10 Best Ever WrestleMania Storylines

2. Shawn Michaels Is Forced To Put Down His Hero ('Mania XXIV)

If you can, ignore the fact that Ric Flair wrestled again on a special Hulkamania tour and for TNA after this. It's hard, but try.

His announcement that he'd never retire, followed by Vince McMahon's warning that the next match he lost would be his last, kickstarted one of 2007-2008's best stories. Consequently, it augmented 'Mania XXIV's appeal, gave Shawn Michaels the chance to work with his childhood hero on wrestling's biggest stage and was responsible for Kleenex sales going through the roof.

The story was simple: Shawn didn't want to put Flair out to pasture, but his professional pride meant he had to. Meanwhile, Ric tearfully waved goodbye to his timeless career and was forced to live with the fact that the mind was willing but his body wasn't. What a f*cking story, man.

Their build, the pressure on Ric's shoulders to have a classic on his way out, his Hall Of Fame induction, the match they worked and the very-real tears from both afterwards were special. It'd take some angle to top this one.