9 Awesome Wrestling Matches that Ended in a Draw

source// wwe.com

If you were to ask the average WWE fan what their opinion is on a match ending in a draw, a whole lot of them would probably go and tell you to eat a dick. Two (or more) superstars being “tied” for the win is about as bad as the Fingerpoke of Doom. Okay, maybe not quite that bad, but bad nonetheless.

Believe it or not, it can be done without making both sides – and the company – look bad. The logistics of the match can get a little messy when a draw is the end result, but as long as everyone involved is on the same page, and the scripted finish makes at least a modicum of sense, crowds won’t start rioting once the bell rings and both guys’ hands are raised.

That’s not to say that some fans won’t feel a little cheated by these non-decisions. After all, the words “draw” and “tie” are usually synonyms for “anti-climactic”. Still, there are some examples out their when this type of finish actually elevates the wrestlers and does more good than bad.

Whether the result were good or bad is really up to you, but these nine matches were awesome. They just couldn’t choose a clear winner…

9. Royal Rumble Match 1994

Of all the matches you’d expect to end in a draw, The Royal Rumble seems like it would naturally be on the exemption list. How do you end this type of contest, where a competitor is eliminated by getting chucked over the top rope, in a damn tie?

Well, the answer to that should be pretty clear to anyone who remembers the 2005 debacle with John Cena and Batista, when both men hit the floor at the same time and caused some very real confusion from the refs and brought about the very real fury of Vince McMahon.

But unlike that unscripted mess, the Lex Luger-Bret Hart Royal Rumble co-win was actually planned that way.

It was a great way to build up a feud between the two superstars, who were both fighting it out for the spot of “top guy” as Hulk Hogan’s recent departure had cleared the way for some new blood to make an impact in the main event scene.

The crowd was obviously baffled by the finish, even after president Jack Tunney came out to explain the result. Suffice it to say, they haven’t scripted a Rumble draw ever since (which is why Vince was so pissed in 2005).

That match was still a tremendous launching point for several of the New Generation superstars, particularly Diesel, who received a tremendous reaction from the crowd, even though he was a heel at the time. Sadly, it will always be remembered more for its unusual finish than for the quality work of the participants.

8. Bret Hart Vs. Diesel – Royal Rumble 1995

Just one year after Bret Hart was involved with the strange Royal Rumble draw, they decided it would be a good idea to have The Hitman come out non-victorious once again in a similar fashion after his match with Big Daddy Cool.

There were been a number of incredible matches between these two during the New Generation era, as they had a sure ability to bring out the best in each other. Though their bout at Survivor Series this same year probably takes the cake as the best of the bunch, their match for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble certainly gets some of the frosting.

It had its flaws to be sure, with the most egregious of them coming at the very end of the match, when about half of the locker room came out to interfere in the proceedings, beating down both men.

That’s what ultimately led to it being declared a draw, which was a bit of a disappointment for fans who wanted to see these two genuinely have it out for the gold (though the ensuing handshake and hug was an excellent touch, as it was a nice us-against-them type of response after getting their asses kicked by everyone else in the building).

7. Triple H Vs. Shawn Michaels – Royal Rumble 2004

What is it about the Royal Rumble pay-per-view that brings out the sudden need for parity among its competitors? Just a year before the infamous Cena/Batista clusterkerfuffle, and on the ten year anniversary of the Luger/Hart draw, the WWE creative team decided that neither man in the HBK versus HHH Last Man Standing Match would emerge victorious.

And yet, surprisingly, the finish really didn’t matter. Despite the fact that this was a big match on a big PPV with the World Heavyweight Championship on the line, the amount of blood, sweat, and tears both guys put into this one was enough to make the result a satisfying one, especially since it meant an inevitable rematch down the road at WrestleMania.

Just don’t tell that to the crowd in attendance, whose chants were less than favorable that night.

Also, while Triple H was getting carted off, with the members of Evolution by his side for support, Shawn Michaels demanded the medical staff let him off the stretcher so he could walk back up the ramp on his own like a badass. So even if you were disappointed by the way this one ended, you at least had to acknowledge that this moment was a pretty nifty way of declaring HBK the true Last Man Standing.

6. Randy Orton Vs. Edge – Over The Limit 2010

Any match that ends without a clear winner will always its detractors, but there may not be a WWE fan alive who thinks the double count-out to end this match was a satisfying way for things to wrap up.

In a match that reportedly saw Randy Orton dislocating his shoulder right before the scripted finish, fans in attendance and at home were left confused at the way the latter half of this one played out. Orton, who is no stranger to shoulder injuries, appeared to injure it when he got dropped onto the barricade. But that was likely worked, using the disadvantage to position Orton as the underdog.

