SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: Approx. 31 Min. +
In a sequel to their brutal encounter at WrestleMania 27, this WrestleMania rematch one year later pits Triple H against the Undertaker in what could quite possibly be The Game’s most iconic match. Shawn Michaels steps in to referee this Hell-in-a-Cell cage match. From Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida, on April 1, 20212, Jim Ross, Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler, and Michael Cole call the action in this ‘End of an Era’ bout.
As for the match’s run time, when looking at it from the entrance of Shawn Michaels to the mesmerizing finish, it lasts a whopping 50:22. However, in terms of actual ring time, the match goes for 30:40. Calling it a slobber-knocker would be an understatement! This match appears on the WrestleMania 28 DVD and Blu-Ray sets.
REVIEW:
Though Triple H has a reputation for not jobbing to many, he sells very well here.. Not to say that he doesn’t get his fair share of offense, but it takes a while. “A vile, vicious, malicious attack,” as called by J.R., sums up what lengths The Cerebral Assassin is willing to go to prevail. In total, Triple H performs about five moves that aren’t in conjunction with a foreign object. This could show a lack of wrestling skill or maybe his will to win, but, either way, The Game doesn’t impress from an in-ring standpoint. Maybe it’s him getting carried up the rampway, then a cut above his eye, or showing just pure exhaustion, Triple H does pull off acting skills that makes anyone wonder why he didn’t co-star alongside The Rock in The Tooth Fairy. In all seriousness, however, he does a great job conveying the battle-tested veteran finally meeting his toughest match.
The Undertaker has had arguably the greatest career in pro wrestling history. Decades after decades of consistent gold, this classic shows that even while pushing 50, he can still look like the most dominant force in the company. With hard hitting strikes and ruthless aggression, he looks like he wants to send Triple H home on a stretcher. Though not as heavily reliant on weapons as Triple H, Undertaker’s relentless rights and lefts make up most of his offense.
Despite having the durability of a slice of soggy bread, Shawn Michaels contributes to makes this match great. Sure, he isn’t wrestling, but his facial expressions and reactions truly convey someone with as many mixed emotions as he has. His distressed/torn apart look is probably the best part of the bout. Does Shawn align himself with his friend Triple H? Or does he side with The Undertaker … the same man who retired him just two years prior? It keeps anyone guessing as to what The Heartbreak Kid will do next!
WrestleMania XVIII is the best-selling WWE PPV in history, and this match clearly shows why. On its surface, this match is a slow-paced, half-hour brawl heavy on weaponry. Yet, all of this doesn’t matter. The so-called ‘End of an Era’ earns its hype, as this brawl marked the last time Triple H or The Undertaker performed at an exceptionally high level. Now, yes, they could’ve looked good because the match is fixated on weapons rather than wrestling, but they both come out better than they did coming in. Even when, at times, it oozes of WWE’s scripted stench, this slugfest should be on anyone’s WrestleMania radar!
ROSCOE’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
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