WWE: Ranking the Matches That Made Shawn Michaels "Mr. Wrestlemania"

It's WrestleMania time, which means it is usually time to talk about Shawn Michaels. The man that has been called Mr. WrestleMania earned that nickname over the years. He has wowed audiences, elevated talent, put on incredible matches and watched his legend grow at an event where legends are created. Among all of the greats, few can have the impact Shawn Michaels has had at WrestleMania.

This year's WrestleMania will be the first match to include Michaels since his retirement two years ago. It will also be the first time Michaels is involved in a non-wrestling matter during a WrestleMania since WrestleMania 13, where he provided commentary for the Sycho Sid vs. Undertaker match.

Fifteen years later, Michaels is involved in yet another Undertaker match, this time as a special guest referee inside Hell in a Cell. Will The Heartbreak Kid help his friend, Triple H, break The Streak? Or will Michaels and his jealousy get in the way of The Game, enabling The Phenom to reach 20-0 at the event?

Whatever the result, here is a look back at how the presence of The Heartbreak Kid has impacted WrestleManias of the past.

WrestleMania VI: The Rockers Get Counted Out Against The Orient Express

Controversy was the story at WrestleMania VI for The Rockers as they faced off with Mr. Fuji and his team, The Orient Express. Fuji was a pain in the side of The Rockers throughout the match, specifically annoying Jannetty. Jannetty had the rope pulled from underneath him by Fuji, who used his cane.

Later in the match, Jannetty, who was the legal man in the match, was blinded with some salt to the eyes. Marty couldn't see and even fell over the barricade. Since he was the legal man, he was counted out and The Rockers were deemed the losers.

WrestleMania XI: HBK Cannot Stop Champion Diesel

I never could get into this match, which speaks dividends about how the match itself went. It was WrestleMania 11 and, one year after an amazing ladder match put Shawn Michaels on the map, he was in the WWF Championship match against his former ally, Diesel. Diesel was the champion and had gotten there before Michaels had, which caused a rift between them. Diesel didn't become relevant until he sided with HBK, so there was certainly a rivalry between old friends turned enemies.

Simply put, it was a lackluster WrestleMania as a whole. This match got over 20 minutes, which is a lot more than what can be said about the rest of the card. It also didn't help that this match was playing second fiddle to Bam Bam Bigelow and Lawrence Taylor. The promos were bad, the buildup left something to be desired and the match itself could have been better planned out.

WrestleMania V: The Rockers Fall to The Twin Towers

The first-ever WrestleMania match to feature Shawn Michaels was this match at WrestleMania V. The mighty team of Akeem and Big Boss Man has a worthy challenge from Jannetty and Michaels. Jannetty took a beating, but Michaels took a couple of interesting spots.

Michaels was subject to an incredible clothesline from Akeem that had Michaels nearly standing on his own head. The finish was also great as Michaels tried a seated senton on Big Boss Man, but was caught into a vicious powerbomb. Michaels took the loss and was the man pinned, but there were flashes of brilliance in that match.

WrestleMania VIII: Shawn Michaels Takes Down El Matador

It was WrestleMania VIII and Michaels had gone through a lot of changes in the previous year. There was no more alliance with Marty Jannetty as Michaels had ended The Rockers with one dose of Sweet Chin Music. The now cocky and brash Michaels was a rising star that ran into El Matador at WrestleMania VIII.

El Matador is otherwise known as Tito Santana, and Santana was in full control of most of this match. Michaels had a lot of good counters, but it was Santana who tried to win this match on more than a few occasions.

Michaels would steal this victory after being pulled back into the ring over the top rope. Michaels would hold the rope, causing Santana to collapse and Michaels to hold on for a three-count and a victory.

WrestleMania VII: The Rockers Get Their First Win, Defeat The Barbarian and Haku

The Rockers, in their third WrestleMania match together, finally picked up a victory at WrestleMania VII, when they took down the strong team of The Barbarian and Haku. The Bobby Heenan-managed tag team fell prey to the high-octane offense of The Rockers, who uses a lot of innovative tag team moves. They were innovative then and few teams have used those types of moves since.

Jannetty took a beating for much of the match, until Michaels was given the hot tag. Michaels then used his high-flying ability to dispose of the two powerhouses and claim victory.