And holy hell was the crowd into that. They’d had some great matches before Over the Limit, but this one was a nearly flawless example of playing the crowd like a fiddle. But while pounding the mat in preparation for an RKO, Orton apparently put a little too much oomph it, popping his shoulder out, resulting in an awkward exchange that featured Orton walking around like a gorilla and Edge pretending that getting lightly tapped with a boot is the same thing as getting punted.

Since Orton couldn’t hit the RKO with his dangly arm, they adjusted the finish to Edge missing a Spear and nailing his head on the barricade, leading to a double count-out. It was a disappointing finish that, unfortunately, pretty much killed the momentum of what promised to be an excellent feud between Edge and Orton.

5. Kurt Angle Vs. Shawn Michaels – Raw Homecoming (2005)

J.R.’s assertion that “you’re about to see a classic” and Coach’s belief that “you can hype it up all you want and it’s still going to be under-hyped” wasn’t just hyperbole. This 30 Minute Iron Man match was a top-to-bottom masterpiece, and both performers were near the very top of their game.

They took no time getting after it, as the usually showboating Michaels decided to forgo all the pretenses and charged right after the Olympic Gold Medalist. It wasn’t always the prettiest match, but the intensity never died down from the moment the opening bell was rung. This was an exhibit on tenacity and resiliency, with reversals and near-falls aplenty.

And just when it seemed like there was going to be a last-minute submission by Angle to secure the win, Michaels was able to roll out of the Ankle Lock. Then it looked like HBK was going to take the match with some Sweet Chin Music but, unfortunately, there was only one second left on the clock by the time Michaels went for the pin.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you turn a tie into high drama.

4. The Steiner Brothers Vs. Bret & Owen Hart – 1994

One of the few WWE tag team matches to ever end in a draw, The Steiner Brothers vs. The Hart Brothers also remains one of the most exceptional (and seriously underrated) tag performances in WWE history.

In terms of technicality, it’s hard to find a better example of how to incorporate amateur wrestling moves into a pro wrestling match and still keep it exciting. And just to go all-in on the technical aspects of this matchup, Mr. Perfect was in on commentary.

Scott Steiner, for one, has never looked better that he did here, showcasing his incredible strength while proving he could execute complex moves just as well as his brother. His time in the ring with Owen was especially illuminating, as their styles contrasted in very entertaining fashion.

All told, this match was a 30-minute classic and somehow the double count-out decision wasn’t even a disappointment. It actually felt kinda right. This match certainly requires more patience than today’s matches, but if you’re willing to watch things breathe and escalate naturally, you can’t go wrong here.

3. Terry Funk Vs. Sabu Vs. Shane Douglas – ECW The Night The Line Was Crossed

Back when ECW still stood for Eastern Championship Wrestling, there was certainly no shortage of guys on the roster who were willing to bring the extreme side of things into the ring. Chief among them: Sabu and Terry Funk. But, perhaps surprisingly to fans at the time, it was Shane Douglas who would really elevate this match into ‘classic’ territory.

Billed as an American Three Way Dance, which had a time limit of 60 minutes and some unusual, Royal Rumble-style rules regarding how the competitors were introduced into the match, this ended up being the bout that put ECW on the map. It blended classic wrestling psychology, technical maneuvers, and a dangerous hardcore element that made it impossible not to get engrossed by.

The whole thing turned into mesmerizing bedlam in the last ten minutes, with The Bad Breed and Sherri Martel all interfering in a major way, while Funk beat down the referee like an insane person. Also of note, Sabu began his long and storied tradition of botching the hell out of every high-risk maneuver he ever tried.

It was messy, and only got messier once the time limit ran its course and no clear winner was decided. But the crowd certainly didn’t seem to mind, erupting at the announcer’s statement that the match had “no winner”. It didn’t matter. It was about the action in the ring, not whose hand was raised at the end of it.

2. Samoa Joe Vs. CM Punk II – Ring of Honor (2004)

Nowadays, if a match were to last for 60 minutes and, at the end of that time, no one came out the other end the winner, there would be a full-scale mutiny in the building. But rewind to 2004, where a young Samoa Joe and CM Punk did exactly that in Ring of Honor, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a disappointed fan in the stands.

Of course, it helps when the two wrestlers going at it have an almost endless bag of tricks from which to choose from, and excel at multiple styles of wrestling. Creating a blend of Japanese martial arts, technical submissions, and old-school wrestling psychology, these two told an Oscar-worthy story inside the ring.

If you were to count the number of different holds performed in this one match, it would take longer to list than that time Chris Jericho decided to name all 1,004 holds he knew on an episode of WCW Nitro. And sometimes that level of persistent technicality and never-ending reversals can get tiresome (as one disgruntled fan expressed around the halfway mark of the match, to which Punk replied that he could leave, drawing a generous pop from the rest of the crowd), but these guys made it work.

