The Undertaker is one of the longest-tenured locker room leaders in the history of WWE. During this time as an active performer in the company, he had to deal with many rumbustious talents behind the scenes. Though no one was a bigger thorn on his side than Shawn Michaels.
Even though the WWE Hall of Famer turned things around after his first retirement, stories of HBK’s mischiefs during his first WWE run are available in abundance.
The Dead Man talked about his chemistry with Michaels during his recent interview with Bully Ray for Busted Open. After having finished a whole bottle of Jack Daniels with the fellow legend, Taker did not hold back on his opinion on Michaels during those early years. Though he also praised Shawn’s in-ring abilities, saying that there was no one else he would have rather had a match against:
“It’s the craziest thing and that’s another example of this business. I tell this story quite a bit. In those early years, up until the time when Shawn took off because he had hurt his back. So WrestleMania was it 13 when he put Steve over? Then he left. He leaves for five years.
From that point all the way back to 1990 when I came in. I tell people this all the time. If I was to go backstage and see Shawn Michaels on fire, I wouldn’t piss on him to put him out. I didn’t care for him as a human being. But there’s nobody, that I had rather be in the ring with. Now that right there is a huge statement.
I’ve been in the ring with greats. I’ve been in there with the Mount Rushmore greats. Shawn had the ability; he could have a five-star match with a broomstick. We just had this magic chemistry that I knew anytime that I was in a match with Shawn, all I had to do was be Undertaker and he was going to be Shawn Michaels and it was just going to go.”
I Didn’t Have To Think For Him: The Undertaker
Shawn Michaels had to retire from active competition in early 1998 after suffering a major back injury in a casket match with Undertaker. It was during this time that Mr. WrestleMania turned things around and became a born-again Christian in 2002 before his return to in-ring action.
While talking about his matches with Michaels, Bully Ray discussed how there were many matches where Taker had to worry about getting his opponent through the bout. With Shawn however, he could be completely himself:
“That was the magic of WrestleMania 25, 26, 27 and 28 is that we had such trust in each other. We knew each other so well; our mindsets and our instincts were all on the same page.
I knew all I had to do was go out and be Undertaker because Shawn Michaels was going to be Shawn Michaels. The two knew exactly what to do together. I didn’t have to think for him, he didn’t have to think for me. That’s why it became so magical because it was just two guys doing what they do.”