This Sunday, live from WWE’s ThunderDome arena, WWE presents the twelfth annual Hell in a Cell pay-per-view event, with the pay-per-view debuting back in 2009. The Hell in a Cell match made its debut in WWE all the way back in 1997, with Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker being the first two to step inside Satan’s Structure, which I will get to. The match is paramount to many memorable moments in the WWE over the past twenty-three years with the main one, being used a lot in reels for the match, being when The Undertaker threw Mankind from the top of the cell during their infamous Hell in a Cell match at King of the Ring back in 1998. In this piece, I review some of the top matches, even including the scariest falls from the matches.
NO WAY OUT 2000
TITLE VS. CAREER WWF CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
TRIPLE H (C) VS. CACTUS JACK
Before the match even started, Cactus Jack went to the outside and noticed the number of locks on the cell door, giving Triple H an opportunity to cheap shot him from out of nowhere but Jack saw him coming and hit him with a few strikes before moving into the ring. Triple H went right after Jack as he got back into the ring, which began a battle of strikes between the two, with Jack taking the champion down.
Another strike sent Triple H into the corner, with more strikes sending him to the mat once again. He then began shoving Triple H’s head into the mat repeatedly. An Irish whip into the corner from Jack was immediately followed up by a jumping forearm, taking the champion down to the mat once again. Cactus Jack rolls out of the ring and starts shaking and kicking the cell door, obviously trying to figure a way out of the cell.
A diving attack from Triple H is met with a strike to the midsection from Jack. He followed it up by bouncing Hunter’s head off the steel steps. After raking the eyes of the champion, Jack then sent him into the cell wall, following it up with another strike. Jack attempted to rake Triple H’s face across the cell wall but Hunter escaped it, with a low blow.
Triple H bounces Jack’s head off the apron and gets back into the ring, beating Jack down in the corner with multiple punches. Jack takes Triple H down with a clothesline as he comes out of the corner. Jack hits Triple H with a kick to the midsection and Irish whips him across the ring, only for the champion to come back and hit a facebuster variant, sending Jack back into the ropes.
Jack sends Triple H over the top rope to the floor below when Hunter attempted a clothesline. Cactus Jack retrieves a steel chair from under the ring, but Triple H kicks him low to avoid being hit with it, sending Jack into the cell wall. Jack attempted to take the chair into the ring, but Triple H hits him with a knee, sending him back first into the cell wall.
Triple H continued the attack on the outside, hitting Jack with a strike and then sending him flying over the steel steps. Triple H then threw Jack face-first into the turnbuckle. Triple H then picked up the steel steps and, once Jack got to his feet, Triple H launched them at his head. Triple H then placed the steps onto Cactus Jack and proceeded to hammer down chair shots onto the steps.
Triple H continued the attack with the steel chair, hitting Cactus twice as he made his way back into the ring. Jack ran at Triple H, only for Hunter to drop him with another chair shot right to the face, getting a two-count. Triple H drops Cactus Jack with a DDT, trying three pinfall attempts, only for Jack to kick out all three times. Jack baited Triple H in with the steel chair but hit him with a strike to the midsection. Jack then used the chair to hit Triple H low, following it up with a double-arm DDT on the chair, getting a two-count.
Cactus Jack continued the attack by hitting Triple H with a Russian Leg Sweep onto the steel chair, getting another two-count. After trading strikes back-and-forth, Cactus Jack corners Triple H, raining down punches on him in the corner, making Triple H sit onto the steel chair Jack placed there. Triple H avoided an attack from Jack in the corner, by tripping him, sending him face-first into the steel chair, getting another two-count on the attempted pinfall.
As Jack got back to his feet, Triple H clotheslined him over the top rope. On the outside, Triple H continued the assault by bouncing Jack’s head off the cell wall. Triple H attempted a piledriver on the steel steps, only for Jack to avoid it and catapult him into the cell wall. Jack then sent Triple H into the cell wall again, following it up with multiple strikes. Cactus Jack then began grating Triple H’s face on the cell wall.