And with the exception of that one jerk mentioned earlier, the entire crowd was vocalizing their support and admiration of the match for pretty much the entire time. The result didn’t matter as much as the performance.

1. Sting Vs. Ric Flair – Clash Of Champions 1988

It simply does not get much better than this matchup. Ever. Draw or no draw, The Stinger vs. The Nature Boy remains an undisputed classic, and a prime example of an established superstar helping to launch the career of a young up-and-comer.

Even though Ric Flair has excelled at portraying an ego-maniac for the majority of his career, there may not be a more humble, steadfast company man than The Nature Boy in the history of sports entertainment. Not so coincidentally, Sting has followed in his footsteps as a loyal and dedicated professional.

Back in 1988, Sting had risen up the ranks of the NWA in just a few short months. It was clear the top brass had a lot of faith in his abilities and wanted to give him a major push into the spotlight, which is why they booked him opposite Flair.

The match itself was a picture-perfect showcase for the young Sting, with Flair selling every hammerlock like it was ripping the life out of him. It was as intense as they come, and the blend of high-flying (but logical) aerial maneuvers from Sting and the technically precise (and somewhat desperate) tactics of Flair meshed extremely well.

When the 45 minute time limit had expired, it made sense for this one to end in a hard-fought draw. Sting was still a little too fresh-faced to be taken seriously as the man, but having him convincingly go the distance with the top guy in the company made him an instant star, even without claiming the title.

10 WrestleMania Blood Matches You Need to See

source// wwe.com

Some of WrestleMania’s greatest bouts have also been some of WWE’s bloodiest encounters. There’s an art to the violence, with a new level of drama being uncovered when a wrestler is washed in the red stuff. Done appropriately, it works wonders in getting the intensity and meaning of a match over to the audience.

Of course, since WWE went PG in 2008, blood has been banned. There were multiple reasons, mainly Linda McMahon’s senate campaign and WWE’s bid to be family/advertiser friendly. There was also a big health factor to consider, because it isn’t exactly medically advisable to run a razor blade over the forehead.

Blood loss and risk of infection were always a real danger when it came to blading.

But despite the valid arguments against blood, would any of the following ‘Mania classics have really been the same without the presence of plasma? The level of drama that is added when one or more performers hits a gusher is undeniable.

Perhaps WWE are coming back around to that idea, too. In the build for WrestleMania 32, both Triple H and Roman Reigns have got colour. Was it hard way or was it a blood bag? Whatever it was, it was dramatic.

As the following WrestleMania matches proved, blood in WWE is one of the best storytelling devices (when done appropriately).

10. Hulk Hogan Vs. Sgt Slaughter – WrestleMania VII

With Sgt Slaughter’s WWF Title on the line, it was pretty obvious that challenger Hulk Hogan was going to come out of WrestleMania VII as champion. Add in the story of the babyface American hero against the heel traitor and Iraqi sympathiser, and it was all very, very predictable.

Which is where the blood comes in handy. By adding some colour to the match, Hogan made it way more interesting than it would have been without. Especially in cartoon era WWF, this bloody ‘Mania match was shocking for the young audience.

The blood spot came when Slaughter clocked The Hulkster with a steel chair. Moments later, Hogan’s face was a crimson mask. But of course he rallied and won the match with the big leg drop just after the twenty minute mark.

He was back as WWF Champion, and it made a great visual, him holding his prize with blood all over his face. Unfortunately, the event was a bit of a dud overall, and Hogan’s early nineties renaissance did nothing to restore previous boom period levels of success.

9. Ric Flair Vs. Macho Man Randy Savage – WrestleMania VIII

At WrestleMania VIII, Ric Flair defended his WWF Championship against Macho Man Randy Savage in what was a very good match indeed. Flair being Flair, and with it being a major stage, he just had to get blood. He’s always been one of the best bleeders in the biz, with the claret always making a distinct impression when washed into his bleach blonde hair.

‘Mania VIII was no different, and his bleeding really added to the drama.

The spot came when Savage jumped off the top rope and hit a double sledge on Flair at ringside. This sent the Nature Boy’s head smashing off the ringside guard rail. He emerged as a bloody mess, with the bleeding getting more intense as the action rolled on.

Savage eventually won with a roll up, ending what still stands as one of Mania’s most entertaining matches. Interestingly, Flair and Savage were fined after the bout, as they had betrayed company policy at the time. Hilariously, Bret Hart got away with the same thing earlier in the night, as he had convinced officials that his blood was accidental.

