It’s high season for Shawn Michaels rumors. While most reports can only offer speculation, a potential spoiler has just emerged.
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According to Wrestling Observer Live, Australian ads pumping WWE’s October 6 Super Show Down have Shawn Michaels acting as the Special Guest Referee in the math between Triple H and The Undertaker.
Given the exchange between Undertaker and Michaels during Raw this week, this only comes as a small surprise. Ironically, after their tension-filled dialogue, many felt like Taker and HBK were setting up their own match. While that remains to be seen, Michaels being used as the SGR in Australia gives WWE plenty of options moving forward.
Michaels explicitly stated he will be present for the event, but never mentioned actually refereeing the match. However, early advertisements like the ones The Observer have pointed out are a common occurrence in telegraphing WWE’s moves.
If this is indeed true, this will mark the second time Michaels served SGR in a match between Undertaker and Triple H. the First came at WrestleMania 28 where Taker pinned Triple in a Hell in a Cell match in what was dubbed as The End of an Era. Their Super Show-Down fight has already been dubbed “One Last Time.”
While the segment existed to hype up Triple H vs. Taker, many fans left the exchanged feeling like Taker vs. HBK was on the table. WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross shared the same sentiment during an episode of his podcast.
“The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels stole RAW. They stole the show. They’re so far ahead in making an emotional attachment than some of their peers, might I say most of their peers on their team, it’s not even funny,” he said.
Both Taker and Michaels are 53 and some fans may have low expectations for a potential match. But Ross thinks that their advanced age won’t matter.
“And if the glass is always going to be a half empty, they’re not in their prime. Well, no s—t. They’re not in their prime. Wow, what a revelation! Of course they’re not in their prime physically. Mentally, I suggest to you, they’re probably the best they’ve ever been mentally to tell a story, to bring you in, to captivate you, to capture your attention. It’s done psychologically more often than not. I just think that they can give us a great match if and when it’s going to happen,” he said.
“If we said Undertaker and Shawn were going to be figured in some way at WrestleMania in New York City [New York], MetLife [Stadium], whatever, New Jersey, everything, you guys know.” Ross continued, “that would be huge! That’s huge! That’s huge. It’s going to sell out anyway no matter who’s wrestling,” he said.
Ross seems optimistic about this happening too, but he couldn’t make a specific prediction.
“And that’s why I think that there is a better than average chance. You don’t develop this much time on television without going somewhere with it. Why make me think that that could happen and give me that great of a sales job to measure my level of anticipation and enthusiasm regarding the storyline without somewhere down the road being able to deliver it? So time will tell.”
