On Sunday April 1st the Undertaker and Triple HHH will face each other one more time at Wrestlemania 28. Seems fitting to me that it will be a hell in the cell match. Undertaker will be putting his mania streak on the line. In fact the WWE is calling it the the end of an era match. I think that’s rather fitting given the body of both wrestlers work, particularly hell in a cell matches. There many reasons why this match could be the an end of an era.  Some are obvious and one is a personal one.

The most obvious end, would be the Undertaker’s streak. He is 19-0 at Wrestlemania going into his match this Sunday. Given his last two match’s at mania, I won’t be shocked if the streak ends. No matter how you look at professional wrestling streaks like this end sooner or later. That said I would rather see it ended by and up and comer. Something along the lines of Hogan and Andre so many years ago. I guess it will all come down to whether HHH wants to lose twice.

Let’s say Undertaker does get the win and go to 20-0. Does he just give it up and retire? There would be zero shame if he did. What left is there for taker to do in the world of wrestling? Nothing much and why not go out with the streak intact. For me personally this is the one might even bring a tear to my eye. I don’t watch wrestling much these days, but I have plenty of memories from the Phenom. The one that stands out has to be hell in a cell with Mankind. I saw it live on PPV and its one of the few times I audibly gasped when Foley flew off the cell. Watched that one again earlier tonight and it still makes my skin crawl. Undertaker retiring at 20-0 would be almost the text book definition of the end of an era.

Then there is his opponent HHH. The man has been in 8 hell in a cell matches and only lost twice. One of those was a contest between multiple opponents. My favorite was versus Shawn Michaels in 2004 at Bad Blood. That match wasn’t total gore fest, but it was a grueling contest that was built and sold well.  Make no mistake neither wrestler is in his prime. Still I am confident they can give us one more high quality bout. I have confidence that this match will be another one for the highlight reel. What about the cell itself? That steel cage has lead to many memorable moments by just existing.

Yet does it have a place in this era of wrestling? I am with it enough to know they have used it since returning to more PG-13 entertainment. I’m old school and a little sadist so the cell existing in an environment like that just doesn’t make sense. For me it’s a match and structure designed to be a spot fest that leaves you shaking your head. I don’t see anyway the WWE would let half the matches either of Sunday’s contestants have had in the past, take place now. So maybe this match should be the end of an era for the hell in a cell. Given that the two wrestlers with the most experience and highlight reel moments are competing it seems fitting to me.

Don’t misunderstand me, I am not saying the old school cell matches of the 90’s and early 2000’s are necessarily a good thing. Given what we know about head injuries alone, makes the old school matches a sketchy idea at best. So while a part of me revealed in those matches, I understand why the WWE has gone away from them. The physical and mental costs of a hell in a cell match really isn’t worth what you get in return to a large extent. So I won’t be looking for a repeat of matches past come Sunday.

If everything plays out as I expect it will mean the end of an era for me personally. I am aware that the WWE has used the cell in previous years as I said. Yet none of the prior contests have had the history this one does. Between the two men they have 19 appearances and 11 wins. As far as I am concerned when their match finishes on Sunday night, I will say good bye to the hell in a cell. If the WWE is smart they will too.