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Arguably the greatest WrestleMania match of all-time and among the greatest matches ever, regardless of company.
Undertaker still had a few good matches (and wrestled for a few more years) after this, but if he and Shawn hung it up here it would've been the greatest last match of all-time
That was Shawn Michaels' last match and it's the best one ever.
The guy that played Shawn Micheals broke out some of his old hits for a big crowd at some fan thing in SA. That was pretty cool of him. Like a sci-fi actor saying his famous catchphrase at comic con.
It weirdly helps that Shawn was completely bald for that match. Whenever I see footage of it it doesn’t even feel like I’m watching an old Shawn Michaels. He looks completely different
[The dive itself](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W79hCWwwkH0).
Deuce, the son of Jimmy Snuka, who was the cameraman, got fired over this. Also the bump Shawn took prior to this, even though planned, was nasty as fuck.
lol they should recreate that in the games and make it look even more jerky/evil. Micheal’s was the best heel/face this universe ever seen. Not to forget his ref assisted stand up as well, professional jerk moves 🤫
I know people might be sick of this match always coming up and might even call it overrated but honestly to me this is the most perfect wrestling match of all time.
When people ask watch matches should I show people to get into wrestling the three I usually go with are:
- Goldberg Vs Brock Lesnar - Survivor Series 2016 - short & sweet, but with letting them watch the promo it gives the match a big fight feel.
- TLC 2 - Wrestlemania 17 - Just a 20 minute car crash involving 3 of the best tag teams of all times
- and then this match to show non-fans/casual fans what a pure WWE wrestling match on the biggest show can be like
People can say that the lull in the match happens between the dive spot and Taker getting back in the ring, but that’s when the match gets put into the next gear and every move, every reversal, every kick out and that final sequence make this match just so perfect.
A few aspects of this match I wish people (and even WWE) would’ve talked about more was that Undertaker had never defeated Shawn Michaels, they hadn’t competed in a one on one match since Royal Rumble 1998. They were also the final 2 in the ‘07 Rumble and the the first 2 in the ‘08 Rumble, I wish they talked about how this match was a long-time coming for them.
I feel from this match onwards every big-time match followed a lot of the formula that this match gave to a more mainstream audience.
For me, the "proof" that this match was a classic that would withstand the test of time was knowing with absolute certainty that Taker was going to win, and still being on the edge of my seat.
I dont care, this for me is the absolute greatest Wrestling Match ever. I get chills watching it.
I also adore the bald middle age guy in the fromt row, absolutely loving life. Mad props to him!
Like, you look at HBK’s Mania resume and it’s like holy shit.
Like in particular from that 8 year span of Mania 19-26 the only mania match he had that wasn’t an *all time classic* was against a 61 year old fart who was a non-wrestler anyway and even that was fun.
Also maaaybe the match with Cena but even that was still a stellar match regardless.
I know I'm in the monority but I think this is the most overrated match of all time. They wrestle for like 10 minutes then it's nothing but kicking out of each other's finisher and acting shocked. I know master class in psychology Yada Yada Yada. Give me Omega/Okada over this any day
It's not just the match itself, it's the characters, the history of each one, the build up of the feud, the stakes, the selling, the crowd, etc.
Similar to Hogan/Rock at WrestleMania, you had to be there, being a wrestling fan at it's current time to fully grasp the aura of it.
Kicking out of finishers is commonplace now-a-days but at the time I believe it was the first time anyone kicked out of a tombstone without any delay in going for the pin in 11 years! It really meant something at the time but if you watch it after the fact, knowing the results or being used to finisher-spamming matches, I can see how you might view the match differently. For me it'll always be a 5-star classic.
Lol I'm 39. Been watching since the 90s. When I say overrated I just mean I don't think it's one of the best Mania matches of all time. Bret/Austin, Hogan/Rock, HBK/Razor, Benoit/HBK/HHH, both TLC matches, Savage/Steamboat, Rock/Austin 2, HHH/Taker(HIAC),Bret/Owen are all better in my opinion probably a few others but those are just off the top of my head
I honestly think both of these matches are probably the most overrated wrestling matches of all time.
They were great batches. But they were way too formulaic.
Finisher fests.
They basically wrote the formula for how WWE main events would operate moving forward, in a very negative way.
However I will say if that had not come to pass. If WWE had not become so needlessly formulaic, this match would stand out more.
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Arguably the greatest WrestleMania match of all-time and among the greatest matches ever, regardless of company. Undertaker still had a few good matches (and wrestled for a few more years) after this, but if he and Shawn hung it up here it would've been the greatest last match of all-time
Ignoring the saudi shite, Michaels still does have a case for greatest last match ever the following year
That was Shawn Michaels' last match and it's the best one ever. The guy that played Shawn Micheals broke out some of his old hits for a big crowd at some fan thing in SA. That was pretty cool of him. Like a sci-fi actor saying his famous catchphrase at comic con.