WrestleMania XX: HBK, HHH Get Moment Stolen by Benoit

It was the 20th anniversary of WrestleMania and the 10 year anniversary of WrestleMania X, which was also in Madison Square Garden and truly launched the legend of Shawn Michaels as a WrestleMania staple. It was a triple threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship as HBK took on Triple H and Chris Benoit.

This match didn't tear any houses down, but it was a solid title bout. It's one that won't be featured by WWE because of who was in it, especially because that person won this match. Michaels would not factor in the decision as Triple H tapped out to the Crippler Crossface.

WrestleMania IX: Michaels Gets DQ'd, Retains Intercontinental Title

A solid match that was ruined by a flaw ending.

That's the perfect way to explain WrestleMania IX's opening contest between Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels and challenger Tatanka. Tatanka was still being built up well. His undefeated streak was still in time and nothing was going to stop the Native American superstar. History suggests that Michaels was supposed to lose the championship in this match, especially from the way that the match ending went and was explained.

After dominating the entire match, both Tatanka and Michaels are on the outside, Tatanka slides back in and, instead of coming in, Michaels grabs the referee and pulls him out of the ring. After Michaels enters back in, Tatanka hits a move on the champion and goes for a cover. Instead, the referee calls for the bell.

The explanation was that Michaels was counted out and lost that way, but it seems like they meant for a disqualification. Whatever the reason, Tatanka won to stay undefeated, while Michaels held onto his title.

WrestleMania 22: HBK Destroys McMahon in Bloody Bout

It was a fight that was built to feel incredibly personal. Shawn Michaels would pull out all of the stops against his opponent, WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon.

This garbage can covering McMahon while he sits on a table and Michaels dives from a ladder just scratches the surface. I couldn't possibly do the match justice from trying to explain it in text. Look it up, come back here and comment about how indescribable the whole match was. In the end, McMahon lost, like he always does, and told his employees how he felt, like he always does, in the form of a middle finger. I guess we can blame Steve Austin for that one.

WrestleMania 23: Michaels Cannot Overcome John Cena

The year after was a great time for Michaels, who was again inserted into the world title picture. This match is probably the best WrestleMania bout for Cena to date, but it isn't shocking that Michaels has that effect on a match. This build up was very subtle, but great. Shawn Michaels wanted the World Championship back around his waist, while John Cena wanted to prove that he could, in fact, wrestle. Watch his matches with Michaels around this time and you can verify that, despite what his critics say.

On this particular night, it was Michaels and Cena, two men who became tag team champions in the weeks before this match, only to let it lead to an explosion between them. They were still champions when this match took place. Michaels became a bloody mess and neither man gave up for a while. This match took nearly a half hour to complete, nearly 10 minutes longer than the next longest match, which was a Money in the Bank ladder match.

Cena would find a way to victory, but this would be far from over. A rematch on April 23, 2007 would be the match of the year for 2007 in many people's eyes.

WrestleMania 21: Michaels Puts on a Clinic with Kurt Angle

This match didn't even seem like it would be taking place until the Royal Rumble happened. In that match, Angle was unstoppable until Michaels gave him some Sweet Chin Music and sent him back to the locker room. However, Angle didn't go willingly. He would run back into the ring and eliminate Michaels from the match and beat him down feverishly.

The weeks building to this match painted a picture of how Angle was jealous of Michaels and his attention around the time of Angle's real-life Olympic victory. It was the amateur wrestling machine against pro wrestling's ultimate showman. Yet another nearly half-hour match ensued with Angle pulling off the victory. It has been forgotten in history because it was sandwiched in between a Christy Hemme Women's Championship match and a sumo match between Big Show and Akebono.

WrestleMania XIX: Michaels Returns, Steals Show with Jericho

Speaking of forgotten matches, this may be the most overlooked WrestleMania match in history. Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels absolutely stole the show at WrestleMania XIX. It was the first WrestleMania match for Michaels since his return to the ring, and Michaels failed to disappoint.

The feud was just so fantastic between these two. Jericho talked about wanting to be Shawn Michaels when he was younger and having Michaels be an inspiration for him to be a professional wrestler. Some really did call Jericho "the next Shawn Michaels" and, in some regards, you can see where that came into play.

For those non-title WrestleMania matches that aren't in the main event (Kane vs Randy Orton is a perfect example for this year), this is the kind of match you dream of putting on. This WrestleMania is known for having the last Rock/Austin match, Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar in the main event and a street fight between Hulk Hogan and Mr. McMahon. However, I really feel like this match was better than all of them. It brought the best out in Jericho and was probably his greatest moment at WrestleMania to date, despite the loss.

