WWE Hell in a Cell Review!

48 hours ago, WWE presented the event, Hell in a Cell, from the state of California. After WWE’s opening week on Fox, and the "Fiend" Bray Wyatt having a strong showing on SummerSlam, there was a glimpse of hope that not only would Bray get a much-deserved push, but things could change in a positive direction, especially with AEW debuting on TNT this past week, too. Competition is always healthy and, in pro wrestling, I find competition to be motivating for both wrestlers and promoters alike.

Personally, as Hell in a Cell approached, I was skeptical of what could happen in the PPV. As it turns out, the internet exploded with anger, and so did the fans in attendance chanting things like, “Bulls*it,” “We want refunds,” and “AEW.” But don’t be fooled by the outpouring of anger, as the pay-per-view itself wasn’t as bad as you’d think. Let’s break it down.

The show started with a really enjoyable match inside Hell in a Cell for the Raw Woman’s championship, between Becky Lynch (c) facing off with the recently returning Sasha Banks. I must say, these two ladies completely started the show off on the right foot. The match was actually really well done, was a good length of time, and is one I would recommend you to go and watch for yourself. They proved that they can steal a show, if given the proper time. The audience was divided, and was chanting and alive through the whole match. Yes, Becky retained, but don’t let that discourage you from the fact that the match was one to watch.

Up next was the odd pairing of Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns, vs Luke Harper and Erick Rowen. This tag match to me was an enjoyable match, in of itself. You have three big men doing these crazy dives that you’d expect to see from cruiser-weights. I really thought Harper and Rowen would win, as they dominated most of the match, but Bryan and Reigns refused to stay down, and ultimately gained the victory. I was disappointed, because I wanted Harper and Rowen to win. However, the match overall was actually enjoyable to watch. Again, go see it for yourself. You’ll be glad you did.

Another match I enjoyed was Orton vs Ali. First off, Orton is one of my personal favorite wrestlers, and Ali has captivated the hearts of the fans since joining Smackdown. The match was destined to be pretty good; I can’t really complain about it. Randy would win, but not before Ali would counter an RKO by doing fudgin handstands—amazing athlete, I tell ya. I would pay to see that again. Like the previous matches mentioned, get on the network and watch the match. I have learned to just enjoy matches as they happen, and stop being so critical. After all, HBK isn’t “Mr Wrestlemania” because he won every match. In fact, he’s been in some really big matches that are recognized as classics, and he didn’t win, but the level of performance he put on earned him the nickname.

Other notable things to mention: Kabuki warriors (Kairi and Asuka) won the WWE Woman’s Tag Team Championship, by defeating Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross. The match itself isn’t much of a noteworthy match, but seeing two of the most talented women on the roster become champions is a positive.

On the flip side, though, Charlotte vs Bayley was missing something. I can’t put my finger on it; it was kinda flat to me. The six-man tag, with the OC vs The Viking Raiders and Brawn Strowman, was actually not bad. I liked the match... Okay, let me just get to the real issue here.

The main event was much anticipated, and I’m actually divided on the match, in of itself. First, the positives—Yes, I said "positives." Ladies and gentleman, the Fiend actually looked like a monster during most of the match. He man took shots with a Kendo stick, and it didn’t faze him. He took curb stomps. Like four of five of them, and kicked out at one. I feel the Fiend was being built strongly in this match, and not all is lost with Bray. The negative? The screwy finish. A slash hammer shot to the Fiend's face got Seth disqualified? Really? In a Hell in a Cell match? Umm, last time I checked, Hell in a Cell is no DQ—at least, the commentary team made that clear in the earlier HIAC match. What changed? Like, I totally understand everyone’s frustration about this. I wasn’t happy myself, and I am still bothered by the finish, but let’s look at the plus side. In the end, after the beating the Fiend took, he stood tall and took out Seth Rollins. He looked strong to me, even in DQ victory, or match stoppage, or whatever that was. Let’s not give up on the Fiend. The gimmick is fantastic, the best thing I’ve seen in years. The firefly fun house has even children watching, showing how talented Bray is. Sure, the PPV was not PPV of the year by any stretch, but it wasn’t as bad as some want to make it out to be. Some questionable booking decisions? Absolutely, but the event had some bright spots, and this is coming from me. I barely watch WWE because of how god-awful it has been for a while, and I enjoy the birth of AEW, but at the end of the day, I’ll call a spade a spade: The event wasn’t as bad as you might think. Give it a watch if you have time, especially the earlier matches I mentioned. They were bright spots for me. The Fiend is also not “buried” in my opinion, and lastly, I know I may have left out some matches, but I simply wanted to showcase some bright spots, and give my own thoughts on the event. Oh, and as an honorable mention, Chad Gable vs King Corbin was actually a “feel good” moment kind of match for me. Give it a watch, even though the whole “shorty” and “short” jokes towards Gable is ridiculous, being as the company has guys shorter than him. But, I liked Gable winning the match. 🤷‍♂️