Why Did Shawn Michaels Doubt The Undertaker's WWE Leadership Skills?
HBK didn't get why so many people looked up to 'The Deadman'...
Shawn Michaels didn't understand why so many in WWE looked up to The Undertaker as a locker room leader during their respective primes in the 1990s.
HBK told ESPN that he foolishly couldn't fathom the respect his peers had for 'The Deadman' at the time. Shawn admitted that reflects more on who he was at the time rather than 'Taker; today, he can see that The Undertaker was quietly leading by example.
He didn't need to raise his voice or threaten to kick anyone's ass if they stepped out of line. Instead, 'Taker commanded respect by always being a good company man, pleasantly listening to anyone who approached him and never once threw hissy fits in front of the boys.
Shawn says his "immaturity at the time" didn't allow him to grasp why someone so "diametrically opposed to the gimmick" was viewed as a leader behind the scenes.
Today, he can see how silly that is.
The pair had natural chemistry inside the ring, but struggled to see eye-to-eye outside it. Michaels takes full blame for that - he was brash, outspoken and didn't get 'Taker's personality.