50 Things You Learn Binge-Watching Every WWE WrestleMania
25. ‘Taker & Shawn’s Original Is Still Gripping
This fan has watched The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels from WrestleMania XXV countless times since seeing it live at the time, and it’s still every bit as dramatic now as it was back then. Everyone owes it to themselves to go check it out if they haven’t for a while. Their first of two back to back 'Mania crackers is one of the finest WWE pay-per-view matches ever. It's one they’d struggle to top 12 months later (saying that, ‘Mania XXVI’s Michaels retirement is also essential).
A downward slide would follow once HBK came out of retirement in 2018 and 'Taker turned into someone who was too embarrassed to re-watch his own matches, but they were on top form in 2009. One of the most beautiful things about Shawn vs. 'Taker I (so called even though it was far from their first match!) is that the drama has persisted even when people know what's coming next. It's like watching an old movie you adore.
Yes, each scene plays out exactly the way you remember, but that's the pleasing aspect. Besides, 'Mania XXV's showcase couldn't have been any better. The only negative framing it is that WWE decided to go with Triple H vs. Randy Orton as the main event instead. Echoes of Trips vs. Chris Jericho over Hogan vs. Rock at 'Mania X8 there.
Who could forget The Undertaker's mind meltdown when Michaels kicked out of another Tombstone? That's an iconic image burned into the retinas of millions around the globe. This bout was a stunning reminder of everything great about Shawn and 'Taker. Their era was ending, but their legacies would last forever.