The Best and Worst Moment of WrestleMania 28
WrestleMania 28 was headlined by a first-time dream match between John Cena and The Rock. Not only was this match itself a big deal, but it was enough of a marquee pairing for WWE to book it a full year out, and to have two separate world title matches independent of it. Add in Triple H vs. The Undertaker inside Hell in a Cell and the card was pretty darn stacked.
Opinions vary on whether WrestleMania 28 lived up to the hype. This article takes a look back at the best and worst moment from the show.
Best Moment: The Undertaker kicks out of a deadly combination
The Hell in a Cell Match between The Undertaker and Triple H not only saw The Dead Man put his undefeated streak on the line against a well-established opponent in an unforgiving setting, but boasted the additional intrigue of guest referee Shawn Michaels.
Yes, HBK was Triple H’s real life and kayfabe friend, which seemed to stack the odds against The Phenom. However, there was also the plot point that Michaels had twice failed to end the streak himself, and felt insulted at Triple H’s insistence that he would do what Michaels never could.
In the end, things came to a head with Michaels nailing The Undertaker with Sweet Chin Music, only for The Dead Man to turn right around into a Pedigree. Either one of these iconic moves would be good for a dramatic false finish, but Michaels and Helmsley hitting them back to back felt like a combination even The Undertaker at WrestleMania couldn’t weather.
The Phenom did kick out in an electric moment that got the whole stadium rocking. The spot was so compelling WWE would revisit it at the 2018 Super Show-Down event. Six and a half years later, the one-two punch put away The Undertaker.
Worst Moment: Sheamus pins Daniel Bryan
History has been kind to the eighteen-second match in which Sheamus pinned Daniel Bryan for the World Heavyweight Championship. Now, the lore goes that this match, and fans’ indignant reaction was the unofficial start to Bryan’s push of a lifetime that would eventually lead to him winning the WrestleMania 30 main event.
However, in its time, this match was what it was. Bryan, the arrogant heel champ, ate a Brogue Kick in humiliatingly quick fashion to drop the title to Sheamus.
Not only did this match do a disservice to Bryan, quite arguably the best worker on the roster at the time, but it sold fans short of what might have been an excellent match, as other encounters between these two demonstrated that they had the talent and chemistry to tear the house down.