Wrestlemania 28: Will Undertaker, Triple H Retire After 'End Of An Era' Match?
Wrestling fans around the world tuned in to the World Wrestling Entertainment's (WWE) biggest event of the year -- Wrestlemania 28 -- yesterday evening. The arena was packed more than 78,000 fans, and while most in attendance and watching from around the world were awaiting the main event between John Cena and The Rock, there was an even bigger event taking place for many others: Old-time fans of the WWE awaited The Undertaker's return in a Hell in The Cell match against another WWE legend, Triple H, which would settle one of the most storied rivalries in the history of the sport.
The Hell in the Cell match -- a no-holds-barred battle in a ring surrounded at all sides by a steel encasing -- was billed as the End of an Era match because it pitted two of the WWE's oldest active competitors against each other. The Undertaker, who hadn't fought in more than a year, returned to defend his undefeated streak at Wrestlemania (19-0) against the man that gave him the most difficulty at Wrestlemania, Triple H. Both Undertaker and Triple H are considered Hell in the Cell-match experts. Of the 24 Hell in the Cell matches in WWE history, The Undertaker and Triple H participated in 19 of them.
After entering the arena in grandiose fashion, the steel encasing was lowered onto the ring, trapping the two competitors inside with special guest referee, former WWE superstar Shawn Michaels.
The Undertaker and Triple H traded devastating blows in the middle of the ring early in the match, but it didn't take long for the competitors to take advantage of the No DQ rules.
The infamous steel steps beside the ring were the first weapon to be used by the two superstars. Body slams and crushing blows were dealt with the steel steps from both The Undertaker and Triple H. Later, chairs were gathered from underneath ring. That's when things got incredibly violent.
HHH dealt dozens of blows to the Undertakers back using one of the chairs from underneath the ring, eventually warping the chair around The Undertakers back from the repeated blows. The rapid blows from a chair left bruises across The Undertaker's back that were visible for the rest of the battle.
At one point in the match, special guest referee Shawn Michaels sat in a corner of the ring, grimacing, torn about whether to stop the battle because of all the carnage. Michaels, though visibly distraught, allowed the wrestlers to keep battling.
The Undertaker sought revenge once he got his hands on one of the chairs that was being used as a weapon. He began slamming it across HHH's back, ultimately wrapping it around the bulky stars back.
Exhausted and completely absent of energy, Triple H was backed into a corner. He desperately tried to use a sledgehammer as a weapon against The Undertaker, but his lack of energy failed him. The Undertaker caught the hammer and pushed HHH back into the corner.
Triple H, in one last defiant act, signaled The Undertaker using a profane gesture that he popularized in the early 2000s. HHH was a beaten man, but his deviant attitude would not allow him to surrender. The Undertaker didn't take kindly to the gesture and landed a devastating blow on Triple H's skull.
HHH was betrayed by his own mortality. Bent at the knee of the Undertaker, he desperately tried to climb to his feet to continue fighting. Alas, he had met his match. The Undertaker signaled for then delivered his finishing move, the tombstone piledriver and pinned his opponent. The Undertaker won.
Many fans are speculating about whether The Undertaker and Triple H will retire following the match. The two superstars have been in several brutal matches through there storied careers. For many old fans, they're the last of a dying breed. Others from their era, such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, Mick Foley and several others have retired years ago. Although the demand for Triple H and The Undertaker remains high, they may soon have to make a decisions for their own health.
Jim JR Ross, a former announcer of the WWE broadcasts who sat in at the announcers booth for the historic Wrestlemania match, alluded to the fact that the two superstars would retire after the match was complete. An era has ended, said JR. You will never see it again.
There's likely more information to be revealed at tonight's episode of WWE Raw, which takes place on Monday nights at 9 E.S.T. on USA.
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