Pro Wrestling

WWE Hell in a Cell Recap

Posted on Author Jeremy Laracuente Comment(0)

Last night WWE held one of their annual “gimmick match” pay-per-views, with Hell in a Cell. One glaring difference in this year’s Hell in a Cell is that the cell has been undergone a color change. The cell is no longer the usual chainlink gray it is red. But without further ado let’s get to the recap of Hell in a Cell.

Kickoff Show

Smackdown Live Tag Team Championships: New Day vs. Rusev Day w/ Lana

Laracuente Ledger Rating: 🌟🌟🌟 1/2

One of the hottest acts in WWE, Rusev Day would get out of the gate hot, working over Kofi Kingston for the early part of the match. The tide would turn when Big E was tagged into the matchup. Rusev would tag himself in and would begin dropping everyone. After an impressive double team double stomp powerbomb combo by New Day, Aiden English would kick out. Rusev Day would take advantage hit some big moves on the outside. Ultimately the New Day would hold off the challengers Rusev Day.

Main Card

Hell in a Cell: Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy

Laracuente Ledger Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

An otherwise unappealing match made enjoyable by the addition the Hell in a Cell structure. Jeff Hardy would come out on fire, but he would be cut off at the pass by Orton. Both men would have an aggressive style inside this “hellacious” structure. The match would exit the ring and get quite hardcore. Tables, ladders, and chairs would all make an appearance inside the Cell. A genuinely hard-hitting bout between two veterans.

And if the rumors swirling about Jeff Hardy following suit with his brother and retiring what a match to end with. In the build for this match, Orton said he would do things that the WWE Universe would find so vile and disgusting, and Orton delivers on that promise. This match delivered in a special way and will make it difficult to follow up. Jeff’s creativity would come back to bite him as he would swing from the top of the cell and crash and burn. Orton would then cover Jeff for the win. The ending of this match would bring about shock and awe and indeed leave the WWE Universe in silence.

Smackdown Live Women’s Championship: Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair

Laracuente Ledger Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

A beautiful exchange would start this match between these two amazing competitors. Lynch vs. Flair was such an evenly booked contest. We would even see Becky Lynch use Pentagon Jr’s hammerlock arm snap. Both women are such technicians, but Becky Lynch would show the advantage in that regard. Both women would tell amazing stories in the ring. As Becky would work over the arm to set up for the Dis-Arm-Her submission. Both women would have the others very well scouted. A perfect display of how a matchup should be booked. Becky Lynch would have the crowd overwhelmingly in her corner. Which would set up perfectly for the rumored infamous and rare “Double Turn.” Although that would not be acted upon by the bookers in charge. The finish of the matchup was a very intriguing and unexpected finish. This is the way a match should be booked.

Following the match, Charlotte would offer to raise the hand of Becky Lynch, but Lynch would refuse and say “You will never take my moment.” Leaving Charlotte standing in the ring.

RAW Tag Team Championships: Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler vs. Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose

Laracuente Ledger Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The four men in this contest are some of the best in the WWE currently. Dolph Ziggler and Seth Rollins would continue to show the spark that fueled their feud over the summer. The members of the Shield would be on the same page. But without question, the pace would intensify when Ambrose and McIntyre would enter the fray. Much like the ongoing series of Rollins and Ziggler over the Summer these men are extremely evenly matched.

WWE Championship: Samoa Joe vs. AJ Styles

Laracuente Ledger Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The build for this matchup is got extremely personal and thus AJ Styles would come out firing. Samoa Joe would look to weather the early storm. Both men would deliver some hard-hitting blows throughout the entire contest. AJ Styles and Samoa Joe are arguably two of the greatest professional wrestlers to ever compete in a wrestling ring and they would put that fully on display. An incredible bout between two of the all-time best. The controversial finish means this feud will continue.

Mixed Tag Grudge Match: Miz and Maryse vs. Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella

Laracuente Ledger Rating: 🌟🌟 1/2

As a continuation of the ongoing feud of Daniel Bryan and The Miz, this match adds on their wives, Brie Bella and Maryse. The “It” couple of Miz and Maryse play their role as despicable heels extremely well. And those heelish behaviors play even better with the overwhelming babyface personalities of Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella.

For all of the years of talk about The Miz and his inability in the ring, he has turned himself into a very good in-ring competitor. I personally did not like the Miz throughout much of his career, however, he has turned into one of my favorite segments on a weekly basis. This matchup was a tale of two matches. As one has come to expect The Miz and Daniel Bryan were a good pairing in the ring.

But Maryse and Brie Bella displayed a level of ring rust that would tarnish the matchup. If this was a test run for a potential bout between Brie and Maryse at WWE Evolution the WWE may want to contemplate a different avenue.

RAW Women’s Championship: Alexa Bliss w/ Mickie James & Alicia Fox vs. Ronda Rousey w/ Natalya

Laracuente Ledger Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

The RAW Women’s Championship match was built on the potentially injured ribs of Ronda Rousey by Alex Bliss over the last few weeks. Ronda although still very green in the wrestling business has truly picked up quite a bit in a short time. Alexa Bliss is a good opponent for Ronda because of the selling ability of Bliss. Ronda would do a good job of selling the injured ribs. And Alexa Bliss would do a great job of focusing on the ribs. With the absolute joke of a make these two women had a SummerSlam (check out our SummerSlam Recap) this was the kind of contest they needed to have to recover from it.

WWE Universal Championship: Braun Strowman vs. Roman Reigns (Special Guest Referee: Mick Foley

Laracuente Ledger Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

The main event of the evening would begin with approximately 45 minutes left on the show. And this match delivered on the hard-hitting level that was expected. While being booked as a heel Braun Strowman would receive the cheers and adulation of the crowd. Much like the earlier Hell in a Cell match between Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy weapons would take part in the action as well.

As one would expect the run-in buddies would also get involved. The Hounds of Justice and the Dogs of War would come out to ringside and battle. Dolph Ziggler and Seth Rollins would ascent the Hell in a Cell structure and fight. Then McIntyre and Ambrose (with kendo stick) would ascend the Cell also. Ambrose would begin laying into Drew and Dolph with the kendo stick. All four men atop the cell would be laid out on the top of the Cell. Ziggler would try to escape and Rollins would give chase. Ziggler and Rollins would throw hands on the side of the Cell. Both men would come crashing down through announce tables.

Then Brock Lesnar would show up and the crowd would pop. Lesnar would kick his way into the Cell. Mick Foley would get sprayed in the eyes by Paul Heyman. As Lesnar would just begin laying waste to both Strowman and Reigns using the broken table. Brock Lesnar would hit both men with F-5’s and then leave. Then another referee would call the match off. This main event matchup was moving along beautifully until Brock Lesnar came out. Minus the shock and surprise of the arrival of the “Beast Incarnate,” his destruction of both men ruined what otherwise would have been a great contest.

Hell in a Cell Overall Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 1/4

Going into this PPV event I wasn’t expecting much. To be honest, these gimmick match PPV events usually disappoint. However, aside from the no contest ending to the main event, I was pleasantly surprised by most of the card. I know that WWE will never acknowledge the true impact that the “ALL IN” event made on the world of professional wrestling or their own product but they needed to deliver something spectacular. And I think they accomplished that goal. It was not as good as the ALL IN event (check out our ALL IN Recap) but for the WWE they have stepped it up with their last two WWE Network Specials and I hope it continues.

Jeremy Laracuente

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