first saw it as a freakin’ masterpiece of two technical grapplers going full force for a full 60 minutes. When I first saw it, I personally was amazed at seeing two wresters actually going hold for hold for that long of a time. Sure it wasn’t the most sharp-looking and it wasn’t as spot-filled as one would probably had hoped, but it shouldn’t have taken away what it actually accomplished for many. For myself, it showed me that technical wrestling is the freakin’ shit and started my appetite to see more slow and methodical storytelling along with technicality in a match that I had never truly seen and more importantly in my eyes (and also in the eyes of others) had cemented Shawn Michaels as a bonified main event wrestler forever more instead of the “guy who does cool flips, wore crazy clothes, and danced to his own theme song”. Sure it has aged a little bit, but it still stands to me as one of HBK’s best because of its overall impact.

4. Ric Flair (Wrestlemania 24) – This to me sure as hell wasn’t technically one of the best matches in the world. But because of the crazy, massive emotion that HBK brought to this, it made for one of his best matches to me. Despite not being the hugest fan of Flair’s growing up, HBK’s emotion to want to give Flair “one last hurrah” by being the one to retire him from the ring was a sight to see at Mania’. Sure Flair didn’t keep his full word of retirement and sure this match wasn’t hold for hold the greatest masterpiece ever. But for that one night, HBK helped to bring out the very best in Flair and helped to bring a tear to a bunch of grown-ass folks’ eye by giving the now famous line of “I’m sorry…and I love you” before giving perhaps one of best emotional superkicks that he has ever given.

3. Kurt Angle (Wrestlemania 21) – This to me is easily the best match I have seen (next to the Chris Benoit series) of Kurt Angle mainly because of the full crazy emotion that Shawn Michaels had ended up pulling out of him. While I knew of Angle to be a sick wrestling-hold crazy, awesome technician in the ring, I’ve never really seen his “in-ring character” get so f’n frustrated by being out-smarted at every single turn. The person closest to doing this at the time in my opinion was Benoit, but with him Angle really went hold for hold. Instead of this, HBK went one step forward and not only did this but also was one step ahead of Angle’s moves…which in turn produced some crazy-looking moments with Angle seriously looking like he snapped and flipped his lid (i.e. the picture-perfect moment when Angle was piss angrily yelling at HBK only to be instantly superkicked in the face). This made for a freaking awesome-ass match here and honestly would be #1 if it was a bit longer and maybe had a deeper story behind it.

2. Chris Jericho series (Wrestlemania 19/Judgment Day 08/Unforgiven 08/No Mercy 08) – One of the number one reasons why I look at HBK as one of my favorite wrestlers of all time is because of the man’s awesome ability to tell a story within a match. And by sure conscience, I have felt that the man’s best bouts have been against one of the other top favorite wrestlers with Chris Jericho. And with both their “one-off” match at Wrestlemania 19 and their sick series of matches in 2008, HBK did some of his best in-ring storytelling (only slightly next to my number one pick). At Mania’, HBK did his best to bring a standard story of “former fan turned enemy” into something of a mini-masterpiece and then upped it by 100x years later with entering into a more “complex” territory by creating a storyline with Jericho making things personal by taking out HBK (via the “Barber Shop window” déjà vu with the Jerichotron 3000 incident) and then accidently taking out Shawn’s wife at Summerslam. With the later series of matches, I loved it that HBK went from selling the holy living hell of an “eye injury” (at Judgment Day) to getting downright dirty and personal in a crazy “Unsanctioned” match (at Unforgiven) and then finally trying to get the last word in by challenging Jericho to his own specialty, the Ladder Match (at No Mercy). This series was really great mostly because of how freakin’ intense and personal it felt to the audience. Definitely a new standard here of how a really good “face vs heel” feud should be done.

1. Undertaker – part 1 and part 2 (Wrestlemania 25 & 26) – Man…I don’t care for any criticism for having these matches, in my opinion, number one due to them still being pretty fresh and recent cause I personally have never been so damn hyped up and glued to my seat for any HBK match as much as I have with watching these two live. Last year’s bout was so freakin’ back and forth that I really didn’t know if Taker could pull out a win to keep the streak alive and this year I was honestly so damn convinced that HBK had a few more months on him (as opposed to the slightly slower Taker now) that I was shocked as all hell to see Taker DESTROY HBK with the rare sick-looking “Jumping Tombstone” to retire the guy. Both matches in my mind had that type of unique suspense and intrigue behind them that matches rarely have nowadays…especially in the WWE. What really set these apart from HBK’s other awesome matches was with the too-good-to-be-true storylines behind them and the nice build-up as well. To take the man who has solely had spectacular after spectacular Mania’ matches year after year to take on the man who has simply beaten everyone at the same said event is pure genius and was executed perfectly during the actual bouts. So damn the claims of it being “too soon” to call them classics cause in this current state of wrestling, HBK is one of the few who can actually pull off the rarity of creating a modern-day masterpiece in record time.