8. Stone Cold Steve Austin Vs. Bret Hart – WrestleMania 13

Stone Cold Steve Austin versus Bret Hart at WrestleMania 13 is the perfect example of why blood has a place in professional wrestling. The image of blood pouring down Austin’s face as he passed out in Hart’s sharpshooter is one of the most iconic visuals in wrestling history. It went a long way to making the man WWF’s hottest draw ever.

The blood came about when Austin cracked his head off the guard rail, causing him to bleed heavily. But it would be wrong to say the match was just about the juice job. It was excellent on several fronts, and every fan must watch it for the drama and intensity it produced.

It was storytelling and in-ring excellence combined, a masterpiece for the time, earning the coveted full five star rating in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

7. Stone Cold Steve Austin Vs. The Rock – WrestleMania X-Seven

Arguably the best WrestleMania main event of all-time, The Rock versus Stone Cold Steve Austin was the WWE at the absolute pinnacle of their powers. Quite possibly the two biggest stars in wrestling history, battling it out in nearly thirty minutes of thrilling action.

Both men bled, and even though this was the Attitude Era where blood was common, it still carried so much weight and added an extra edge to this match. Rock defending the championship against the force of Austin was totally captivating, and both bled heavily in heated exchanges.

The finish saw Austin joining forces with Mr. McMahon to beat down The Rock with a steel chair. It was meant to be a heel turn, but the Texas crowd cheered it. Many fans view this moment as the end of the Attitude Era, but take nothing away form the match, or the blood loss.

6. The Undertaker Vs. Ric Flair – WrestleMania X8

Ric Flair was at it again at WrestleMania X8, this time bleeding heavily for The Undertaker in an entertaining No Disqualification brawl. ‘Taker also bled after suffering cuts to both his cheek and forehead.

But it was Flair’s blood loss that really stood out. Big Evil had bust him open with punches, and within minutes the red stuff was everywhere. It was a classic Naitch big game performance, with his face a crimson mask and his bleach blonde hair turning pink with blood and sweat.

By the end, ‘Taker was also bleeding from his forehead gash. Still, the result was never in any real doubt, with the Deadman winning courtesy of a thunderous Tombstone Piledriver. It was a very good match, one of Flair’s best WWE efforts, and the blood certainly helped add to it.

5. Mr McMahon Vs. Hulk Hogan – WrestleMania XIX

Amazingly, Mr McMahon versus Hulk Hogan has to rank as one of the WWE’s best ever street fights.

Despite the age of both men, it was a violent masterpiece, with both of them shedding pools of blood. You had McMahon dropping a leg drop off a ladder through the announce table, and Hogan winding the clock back to give one of his most active performances in years. They went an astonishing, blood-soaked twenty minutes, believe it or not.

The blood really added to the match. In one sensational shot, McMahon’s bloody face was captured rising from the ringside apron, with his psychotic look being one of the best facial sells in company history.

Hogan also bled heavily, making him look badass when he finally made his Hulkamania comeback towards the end.

4. Triple H Vs. Chris Benoit Vs. Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania XX

This was one of the best matches of all-time with three of the best pro wrestlers ever going all-out on the big stage.

Both Trips and Michaels did heavy juice jobs, with HBK hitting the ring post and quickly showing up absolutely covered in a load of the red stuff. Triple H’s bloodiness wasn’t far behind, also coming from a blow to the ring post. In one shot, he sold it excellently, with the blood just flowing from the wound as he gasped desperately in a broken heap in the ring.

Combined with the simply superb in-ring action, it all added up to one of the most emotionally dramatic finishes in WrestleMania history. Seeing Triple H tap out to Benoit’s Crippler Crossface felt like a watershed moment in the business, but the way history has gone, it is hard to remember the match with the same meaning it once had.

3. Triple H Vs Batista – WrestleMania 21

Triple H versus Batista had one of the best WrestleMania narratives of all-time, one that started out of a natural uprising from the crowd. Fans just couldn’t wait to see Triple H’s apprentice turn on him and win the World Championship.

But there was one problem; Batista really wasn’t that good of a worker at that point in time. He was still relatively new to the business and didn’t really know how to work a proper match. He was only ever meant to be the muscle in Evolution, with the spot he moved into earmarked for Randy Orton.

In getting around the shortcomings, Hunter turned to blood. He took a shot into the ring post and got the desired colour. It is a tried and tested gimmick for adding drama to a match. The visual of blood pouring from Hunter’s head helped to get over the ferocity of Batista, the vicious Animal.

A Batista Bomb on the twenty two minute mark secured the title, as Triple H lay crumpled on the mat, covered in his own blood.

2. Edge Vs. Mick Foley – WrestleMania 22

At WrestleMania 22, Mick Foley came back for a hardcore match against Edge. Unsurprisingly, there was plenty of blood.

