5. Kurt Angle Defeats Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 21)
Let's be honest, if this match hadn't happened, it'd be on numerous lists bemoaning the 'dream' encounters fans never had the chance to see. Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels have both been wrestling machines throughout their respective careers, so pairing them up at 'Mania was a must. On one level, the bout played out exactly as people might expect. Angle, as the heel, would eventually come out on top, but not before Michaels displayed his unbelievable talent for selling, teasing a big comeback at several points during the action. By the time Backlash, the next Pay-Per-View, came around, HBK would be teaming with Hulk Hogan, slowly-but-surely starting to turn heel himself, but at 'Mania 21, he put on quite the babyface showing against Kurt Angle, who was truthfully always more comfortable as a heel.
Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.