Scott Rutherford

HONORABLE MENTIONS

vs. HHH – Taboo Tuesday – This match gets NO love but is a prime example of what a great worker Michaels was. Barely able to walk due to a knee injury, he went out with Trips and made the knee the sole focus making this match completely different (PSYCHOLOGY~!~!) and working it in such a way that I even thought Shawn was going to win. Not a “classic” but a great example of Shawn’s talents.

w/ Steve Austin vs. Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith – RAW 1997 – Just a great balls to the wall match that ticked almost every box you can (storyline, workrate, excitement, fun). Shawn wasn’t entirely responsible for this but he was a part of it and his involvement added bucket loads of intrigue to the match.

vs. Marty Janetty – RAW 05.17.93 – Can a match under 10 minutes long get the mythical 5 stars? This is about as close as you will find. The set-up and execution are just perfect and Marty winning was poetic justice. Fun, fantastic and great.

5.vs. Steve Austin – King of the Ring 1997 – Awesome match. Austin was slowly morphing into the wild brawler he became in 1998 but was still working like he was “Stunning” Steve in this match. While I’m okay with the non-finish ending, I thought there was a better way to do this **cough** The Hart Foundation **cough** than the silly shenanigans they pulled out to get both guys DQ’d. Anyway, if you want to see Austin the worker in action and these guys going at it before injuries started pilling up, then you need not go any further.

4.vs Mankind – IYH: Mind Games – If people think that hardcore means blood and crazy spots, then you are nothing but ECW/CZW marks with no real passion for wrestling as opposed to trivial bloodletting. This match is as hardcore as it gets as it builds simple spots with large doses of intensity and a vibe that screams that no limits are applied. What also helps is that there is great STORYTELLING within the matches framework and really, a match with Shawn and Mick without some great storytelling just wouldn’t be right as they are the masters of it. The ending confuses me somewhat because you usually do non-finishers because you are trying to protect both wrestlers or build to a rematch but since no rematch happened and Mick has no issues with jobbing, it is somewhat perplexing. Have Shawn go over and THEN have all the run-ins setting up the next PPV. That would have been much better. Anyway, as with all great Shawn matches, the storyline of the match elevates it above most others and also shows what happens when you have two guys just going at it, that are prepared to sell for each other and make the other guy look good. Almost a perfect match.

3.vs. HHH – Raw 12.29.03 – When these guys were on, they were REALLY on. No one saw this match coming, as RAW and the WWE in general usually goes on autopilot from Survivor Series until the booking from the Royal Rumble kicks in. These guys however just went out and tore the house down as the realization that Shawn Michaels was really back and pulling great matches out of his ass almost at will was finally settling in. What makes this match special (and a hallmark of most great Shawn matches) is that he had us believing in the action no matter how simple or elaborate. Case in point: towards the end we almost buy a near fall off a simple punch. Just one punch. That’s all. We were eating this stuff up with a spoon and in this day and age of cynical smark fans, that’s true talent. I’m doubting this match will get much love in this Top 5, but I will at least trumpet it as one of the very best matches Shawn Michaels ever had.

2.vs. Jeff Jarrett – IYH: 2 – Sometimes styles clash and just don’t work. Sometimes, you get two completely different style of workers in the ring and they just have mad chemistry. This is one of those times. I never really got the term “southern” when talking about a way of working a match but I really got it after this match. Jarrett is a solid worker and like most solid workers they do well in a certain type of match, Shawn realized this and worked with Jeff in the framework of “his” match, added enough HBK flavour too make it more “modern” and bingo, you have a great classic match. What makes it so cool is that it isn’t a million miles an hour but its pace is deliberate with just enough happening to make you think it’s balls to the wall. Each wrestlers personality shines through and complements what the other is trying to do. People say this is an oft-overlooked classic, but I think this match gets respect where it counts.

