Reliving 'The Streak:' The Undertaker defeats Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 26
Now that The Undertaker's famous undefeated streak has ended, we can now look back it in its entirety. In the days leading up to WrestleMania 31, we will take a look back at every memorable chapter of the feat that can never be duplicated. Here's a look at what became the holy grail of professional wrestling.
1-0 | 2-0 | 3-0 | 4-0 | 5-0 | 6-0 | 7-0 | 8-0 | 9-0 | 10-0 | 11-0 | 12-0 | 13-0 | 14-0 | 15-0 | 16-0 | 17-0 |
The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels (18-0)
WrestleMania XXVI | University of Phoenix Stadium — Glendale, Ariz. | March 28, 2010
Attendance: 72,219
Match length: 23:59
When an artist paints the perfect picture, there's no way that he or she could ever duplicate it. They wouldn't even attempt to do it.
But you can try to do that in the art form of professional wrestling.
The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels were Rembrandt and Picasso at WrestleMania XXV. They painted the perfect picture on a wrestling canvas during their match.
They attempted to duplicate that perfect painting the next year at WrestleMania XXVI. But how do you attempt to pull off such a feat? Raise the stakes, that's how.
First, you move the match-up the card to its deserved spot in the main event. Also, you add a retirement stipulation.
Did The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels duplicate or even better, top their painting from the year before?. In my opinion, they didn't, but they came pretty close, which is still pretty darn good.
The WrestleMania rematch between The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels represented a lot of things. It was the first time a world championship would not be on the line in the main event of WrestleMania since WrestleMania XI in 1995 when Lawrence Taylor defeated Bam Bam Bigelow.
It also represented the final match in the Hall-of-Fame career of Shawn Michaels, who as a result of the match stipulation, was forced into retirement upon losing to The Undertaker once again.
The match was more or less about Michaels, as he stood defiant all the way until the bitter end. Instead of taking his loss lying down, Michaels signaled The Undertaker's signature throat slash and proceeded to slap him in the face.
This obviously enraged The Undertaker and prompted him to deliver a WrestleMania-worthy tombstone to put Michaels away and officially end his career.
After the victory, The Undertaker's iconic record came back into focus as "18-0" was prominently featured on the Aztec pyramid the WWE built for the WrestleMania stage.
The finality of Michaels' career took a step to the side just for a moment, as we all got to admire The Undertaker's astonishing achievement one more time.
But after the fireworks and pageantry, The Undertaker picked up Michaels, shook his hand and left the ring, giving the Heartbreak Kid a chance to take in his final moments as an active wrestler with the fans.
It was a sign of respect between two warriors that had sacrificed their bodies in matches against each other over the course of two decades to entertain the fans.
While the final chapter of Michaels' in-ring career had been written, the streak lived on yet again.