10 Best Retirement Matches In WWE History
1. Shawn Michaels Vs. The Undertaker (WrestleMania XXVI)
There’s a strong argument to be made that Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker are responsible for the two best matches in WrestleMania history. Their wars at Mania's XXV and XXVI are stone cold classics, and while everyone has their own individual favourite, both compare favourably with anything else ‘Mania has produced since its 1985 inception.
Their second match pitted Taker’s long-standing WrestleMania streak versus Shawn’s 20+ years as a professional wrestler, and after missing out on the previous year’s main event spot, they closed WrestleMania 26 in incredible fashion.
HBK was desperate to save his career, and brutalised Taker’s leg throughout. He used a number of wily veteran tactics to target the limb, even locking him in a Figure Four Leglock at one point, but he just couldn’t kill The Deadman. They built towards an absolutely breathtaking conclusion, and when The Undertaker finally laid HBK to rest with a leaping Tombstone, it closed ‘Mania 26 on a bittersweet note.
Fans had just witnessed one of the most spectacular matches in the event’s history, but it had come at the cost of Michaels’ career. Nobody has ever said “goodbye” to the squared circle in such spectacular fashion, and Shawn’s final battle further cemented his status as WWE’s Mr. WrestleMania. Taker was victorious and his streak remained intact, but the night belonged to HBK.