Disclaimer
Please do not post comments pointing out that wrestling is fake. I’m aware of this. The fact is I find WWE entertaining. I grew up watching it and talking about it with my friends. It’s now 10-15 years later and I find myself doing the same thing. Simply put, it is fun.
Background
This March, Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker will once again face each other at Wrestlemania. If Shawn Michaels wins, the Undertaker loses his undefeated Wrestlemania record. If the Undertaker wins, Shawn Michaels must retire. The story is as follows.
The Debate
Between my friends, the Wrestlemania 26 rematch is going to be a contentious affair. About half of my friends will be rooting for the Undertaker, while the other half will be rooting for Shawn Michaels.
I fall firmly into the Shawn Michaels camp. Nothing against the Undertaker, but Shawn Michaels is my favorite wrestler of all time. Not only that, but I think he’s the best WWE wrestler of all time. The Undertaker might have the streak and more titles, but Shawn Michaels puts on the best show and I’m going to prove it.
The Ratings
Dave Meltzer is a wrestling editor and has been grading matches between 0-5 stars for the last 25+ years. Meltzer is a notoriously harsh grader; he’s given out a grand total of four 5 star ratings to WWE matches. Of those four matches, Michaels is in two of them whereas the Undertaker is in one. This means that Michaels has been in 50% of the 5 star matches, the Undertaker has been in 25%.
- 3/20/94 Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon (Ladder)
- 10/5/97 Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker (Hell in the Cell)
Let’s look at the next best rating, 4 3/4 star matches. Meltzer has given 16 matches a 4 3/4 star rating. Shawn Michaels has been in six of them. The Undertaker has been in one.
- 7/19/93 Shawn Michaels vs Marty Jannetty
- 8/26/95 Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon (Ladder)
- 9/22/96 Shawn Michaels vs Mankind
- 3/14/04 Shawn Michaels vs Triple H vs. Chris Benoit
- 4/3/05 Shawn Michaels vs Kurt Angle
- 4/5/09 Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker
In the 20 matches that Meltzer has given 4 3/4 stars or more, Michaels has been in 8 of them, or 40%. The Undertaker has been in 2 of them, or 10%. More importantly, both of the top rated Undertaker matches were with Shawn Michaels. Even more incredible, Shawn Michaels missed four years of his wrestling career because of a real life back injury.
The Rematch
So what should we expect at Wrestlemania XXVI? Will we see the end of wrestling’s greatest streak or the end of one of the great careers in wrestling history? The bigger question is -- how will it all go down?
Will it be a clean victory for one of them? If Michaels loses, does he really retire? Does Triple H help out his friend Michaels or does he turn heel and cost him his career? Does Bret Hart interfere and finally get vengeance for The Montreal Screwjob.
I honestly have no clue. I never thought they would end the Undertaker’s streak, but I can’t imagine Shawn Michaels ending his career with a loss. Either way, I’m sure it will be a great match and a lot of fun.
wrestling is fake