Both men got colour, with the first instance of red being from Edge’s arm after Foley attacked it with barbed wire. The razors came into play again later in the match, with Edge using a barbed wire baseball bat on Foley’s forehead. The favour was then returned, with Foley using the barbed wire bat on Edge’s head.

Both men ended up bleeding heavily. Edge even took a bump on thumbtacks, opening up several fresh wounds on his back.

Then came the biggest spot of the match, Edge spearing Foley off the apron and through a flaming table at ringside. It doesn’t get much more visually impressive than blood and fire in a match, and this bout absolutely ranks as one of WWE’s best hardcore brawls.

1. Brock Lesnar Vs. Roman Reigns – WrestleMania 31

Despite blood being banned in WWE, Brock Lesnar got some colour in his WrestleMania 31 match with Roman Reigns. It came via the hard way, when Lesnar cracked his head off the ring post. The blood started flowing, and there was no denying that it added something to the match, especially after blood hadn’t really been seen for so long.

WWE were later forced to deny rumours that Lesnar had bladed, but it certainly looked like he’d deliberately done the hard way. As for the cameras, while they would usually pull away from blood, they in fact focused in on Lesnar. Intentional or unintentional, it made the main event so much more memorable than it otherwise would have been.

Seth Rollins’ Money In The Bank cash-in meant that Brock lost his title, but in part thanks to the blood, he was so much more over as a monster after WrestleMania 31.

Shout your thoughts in the comments below.

Shawn Michaels WrestleMania Matches – Ranked from Worst to Best

source// wwe.com

When all is said and done, Shawn Michaels may well go down in history as the greatest mainstream American professional wrestler of all-time. The Heartbreak Kid did everything there was to do in World Wrestling Entertainment, winning all the gold on offer and doing it at a level higher than most of his peers for a longer time. 

HBK’s career was ended early by a terrible back injury, but  he was able to return to the ring and put together a second career run that surpassed the first in terms of the consistency of his match quality. It was a different Michaels, the cocky youth replaced by the wily veteran, and WWE was all the better for it.

It was at WrestleMania that this particular star shone brightest. Michaels took part in 17 different WrestleManias, featuring in tag team matches, ladder matches, Ironman matches and a whole lot more. He won his first WWE Title at the event, and his career would end there, too. His run of matches in the second half of his career, in particular, beggars belief. A better run of matches one will not find.

But how do the matches rank against each other? Let’s waste no more time and get to separating them, from worst to best.

17. Vs. Big Boss Man & Akeem – WrestleMania V

The debut of Mr. WrestleMania came as early as WrestleMania V. 

At this time Michaels was a member of The Rockers, a high-energy tag team with Marty Jannetty, and at the 5th Mania they took on Big Boss Man and Akeem, known collectively as the Twin Towers. Akeem was previously known as One Man Gang, and I don’t think anyone will ever truly understand why this gimmick changed happened, but there we go. 

There isn’t much to write home about with this match, but don’t let its positioning at the bottom of this particular list fool you; The Rockers were seemingly incapable of putting on a bad match in the 1980s, and what we have here is a nice little Big Team vs. Little Team match. Boss Man in particular was a high quality big man, and Akeem was no slouch either. 

Michaels and Jannetty bumped like lunatics for their larger opposition, with Michaels showing the bumping prowess that would eventually become a trademark of his during his singles run. Akeem would eventually hit Michaels with Air Africa (running splash) to give the big men the win.

16. Vs. El Matador – WrestleMania VIII

From his big show debut to his first match as a singles competitor at WrestleMania. 

By 1992 Shawn Michaels was a star on the rise, fresh off throwing Jannetty through the window of the Barber Shop and embarking on a heel run that would change everything for the man. His first singles match at ‘Mania came against the legendary Tito Santana, albeit a legendary Tito Santana now known as ‘El Matador’.

For someone who seemed like an exciting performer at the time, Santana was pretty snooze-worthy. Most of his offense consisted of punches and headlocks, and whilst this doesn’t exactly capture the imagination 20 years later it is clear to see the importance of working with veteran babyface performers.

Another nothing match, this sits above the tag match purely for the fact that it was Michaels’ first singles match on the grandest stage.

15. Vs. The Orient Express – WrestleMania VI

The Rockers would have a number of excellent matches with variations of the Orient Express in 1990 and 1991, with the finest coming at the 1991 edition of Royal Rumble. This match from WrestleMania VI didn’t quite reach that high level, and it wasn’t helped by a lousy count-out finish. Still, this was The Rockers against The Orient Express at the beginning of the 1990s, so there was a lot to love regardless.

