Wrestlemania 28: Undertaker vs. Triple H - Hell in a Cell

[SomeAreSet]

Just out of curiosity, why couldn't H or Taker blade at Hell In A Cell, end of an era match at Wrestlemania 28 on PPV? Doesn't make sense.

Maybe because they didn't need to and most likely didn't want to. Blood in a hardcore match is a crutch. Guys used to blade all the time and made the canvas look like a sanitary pad. Pretty soon losing a shit ton of blood stopped benefiting the match. Would it have been a nice touch had either one or both wrestlers been bleeding? Yes. Did it take away from the match in any way? No. Watching Triple H beat the living shit out of Taker with the chair was one of the most hardcore things I've seen in a long time. I was close to freaking out when Triple H aimed the sledgehammer at Taker's head and looked like he was about to cave his skull in. It was probably one of the most brutal matches I've seen and I wasn't even interested in either of them bleeding.

 

[Spookusjoe]

Loved the match, freaking awesome!!!!

10/10 A+

I'm an older wrestling fan and have seen a lot over the years, but the story telling and match itself were truly special! Both guys, hell all three, should be immensly proud of the show they gave us. Best match on the card by some distance!

And I never wanted Taker V HHH the third time! Lol

 

[Kenny Powers]

This was a great match. I didn't have high expectations since we have seen Triple H, Taker, and HBK go at it so much. HBK did add a lot of drama to the match and even though it started out pretty slow it ended with a bang. My favorite part was seeing all three men leave the ring together showing each other signs of respect. If this is the last time we see Undertaker, Triple H, or HBK perform in a wrestling ring then I will be happy to see them end it on such a high note.

 

[#Zombienatureboy]

This really did not need to be in a cell. When I think of great cell matches I think of HBK vs Taker or Taker vs Mankind. This was not even close to that. This could have been a regular steel cage match. The cell meant nothing. There was very little drama. Taker takes some chair shots and then HBK is asking him if he wants to give up? I'm a huge HBK mark, but his involvement didn't seem necessary either. This was nowhere close to a great HIAC match.

 

[Man_On_The_Moon]

Isn't the fact that there is no escape the main stipulation for Hell in a Cell?

I mean that it really sets in psychologically for the wrestlers that it is imperative that they give it their all and leave it all in the cell.

You can't tell me that in a normal match Undertaker or HHH would endure such brutality under normal circumstances...

 

[The Fabulous Rougeau's]

Basically you're upset because there wasn't gratuitous blood? Am I basically getting that right? You had convinced yourself that something was going to happen that wasn't ever going to happen (really) and you are upset about it. That's really it right? that you had convinced yourself "o no they'll both bleed buckets" and besides the fact that Taker's bruised back and HHH's hardway eyebrow told WAAAAAY more of a story than any phoney bologna blade job ever could, you REALLY hold that against it?

BTW, I'm FUCKIN PISSED that I didn't win the lottery. Pretty unlikely that I was ever going to, but GODDAMNIT that sure ruined my day.

Why don't you try reading like maybe my first line where I said the match was real good. And no where did I say I was pissed that I didn't get over the top blood. Just that I thought being a HIAC match (you know the deadliest match WWE has) and the end of an era match (you know the era known for blood, among other things) we would get it. Was it really a strech for me to expect it? Last year we got head shots (something else the WWE has done away with) and this year we put the same match in a cell. I don't think its farfetched that I expected there to be blood.

 

[JXL]

Why don't you try reading like maybe my first line where I said the match was real good. And no where did I say I was pissed that I didn't get over the top blood. Just that I thought being a HIAC match (you know the deadliest match WWE has) and the end of an era match (you know the era known for blood, among other things) we would get it. Was it really a strech for me to expect it? Last year we got head shots (something else the WWE has done away with) and this year we put the same match in a cell. I don't think its farfetched that I expected there to be blood.

