Shawn Michaels Returning To The Ring Was HEAVILY Teased On Monday Night RAW This Week

Because Triple H vs The Undertaker is happening – “One Last Time” – at the WWE’s upcoming ‘Super Show-Down’ in Australia (despite their Hell in a Cell match at WrestleMania XXVIII being promoted as the “End of an Era”), Shawn Michaels was naturally brought in to hype the match up a bit, and get fans interested in it this week on RAW (because Triple H vs The Undertaker has never supplied us an interesting pre-match story), and I’m not so sure he succeeded. I mean, by the end of his segment, the fans were certainly more excited about an Undertaker match than they were at the start of it…but I just don’t think they were necessarily hyped about seeing The Undertaker face Triple H anymore. No, no no no.

After this segment, the WWE Universe was more than ready for Shawn Michaels to lace up his boots one more time for one more legendary encounter with the Deadman.

Michaels retired in 2010 after losing to The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXVI in a Streak vs Career match, and like he said in this segment – has been one of the few wrestlers in the history of the business to stay true to his word and have his “retirement match” actually be his retirement match. For the uninformed, remember when Brett Farve had that whole retire/un-retire saga? Every wrestler to ever step foot in the squared circle since like 1933 has had the same saga. The Undertaker is currently in the middle of his.

Eventually the segment took a turn when Taker suggested that Michaels’ hasn’t remained retired out of respect, but rather…fear.

“The Heartbreak Kid” took major exception to that, and for a moment, things were adding up in my brain and I realized he’d just recently – for the first time since March 28th, 2010 – not given a “no” when asked if he’d ever return to the ring. I realized he said he wouldn’t want to step in there with someone twenty years his younger that’d either have to really work to carry the match or steal his thunder. I realized he said he’d rather work another match with someone he’s comfortable with. And for a moment…just a moment…I thought he was going to be added to Triple H vs The Undertaker, making it a triple threat match at WWE’s Super Show-Down-Unda in Australia.

Obviously, that didn’t happen, but I certainly wouldn’t rule out The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels for WrestleMania 35. Would it be early to start building it now? Sure, maybe a bit, but for something like this, I think early feelers would be sent out. Taker has clearly disregarded his retirement at WrestleMania 33, and his wish not to become a “parody” of himself, so who knows!

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Personally, as a guy who grew up idolizing Shawn Michaels, as a guy that would call him the greatest of all time, as a guy who would call The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXV the greatest match ever wrestled…I’m not even a little bit interested in this. It’s a lose-lose. The Undertaker legitimately hasn’t had a passable match in years, he’s truly tough to watch, it’d mean ABSOLUTELY nothing with the Streak not only broken, but thrown off a cliff and completely disrespected by The Undertaker and the WWE, Michaels won’t be the wrestler he was eight years ago, he’ll join the pack of wrestlers that have pathetically came out of retirement way too late in life, and he’ll be wrestling what is basically a 6’10”, 300lb broom. No thanks! Literally nothing about Michaels/Taker in 2018 appeals to me.

I think if there was ever a time for Shawn Michaels to come out of retirement, it was 2013, his opponent being Daniel Bryan. All bias aside, that’s what the people wanted to see. Now, I think the majority of WWE fans would probably name a guy like AJ Styles, or Seth Rollins as their ideal opponent for an active Michaels. Maybe even Finn Bálor or an NXT guy like Johnny Gargano gets a shout. Those guys, I’d say I’m moderately interested in seeing stand across a 20×20 from Michaels, but still, I’d rather him continue his honorable retirement. He went out with a near perfect match. His body of work is impenetrable. He’s done enough.

Please, WWE, don’t do this.

P.S. If they do go through with it, you just fucking KNOW Michaels is gonna “I’m sorry, I love you” The Undertaker at WrestleMania. Lotsa cryin’ from Hickenbottom.