Mr. Fuji accompanied the Express for this match, and if there is one thing we know about Fuji and WrestleMania it is that he brings his most effective and vicious salt to the event. That salt would come in to play at the end of this match too, with poor old Marty Jannetty feeling its wrath, leaving him incapable of beating the count.

Maybe Mr. Fuji is to blame for Marty Jannetty being the Marty Jannetty of The Rockers?

If anything, this match is a little disappointing, but that is only because of the quality of the Royal Rumble 1991 match between the two teams. Seriously, go find it.

14. Vs. Tatanka – WrestleMania IX

One year after making his singles debut at WrestleMania, Shawn Michaels would open the show defending his Intercontinental Championship. Tatanka was the challenger, but the real story here revolved around Sensational Sherri. Michaels had recently put Sherri in harms way, leading to her leaving HBK and looking to gain revenge. 

Luna Vachon seconded Michaels here, meaning Tatanka was essentially the fourth most important individual in his IC Title challenge.

The match could arguably be called Tatanka’s finest, and the development of Michaels into a top tier worker was clear for all to see. Another terrible ending leaves a sour taste in the mouth, but this was the WWF and it was the early 1990s; if you were a heel champion defending against an undefeated babyface, chances were you were losing by DQ.

That is exactly what happened here, as Shawn would put his hands on the referee leading to the match being thrown out. Still, they almost got 20 minutes before that, and it was never any less than good.

13. Vs. Barbarian & Haku – WrestleMania VII

The Rockers took part in three matches at WrestleMania, and their only winning effort is probably the best of these. 

It was another big chaps/little chaps effort, this time against Heenan Family members Barbarian and Haku. Those two chaps were pretty standard big men workers in the 1980s, legitimate tough guys who were credible enough to give a boost to those who defeated them. Michaels and Jannetty were the victors here, following a missile dropkick/top rope crossbody combination.

By 1991, The Rockers had perfected the fast-paced tag team opener. They bumped liked maniacs for their opponents, and their comebacks were defined by the swells of support the crowd would provide. We would grow used to these from Michaels throughout his career, and looking back it is clear that he was always going to outgrow tag team wrestling eventually. 

Shawn performs hot tag duties here, and his babyface fire is clear for all to see.

12. Vs. Vince McMahon – WrestleMania 22

More of an angle than a match in reality, HBK’s violent brawl against Vince McMahon at WrestleMania 22 is the least fantastic of the matches from the man’s second run. Vince McMahon certainly isn’t a professional wrestler, yet the man has been involved in a whole host of fun brawls at WrestleMania. They always come with No Holds Barred/Street Fight stipulations, a load of outside interference and a plethora of shenanigans, and so they should.

The roles in this match are fairly unique, with Michaels in the role of beatdown-giver as opposed to taker. Say what you like about Vince McMahon, but he is willing to do some particularly extreme things to make sure he puts on a show worthy of WrestleMania. He will take insane bumps, he’ll bleed, he’ll do whatever he needs to do. 

The most memorable spot of this match comes with McMahon prone on a table in the centre of the ring, his head and upper body shoved inside a trash can. Michaels comes off the top of a ladder with this Showstopper elbow, taking McMahon, the table and the bin out in the process. A crazy, crazy spot.

One Sweet Chin Music later and that was that.

11. Vs. Diesel – WrestleMania XI

I must confess that memory of this match is dominated by Pamela Anderson and Jenny McCarthy, two of the biggest sex symbols of the 1990s.

It is pleasantly surprising to revisit this match and see just how good it was, especially on a show that pretty much sucked otherwise. Shawn’s rise to the top had taken something of a detour thanks to the popularity of his former bodyguard, Diesel, and the two collided here with Shawn challenging for Diesel’s WWF Championship.

Shawn had been working singles for a number of years at this point, and his rise to the main event the unique feeling of being organic yet pushed as well. By WrestleMania XI he was well and truly comfortable in the role, and was working like a top player to boot. His bumping was impressive as ever, and he was able to put together one of the best matches of Kevin Nash’s career.

1995 was a stellar year for Michaels, having started it off with a coast-to-coast Royal Rumble win. He was unsuccessful in his title challenge here, but his performance was one to be applauded.

10. Vs. Ric Flair – WrestleMania XXIV

If these matches were judged by emotional value alone, there’s a good chance that this would be streets ahead at the top of the lot.

Ric Flair’s career was on the line here, as Vince McMahon had decreed that the next match Flair lost would be his last. All of this led to Naitch obviously losing one last epic battle at WrestleMania, and Shawn Michaels was chosen as the man to do the honours.

Despite the predictability of the finish, this match kept viewers right on the edge of their seats. I watched WrestleMania XXIV with a number of friends, some of whom had no interest whatsoever in professional wrestling, yet each one of them was pleading with Michaels to tap as Flair slapped on the figure four. 

