#3 2012 - The Undertaker vs Triple H - WrestleMania 28
CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan at Over The Limit 2012 was a match of technical wizardry that would have had the purists out there licking their lips. But when you look at pure emotional investment, it’s hard to look past Triple H vs The Undertaker at WrestleMania 28.
Billed as End of The Era, it was the conclusion to a four year arc around The Deadman’s streak. It started off all the way back in 2009 with the earlier mentioned Mania 25 match with Michaels.
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After HBK failed on two occasions to defeat The Undertaker, his best friend The Game, tried his hand at it at WrestleMania 27 in 2011. So close was Triple H in ending The Streak that Taker was unable to leave the ring under his own power.
This inability left an emotional scar on The Phenom. So, unlike in 2010 when he was the one being challenged, he would make the first move this time around to try and entice The Game into one more showdown. Much like Taker before him, Triple H accepted on his own terms, that being Hell in a Cell. Throw in Shawn Michaels as the special referee and you have the perfect long-term storyline.
Despite a slow start to the match, it would hit its stride around the time when Triple H would begin calling for Shawn to end the match on account of Taker being too hurt. Just when it looked as though HBK would give in to this and end the contest, The Deadman would take him out in a development which would have greater implications later in the match.
With Triple H on Taker’s shoulder for a tombstone, he would squeeze out and push The Deadman into some Sweetchin Music by Michaels, before a pedigree lead to the nearest of near falls. The sight of Michaels sat in the corner in disbelief echoed exactly what the fans in attendance and watching at home were feeling at this point.
The emotional rollercoaster would eventually see Taker extend The Streak to 20-0, before the three rivals left arm-in-arm together, signifying to many that The Attitude Era would be a thing of the past.