Blood was used. Triple H got cut on his upper left eye. Seems unsanitary to use blood nowadays, and while it adds the use of the cell as a carnivore (DAMN YOU JR), it wasn't needed, because it used the brutality that the cell is famous for.

 

[The Fabulous Rougeau's]

Blood was used. Triple H got cut on his upper left eye. Seems unsanitary to use blood nowadays, and while it adds the use of the cell as a carnivore (DAMN YOU JR), it wasn't needed, because it used the brutality that the cell is famous for.

That was an accident. There is a difference. So was it sanitary back then and something changed over the past 6 years or so to change that? All the wrestlers are tested and are made sure to be free of any disease. It's not like guys are out their fighting with HIV or something.

The brutality of the cell is tied into blood. You throw someones face against a cage enough and guess what..... there gonna bleed. It just adds to the realism of a match like this. It's the same reason why guys bleed after taking a chair shot to the head or are thrown head first against the ring post or steps. It just adds to a match.

 

[#Zombienatureboy]

That was an accident. There is a difference. So was it sanitary back then and something changed over the past 6 years or so to change that? All the wrestlers are tested and are made sure to be free of any disease. It's not like guys are out their fighting with HIV or something.

The brutality of the cell is tied into blood. You throw someones face against a cage enough and guess what..... there gonna bleed. It just adds to the realism of a match like this. It's the same reason why guys bleed after taking a chair shot to the head or are thrown head first against the ring post or steps. It just adds to a match.

I agree. The buildup to this match...Trips vs Taker with HBK as the special ref...END OF AN ERA...HELL IN A CELL...WRESTLEMANIA...etc etc we all know the rest.

I think there are some components necessary to pull off a classic 5 star Hell In A Cell match. And I expected these guys to pull it off...or come damn close.

What's needed is the cell has to become a character in the match. If it doesn't, then why have a match in a cell?

Blood is one of these necessary elements. Ref bump. Camera man bumps. Escape the cell. Fight up the ramp. Fight back down the ramp. Fight in the crowd. Get to the top. Do moves on the top. Tombstone on the top of the cell. Pedigree on the top of the cell. Maybe somebody gets thrown off the top...maybe not...but somebody needs to take a really big bump at some point. Breaking the spanish announce table is always good. EMS carrying somebody out on a stretcher.

When you combine all of the above with a good stiff brawling style and a feud the fans can get behind, telling the story with all these elements, then you have the makings of a good HIAC match.

I expected that at WM28 but we didn't get that. Sure, Taker took a bunch of chair shots and his back was bruised but that doesn't make a good match. If so, then ECW had 5 star matches every night at all their shows.

If you watch the HIAC dvd set, you will see that the really good HIAC matches have some or all of these elements and that the HIAC matches that suck are the ones that are just normal matches that happen to be inside an enclosed cage similar to what we had last night. Also, it was very poorly paced.

For very young fans who haven't seen many cell matches, WM28 was probably amazing. But for long time fans, it was "ok" at best.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

This really did not need to be in a cell. When I think of great cell matches I think of HBK vs Taker or Taker vs Mankind. This was not even close to that. This could have been a regular steel cage match. The cell meant nothing. There was very little drama. Taker takes some chair shots and then HBK is asking him if he wants to give up? I'm a huge HBK mark, but his involvement didn't seem necessary either. This was nowhere close to a great HIAC match.

Because both The Undertaker and Triple H helped define what the Hell in a Cell means and is today. And no, they didn't need to bleed to get over what they needed to, all they needed was a ring and a platform to tell what was an amazing story. Unless you understand wrestling, you don't get it, and I'm afraid you simply don't get it.

This match was never going to be two guys going out there to throw one another off the cell, it was made pretty clear before the match that both men respected one another and that the story that needed to be told was that neither wanted to give up, they are the "last of a dying breed", which means they are the final two guys from their era and neither wish nor want to give up, but after what has been a four year story, it has.

