The Undertaker vs. Triple H

 

The Winner: The Undertaker

Triple H, after his match with The Undertaker had taken an “office” role. Executive VP of Talent Relations or something of that ilk. He came out one February 2012 night on RAW and was gonna make some big announcement. Just as he was about to climax, The Undertaker’s GONG went off. The Undertaker at this point had not been seen since the previous WrestleMania. Undertaker had a problem with the end of the previous years WrestleMania. He may have won but he didn’t walk out on his own power. Undertaker wanted a chance to redeem himself and he attacked Triple H’s pride in doing so. Saying that Shawn Michaels was always better than Triple H.

The match would happen in Hell in a Cell with Shawn Michaels as special guest referee. It was broadcast as an “End of the Era” match. Presumably because it was the last we would see of any of them. To this point it has not been and the closest we have come is Undertaker only making one appearance. Shawn hasn’t wrestled since (in fact, he has not wrestled since his match with The Undertaker at WrestleMania 26) but Triple H did have a match with Brock Lesnar. Undertaker had a match, kind of, on RAW 1000 teaming with Kane to face Hunico, Camacho, 3MB, Curt Hawkins and Tyler Reks (if that team is not accurate I apologize). It was likely the last time we saw these men who were a part of the 1990s boom in such a high profile situation.

This match was awarded the 2012 Slammy Award for match of the Year.

As The Undertaker’s music ended, he removed his hood to reveal a Mohawk. This was synched perfectly with a lightning sound effect. It appeared when I was watching this that the revealing of the haircut staggered Triple H, watching it back, this was not the case. They stare down for a moment, then the Hell in a Cell lowers. Complete with its entrance theme, “The Memory Remains” by Metallica (which is actually featured on this DVD, must have been cheaper than For Whom The Bell Tolls). An important note for this match, the PPV was outdoors. Despite my wishes, the Hell in a Cell cage was not suspended over the ring by a flock of very strong and well trained birds. After the bell rings, the men back to opposite corners, then charge at each other with strikes. Much like the previous year had one man control the match early, The Undertaker is controlling this one.

At one point Shawn Michaels was checking on Triple H, which is his duty as the official. The Undertaker proceeds to carelessly shove Michaels away. Undertaker, while being vicious, isn’t being relentless. He isn’t moving fast as if he is in a hurry. At WrestleMania 26 he was working franticly to beat Shawn Michaels. Going for a Chokeslam early. Going for Old School very early. He is meticulously wearing down Triple H here. This slower pace gave Triple H an opening for a facebuster. However it had no effect. The Undertaker responded with a hard strike that downed Triple H. Undertaker finally hits the Old School elbow drop. He then tosses Triple H outside and hits him in the head with the ring steps. He hits the guillotine legdrop too. He slowly reenters the ring. Triple H hits a DDT. Another example of him taking advantage of The Undertaker’s slower pace. Triple H tries for a pedigree on top of the steel ring steps but Undertaker reverses with a back body drop.

While his actions do not indicate desperation, his face indicates relief after the back drop. Triple H reverses an Undertaker attack to a spinebuster onto the ring steps, before a weakened Triple H can take advantage, Undertaker locks in the Hells Gate. Triple H reverses it to a powerbomb variation, helped by the elevation of the hold, with Undertaker still on the steps. He only garnered a two count from it. Triple H goes to the outside of the ring and gets a steel chair. In a call back to the previous encounter between the two, Triple H begins pounding Undertaker’s back with the chair. Shawn Michaels tries to stop him.

Shawn Michaels, who up to this point had not really done much other than his officiating duties, began to beg Triple H to just pin him because “you know he is not going to quit”. After Triple H told him he will not, Shawn tried to convince The Undertaker to quit. Undertaker refuses, Triple H threw him out of the way. Then the exact same process repeated. But this time Undertaker told Shawn to leave him alone and “do not stop it”. Triple H used the chair a few more times and then tries for a pin, it only draws a two count. Triple H, clearly seeing that the chairs aren’t working, goes for the sledge hammer.

Triple H tells Shawn Michaels to end it. Undertaker tells Shawn Michaels no. Triple H NAILS Undertaker in the face with the hammer. But it only draws a two count. Triple H then shoves Shawn out of the way and tries to pulverize The Undertaker’s head like a Gallagher watermelon. Shawn swiftly removes the sledgehammer from his hands and tosses it out of the ring. Shawn Michaels teases that he will end the match but keeps stopping himself to check on The Undertaker. After a 3^rd return to check on The Undertaker, Undertaker locks him in the Hell’s Gate. Not Triple H, Shawn Michaels. Triple H breaks this up by hitting The Undertaker with a sledgehammer shot to the head. Undertaker blocks a 2^nd one with a Hell’s Gate. The ref is unconscious. A rerun of the finishing sequence from the previous year happens, with Triple H teasing that he can grasp the sledgehammer but fighting his losing consciousness.

Another official, Charles Robinson, comes barreling down the aisle (much like he did at WrestleMania 24 actually) and gets into the ring just as The Undertaker hits the chokeslam. It only draws a 2 count. Undertaker responds by hitting Charles Robinson with a chokeslam (much like he attacked the referee at WrestleMania 17). Undertaker tries for a tombstone but Triple H reverses and pushes Undertaker into a Sweet Chin Music. Triple H follows that up immediately with a pedigree. It only draws two though. Triple H makes it up first and grabs the hammer. Shawn tries to come between the two and stop Triple H from destroying The Undertaker with the hammer. Triple H tosses him out of the ring. Triple H turns around into The Undertaker sitting up. An action which causes Triple H to drop in fear. Undertaker hits Triple H with a a big boot and more furious strikes. A whip to the corner. A clothesline. A snake eyes and big boot. A big legdrop. TOMBSTONE!

Shawn makes it back into the ring to count a two from that. As the two men fight back to their feet, the crowd seems strongly behind The Undertaker. Undertaker attempts a tombstone but Triple H escapes and hits a Pedigree. It was a two count. Triple H and The Undertaker both try to pull themselves to their feet. Undertaker has the chair. Triple H has the hammer. Just as Triple H starts to bring it up, Undertaker puts his foot on it and begins to wail away with the chair. Triple H kicks out at two from it. Shawn begs them both to give it up. Triple H crawls back over to the hammer as The Undertaker is pulling himself up on the other side of the ring. Undertaker is now waiting for him to get up. Triple H goes after him with the hammer. Taker catches it and takes it away from him. Triple H has no other choice but to signal with a crotch shot. Undertaker responds by hitting him in the head with the hammer. He drops his singlets straps, slits the throat and hits the tombstone. Crosses the arms and gets the victory!

I think The Undertaker in this match looked refreshing, powerful and intimidating. Something he really didn’t at a few of the previous ones. I think 26 played into this match well and I really enjoyed the call back to that finish.