WWE: Triple H and The Undertaker Are Making Great Television Once Again

By a show of hands, how many of you out there had no desire in the beginning, to see Triple H versus Undertaker at WrestleMania 28?

Wow, lot of hands on that one.

Okay, now how many of you, after watching Hunter and Taker face off last week on Monday Night Raw, cannot wait to see them battle it out in the Hell in a Cell at WrestleMania?

And the people have spoken!  Alright, you can put your hands down, you have any idea how silly you guys look right now?

I’m on board with this one.  I wasn’t before, but I am now.  And, while I am somewhat surprised that I have changed my mind, the truth is, I shouldn’t be.

After all, this is Triple H and the Undertaker we’re talking about here.  Two of the greatest of all time.

Two legends of the business who have given everything they have, and then some.  They understand what it is to perform at the highest level, and they know how to seize the moment, to make a storyline work.  

And, that is just what they are doing right now.  Again, I shouldn’t be surprised.

Only two pros like Hunter and Taker who have faced each other hundreds of times or more, could take the prospect of another WrestleMania match that many fans didn’t care about, and make it a must-see event.

At this point, it may become the most anticipated match of the card on April 1st.  That’s how expertly crafted this angle has been thus far.

When Undertaker first confronted Triple H, and silently stared at the WrestleMania 28 banner, all I could think of was “eh, yeah, saw this coming.”

Taker’s undefeated streak has been going for so long now, that whenever this time of year comes around, we as fans often find ourselves beginning to look at the WWE roster for the next victim.

Wade Barrett seemed like a real possibility.  He has risen to a very respectable level on Friday Night SmackDown in the past several months, and the only real challenge left seemed to be facing a veteran besides Randy Orton, to establish himself more on the program.

Kane was another man who could have been considered in the running.  The Brothers of Destruction have faced off before of course, and this match could have been packaged and sold quite nicely to the WWE audience.

Cody Rhodes is a man on a mission, a guy who seems to have the whole world at his feet.  He knows who he is as a character, and has come into his own as a  top performer and budding main event Superstar.

Of course, Wade has recently been injured, which did not really affect the situation, as nothing ever materialized between he and Taker in the first place.  It was obvious that time was running out, and Wade would not be used against the Deadman.

Kane was very much preoccupied with John Cena, and though that angle has apparently fizzled out, there is nothing developing between he and Taker either.  What could have been a fairly easy storyline to create was not utilized.

Rhodes currently seems to be stalling a bit, and his showing in the Elimination Chamber, while commendable, was cut short by Santino Marella.  All due respect to Santino, but fans could not watch Cody job to him, then expect Rhodes to do any real damage to the Undertaker at WrestleMania.  Cody’s opportunity at getting to that next level will have to be with someone else.

So, that leaves us with Triple H, the guy who spent the better part of 2011 in a suit and tie, making executive decisions as the Chief Operating Officer of the company.

Say what, now?

That was pretty much the reaction that this rematch received from fans when it became known it was a possibility to happen.

The fact is, the match did not seem compelling enough to warrant any enthusiasm on the part of fans. Again, we have seen these two mix it up so many times before, that the idea of another showdown just did not appeal to anyone.

But, then they started talking and reminded us all why they are two of the best.

The moment that Taker stood in the ring, and challenged Hunter’s manhood by saying that Shawn was better than him, was priceless.  Hunter’s reaction as he stood on the ramp with his back turned, and how he slowly began to take off his jacket, told fans all they needed to know about what his answer would be.

Last year, this match was about the last two gunfighters in an epic showdown in the dusty streets of WWE.  This year, the end of an era is at stake, and while Triple H believes he can end the Undertaker, the Deadman has to prove to himself that he still has what it takes to get the job done.

This is what WWE storytelling, done by two of its best ever, is all about.

One reason there is such a fascination with the Attitude Era of WWE, is that so much of that time was filled with guys that just got it.  They weren’t characters created for the business in WWE, they were wrestlers who were born to be there.

The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Chris Jericho, Shawn Michaels, and yes, Triple H and the Undertaker, they made WWE fun, exciting, and above all else, it just felt real.

We believed that they loved what they were doing, and it made us care all the more about seeing them every week.  The matches, the promos, every part of the presentation meant something to us, and no matter how many times we saw them in action, we just could not wait to see them again.

That’s where I am right now with Triple H and Undertaker.  They have reeled me in, and now I have to see where it’s going.

I’m all about the present day Superstars, and I’m even more about the future.  After all, we can’t live in the past and hope to see the business we love move ahead with the same old talent, it just doesn’t work that way.

But, when it comes to Triple H versus Undertaker at WrestleMania 28, with the momentum this match now has?  In the Hell in a Cell?  Are you kidding me?  

Bring on the old school, baby.  Let’s do this.