Shawn needed to be in there because he was what portrayed the emotion in the match. He didn't want to see Triple H destroy Undertaker, but he wanted to see the Streak end, as the match went on he was becoming distressed because both guys took a legitimate beating. Triple H was legitimately cut above the eye, it wasn't a cheap blade across the forehead, it was him actually being cut. Undertaker's back was bruised and in ribbons, by the end you could see they were in actual pain. You missed the entire point of the match, you missed the entire story.

If you grew up watching them you'd understand. I don't know or care what era you grew up watching, but whether you watched them since you were a kid or not, you obviously don't understand the entire point of story telling in professional wrestling and you don't understand why the match happened, sorry pal.

If you want blood and drastic injury, check out Combat Zone Wrestling, maybe then you'll get your fix. WWE isn't for you.

 

[#Zombienatureboy]

Because both The Undertaker and Triple H helped define what the Hell in a Cell means and is today. And no, they didn't need to bleed to get over what they needed to, all they needed was a ring and a platform to tell what was an amazing story. Unless you understand wrestling, you don't get it, and I'm afraid you simply don't get it.

Exactly...just give them the ring. They didn't need the cell.

It's very convenient to say "go watch CZW these guys didn't need to blade or get thrown off the top" when HBK, Taker, and HHH were constantly blading, putting each other through tables and throwing each other off the cell back in the day.

So...they needed to do that back then but didn't need to last night? Why not?

 

[EADESER]

I was a bit unhappy with the thoughts of taker and hhh facing at mania for a 3rd time and knew they would have to do something special to make us interested. I had a feeling theyd make the match hell in a cell and make hbk the ref. But I knew with these 3 guys in the ring they would pull it off and they without a doubt did.

The match was great and one of the best wrestlemania matchs of all time and match of the year in my eyes. If people say jericho/punk or rock/cena was better they must be on something those matchs didn't come close to this one. Jericho/ punk was ok nothing special and rock/cena was good but was over hyped n probaly will be over rated , I don't think it was bad but I don't think it lived up to everyones expectations and I was surprised by the win.But taker/ hhh definately stole the show. The story telling was great and the beat downs were believable I actually thought undertaker was actually going to lose at 3 differents times. As always hbk is the showstopper simply just by his facial expressions and reactions and pleading with hhh and taker. I don't think anyone else could have added the greatness to the match as a referee like hbk did.

The ending was great and it really shows that those 3 guys really are 3 of the greatest of all time and at there ages and almost nearing the end of there careers there still the best.

 

[HBsam31]

I had read people criticizing this match for a long time, and I gotta be honest, I thought the addition of HBK was going to ruin the match for me. Keep in mind he is my favorite all time. I just wanted it to be about HHH/Taker. My God was I wrong. HBK added so much to this match with just the facial expressions alone. HHH going out to Taker just as Shawn did was very fitting. With that I mean the final crotch chop as opposed to HBK doing the throat slash before the final tombstone. I have to say when Shawn hit sweet chin music and HHH hit the pedigree I thought it was over. Perfect match to possibly end three perfect careers. Great stuff, the reason why I am a fan.

 

[GOATTheRock99]

I agree with man on the moon about the cell. At this point blood is not needed. Its really about the psychology and brutality at this point. Blood is just an attitude era dramatic effect.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

Exactly...just give them the ring. They didn't need the cell.

Because, once again, it was The Undertaker and Triple H that defined that match. The Hell in a Cell is as good as their match, it was a fitting additive to what could have already been a good match, but it was just the cream on top of the cake as far as the majority of fans are concerned.

It's very convenient to say "go watch CZW these guys didn't need to blade or get thrown off the top" when HBK, Taker, and HHH were constantly blading, putting each other through tables and throwing each other off the cell back in the day.

"Were" is the important word. Tables weren't needed, it just needed to be a knock 'em out, drag 'em out brawl and that is exactly what we got. When Triple H was beating Undertaker across the back with the chair, it was cringe worthy, that chair should go into the Hall of Fame.

