The upcoming episode of WWE Rivals will explore the legendary rivalry between professional wrestlers The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels. It will air on A&E on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at 8/7c. Right after this episode ends, the channel will broadcast a biography on the life of the late Scott Hall.
Both The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels are currently 58 years old. The former’s real name is Mark William Calaway while the latter’s is Michael Shawn Hickenbottom. The two have fought each other several times throughout their careers. Their matches have created legendary moments that fans will remember for years to come.
According to Pro Wrestling Post, their first match was a tag team match on Raw. In that match, The Undertaker teamed up with Mankind, while Michaels’s partner was none other than Triple H. After a ferocious start to an intense rivalry, their first one-on-one match took place in September 1997’s Ground Zero: In Your House. Unfortunately, this match ended in a no contest, but fans knew this rivalry had just started.
A month later, they faced each other in a grueling Hell in a Cell match at Badd Blood: In Your House. This was no ordinary match as it was held inside an intimidating 16-high steel cage. Shawn Michaels emerged victorious in this bout and got the opportunity to face Bret Hart for the WWF Championship. As years passed, the duo battled several times, and every single match has been memorable for WWE fans.
According to A&E’s official website, the synopsis of the upcoming WWE Rivals episode reads, “For two decades, Undertaker and Shawn Michaels were the cornerstones of WWE. Behind the scenes, they were often at odds and had little in common. But despite personal animosity backstage, these two men had a magical chemistry on-screen, creating some of the most captivating moments in WWE history.”
What happened in the last one-on-one The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels match?
Previously, The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels faced one-on-one at WrestleMania 26. Going into the No Disqualification match, the stakes were high for both competitors.
The Undertaker was defending champion of WrestleMania, and Shawn Michaels pledged to end “The Streak.” Furthermore, Michaels announced that he would retire if he failed to fulfill his promise. The rivals had one of the greatest matches of the tournament, which saw several ups and downs. Ultimately, The Undertaker won for the umpteenth time, and Michaels left the arena with a thunderous ovation from fans.
According to Pro Wrestling Post, Shawn Michaels once spoke of his chemistry with The Undertaker in their matches. He stated, “The perfect one is always going to be 25 to me. But the first time in Louisville [In Your House 17 was special] getting in there with a guy you’ve never really been in there with and you recognize the uncanny chemistry you have with someone. Look, Mark and I were never friends. We weren’t close, and we didn’t ride together.”
However, he further stated that such experiences eventually shape a “more positive working relationship” among the wrestlers. Michaels continued, “Mark and I had just fantastic chemistry without ever really even talking to each other, which is pretty different. My two favourite matches I’ll always enjoy will be the Hell in a Cell and fast-forward what feels like 100 years later. To me, that’s probably one of the most perfect things I’ve ever seen or done, and I think there are a lot of people who feel the same way.”
The chemistry between The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels is one-of-a-kind. No matter how brutal they are inside the ring, the two legends hold each other in high esteem. The upcoming WWE Rivals episode will surely surprise fans with an inside take on one of the biggest sporting grudges in wrestling history.