After Michaels administered the last rights to Flair’s career, the silence in the room was one that comes only when a group of viewers have been truly moved by something. 

Take the emotion out of the match and it certainly wouldn’t be regarded as anything more than a competent RAW match. Flair wasn’t the same great worker he once was at this point, completely understandable considering his age and length of career. Michaels helped the great man put on one hell of a show, though. 

It is truly a testament to the quality of Mr. WrestleMania that this, one of the most emotional matches in wrestling history, is his 10th best match at the Showcase of the Immortals.

9. Vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin – WrestleMania XIV

More celebrity involvement at WrestleMania XIV, as Mike Tyson performed special enforcer duties in the main event between Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin. This would be HBK’s last match for over four years, and would also act as something of generational-shift in professional wrestling. Austin took the win, and the Attitude Era was about to begin proper. 

The match itself is remarkable considering the state of Shawn’s back at the time. He shouldn’t have been performing full stop, let alone performing at such a high quality on the biggest stage of them all. Watching back it is almost as if Michaels knew he was done, and he wanted to go out on the highest of highs.

Whilst it is easy to view Austin’s win as the turning point for the WWF as he would spearhead a new era, this can also be interpreted as Michaels being on top during a weak era for the company. The truth is that he helped steer a ship that had no direction, sitting on top as a credible champion whilst the company was embroiled in turmoil. 

Hs final match was another notch in the belt of Michaels’ ‘Mania show-stealing.

8. Vs. John Cena – WrestleMania 23

The main event of WrestleMania 23, John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels is something of an underrated classic. There wasn’t much of a story going into the match, but these two had a chemistry that simply could not be denied. They would go on to better this match in the UK just a few weeks later, too.

The early stages were all power vs. speed, with neither performer getting a clear advantage. Too many wrestling matches descend into a predictable flow and structure, so such an equal match was as refreshing then as it would be now. This isn’t to say there are no shenanigans, however, and once Mike Chioda went down all bets were off.

Michaels hits Cena with a freakin’ piledriver on the steps, a move that is guaranteed to illicit ‘ooohs’ and ‘aaaahs’ from any crowd, not to mention exclamations of shock in that most wrestling crowd of manners. Michaels eventually tapped out to the STFU and, whilst you can pick the odd hole in it, this was a fantastic match overall.

7. Vs. Bret Hart – WrestleMania XII

WrestleMania XII can be seen as the birth of Mr. WrestleMania. In the main event, Shawn Michaels battled Bret Hart for the WWF Championship in a 60-minute Ironman match. Michaels makes his most famous of entrances, flying into the arena via zip line in one of the most impressive arrivals in professional wrestling history. 

Everything about this felt like a big moment, and everything about it felt like the official crowning of a new star.

This is a unique match in modern WWE history, going over one hour as it did, and as such it is difficult to rate it on a normal scale. They start slow for obvious reasons, and the first half could easily be regarded as being tedious and plodding. All of this is forgotten in the second half, and the last 20 minutes or so are particularly thrilling. 

The regulation hour ends with neither man scoring a pinfall, so Gorilla Monsoon heads down to the ring to send the match into overtime. Less than two minutes later, Sweet Chin Music connects and the boyhood dream is realised. 

Mr. WrestleMania had arrived.

6. Vs. Chris Jericho – WrestleMania XIX

WrestleMania XIX marked the grand return of Shawn Michaels to the Showcase of the Immortals, and what a return it was.

Michaels went up against Chris Jericho in a classic wily veteran/cocky upstart bout, and it more than delivered. It isn’t fair to call Jericho a cocky upstart at this point, as he had appeared in the main event of a WrestleMania and won all sorts of championships by this point, but the story revolved around Jericho’s former idolisation of Michaels.

The match starts slow (as many classics do), but once the pace picked up it certainly didn’t relent. Michaels eventually picked up the win with a rollup after a number of false finishes, including a picture-perfect Sweet Chin Music delivered by Y2J to HBK. The two embraced after the match, only for Jericho to boot Michaels in the nuts and spit on his former idol!

Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho have had a whole host of classic matches throughout their two legendary careers, and this stands up with them all as one of the best. It has technical wizardry, impressive athleticism and fantastic character work to boot. Ticking all of the boxes, this one.

5. Vs. Triple H Vs. Chris Benoit – WrestleMania XX

One year after making his WrestleMania return, Shawn Michaels found himself straight back into the main event of the show. It was his longtime friendship/rivalry with Triple H that brought him there, as he did battle against his former DX cohort and Royal Rumble winner Chris Benoit for the World Heavyweight Championship. 

