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Sandro rolled onto his back, his face twisted with exhaustion and triumph. The referee raised his arm in victory as Justin Roberts made the announcement. "Here is your winner… and advancing to the inaugural Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royale at WrestleMania… SANDROOOOO ZHAAAANG!"
Cole leapt out of his chair, screaming in triumph.
"YES! HE DID IT! HE SURVIVED FOUR MEN! Ryder, Swagger, Regal, three superstars in their prime, and now the WORLD'S LARGEST ATHLETE! Sandro Zhang is unstoppable! WrestleMania, here he comes! There's not a damn thing anyone can do about it!"
Lawler's voice cracked, full of despair. "No, no, no… this is wrong, Cole. It's all wrong. He doesn't deserve this! He cheated every step of the way! He gouged Regal's eye, he bent the rules all night long, he STOLE this victory! This is not fair to the other superstars, and it's not fair to the fans! Somebody stop him before his ego swallows the whole company!"
But Cole just grinned, smug and satisfied. "Get used to it, King. You're looking at the future. This is Sandro's time. This is destiny."
Inside the ring, Sandro collapsed to his knees, his chest heaving, his body shaking from exhaustion. Sweat poured down his face as he looked up, eyes locking once more on the glowing WrestleMania sign.
The fans rained down boos like a thunderstorm, but Sandro only smiled wider. He had survived the gauntlet. He had outlasted four men. And now, his road to WrestleMania was set in stone.
The arena was still buzzing like a hornet's nest. Fans were still on their feet, still catching their breath after that insane gauntlet match. Some were screaming in anger, some still shaking their heads in disbelief that Sandro had survived four straight opponents, including the Big Show, and some just sitting stunned in their seats at what they'd just witnessed. Cole was still gloating on commentary, Lawler still groaning like a man whose heart had been broken.
But then—
The opening guitar riff of Shawn Michaels' theme hit.
The crowd erupted like a volcano. "OH... OH... SHAWN!" The San Francisco crowd jumped to their feet, almost in unison, as "Sexy Boy" blared through the sound system of the arena. Thousands of flashbulbs popped in the crowd as The Heartbreak Kid himself danced onto the stage.
Shawn dropped to his knees at the top of the ramp, spreading his arms wide as the pyros blasted behind him. The cheers were deafening, though there was still a noticeable ripple of boos, not because they hated him, but because some fans knew what was coming, and the very thought of Shawn Michaels putting his career on the line made their stomachs turn.
Cole, voice dripping with excitement. "Listen to this place! You can feel it in your chest, King! Shawn Michaels is here!"
Lawler sighed, his tone mixed with awe and sadness. "Yeah… but I don't know if I can enjoy this, Cole. If what we think is about to happen really happens tonight… this might be the last WrestleMania we ever see HBK."
Shawn strutted down the ramp, slapping a few hands, pointing out to the crowd with that classic Michaels smirk. But there was weight in his eyes, a heaviness behind the smile. He slid under the bottom rope, popped up to his feet with that vintage bounce, and climbed the corner to give the fans his pose.
After his music cut, Shawn asked a ringside crew for a microphone. The chants rained down before he could even speak.
"HBK! HBK! HBK!"
Shawn tilted his head, soaking it in. Then he raised the mic, his voice warm but steady. "San Francisco…" The crowd erupted at the mention of their city. Shawn smirked, nodding, clearly loving the reaction. "Man, it feels good to be here tonight!" The cheers grew even louder.
Shawn then paced a bit, his boots squeaking on the mat. He rubbed his beard, then leaned on the top rope as if he was speaking straight from the heart. "Now, I came out here tonight because there's something we need to talk about. Last week, the Undertaker… he made his answer clear. He said he'd give me my rematch at WrestleMania, but only if I put my career on the line. Streak versus career. One man's legacy against another's livelihood."
The arena buzzed instantly. Some cheered, some booed, some shouted "NO!"
Shawn's eyes swept across the crowd, reading their emotions. He gave a little half smile, almost a bittersweet one. "So now I gotta ask myself, do I accept that? Do I take that risk? Or do I tuck my tail, walk away, and try again next year as maybe I could another way? That's the choice, isn't it?"
The crowd started chanting before he even finished.
"TAKE THE MATCH! TAKE THE MATCH!"
Shawn looked down at the mat, breathing through his nose, his face contemplative. Then suddenly he looked up and his voice cracked like a whip. "Damn right I accept the challenge!"
The arena exploded. People stomped their feet, hands flying into the air.
Shawn pointed toward the WrestleMania sign. "I don't give a damn if it means my career's on the line. I don't care if there's a risk I'll never lace up my boots again. I don't give a damn if it means I could wake up the next day as a retired man! Because what I want more than anything… is to break that streak. That I can stand at WrestleMania, look the Undertaker dead in the eye, and do what nobody else in history has ever done. I came this close last year, and I know in my heart of hearts I can finish the job this year!"
Shawn pounded his chest, emotion surging through his voice. "If this is my destiny, if my destiny is to either break the streak or go down swinging, then I accept that with open arms. Because I'd rather go out fighting on the grandest stage of them all than live with the regret of never trying again. I will NOT walk away, and I will NOT back down!"
The crowd roared, though their cheers carried a note of heartbreak. They wanted the match, but they also didn't want to see Shawn retire. Parents lifted their kids on their shoulders, pointing to the ring, telling them to remember this moment. Fans waved homemade signs: "Break the Streak," "One More Match," and "HBK Forever."
And then—
GONG.
