16. Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker - WrestleMania XXVI
HBK challenged Taker to a rematch from their heralded Mania 25 clash. The Deadman respectfully declined. Michaels tried to win the Rumble to challenge him for the World title, but he failed to get it done. He magnificently told the story of a man that had one thing left to do in his storied career and that was beat Taker at Mania. He finally cost Taker the World title at the Elimination Chamber, prompting one of those memorable TV segments that usually happen during WrestleMania season when the wrestlers are oozing excitement about their biggest show of the year. Taker told Michaels he had to put his career on the line to get another shot at the Streak. If I cant beat you; I have no career. Youre on. The only bad part about the awesome TV moment was that it immediately threw in your face that HBKs career was about to end and that this would be our last chance to see Mr. WrestleMania do what had made him famous. The night he retired was a bittersweet moment for a fan. He certainly delivered, perhaps not topping the Mania 25 match but certainly having a match for the ages that no one will ever forget. The story was different, with the use of finishers galore putting over the desperation to win. For some, that has prompted a ranking for The Streak vs. Career match ahead of the original simply. Style preference aside, the closing moment when HBK was crying on the stage to raucous applause was one of the most emotional in recent memory. The reception was great. The match was everything that an HBK final curtain call should have been. He showed off his athleticism, performing a move that nobody else in the WWE can do that being the moonsault from the turnbuckle to the announce table. He also did another excellent job of actually making people believe he had a chance. Perhaps that is the enduring legacy of HBK he was so good that you could overcome his considerable size differential against guys like Taker and buy him as a threat to actually win the match. The bout also had stamina and fluidity of the other classic HBK bouts. He was still just young enough to be able to do most of what he had always been able to do.
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