Cactus Jack threw Triple H into the cell wall once again, hitting him with strikes and headbutts. Jack then retrieved the steel chair, and, with it in his hand, he climbed to the top turnbuckle. Jack then dived off the top rope, with the chair landing on Triple H’s face. Jack attempted to throw the steel steps at Triple H, only for the champion to move and the steps hit the cell wall, slightly breaking through it.
Cactus Jack then ran through the cell wall, breaking through it, making it easy to escape from. Jack continued the attack on the champion, by launching Triple H through the steel wall, throwing him on top of the announce table. Cactus Jack then hit Triple H with a piledriver on the announce table. Cactus Jack then began climbing the cell wall, but Stephanie McMahon held onto his feet, preventing him from going far.
Jack struck Triple H with a right hand and then retrieved a 2×4 wrapped in barbed wire from the timekeeper’s area. Triple H tried to escape through the crowd but Jack prevented him from doing so and then hit Triple H right in the face with the 2×4. Triple H then began scaling to the top of the cell, with Foley, along with the 2×4, following him.
As Jack was climbing, Triple H was hitting him with strikes and then began raking Jack’s face with the barbed wire. He then stood on Jack’s fingers, making him lose his balance and fall from the cell wall right through the announce table. Jack attempted to throw steel chairs onto the top of the cell but none of them reached the roof. As Jack got to the top of the cell, Triple H continued beating him down with the barbed wire covered 2×4.
Jack and Triple H then began fighting on the top of the cell, with Triple H almost falling through the corner of the cell. Jack hit Triple with a suplex. Jack dropped Triple H with a double-armed DDT on the top of the cell. Jack then set the 2×4 on fire and then hit Triple H in the face with it. Jack went for a piledriver on the top of the cell, but Triple H avoided it and threw Jack over his shoulders, sending him crashing through the roof and through the ring below. Triple H then dropped down into the ring. After two strikes from Triple H, trying to keep Jack down, the champion finally hit the Pedigree, getting the three-count to win the match and retain the WWE Championship.
A very brutal match, with Cactus Jack, even going through the cell roof. A great Hell in a Cell match, using the environment to their advantage. This match was promoted as Jack’s final match if he could not win but Linda McMahon brought him back not long after No Way Out to add him to the WrestleMania match. The crowd was really hot for the match, too, an incredible way to end No Way Out.
ARMAGEDDON 2000
WWF CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
KURT ANGLE (C) VS. THE UNDERTAKER VS. TRIPLE H VS. STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN VS. RIKISHI VS. THE ROCK
Before Stone Cold entered the cell, he attacked Kurt Angle, who was on the outside and dragged him into Satan’s structure. Austin pushed Angle right into a strike from Undertaker, with Triple H meeting him at the door. Austin then began firing off his own strikes on The Game. Undertaker and Austin were both beating down Triple H and Kurt Angle in respective corners of the cell, while Rikishi and The Rock were fighting in the ring.
Austin prevented Triple H from getting back into the ring by continually pushing him into the cell wall. The Rock and Rikishi made their way to the outside too, with Rikishi pushing Rock into the cell wall. All six participants were all fighting on the outside, with Triple H and Austin in one corner, The Rock and Rikishi in another, and The Undertaker and Kurt Angle also fighting on the outside.
Angle shoved Undertaker back into the ring, with Taker quickly taking over and sending the champion into the corner. flooring him with a clothesline. Taker then dropped Angle with a hard right hand, getting a two-count on the first pinfall attempt of the match. The Undertaker then sent Angle back into the corner, hot shotting him off the middle rope. Taker then hit Angle with an elbow.
Rikishi and The Rock made their way back into the ring, with Rikishi beating Rock down, until Rock avoided a punch, with a strike of his own. Rikishi sent Rock into the ropes, only for The People’s Champion to take him down with a leaping clothesline, with Rikishi rolling out of the ring. Kurt Angle got Taker down on the floor, booting him into the cell.
