Shawn Michaels on His Relationship With Undertaker Through the Years, Saudi Arabia Tag Team Match

Shawn Michaels spoke with Sports Illustrated for a new interview promoting today’s episode three of Undertaker: The Last Ride. Highlights are below:

On his relationship with Undertaker outside of the ring early on: “I think in some ways, when we were younger, we were frustrated because we had so much unbelievable natural chemistry in the ring with each other, and had zero of it outside the ring. At the time, I was an extremely difficult person. He was less so. There was clearly never any real trouble between the two of us. We just did not care for one another because we were so different. He clearly didn’t like me based on who I was and my reputation. And I didn’t like him based on who he was.”

On Taker’s style as locker room leader: “He never once raised his voice or hit somebody. It bugged me the wrong way. Because he didn’t go and tape his fists. But he didn’t go and make theatrics out of anything. Any time he’d do anything it was very calm, and actually a pleasant conversation. Which was diametrically opposed to the gimmick, so to speak, behind the scenes. My immaturity at the time didn’t allow me to grasp that he had it from a respect standpoint. He did it by example. That’s the way it’s supposed to be done. But as I’ve been apologizing for damn near 30 years for everything, I didn’t have the ability to appreciate that when I was younger.”

On apologizing to Taker when he returned: “When I came back in 2002, he was one of the first guys I went to just to apologize for all of my actions in the past. And he was good with it, but at the same time he made it pretty clear: ‘We’ll see.’ I had a reputation. A lot of people weren’t sure that [my change] was real. Then of course he recognized how [sorry] I very much was. When we got to do the WrestleMania stuff, the bond just got thicker and much deeper. We had both changed and grown in a lot of ways. And when we got in the ring, that chemistry was just so dynamic.”

On their rematch at WrestleMania 26: “[Being a sequel to the beloved first match] was the biggest concern. It was very much an issue, very much talked about. I feel like we both felt that the ‘streak vs. career’ stipulation obviously helped. We had at least gotten to the point in our careers where you worry about that topping factor, but you don’t quite apply the pressure to yourself that you did when you were younger. You have to trust in your system, your ability and your opponent. We had some different dynamics to the story. If all of that is fresh, then technically the only thing that’ll be the same are the two guys. You have to do your best to rationalize it, as best you can. Because the big pink elephant in the room is, ‘Can you follow it?'”

On the DX vs. Brothers of Destruction match in Saudi Arabia: “It sucked from the standpoint of Hunter getting hurt, of it not going well, of it not being received well. All of the negatives that were there. When we were in there, you knew the wheels were falling off … None of it bothered me. I went into the whole thing looking at it very selfishly, I guess. For me, it was more about being out there with those guys, and me being there with Hunter, which was something I didn’t get to do near the end. This is a match where I collectively got to experience it with a number of guys that were very significant and very special to me on a personal level, in a certain kind of way. I just have the unique ability where that stuff didn’t bother me. I was more hurt for them. I don’t mean that in a belittling way. It’s just that I figured all of them were going to do another one anyway. There wasn’t finality for them. I look at that match as it stands on its island, alone. I don’t associate it with anything regarding the career of Shawn Michaels. I’m able to compartmentalize that.”

On Taker opening up from his on-screen persona through the docuseries: “No one’s been more protective and more careful and methodical and arguably genius in doing what he’s done with the Undertaker character. Especially when people coming through the door would say, ‘Well, that [gimmick] doesn’t have too much mileage in it.’ For it to go all these years … that’s the greatest thing about it. I’m glad he got to a place where he’s comfortable about talking about it. He made it special. To pull the curtain back on it means there’s closure coming there, and a lot of people don’t get that.”