WWE Throwback: Shawn Michaels retires with a heartfelt speech after losing the “Career vs Streak” match

Legendary superstar Shawn Michaels ended his glorious WWE tenure with his retirement at WrestleMania 26. As a result of the stipulation of his last match, he had to retire from in-ring action after losing to The Undertaker at the event in 2010. It was a great farewell match for Michaels as he wrestled against one of the great superstars of all time. Being the man of his word, The Heartbreak Kid hung up his wrestling boots despite being 44 at the time. He could wrestle for a few more years but ultimately decided to spend time with his family. But at the event, he delivered an emotional speech that made the hearts of WWE fans heavy.

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Shawn Michaels’ heartbreaking retirement speech at WrestleMania 26

Shawn Michaels had a glorious tenure in WWE with an astounding legacy to his name which is complemented by the huge global fandom. However, his announcement at the WrestleMania 26 rippled a shockwave leaving fans with teary eyes. "You know, I don't really know what it is I'm gonna say to you tonight,” Michaels addressed the crowd of 72,219 fans at the University of Phoenix Stadium.
Recollecting his memories of the past, The Heartbreak Kid said, “When I was 19 years old, I started doing this stuff and... At 23 I started coming in to each and every one of your homes, every week. And the idea of now being 44 and - I don't know - not coming into your homes on that TV set every week is gonna be a little tough to get used to.” He further acknowledged that WWE has been like his home, “It was the only place that I ever felt good about me. And night in and night out, you guys were the only ones in the world that ever made me like me.”

Michaels thanked the entire WWE community starting with his long-time pal, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, popularly known as Triple H. “I gotta thank Hunter for being my friend when absolutely nobody else in the world wanted to touch me. There are a lot of people that didn't like me. Many, many years ago. I was not an easy person to be around. And Hunter, buddy, you never once left my side.” In his speech, the legendary star reflected how they have cherished the friendship, “I thank you so much for the real friendship that I have been able to share with you for the last 16 years.”

And then, of course, he added, “I know, how a lot of people feel about career-ending matches. And I know that there are a lot of people that are gonna be skeptical of my decision. And I understand that. But I do wanna tell ya. I don't, I think about it but I don't wanna go back on my word to you. I don't wanna go back on my word to The Undertaker. And... For 20-plus years I have done my best to be a pretty open book in front of all of you,” he said of his retirement match.

He went on to add, “I wanna honor my word to you. I wanna honor my word to you, I wanna honor my word to The Undertaker. So I appreciate the 'One more match', but I'm gonna do everything in my power to make sure that doesn't happen.”

In his lengthy teary speech, Michaels shared his gratitude to Bret Hart for forgiving him for his past mistakes and for their renewed friendship. He also thanked Vince McMahon for his patience and guidance throughout his career. Finally, he thanked his fans for their unwavering support and the opportunity to entertain them night after night.

At WrestleMania 26, The Undertaker continued his winning streak making it 18-0, the career vs. streak match added high anticipation with stunning action but eventually, Michaels lost but his promo remained one of the memorable retirement speeches of all time.

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