WWE's most recent PPV, Hell in a Cell, has come to a close. The yearly event placed a few WWE superstars inside the titular cell, which was red this year for the first time. The show took place at the AT&T Center in Dallas, Texas, and there were a few shocking moments during the evening, including a couple of surprise wins, which you can learn about from our live coverage results.
We saw the Smackdown Women's Championship change hands while Ronda Rousey retained her championship in a hard-fought battle against Alexa Bliss. Compared to past events, like Summerslam, this was a smaller show, with only eight matches taking place on the card, one of which was on the Kickoff Show.
However, when it comes to the PPV itself, how did each match stack up? Did these bouts live up to their hype after weeks of building up the storylines, or did it fall flat? The GameSpot staff has a few thoughts of their own, move forward to check them out. The card--as it appeared on the show--is listed below.
Match card:
- The New Day (c) vs. Rusev & Aiden English (Smackdown Tag Team Championship) [KICKOFF SHOW]
- Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton (Hell in a Cell match)
- Charlotte (c) vs. Becky Lynch (Smackdown Women's Championship)
- Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntrye (c) vs. Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose (Raw Tag Team Championship)
- AJ Styles (c) vs. Samoa Joe (WWE Championship)
- Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella vs. The Miz & Maryse
- Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Alexa Bliss (Raw Women's Championship)
- Roman Reigns (c) vs. Braun Strowman (Hell in a Call match for the Universal Championship with Mick Foley as guest referee)
The New Day (c) vs. Rusev & Aiden English (Smackdown Tag Team Championship) [KICKOFF SHOW]
This match made Rusev and English look good. It had a tremendously slow start, but Rusev really got things moving a few minutes in. Both English and Rusev had some really fantastic spots, and it's really the first time we've gotten to see English shine in the ring in quite a while. Also, the finish was a bit of a swerve, as it really seemed like Rusev Day would have taken the match. I didn't have exceptionally high hopes for this match--even though I love both teams--but this match was solid for the Kickoff.
7/10 - Mat Elfring
Had this match been on the main card of the pay per view, it would have been a disappointment. As Mat pointed out, it started very slow, which made it difficult to get invested early on. But when it kicked into gear, it delivered. Rusev and English came off looking strong, and WWE avoided having them win the titles in some sort of flukey way that would have been detrimental to the championships. The Smackdown tag titles, unlike Raw's, actually mean something. Having a change just for the novelty of it would have been bad news. That said, with some more building, Rusev Day could become worthy contenders eventually. Or we could just put the focus back on The Bar for a bit.
6/10 - Chris E. Hayner
Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton (Hell in a Cell match)
Undeniably, this was immensely better than I thought it would be, considering how much I personally don't like the superstars involved or the storyline building to this match. Quick note: I hate Orton messing with Hardy's ear. It's super-gross. This was an extremely brutal match with a very fitting finish, as Jeff Hardy is known for going too far, and here, he fell from the top of the cage, putting himself through a table like a madman. Awesome heel move on Orton's part where he demanded to get the pin on a very hurt Hardy before the EMTs got to ringside. Annoyance with the color of the cell aside, the action inside the ring was pretty phenomenal.
8.5/10 - Mat Elfring
Yes, this was good. Yes, it was memorable. It was the kind of car crash you'd expect from Jeff Hardy's first-ever Hell in a Cell match. The end result was a fantastic open to the show and the first piece of this rivalry I've even remotely cared about. The entire Hardy/Orton storyline has felt nonsensical from the start, but it's hard to look at the work these two put in inside and outside of the ring to make their Hell in a Cell match stand out.
8/10 - Chris E. Hayner
Charlotte (c) vs. Becky Lynch (Smackdown Women's Championship)
There were some less-than-stellar moments early on, including a few sloppy spots. While the outcome was exactly what I was hoping for--as I've been incorrectly predicting Lynch to win a PPV match for the past year or so--the match itself was a mixed bag. The final minutes were exciting and memorable, with Lynch pulling some great heel moves, but the build up to it wasn't very memorable.