This was Benoit’s night, but the role Michaels played as the wildcard element in the triple threat can not be downplayed. The match ticks all of the classic triple threat boxes, but the quality of all three performers adds extra spice to them all. Michaels is particularly impressive with his timing here, most memorably with a saving Sweet Chin Music delivered to a Rabid Wolverine who was moments away from making The Game tap to the Sharpshooter.

History has forgotten this match because you know why, but it still stands up as arguably the greatest singles triple threat of all-time, and one of the greatest WrestleMania main events in history.

4. Vs. Kurt Angle – WrestleMania 21

If this list was an entirely personal and subjective one, I think this match would take top spot. In 2005, WWE was still in its brand-split phase, and this meant that a lot of dream matches could be saved for the biggest show of the year. Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle was one of these, and it met every single lofty expectation levied at it.

Simply put, Michaels and Angle are two of the greatest professional wrestlers ever to grace this glorious sport. Both were able to bring their A games here, and their chemistry was as magnetic as any two performers could wish for. Looking at the second half of his career, Michaels was involved in classic after classic after classic at ‘Mania, truly cementing his reputation as Mr. WrestleMania. 

This is one of my all-time favourite matches. The timing is perfect throughout, and some of the counters Angle manages to throw out truly embed him at the top of any and all ‘all-time’ lists. The match builds to a most dramatic finish, as Michaels desperately attempts to escape from the Ankle Lock to no avail.

3. Vs. Razor Ramon – WrestleMania X

Back at WrestleMania X, the ladder match was an entirely new and exciting concept in professional wrestling. Regardless of who invented the idea (Bret Hart claims it was himself), this was the first match of its type at WrestleMania and it set an incredibly high bar for all ladder matches that would follow it. Michaels and Razor were able to work from a clean slate, but they still put the effort into to make every movement memorable.

The match was to unify the Intercontinental Championships, as Michaels had left whilst champion without dropping the strap. Razor had won a battle royal tournament to become champion, and Michaels was back to show who the real champ was. The bout was full of things we simply had never seen at the time, and whilst the violence of the Attitude Era may have lessened the impact over the years they were as jaw-dropping as anything back in 1994. 

The drama towards the end is amazing to witness, as Michaels attempts to free himself from the ropes in order to stop Razor climbing the ladder and retrieving the gold. He would be unsuccessful in his attempt and wouldn’t leave with the gold, but a legend was born that day.

2. Vs. The Undertaker – WrestleMania XXV

Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker battled each other across different eras as different characters in different matches, but it is their two battles at WrestleMania that arguably stand longest and loudest in the memory. 

As far as modern Undertaker Streak matches go, this immediately had a different feel to the ones that preceded it as Michaels wasn’t afraid of ‘Taker in the slightest. This was a battle between two men who knew what the other was going to bring to the table and it made for a hell of a human chess match. 

Michaels would use his quickness throughout, as the psychology built leading to the expected yet still effective false finishes towards the end. The biggest botch of the whole match brings one of its most memorable moments, as Taker caught himself diving over the top rope and lands headfirst on the outside, taking a (planted) cameraman out in the process.

I loved the finish of this match watching it at the time, and I still love it now: Michaels went for a moonsault, only to be caught and planted with a gnarly Tombstone Piledriver for the win, putting an exclamation mark on what had been one of the best WrestleMania matches ever witnessed. 

Little did we know they would better it just one year later…

1. Vs. The Undertaker – WrestleMania XXVI

After putting on a true all-time classic at WrestleMania XXV, Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker somehow managed to top it just a year later.

All of the sloppy or unsure moments from the year prior were erased, and where XXV was built around two veterans facing off, XXVI was a whole different beast. This was the climax of one man’s obsession, a desire to prove his worth and complete his career by doing what no man had ever been able to do at the time, which was to beat The Undertaker at WrestleMania.

You could put either match at the top of this list, but WrestleMania XXVI will always stand out as the best for me. The psychology throughout was pitch perfect, with Michaels frequently falling foul of his obsession with winning here and ‘Taker capitalising on the mistakes this brought about. The flipside of this was that The Phenom knew he would have to go the extra mile to put HBK away, so a lot of his offensive attacks had extra bite.

The finish is beautiful, with Michaels beckoning Undertaker to finish him off and even going as far as to slap the Deadman to ensure that he did so. One jumping Tombstone later and one of the most storied careers in World Wrestling Entertainment history was done with a match that could easily top any all-time WWE matches list. 

It has everything one could want from an in-ring standpoint, added to WWE storytelling and tight psychology. It is everything that is wonderful about WWE, on top of everything that is wonderful about professional wrestling. It is also the greatest match in the storied career of Mr. WrestleMania, Shawn Michaels.