The Perfect Goodbye: Shawn Michaels Brings Historic Career To a Close

Like thousands of WWE fans around the world, I couldn't take my eyes off the screen as Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker entered the ring at University of Phoenix Stadium Sunday night.

For the duration of their 24-minute match, the fans in attendance, as well as the 100 or so people sharing a venue with me, were on the edge of their seats.

Michaels rattled-off multiple Sweet Chin Music superkicks. The Undertaker doled out every signature maneuver in his arsenal. And neither man would stay down.

As HBK kicked out of yet another Deadman specialty, the Tombstone, the advantage had swung to the corner of the man who was 17-0 on the biggest stage in sports entertainment.

The Undertaker lowered the straps on his attire, telling Michaels to "stay down" as the Showstopper climbed Taker's body to get to his feet.

Defiant to the end, HBK slapped the Deadman, infuriating him and sealing his fate.

It was as if HBK had given everything he had left and knew his time had come. And I couldn't have written it any better myself.

The ending was a bit reminiscent of Ric Flair's final Wrestlemania match, but I had no qualms with that. Shawn Michaels put forth everything he had in his attempt to turn 17-0 into 17-1.

As even HBK learned, the Undertaker will forever be the standard everyone shoots for and nobody reaches.

Shawn Michaels made Wrestlemania, alongside "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, Hulk Hogan and, yes, the Undertaker. HBK stole the show at so many Wrestlemania's, and this year was no different.

So when we think back to Wrestlemania XXVI, we will forever remember Shawn Michaels walking up the ramp, saying goodbye, in person, to more than 72,000 adoring fans. And that's the way it should be.

Monday night's farewell on Raw was executed equally as well as his final match. Michaels addressed his fans, friends and peers, thanking them all for their place in his 20-plus year career.

The fans, in turn, thanked Michaels again and again before his music hit and he left the ring one final time. He left the stage with his best friend, Triple H, walking off into the proverbial sunset.

I've given WWE writers a lot of guff for their lack of creativity (i.e. John Cena winning ANOTHER title at Wrestlemania), but the ending of this storyline deserves high praise.

When a man of HBK's stature ends his career, it absolutely needs to be done right. The writers came through, delivering the best end-of-career storyline I've seen in my 20 years as a wrestling fan.

Whenever the Undertaker takes his streak, and his equally famous career to retirement, he will be remembered forever as Wrestlemania's top achiever. Not involving Shawn Michaels in that same breath, however, is a glaring mistake.

If there ever were a Mount Rushmore of WWE performers, the four faces carved into the monument would be a hotly debated subject. We could all agree, though, that one spot would be reserved for the Showstopper, Shawn Michaels.