1.vs. The Undertaker – Wrestlemania 25 – Both guys are in their 40’s and past their primes. Both guys are slowing down because of the high injury tolls on their bodies. Both guys went out and just about put on one of the greatest matches EVER and for my mind, took the mantle of greatest WM match every of Austin/Hart. I for one think this years model is vastly inferior to the masterpiece that they produced last year. Why? I bought the drama from last year much more. Simple. Shawn decided to work the match as a tweener and the added dose of heel made it more dramatic. His willing (borderline pleading) of the ref to count ‘Taker out after the missed tope was indicative of this and added other dimensions missing from this years clash. The other big point that this match had going for it was there were huge question marks over who the winner was going to be. If anyone was going to get the win and break The Streak, then this was the match and really, no one would have really minded. This made the trading of counters and finishers down the stretch all the more exciting because it was building to a climax that wasn’t easily predicted. While the match is not perfect in pure technical terms (it gets sloppy here and there) it is perfect as an overall package. It’s the perfect marriage of drama, storyline, action and excitement.

Robert S. Leighty Jr

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon: Ladder Matches (WM X, SummerSlam 95) – Much like Taker/Shawn at Mania, these two matches built off each other and it’s hard for me to pick a favorite between the two.

Shawn Michaels vs Ric Flair (WM XXIV) – Technically not the greatest match ever, but damn sure the most emotional as Shawn did everything he could to send Flair off in a classic in what he thought he would be Flair’s final match.

Bret Hart (c) vs Shawn Michaels: Iron Man Match (WM XII) People were worried about a match lasting an hour getting over with the audience in 96 at the biggest show of the year. These people should have realized this was Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart in the ring. They delivered an epic match that was only hurt by the fact they didn’t try to have some fun with the actul multiple falls that Rock/HHH did years later.

5.HHH (c) vs Shawn Michaels vs Chris Benoit (WM XX) – Sure this can be considered Benoit’s match as it was his moment, but it still had Shawn Michaels involved and he helped steal the show one more time at WrestleMania. This is the greatest Triple Threat Match ever and while recent events have cast a shadow over the match, there is no denying the story and awesome work performed by all three men in this match.

4.Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind (Mind Games) – Foley has called this the greatest match in his career and who am I to argue. This match was perfect in getting Shawn over as an edgy face. Foley was in top notch shape because he knew what he was up against and these two men gave us a classic that was really the only high point of the entire PPV.

3.Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker (Hell in a Cell) – The very first Hell in a Cell match and still the greatest Cell match in the collection. Shawn Michaels gave a performance that was borderline scary as he bumped all over the place and played the role of a teenager in a 1980s horror film. Just sick stuff here that people have tried to top and only way that was done was by Foley nearing killing himself.

2.Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle (WM 21) – This is my personal favorite Shawn Michaels match of all time. The insane expectations for this left me thinking there was no chance they could deliver. They proved everyone wrong as they gave us one the greatest matches you will ever see. These two men were meant to wrestle each other and it’s scary what they were able to do considering neither man was really in his prime.

1.Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker (WM XXV, WM XXVI) – I am also lumping these two matches together and they get my nod at the top of the list. Part of this is because I was in attendance for both matches and I’m still shaking my head in amazement at what I saw from these two men at this stage in their careers. Perhaps these 2 matches are just so fresh in my head and perhaps I am blinded by the fact I was there, but I really can’t justify putting anything else at the top of the list.

Jeremy Thomas

Note: It’s well known among anyone who reads my stuff that I am a huge Shawn Michaels mark and like Larry, I had the damnedest time choosing these. I went with favorite as opposed to the flat-out best ones as well, and even then I had to reorder it several times as I couldn’t quite make up my mind.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair – WrestleMania XXIV – How freaking awesome is Michaels that he has so many great matches, a match like this can’t make it into the top five? Seriously, that’s insane. This was a great WrestleMania moment, a fantastic match and a fitting end to Flair’s career. Too bad Flair decided to come back.

Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H – Taboo Tuesday 2004 – I’m with Scott on this one. I remember that everyone knew Shawn was seriously injured and figuring that the ‘E would fix it so Shawn wouldn’t win the voting. But no, he did, and he went out there and put on one hell of a match against the Game. The man was a consummate performer and this was a prime example of that.