The arena plunged into darkness. The fans screamed wildly, a mix of joy and fear. Another gong echoed. Then another. A creeping mist began rolling from the stage, and on the titantron, the face of The Undertaker appeared.
The slow, haunting toll of his theme shook the building.
And then, through the mist, he emerged. The Undertaker. Hat pulled low, trench coat flowing behind him, eyes fixed on the ring like a predator stalking prey. Flames burst on either side of the ramp as he began his iconic slow walk.
Cole's voice was reverent. "My God… there is no sight like this in sports entertainment."
Lawler almost whispered, like he didn't want to disturb the moment. "It still sends shivers down my spine every single time."
The Deadman climbed the steel steps, turned, and raised his arms as the lights flared white. He stepped between the ropes, his presence casting a literal shadow over Shawn.
Undertaker reached for a microphone. His music cut, and the silence in the arena was eerie. Every fan leaned in.
Undertaker's voice rumbled like rolling thunder. "Shawn Michaels… your bravery is acknowledged. But your arrogance… it will be your undoing."
Fans erupted with a mix of boos and cheers.
"You think… because you came close last year… that somehow this year will be different. You think your confidence… your pride… will carry you further than destiny itself. You are a fool, Shawn."
The Deadman stepped closer, towering over HBK.
"At WrestleMania, your fate is already sealed. You cannot break the streak. You will not break the streak. And when the final bell tolls, the last sound you will hear… is me declaring your fate."
He paused, glaring into Shawn's fiery eyes, before then continue with voice deep and booming. "At WrestleMania, your career… will Rest… In… Peace..."
With that, the Undertaker rolled his eyes back, performing his chilling trademark. The crowd roared, chills running through the arena.
And then—
The gong hit again.
The lights cut out. Gasps echoed through the building. When the lights snapped back on, Undertaker was gone. But in his place, right behind Shawn in the middle of the ring, stood a massive tombstone.
The camera zoomed in.
"Shawn Michaels — 1965 – 2010."
The fans screamed in shock. Some booed, some cheered, but everyone knew they had just witnessed a psychological dagger straight into Shawn Michaels' heart.
Shawn turned and stared at the tombstone, his face stoic but his eyes blazing with emotion. The camera zoomed in close, catching the slight tremble of his jaw as he processed the image of his own career's death.
Then, suddenly, he snapped. Shawn charged forward and blasted the tombstone with a thunderous Sweet Chin Music. The slab toppled and crashed to the mat, splitting at its base.
The crowd lost their minds with mix of cheers and screams. Shawn stood tall, chest heaving, staring down at the fallen tombstone. He didn't speak, didn't gloat. His silence spoke louder than words. The camera cut between Shawn's intense glare and the destroyed tombstone.
The final image before RAW faded to black was Shawn Michaels, standing tall, arms spread, his boot still planted where the tombstone had cracked.
On Twitter and across the wrestling world, fans exploded into a frenzy. Hashtags trended immediately, #HBKvsTaker, #StreakVsCareer, and #SandroSurvives.
First, the fans buzzed about Sheamus's Raw debut, calling it "long overdue" after his rise in FCW. Many were impressed by his presence, saying he could be a future world champion.
And then, of course, there was Sandro. His gauntlet match victory dominated discourse. Though fans despised his cheating, they couldn't deny his toughness and skill. "That was the dirtiest win I've ever seen," one fan tweeted, "but damn… Sandro survived Big Show. Respect where it's due." Love him or hate him, his resilience and dirty tactics had everyone talking.
But the biggest story of the night was Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker. Fans argued endlessly, was Shawn crazy to risk his career? Could he really break the streak? Some celebrated the confirmation of the rematch. "The biggest match in WrestleMania history is official!" Others mourned. "I can't handle HBK retiring. Please don't let it end like this."
As the night settled, it was clear and that is WWE had delivered one of the most talked about episodes of Raw in years.
A shocking debut, a grueling gauntlet, and a WrestleMania showdown now etched into history, Shawn Michaels' career versus the Undertaker's streak. The stakes had never been higher, and fans around the world knew they had witnessed the spark of something legendary.
In the days that followed, wrestling forums and news outlets dissected every second of Raw's closing segment. Analysts and Podcasters called it "the perfect cliffhanger," while fans argued over whether Shawn should have rejected the stipulation.
On WWE Official YouTube channel, clips of Shawn superkicking the tombstone racked up millions of views, with comment sections filled with emotional debates. Some fans claimed it symbolized Shawn defying fate itself. Others said it was a desperate act of denial.
Meanwhile, Sandro became one of the most polarizing figures in wrestling overnight. His cocky smirk, his refusal to play by the rules, his sheer audacity in taking down Big Show, it all made him the lightning rod for attention.
Memes of Sandro "welcoming the boos" during his entrance filled social media, fans mocking his arrogance. But just as many people started to say what Cole had been saying for weeks. "Maybe he really is the future."
Even backstage reports leaked, fueling speculation. Rumors suggested that Vince himself had pushed for the career vs. streak stipulation, believing it would create the most dramatic moment possible. Others hinted that Shawn had been considering retirement for years, and this was his chosen way to go out. No matter what was true, one thing was certain, WrestleMania's card now felt like it had history etched into every match.
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Name: Alessandro Zhang
Age: 20 (2010)
Birthplace: Orlando, Florida, USA
Brand: WWE - RAW
Wrestling Style: Mixed Of All Styles
Faction: The Undisputed System
Championship History: 1x FCW Tag Team Champions, 1x FCW Florida Heavyweight Champion, 1x TNA World Heavyweight Champion, & 1x TNA X Division Champion