Triple H and Austin were battling in the ring, with Hunter taking Austin out with a jumping knee. Triple H attempted a clothesline but Austin ducked it, taking Hunter down with the Lou Thesz Press, following it up with an elbow drop, getting a two-count. Austin then began choking Triple out with the middle rope, following it up with a hip attack, getting another two-count.
Angle and Rock joined Austin and Triple H in the ring, with Hunter taking Austin down with a high knee, while Angle choked Rock in the corner. Triple H then began working on Austin’s knees using the ring post. The Rock ducked a strike from Angle, hitting him with a few of his own and then dropped him with a Samoan Drop, getting a two-count on the defending champion.
Rock attempted to keep control until Angle took him down with a back elbow. Undertaker dragged the middle rope down, causing Angle to fall out of the ring, and began raining down strikes on the champion, punching him right into the cell wall. Both men got into the ring and then Taker threw Angle to the outside. Triple H suplexes Austin on the outside, with The Undertaker continuing the attack on Kurt Angle with back-to-back strikes.
Rikishi then began raining down right hands on The Rock, with Rock coming back with a few strikes of his own. Rock attempted to send Rikishi into the cell wall, only for Kish to avoid it and send Rock back first into the cell wall himself. Taker hit Triple H with multiple strikes, while Angle hit Rikishi with a baseball slide, sending him back first into the cell wall. Angle then bounced Rikishi’s head off the steel steps.
Austin then began stomping on Triple H. Taker hit Rikishi with a right hand, while Austin began raking Triple H’s face on the cell wall, bouncing him off the cell wall. Austin continues the attack with multiple strikes and then going back to raking Hunter’s face using the cell wall, sending Triple H into the cell wall, sending him to the ground. Austin then sent Hunter into the ring.
As Austin was attempting to get into the ring, Rikishi hit him with a leg drop. Kish then helped Triple H up to his feet, seemingly forming an alliance between the two, until Triple H hit him with a Pedigree, getting a close two-count, as The Rock made the save. Rock hits Triple H with multiple strikes, sends him into the ropes, only for Triple H to attempt an attack. Rock dodged it and then dropped Hunter with a DDT, getting a two-count, with Kurt Angle making the save.
Rock tried to keep momentum on his side, hitting Angle with strikes but Angle quickly took over, hitting an Angle Slam, which got him a two-count, with Austin making the save this time. Austin didn’t waste any time as he dropped Angle with a Stunner. The Undertaker broke up the pinfall at two, with Austin going straight at him, only for Taker to catch him by the throat and nail Austin with a huge Chokeslam, getting a two-count, with Triple H breaking it up this time.
Hunter dragged Taker to the outside, only to be dropped with a hard right hand. Taker then launched Hunter into opposite sides of the cell wall. Taker, once again, launched Triple H into the cell wall, using the steel steps as a launchpad this time. Taker continued to throw Triple H into the cell wall.
Austin took Rikishi down with a huge clothesline and then began the attack on Undertaker, clotheslining him over the top rope. Austin was then dropped with a clothesline from Rikishi but got back into it by taking Kish down with a Lou Thesz Press in the middle of the ring. Vince McMahon, Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco were then shown on the back of a truck, parking it as close to the cell as they could.
Taker continued the assault on Austin, sending him into the cell wall. The truck that Vince brought down to ringside was then used to completely rip off the cell door. Rikishi looked as though he was about to attempt a Stinkface, only for The Rock to take him down with a huge clothesline. With Vince attempting to bring the entire cell down, Commissioner Mick Foley made an appearance, striking Patterson and Brisco. Security then escorted Vince from the arena.
Austin attacked Triple H from behind as he was attempting to leave, bouncing Triple H’s head off a car on the stage, as it was part of the set-up. Austin then bounced a camera off Hunter’s knee. The Rock, Rikishi and Kurt Angle all made their way to the stage as well, with The Undertaker following. Austin bounced Triple H’s head off the construction truck, continuing the assault on Hunter until he sent Austin face-first through the truck window.