Shawn Michaels vs. John Cena – Raw 4/23/2007 – I figured this one would be left off most people’s lists because of the importance of many of his other matches. It very nearly got kicked off mine in favor of HBK/Jericho at No Mercy ’08 or the Hell in the Cell match at Badd Blood. However, the fact that Shawn and Cena went out there without the proper preparation and wrestled for nearly an hour and carried off a near-perfect match gives it the edge. Brilliant work.

5.Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind – IYH: Mind Games – I’m a big Foley fan, but I’m an even bigger Shawn fan. With both of those in mind, this was a match I was bound to love…and of course, I did. I don’t think a lot of people expected huge things from this match at the time of its airing. Sure, it was Shawn Michaels and Mankind and both of them always brought their A-Game, but how well were they going to be as opponents in the ring? The answer was clear: they were exceptional. Foley had what was probably my all-time favorite match of his and Shawn really put it all out there. These two guys proved why they are both legends by creating a match that was intense without being gory and telling a fantastic story in the ring. This is a match that all wrestling fans should see and appreciate, because there’s just something special that happens in this match.

4.Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker – WrestleMania XXV & XXVI – These two matches may go higher as time goes on, but for now I’m keeping them low because they haven’t quite stood the test of time like other HBK matches have. They’re definitely great matches and deserve a spot somewhere on this list though. When people talk about Shawn’s great opponents, people often mention Bret Hart, Steve Austin, Chris Jericho and Triple H. Some mention Razor Ramon and Marty Jannetty due to the ladder match and Shawn’s rise to stardom following the Rockers break-up. Somehow, the Undertaker doesn’t get mentioned nearly as often but I think this matches have finally changed that. Shawn and the Dead Man always had spot-on chemistry in the ring and pitch-perfect timing. But it wasn’t until these matches that people really remembered that. Shawn and Taker put on not one, but two examples of what a great match could be at successive WrestleManias. The fact that the second of these matches may just be the last one of his career makes these bittersweet choices, but if you’re going to go out then go out with a bang, right?

3.Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle – WrestleMania 21 – See how many of these matches are ‘Mania matches? Well, there’s a reason why Shawn was called “Mr. WrestleMania.” Shawn had put on some of the best matches in the show’s history even before his temporary forced retirement after ‘Mania XIV. Amazingly, when he came back from that injury, he went right back to putting on fantastic matches at the Super Bowl of wrestling. This was a match that I think gets lost in the shuffle sometimes because Shawn’s had so many high-profile matches at ‘Mania, and while this was a dream match it took place on what was generally a substandard WrestleMania. But Shawn and Kurt went out there and gave fans exactly what they wanted…two of the best in the world tearing the house down. Dream matches so often fail to live up to expectations, but this is one example where they did exactly that and in grand fashion too.

2.Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho – WrestleMania XIX – I talked about this one not long ago in the Top 5 WrestleMania Non-Main Events, and everything I said there holds true here as well. This one is as high as it is not only because of the great quality of the match and because it was two of the all-time greats playing out a feud with a great story of a man who grew up wanting to be someone else and now wants to beat him. It’s also this high because of personal experience because I was there to see this match. It’s one of two times I’ve ever seen Shawn live (the other being his match with Kane at Unforgiven ’04), and a memory I will cherish for a long time. I loved the way both men worked this match and pulled out all the stops against each other, and the post-match antics with Jericho taking the offered hand and then giving him a hug but then low-blowing him was brilliant. It was a great match and my favorite match I’ve ever seen live.

1.Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart – WrestleMania XII – This may not be the best Shawn Michaels match of all time. But it is my personal favorite, because it is the match when Shawn went from being one of my favorite guys to my all-time favorite wrestler…and he never looked back after that. I had seen Shawn do some fantastic things in the ring; I had seen Bret do the same. But I had never expected that they would go with the Iron Man match on a show as big as ‘Mania. Seriously, as good these two guys were, how could they possibly keep fans interested for an hour and how could they keep the quality high? Well, the answer was, with relative ease…or making it look that way, anyway. Shawn and Bret went out there and put on a wrestling clinic that not only went an hour long, but it went over that when neither of them scored a successful fall within the allotted time frame. I don’t remember being completely enthralled with any match that had gone even close to this long before this. There was always some point where my attention waned. Not so here. They put on an absolutely brilliant match that runs as close to perfection for me as I can imagine, and that puts it at the top of my list.