So...they needed to do that back then but didn't need to last night? Why not?

Because we aren't back then, are we? Their legacies aren't being hardcore wrestlers who need tables; also Taker is the only one to have thrown anybody off the top of the cell. Triple H backdropped Cactus Jack through the cell but that was an intended spot, he also bagged Foley's head off the side of the cell when Mick was climbing and sent him through the announce table but that wasn't that great of a spot, so again, Triple H's legacy isn't throwing people off the cell, it is beating the holy high hell out of people inside it, and that is exactly what he did to Taker and Taker did in return.

 

[TripleRkO1016]

I agree with HBsam31 That match was perfect even though i wanted Triple h to win it was still a awesome match and there was blood in it!!!!!! after, like 3 years theres blood in wwe not as much but it was cool.And, Shawn was a great addition to it.

Many people thought Rock and Cena Stealed the show i think this match did The Rock and Cena had a great match but this match Is the match of the year to meeeeeeeeeeeee

 

[#Zombienatureboy]

I understand where you are coming from Dragon Saga. And you have a valid point.

I am not saying that every wrestling match has to have blading (which is not an "attitude era gimmick" as someone else said...blading goes back to the very beginning of wrestling...the 1950's at least.)

All I am saying is that since the invention of HIAC in 1997 many of the matches that took place that gave the cell such mystique were often matches that involved blading, weapons, escaping the cell, doing moves off the top, doing moves on top of the cell, etc etc. And yes, HBK, Taker, and Trips pioneered these very matches. I think when Trips looks at Taker and says "Let's do it HELL IN A CELL!" I think most fans think of what I stated above. That's what you think of when you think of HIAC.

I'm saying that WWE has watered it down into a standard steel cage match that doesn't mean much and the quality of the cell matches has decreased over time.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

I understand where you are coming from Dragon Saga. And you have a valid point.

I am not saying that every wrestling match has to have blading (which is not an "attitude era gimmick" as someone else said...blading goes back to the very beginning of wrestling...the 1950's at least.)

All I am saying is that since the invention of HIAC in 1997 many of the matches that took place that gave the cell such mystique were often matches that involved blading, weapons, escaping the cell, doing moves off the top, doing moves on top of the cell, etc etc. And yes, HBK, Taker, and Trips pioneered these very matches. I think when Trips looks at Taker and says "Let's do it HELL IN A CELL!" I think most fans think of what I stated above. That's what you think of when you think of HIAC.

I'm saying that WWE has watered it down into a standard steel cage match that doesn't mean much and the quality of the cell matches has decreased over time.

It depends how you view quality. As someone previously posted in the thread, the Hell in a Cell match isn't about over the top violence anymore, it is about the brutality and psychological aspect of being locked in a cage of that size with no place to go. It is still a great match and last night it added to the entire image, it helped end the era between the three, and that is all it needed to do.

If there had been needless violence and people flying off the top of the cell, I'd say more people would have been annoyed by it then they are it didn't happen, because that isn't what they wanted to see. People ordered the event knowing it was going to be a fight and a fight is what they gave us. One of them legitimately cut himself and the others back looked like it had been cracked with a whip a few dozen times. Their wasn't needless violence last night, there was a sense of actual violence and pain, and that trumps anything they could have planned.

 

[closet_fan]

This match goes beyond anything else that is going to happen for the rest of this year. It was set up perfectly. I had my doubts with putting HBK in as special ref, but they set it up where it made the match BETTER. Even when he gave Taker the sweet chin music, he didn't do it heelishly. He just wanted the match to end because both guys were destroying each other.

Best part of the match was the shouting inside. I am glad they picked that up and used it because it made the match more intense.

People may hate on HHH, but damn that guy is still a great storyteller.

And the ending with all three hugging was unforgettable. I had thought Punk/Jericho would steal the show, but none of the matches came close to this one.

I don't know how the hell Taker can top this one at WM29.

