CB’s Slant: Five Star Finish: Why The Undertaker and Triple H Should Never Wrestle Again

Columns, Top Story

Last night, I really hope it was the “End Of An Era” at WWE WrestleMania 28. That’s what the slogan said for the Hell In A Cell match between The Undertaker and Triple H — with Shawn Michaels as the special guest referee, of course — and that’s what the end result of this four chapter story should be.

As I said in the comments section of Scott Keith’s Smark Rant for WWE WrestleMania XXVIII, I am not very well-versed in star ratings, and it’s never really been my thing. However, as soon as Taker-HHH ended I thought to myself, *****. Glad to see I wasn’t completely off on that assessment and that Scott (and many others) viewed this the same way that I did.

In a word, Triple H vs. The Undertaker was the perfect match for what it was — an all-out brawl to close the book on it all — with the perfect referee who was just as emotionally invested (and psychologically scarred) as the two men who were fighting … and the perfect ending both inside the ring and afterwards.

With everything that happened in the ring and as satisfied as I was with both the journey and the outcome, I have two favorite moments that have stuck with me overnight just as much as the rest of it:

1. Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker exchanging some words meant only for each other’s ears only, as Triple H lay fallen. It was as if we all reminded them of just how significant this whole story has been, and now that it was over they could express a rare private moment in the middle of that ring on the biggest stage of them all, at the end of their journey. What they said was purposefully inaudible to the rest of us, as if they knew that this would be the last time they would ever be in that position, and they finally had a chance to soak it all in together;

and 2. HBK and Taker picking up a beaten and barely conscious Triple H, escorting him towards the exit, towards THEIR exit. And low and behold, just before they left us, just before they faded out from our view one last time, all three of them embraced, sharing more words that they should / will never reveal to the rest of the world.

Last night, I saw the best end to the best story I’ve ever seen in pro wrestling. In my humble opinion, it was not just a five star match, but a five star finish as well.

It was a five star finish that I hope leads straight to The Undertaker’s retirement from pro wrestling with a perfect 20-0 record at WrestleMania and an immediate announcement tonight on Raw that he will be the first inductee into the 2013 WWE Hall of Fame.

As for Triple H, he, too, has nothing left to prove inside the ring, and he can now go back to his corporate role both on screen (if he wants) and behind the scenes. But like The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels, I think that HHH should never wrestle again.

I know that this is likely unrealistic for a variety of reasons, but no matter where all three men go from here, I will always remember their incredible WrestleMania story as fondly as I do right now.

That’s all from me — CB.

CB is an Editor for Pulse Wrestling and an original member of the Inside Pulse writing team covering the spectrum of pop culture including pro wrestling, sports, movies, music, radio and television.