5.5/10 - Mat Elfring
Listen, it wasn't a technical marathon or anywhere near perfectly executed. The end result is what matters to me with this one, though. Becky Lynch's heel turn has been one of the most exciting things about Smackdown Live in a very long time, and I'm glad WWE followed through in delivering on how dangerous she could be as a villain--and kept her that way, by walking out on Charlotte after winning the title. I expect the rematch between the two will be much better, and Becky had better win that one too.
6/10 - Chris E. Hayner
Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntrye (c) vs. Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose (Raw Tag Team Championship)
This was an incredible match. It wasn't on the same level as Orton and Hardy, for me, but it was pretty darn close. Raw's tag team division has been in a weird place, with mediocre matches and champions who never really got to shine as competitors. Ziggler & McIntyre vs. Rollins and Ambrose's match gave me faith in the division again. The latter half of the bout was non-stop action and full of false finishes. I found myself thinking it was over three or four times. All of these superstars should be extremely proud of this match, as it is exactly what tag team wrestling should be.
8/10 - Mat Elfring
I actually thought this was better than the opening Hell in a Cell match and am hard-pressed to think of something else on the card that will beat it. These two teams have incredible chemistry, and I think it's important that it was Rollins and Ambrose in there, rather than ⅔ of The Shield. These four men hit hard, the near falls were very believable, and the exchanges between Rollins and Ziggler specifically were so much fun to watch. These men should all be in the Universal Championship picture, but I'll live with them being the saving grace of Raw's tag team division.
9/10 - Chris E. Hayner
AJ Styles (c) vs. Samoa Joe (WWE Championship)
This started off as a fine match, and it turned into one with some great technical wrestling. There was a great spot of Joe transitioning between submissions: a powerbomb into boston crab into an STF. Everything had great momentum, and we were getting a really solid Joe/Styles match. However, the ending spot was bizarre and made this match feel like nothing more than a stepping stone for a rematch at a bigger PPV in the future. It's even a bit more disappointing when you think about how great the buildup to this match was. Samoa Joe's storybook is one of the most interesting and entertaining segments of the year, regardless of what someone else :ahem: thinks.
6/10 - Mat Elfring
While I'm enjoying the AJ/Joe feud, for the most part, the matches are leaving so much to be desired. These two can tear the house down. Those who watch TNA know that, those who saw them wrestle on the indies know that. Unfortunately, this feud is so bogged down in a personal storyline that it's impacting the matches. Truth be told, this didn't need to be made into a personal issue. This entire feud should be the hero vs. the killer. AJ Styles attempting to defy all odds and hold onto his belt when the Samoan submission machine comes to rip him apart. Instead, we get Samoa Joe reading storybooks to AJ's wife and kids and matches that have flukey endings, so they can stretch it out another month.
4/10 - Chris E. Hayner
Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella vs. The Miz & Maryse
This match shouldn't have happened. The Daniel Bryan and Miz feud is one of the best in recent years, and this match felt more like a sideshow filled with signature spots. Brie and Maryse only battled each other, as the legal tag partner, one time. Most of the match consisted of people tagging each other to show they were the superior strategist. A bland match is one thing, but when it's one coming out of a great rivalry, it's heartbreaking.
3/10 - Mat Elfring
Is it really one of the best feuds in recent years, though? When Bryan was cleared to wrestle, this was the match everyone wanted. The promos from Miz have been great, Bryan's have lacked some of the spark. The storytelling, though, has been great. However, the matches are a different story. Their Summerslam singles match was a disappointment that left a lot to be desired. This match was not great. It was entertaining, but didn't deliver on what fans want--Miz and Bryan going at it. Having Maryse get the pin over Brie is an interesting choice, especially with an all-women's pay per view coming. But that pin was their only meaningful role in the match. They spent most of the time running around. I want this feud to be great but this far, it's all sizzle and no steak. And steak is delicious.
