Streak vs. Career
The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
How: Undertaker finally caved and accepted Michaels' challenge, with stipulations of Michaels putting his career on the line and that the match cannot end in disqualification or countout being added afterwards
Heat Check: Remember that match everyone talked about last year? Y'know, the first UT/HBK WrestleMania match? It was so good that the WWE Uni... I CAN'T BRING MYSELF TO COMPLETE THAT TERM. Ahem, I mean, WWE fans voted en masse to give it the Slammy for Match of the Year. Michaels accepted the award alone and took the opportunity to call out the Undertaker for a rematch. Taker made an appearance on RAW 1/18 just to shoot Michaels down, so HBK made it his goal to win the Royal Rumble to get a shot at the then-World Champion at the time, risking his sanity and his friendship with Triple H in the process. Michaels even eliminated Trips in the Rumble before getting tossed by Big Dave Batista with three guys to go.
Michaels then turned around to obsession with Undertaker, finding a way to goad him into a match, further risking his sanity and again teasing dissention with Triple H. Eventually, Michaels found his in, interfering in the Smackdown Elimination Chamber and costing Taker the title to Chris Jericho. This forced Taker's hand, but Taker wasn't going to step into the match the only man with something to lose. He demanded HBK put his career on the line, with Michaels gladly obliging. Because in his words, if he can't beat Taker at WM, he has no career.
What followed was the normal match build, mind-games, interference, sneak attacks, and probably the best of all, a series of really cool video recap retrospectives set to some kickass music, including Johnny Cash's "Ain't No Grave".
Analysis: While I wasn't as high on last year's match as others were, I liked their tilt enough to put it in my list of the top 25 matches I watched last year. The problem is that there'll be so much pressure on them to equal or surpass what they did last year. Will they be able to perform? Even the best wrestlers sometimes buckle under the pressure of demanding or even unrealistic goals. Just look at WrestleMania 2000, the double-three way with Jericho, Kurt Angle and He Who Shall Not Be Named was supposed to be the best match BY FAR on the card. Both halves were big disappointments.
Still, if you're going to count on two guys in the company to deliver when the stakes are high, well, Taker and HBK are on the shortlist. While last year's match was built fantastically, it is nowhere nearly as emotionally charged as it is this year. Not even close. While I feel they didn't do as good a job this year, they didn't have to. The career vs. streak stip gives the match that much more gravity, and a worker like Michaels will most certainly use it to his advantage. He was on the other side of the coin two years ago against Ric Flair; now he finds himself potentially in his last match ever and has to draw on that mindset to give a unique performance.
Who Should Win: Taker. I don't think he should ever lose his streak as a thank you for being a rock in the locker room without ever really demanding to be given the Hogan push like some other people have. While Michaels winning wouldn't leave as sour a taste in my mouth as it would have last year, c'mon... this is Taker's legacy. He should be able to take it with him.
Who Will Win: Taker. I've heard rumblings that HBK is going to retire, and honestly, the guy can't go on without doing the kinds of things that degrade his body and make him The Showstopper. It'll be a good match though, a great match even.
Photo Credit: WWE.com
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