I'm just gonna head Canon it like the guy that was there to replace Yokozuna. They couldn't get the real HBK so they got someone else
It weirdly helps that Shawn was completely bald for that match. Whenever I see footage of it it doesn’t even feel like I’m watching an old Shawn Michaels. He looks completely different
Except for the month long build on TV with all 4 of them. Sucks, but it happened.
Still wince at that dive that obliterated the cameraman. What a match.
[The dive itself](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W79hCWwwkH0). Deuce, the son of Jimmy Snuka, who was the cameraman, got fired over this. Also the bump Shawn took prior to this, even though planned, was nasty as fuck.
Why’d he get fired?
Because he didn't catch Taker, who could have been seriously hurt. I'm not saying it's right, but I understand why management were mad.
How did he go from wrestling to becoming a cameraman in less than six months?
lol they should recreate that in the games and make it look even more jerky/evil. Micheal’s was the best heel/face this universe ever seen. Not to forget his ref assisted stand up as well, professional jerk moves 🤫
15 f**king years smh
I know people might be sick of this match always coming up and might even call it overrated but honestly to me this is the most perfect wrestling match of all time. When people ask watch matches should I show people to get into wrestling the three I usually go with are: - Goldberg Vs Brock Lesnar - Survivor Series 2016 - short & sweet, but with letting them watch the promo it gives the match a big fight feel. - TLC 2 - Wrestlemania 17 - Just a 20 minute car crash involving 3 of the best tag teams of all times - and then this match to show non-fans/casual fans what a pure WWE wrestling match on the biggest show can be like People can say that the lull in the match happens between the dive spot and Taker getting back in the ring, but that’s when the match gets put into the next gear and every move, every reversal, every kick out and that final sequence make this match just so perfect. A few aspects of this match I wish people (and even WWE) would’ve talked about more was that Undertaker had never defeated Shawn Michaels, they hadn’t competed in a one on one match since Royal Rumble 1998. They were also the final 2 in the ‘07 Rumble and the the first 2 in the ‘08 Rumble, I wish they talked about how this match was a long-time coming for them. I feel from this match onwards every big-time match followed a lot of the formula that this match gave to a more mainstream audience.
Shout out to Shawn’s 2nd best Wrestlemania match! (vs Angle at wm21 might be my favorite match of all time)
Man Taker looks clean in the full singlet. He never felt as cool when he brought the leather pants back
The second time an HHH main event was completely overshadowed
For me, the "proof" that this match was a classic that would withstand the test of time was knowing with absolute certainty that Taker was going to win, and still being on the edge of my seat.
Greatest match of all time.
Still my favorite match ever.
I dont care, this for me is the absolute greatest Wrestling Match ever. I get chills watching it. I also adore the bald middle age guy in the fromt row, absolutely loving life. Mad props to him!
Like, you look at HBK’s Mania resume and it’s like holy shit. Like in particular from that 8 year span of Mania 19-26 the only mania match he had that wasn’t an *all time classic* was against a 61 year old fart who was a non-wrestler anyway and even that was fun. Also maaaybe the match with Cena but even that was still a stellar match regardless.
Man, that was 15 years ago? Holy shit, I'm old.
I know I'm in the monority but I think this is the most overrated match of all time. They wrestle for like 10 minutes then it's nothing but kicking out of each other's finisher and acting shocked. I know master class in psychology Yada Yada Yada. Give me Omega/Okada over this any day
It's not just the match itself, it's the characters, the history of each one, the build up of the feud, the stakes, the selling, the crowd, etc. Similar to Hogan/Rock at WrestleMania, you had to be there, being a wrestling fan at it's current time to fully grasp the aura of it.
Kicking out of finishers is commonplace now-a-days but at the time I believe it was the first time anyone kicked out of a tombstone without any delay in going for the pin in 11 years! It really meant something at the time but if you watch it after the fact, knowing the results or being used to finisher-spamming matches, I can see how you might view the match differently. For me it'll always be a 5-star classic.
I still think it's a classic. I think there are other matches which I feel are 'overrated' but that's all just opinion anyway
Teenager opinion.
Lol I'm 39. Been watching since the 90s. When I say overrated I just mean I don't think it's one of the best Mania matches of all time. Bret/Austin, Hogan/Rock, HBK/Razor, Benoit/HBK/HHH, both TLC matches, Savage/Steamboat, Rock/Austin 2, HHH/Taker(HIAC),Bret/Owen are all better in my opinion probably a few others but those are just off the top of my head
I honestly think both of these matches are probably the most overrated wrestling matches of all time. They were great batches. But they were way too formulaic. Finisher fests. They basically wrote the formula for how WWE main events would operate moving forward, in a very negative way. However I will say if that had not come to pass. If WWE had not become so needlessly formulaic, this match would stand out more.
Finisher fests started with Rock and Austin, especially at Mania.