3/10 - Chris E. Hayner
Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Alexa Bliss (Raw Women's Championship)
My expectations for this match were as low as they could possibly be, especially after the squash match between the two at Summerslam. Alexa was not done any justice at that PPV, even though she's been a fantastic and tough champion. Ronda just came in and mopped the floor with her. This time around, Bliss actually got some offense in, and in fact, she looked pretty dominant. Of course, there was no way she was going win the match, but she went out on a high note. More importantly, Rousey looked a whole lot better than last month. She had a bigger move arsenal than last time around, and she sold her ribs like a champ. This was the Ronda Rousey I had fun watching at this year's Wrestlemania. I want more of this. Also, Alicia Fox's outfit was the best. It wasn't part of the actual match, but it needs to be mentioned. She's the captain now.
7/10 - Mat Elfring
Let me talk to you all for a moment about a truth. The only truth, if we're being honest. Alexa Bliss is the best heel WWE has seen in years--and this goes for men and women. While people love to talk about how central Charlotte, Bayley, Sasha, Becky, and Ronda are to the women's evolution, I'd say Alexa is the true cornerstone. She's been the best heel on both Raw and Smackdown and is the perfect pesky heel foil for Rousey. WWE nearly killed her character--and Raw's women's division--at Summerslam by giving Ronda an insanely one-sided match where she quickly just destroyed Alexa. This match was different. Bliss embraced her evil side and it was on full display--and she got in plenty of offense. There was no way Alexa was going to win this match but just the sheer amount of offense she got in went a long way in erasing the injustice that was Summerslam. Plus, Ronda has majorly improved over the past month. She sold her injured ribs well throughout the match and added a new move to her arsenal--the gutwrench powerbomb. Hopefully, we get to see these two tangle again.
7.5/10 - Chris E. Hayner
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Braun Strowman (Hell in a Call match for the Universal Championship with Mick Foley as guest refere
What a rollercoaster ride! Sadly, it was a rollercoaster ride that ended up with the theme park falling into a sinkhole and all of us floating in an eternal abyss. Too much? The actual Braun Strowman vs. Roman Reigns match, before it transformed into something else, like Optimus Prime transforming into a plate of rotten oysters, wasn't bad. It was watchable and gaining momentum. Then, Rollins, Ambrose, McIntyre, and Ziggler all came to the ring, and things got a tad more fun, even though it was an utter distraction from the actual sanctioned match. I was having a good time. Then, Brock Lesnar showed up (looking in pretty good shape) and beat up Strowman and Reigns and left. Then, a new ref came to the ring and called it a no contest. End of PPV. What?
It's been a long, dark road with Brock Lesnar as champ, and the vast majority of WWE fans are happy he's gone. It finally gave Raw some time to grow and breathe… for like a month. This is a setback. It was the worst case scenario finish, and it is a step backwards. It is a terrible endcap to a otherwise great PPV.
2/10 -- Mat Elfring
This was terrible. Full stop. Braun and Roman were on their way to a pretty fun Hell in a Cell match, regardless of winner, when the nonsense began. They weren't there yet, but it was starting to happen. Then Rollins, Ambrose, Ziggler, and McIntyre got involved for the "on top of the cage" stuff because we do not need Braun up there. It was fine, but too much chaos. Rollins and Ziggler took the traditional off the side of the cell bump through the table and we though maybe--MAYBE--this is when Roman and Braun would finish their match. Then Brock happened. Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman returned, Brock kicked in the cell door and beat both men with a broken table, F5ed them both, and walked out. End of show.
This is the worst possible outcome. We finally got rid of the pox of Brock Lesnar and things were better without him. Now he's back, will be in the title picture again, and all of this not only rendered the main event pointless, but giving Braun the Money in the Bank briefcase pointless. Consider me wildly uninterested in what happens next.
0/10 - Chris E. Hayner
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