WrestleMania XIV: HBK Falls to Stone Cold, Issues in Attitude Era

WrestleMania XIX was Michaels' first Mania back, but this was his last match before he left. It very well could have all ended right here for HBK, but luckily did not. Still, this was an incredible match to watch. In the ranking of all of these matches, this one is probably the biggest reach, but it brought new meaning to this year's moniker of being an "end of an era." This match literally began another era.

The match was centered around the inclusion of Mike Tyson in the main event as a special guest enforcer. Tyson had multiple problems with Austin and naturally sided with Michaels and D-Generation X. Tyson wore a DX shirt to ringside and watched on as these two fought over the WWF Championship.

When you look at it from a historic aspect, this match was very important. Michaels did this match with a severe back injury that ended his career for more than four years. It is also considered the unofficial beginning of the much-heralded Attitude Era in WWE.

Michaels is in absolute pain for most of this match, but keeps going. In the end, a Stunner does Michaels in and Tyson turns on him, counting to three and ringing in The Austin Era.

WrestleMania XXIV: HBK Ends Career of Nature Boy Ric Flair

It was another era that ended at WrestleMania XXIV. It was the era of Ric Flair in WWE. His final match with the company took place that night with Michaels as his opponent. The two squared off in a classic showdown.

Even though we knew it would be his last match, The Nature Boy sure made it look great. The finish of the match had Flair struggling to his feet and a face of concern on Michaels' face. Flair wanted him to keep going, but Michaels seemed reluctant. Michaels would then mouth the words, "I'm sorry. I love you," before delivering Sweet Chin Music.

Flair fell to the ground and was covered for the pinfall. Michaels then lunged onto Flair's head and began to cry with him in one of the more touching moments in WrestleMania history. HBK would then leave the ring to give Flair his moment. For me, it was the absolute best story I have ever been told with a match at WrestleMania.

WrestleMania X: HBK Falls to Razor Ramon in Epic Ladder Match

There are a handful of matches that every person says helped mold them into the pro-wrestling fan that they are. For me, this was one of those matches. I wasn't even six years old at the time, but it is hard to not remember a sight like Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon at WrestleMania X at Madison Square Garden.

It was the first ladder match I can ever recall seeing and may just be one of the best. The ladder match is now more about big spots with the ladder, but this match kept it pretty simple. In fact, outside of some shots with the ladder and a big dive by Michaels, it's hard to really look at the match as a ladder match at all.

That dive by Michaels was his first real iconic moment at WrestleMania. Every match involving a ladder hopes to get into the realm of this match, but falls short every time.

WrestleMania XII: Michaels Needs OT to Take Down Bret Hart in Iron Man Match

It was a match that didn't seem possible. How can you wrestle for an entire hour? Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart found a way. The match was originally scheduled to be just 60 minutes long, but neither man could get a pinfall in that time frame. It was 61 minutes and 52 seconds when all was said and done as overtime was needed in order to crown Shawn Michaels as the new WWF Champion.

On March 31, 1996, Michaels won the match and became just the 19th different man to hold that coveted title. In what became an immortalized moment in WrestleMania and the embodiment of what WrestleMania has stood for, Michaels realized his boyhood dream.

WrestleMania XXVI: Rematch of Rematches Ends HBK's Career

The last match in Shawn Michaels' storied career came two years ago at WrestleMania. How could Undertaker and Shawn Michaels possibly have a completely different match from there? Well, they somehow were able to make it unique. It was hard to see one injured man try to carry another, but you knew you were seeing something special. There were no countouts in this match, specifically because if one of them had trouble getting up outside, it wouldn't end the match without a clear finish or inadvertently ending The Streak.

The Streak would not end, but The Career would. Michaels would never wrestle again after this match and, as much as it may kill some fans, it's the way it should be.

WrestleMania XXV: Mr. WrestleMania Cannot End Undertaker's Streak

It's the best WrestleMania match of all-time. Period. The 25th anniversary of WrestleMania had this incredible match, which beats the sequel every time. This original bout was just as up for grabs as any other match in history. Michaels and Undertaker put on an incredible match in front of a lackluster card. This should have been the last match, but was a half-hour match that went on before the two title matches.

The highlight video that WWE made for it was absolutely incredible. It was nearly replicated shot for shot on YouTube using Smackdown vs RAW 2010, which is worth a watch as well.

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