WWE: Should Shawn Michaels Return for WrestleMania 28?

Since retiring after his WrestleMania 26 classic against Undertaker, we haven't seen Shawn Michaels on WWE TV very much.

In fact, the last two times we saw "The Heartbreak Kid" were at the 2011 Hall of Fame ceremony—where he was enshrined—and during a random Raw appearance last year.

For all intents and purposes, Michaels, 46, could still be one of the top performers in the company if he wanted to be.

That being said, because he was extremely adamant about staying retired unlike several of his peers, we'll assume that his in-ring days are truly behind him.

Granted, that doesn't mean the itch to return won't haunt him months, or perhaps years, down the line.

For the foreseeable future, however, Michaels likely won't be adorning his famous chaps or delivering flying elbows.

Though with WrestleMania 28 sneaking up on the horizon and a familiar match on tap—Triple H vs. Undertaker III—it would behoove Michaels to get involved in a non-wrestling capacity.

For those who remember, Michaels was part of last year's buildup between "The Game" and "The Deadman," but not to the extent he should've been.

This year, the storyline between Triple H and Undertaker needs to involve Michaels as the focal point in order to spice up the stakes—because, on the surface, another WrestleMania rematch is not terribly exciting.

Specifically, it should be established that the outcome of the match falls cumbersomely on Michaels' shoulders as the special guest referee of the bout.

For example, will he do the right thing and call it down the middle similar to John Cena at Survivor Series 2010?

Will he be motivated to give his buddy Triple H a biased edge, perhaps even going so far as to screw  Undertaker?

This plot point, for instance, could use on-air opinions from those with experience in these matters, like "The Hitman" Bret Hart. Not to mention, the fact that Michaels, as the referee, once cost Undertaker the WWE title in the main event of SummerSlam 1997—also featuring Hart—can be brought up.

On the other hand, Michaels' character may feel that if he couldn't end the streak—which ended his career—nobody should, not even his D-Generation X partner. Such a motivation may compel HBK to call the match in "The Phenom's" favor.

Moreover, besides Bret Hart, the doubt as to whether Michaels will act fair or partially could be played up by other current and former friends.

Hypothetically, what would Kevin Nash, Sean Waltman, Ric Flair or even Marty Jannetty think about Michaels' game plan going into the contest between Triple H and Undertaker?

And as an entire gamut of individuals attempt to shed light on—and get HBK to confess his intentions (i.e., Roddy Piper, Vince McMahon)—the drama would be enough to ensure Triple vs. Undertaker III is as riveting as John Cena vs. The Rock.

For that to happen, however, Shawn Michaels must return to the WWE airwaves as a semi-regular character in time for WrestleMania 28.

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