20 More Surprising WWE Facts You Probably Didn't Know

Everyone expected the WrestleMania XXV match between Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker to be great, and probably to steal the show: no one expected it to be the classic that it was, a match that many consider may be the greatest WrestleMania match of all time.

At any rate, the encounter was so successful that Michael Hayes suggested a possible rematch for WrestleMania XXVI… and that they could bill it with a retirement stipulation to add meat to the story.

However, those plans were only in the sketchy stage when the Slammys episode of RAW aired in December 2010. Michaels was due to go up and accept an award for Match Of The Year for that WrestleMania XXV classic, and with minutes to go, had the idea that he could issue the challenge for the rematch directly to the Undertaker in his acceptance speech.

He quickly ran the idea past Hayes and Vince McMahon as they all stood there at the Gorilla position… but at that time, neither man was even sure whether the rematch would be taking place, let alone whether announcing it there and then was a good idea.

With the Slammy literally about to be announced, and with McMahon getting cold feet at the thought of being held to this split second decision - because once Michaels made the on-air challenge, they pretty much had to go through with it - the Heartbreak Kid made an executive decision. He was going to do it.

The rest is wrestling history… and as Michaels tells it, the Undertaker found out about the challenge and the rematch in exactly the same way as the majority of WWE fans: while watching that episode of RAW on his couch at home.