The wrestling staff of Back Sports Page have carefully selected what they believe to be the top 41 matches in WrestleMania history. Presented in chronological order, this series will detail the backstory, match review, and aftermath of each match, along with how the outcomes shaped the careers of those involved.
Backstory:
WrestleMania 28, held on April 1, 2012, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida, featured one of the most emotionally charged matches in WWE history. Undertaker and Triple H faced off inside Hell in a Cell in what would become known as the “End of an Era” match. The story originally began at last year’s WrestleMania, where we saw the Phenom defeat The Game. The match left the Undertaker broken. After all, he needed medical assistance. Determined to erase that image, he returned the following year to challenge Triple H for a rematch. The Game declined the challenge until one moment changed everything.
The Phenom had called Triple H a coward. That word had struck a nerve. Triple H would accept the match but only on one condition. The match would have to take place inside Hell in a Cell. This type of match is no different from the superstars, as it shows. Both Undertaker and Triple H have a long history when it comes to competing inside Hell in a Cell. To make the stakes higher, Shawn Michaels was added to the matches as the referee. Who would’ve thought to see Shawn Michaels in this iconic match between two future Hall of Famers? The story build-up did not disappoint.
Match Review:
The “End of an Era” match was nothing short of a brutal, emotional masterpiece. Both men came to this match with motivations. Undertaker was seeking revenge and looked to extend his legendary undefeated streak to 20-0. As for Triple H, he had hoped to rebound from the previous WrestleMania match. The match from start to finish was intense. Both men used everything at their disposal to put each other away. They had tools available for them to use, including chairs, a sledgehammer, and even the cell itself. Each move the veterans made had a significant impact. It showed that both future Hall of Famers were willing to find ways to finally put an end to the rivalry.
As the match progressed, both stars had reached their limit. Bodies were all over the floor. Triple H’s toughness was full on display as he kicked out of Undertaker’s finishing move, the Tombstone Piledriver. You can say the same thing for the Phenom. He would eventually kick out of the Game’s finishing move. The match already took new heights when both men took risks that would have put themselves in danger. With Shawn Michaels as the referee, he had already felt the emotion for this match.
The final moments of the match were inching closer, both men were physically broken and exhausted. Triple H attempted to get the sledgehammer to end the match, but failed. Undertaker countered and hit one final Tombstone Piledriver to pin the Game. The Phenom was declared the winner and had extended his perfect record to 20-0. Then came the bigger part that left lots of fans emotional. After the match, all three legends walked up the stage together and hugged it out. It was the perfect way to put an end to a chapter.
Aftermath:
- Undertaker’s win at WrestleMania would extend his winning streak to 20-0. Unfortunately, we wouldn’t see the Phenom for a while as he took a brief break. His next active competition wouldn’t begin until the following year. His next opponent would be determined to be CM Punk, who won the rights to face the Deadman at WrestleMania 29, thanks to a fatal-four way over future Hall of Famers.
- Triple H did take some time off as well to recover from his brutal injuries. As he returned, his focus was more on behind-the-scenes roles in WWE, becoming increasingly involved in the company’s creative direction and management.
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