10 Best Shawn Michaels WWE WrestleMania Matches

8. Vs. John Cena - WrestleMania 23

John Cena was originally scheduled to defend his WWE Title against Triple H at WrestleMania 23 in a rematch of their WrestleMania 22 main event, but quads get blown and plans change and his DX pal Shawn Michaels was booked as his replacement.

Well, if you're going to draft someone in as a Plan B, it might as well be the bloke who makes it his mission to have the best match on the biggest show of the year. 

Cena was established as the top guy at this point, but he still (rather inexplicably) had a reputation as someone who 'couldn't wrestle'. A main event WWE Championship match with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania would go some way towards changing that perception. 

Michaels played the canny veteran, out-wrestling Cena, who relied on raw power. Michaels hit the big Asai Moonsault this time around, though the table didn't break, and set about working the knee. 

Big Match John came back with his usual on a bloodied Michaels, but the match turned when Shawn missed the Chin Music and nailed the referee by accident. A rare and incredibly vicious piledriver on the steel steps put him in control, before the requisite counters and false finishes. 

After a couple of FUs and Superkicks, Cena locked on the STFU to retain his title by tapout. 

This was great and really enhanced Cena's stock, even if Michaels was (allegedly) upset with him for not selling the knee as the match wore on, going so far as to walk away from a post-match handshake attempt in an unscripted moment. 

Could Cena have feigned pain a little more at the bout's conclusion? Probably, but it doesn't take away from what a gripping encounter this was.