10 Most Perfectly Timed Wrestling Spots Ever

1. THAT Undertaker Kick-Out At WrestleMania XXVIII

Triple H The Undertaker Shawn Michaels WrestleMania XXVIII
WWE

None of the men involved are particularly fashionable in 2022.

The style of the match itself - slow, deliberate pacing, hair-tugging melodrama at its dramatic peak - isn't very cool either.

But this was absolute WWE magic. Timeless even.

Think of the reality ahead of the match. The dynamic worked on a meta level, to an extent, because Triple H's reputation as a master politician allowed fans to believe, in a state of anxiety, that he might just wield his management influence to end the Streak. But only to an extent; really, the result was not in any significant doubt. Rationally, you knew that 'Taker was winning.

The glory of pro wrestling is that, in the throes of well-worked drama, the rational mind is lost to the spell of storytelling. The three men deserved their curtain call for the match's best spot, which convinced an enormous, packed stadium that the impossible had happened.

The DX Sweet Chin Music/Pedigree combination was executed at such a blistering pace that it enhanced the surreal visual of the false finish. The three players barely gave you time to process what had happened. What a phenomenal smash and grab it was. Triple H's opportunism here was so perfectly in character too.

The finisher kick-out trope had become worn in the Streak match. This action-heavy twist on it was a masterstroke.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!