 

[Peaky1969]

I think Taker/HHH truly stole the show, and every thing else was a fair distance behind. I think it was so dramatic, and so filled with emotion, that it largely pulled all the energy out of the crowd. They were largely dead for the Jericho/Punk match match.

And sorry, the less said about the "main event" the better. You can never live up to the hype that this match had, and it didn't. I even went for a pee break in the middle of it. Pull out Hogan/Rock and watch that again....you will never get a crowd like that again...this one seemed dull up against that...

If that is the last time we see Taker/HBK/HHH in a ring, well then we have some great memories....I'm sure there will be a new Taker DVD out soon called 20-0....he has had some duds in that lot (Gonzales/Bundy), but the match with Bautista, going back a few years, and the last 4 years worth of matches with HBK & HHH...makes me sad in a sense because those days are now gone, I can't see anybody to fill these shoes.....

Please start giving guys like Dolph, Cody etc etc, the chance to main event

 

[Gallops77]

The match was a great Wrestlemania match, but it did NOT live up to last years match. The 3 "Main Events" of the card (Cena/Rock, Punk/Jericho, and Trips/Taker) each were the best match in different aspects. Cena/Rock was the best in terms of the crowd, Punk/Jericho was the best pure wrestling match, and Trips/Taker was the best storytelling. Everyone enjoys a different style of match. For me, Punk vs Jericho was the best. The HIAC was useless in their match, as it was essentially the same match as last year, just not as good.

 

[The Ram]

Oh ,y gosh what a match, this was the only match that the fans were in to mostly the whole way through, not the cm punk match or not the much hyped john cena vs. the rock match. Time and time again probably since wresltemania 23 taker has consistently put on good matches at mania (really he's been putting on good matches since 21 with orton but he just got a not so good opponent to wrestle at 22 with henry) and I don't expect taker to wrestle another match but if he does... just put the match last.! every year I say the same thing, nobody can follow up to his matches at mania. After triple h and taker had their match they made the other matches look kind of weak. I don't care if steve austin wants to go against cm punk or john cena next year (hypothetically speaking) unless he's going against taker he needs not to be the last match. Last night taker and triple h proved they can be the oldest people on the card but they can still be the best match on the card. And then the hug at the end was great, each year undertaker has been inching closer and closer to not being such an antisocial character, ut;s just great.

 

[HitmanFan4ever]

i think this is up there on the alltime classics at wrestlemania but i do feel it fell just short of hbk/taker due to the lenght of the match. if the match was 5-7 minutes shorter it very well could have been the best match of all time (it is the best hell in a cell match). for the last 5-7 minutes all they did was repeat what they had already done earlier in the match. it was still a great frickin match tho

 

[theBec2101]

I would have to agree that match did steal the show. They really put it on the line in this match. Just all the undertaker welts and brusies on his back when he pulled his straps down showed what they put into this match. I'm glad wwe let them bleed to, made feel more real, as in what HHH said he need to do to beat the Undertaker. The emothion on all 3 told the story well and especially at the end of the match.

 

[scottyshowman82]

I watched the replay again last night. This match was very special. I think many people grew watching the Undertaker and Shawn Michaels and were right there in the attitude era as they matured and say the rise of HHH. It was just great story telling. Undertaker: Don't stop the match Shawn. HHH: Shawn stop the match or I will. And at there was a moment at the end of the match when Taker was exhausted on the ropes and HBK sincerely extended his hand to help him up out of respect and Taker rested his head on Michael's shoulder, that picture said a thousand words. Two men who gave everything for the business for the WWE, tired aged at the end of their ropes, who had so many brutal battles embracing out of respect. You could feel it was exactly what it was billed an end of era. The Attitude era, the era of guys who busted their asses in territories to just get shot in the WWE. And they picked up their fallen bretheren in HHH and the crowd cheered again. It was one of those moments that if you were a true pro wrestling you loved and felt in your heart.