The Rock began raining down strikes on Triple H at ringside, with him leading Triple H up towards the stage, on top of one of the cars. Rock attempted a Rock Bottom, only for Triple H to hit him with a low blow. Triple H then hit The Rock with a Pedigree on top of one of the cars. Austin then began attacking Rikishi, sending him onto the hood of another car. Triple H continued the attack on Rock, raining down strikes on him.
The Undertaker then bodyslammed Angle onto the hood of another car on the stage. Triple H then began the attack on Angle and The Undertaker, both bouncing their heads of two cars on the stage. Austin then catapulted Triple H onto a windshield of one of the cars on the stage. Taker and Rock began making their way back to ringside, with Undertaker dropping Rock with a strike.
Taker and Angle then began trading rights and lefts. Austin attempted to completely take out Triple H with a barrel but Hunter moved out of the way just in time. Austin then bounced Hunter’s head off the barrel twice. Taker then bounced Angle’s head right off the ring bell. He then began choking Angle out with the microphone wire. Rikishi bounced The Rock’s face off the cell wall.
Angle got back into it by hitting Taker with strikes and then nailing him with a hard chair shot right off the skull. Angle kept the attack going, raining down strikes on The Deadman. Triple H and Stone Cold then began scaling the cell, climbing to the top. Undertaker then threw Angle over the barricade and began attacking him in the crowd, while Austin climbed up to the top of the cell.
Austin and Triple H then began trading strikes back-and-forth. Kurt Angle then began climbing the cell. Austin dropped Triple H with a Stunner, while The Undertaker began climbing to the cell himself. Austin took Angle down with a right hand and then began stomping on him. Undertaker hit Triple H with a strike, sending him onto the cell roof floor. Taker then rammed Angle’s head into the steel support beam of the cell.
Undertaker then began raking Angle’s face into the cell roof, busting him open. Triple H tried to climb down from the cell, with Austin going after him to stop him from escaping. Rikishi then began climbing up the cell, with The Rock trying to keep up with him. The Undertaker then convinced the timekeeper to throw a steel chair onto the roof, nailing ANgle right in the head with it. Rikishi then hit Taker in the back with the chair. He then began attacking both men with the steel chair.
Rikishi then began choking Taker out with the steel chair. Rikishi chased after Angle with the chair, only for Kurt to escape and climb down from the cell. Taker then began hitting Rikishi with right hands on the top of the cell. Taker and Rikishi began trading headbutts, with a Kish headbutt sending Taker to his knees.
Taker got back into it by hitting Rikishi with back-to-back strikes, until Taker hit him with a Chokeslam from the top of the cell, landing in the truck, incapacitating him. Austin and Rock then began trading off strikes, with Rock avoiding a Stunner and dropping Austin with a Spinebuster. Triple H took out Rock with a flying elbow as The Rock was setting up for The People’s Elbow.
Rock avoided a strike from Triple H with one of his own. Rock then began attacking Triple H with multiple strikes, ending with one, sending him over the top rope. Angle charged at Rock, only to get caught and hit with a Rock Bottom, with Rock getting a two-count, due to Austin breaking up the pinfall. Austin then dropped The Rock with a Stunner, with Triple H stopping him from getting a pinfall attempt, reversing another Stunner into a neckbreaker. What nobody noticed though, was Kurt Angle crawling towards The Rock, getting the three-count and the victory after draping his arm over the People’s Champion, retaining the WWE Championship. Post-match, Angle didn’t have much time to celebrate as Austin dropped him with a Stunner.
This match was pure chaos. All six men took full advantage of their surroundings as the cell was used by every single man in this contest. Angle took advantage of Triple H preventing Austin from hitting another Stunner, by pinning The Rock to walk away with the title. An incredible Hell in a Cell match, and still, to this day, the only six-man Armageddon Cell match.
BAD BLOOD 2003
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
TRIPLE H (C) VS. KEVIN NASH WITH MICK FOLEY AS GUEST REFEREE
Triple H starts the match off with a kick to the midsection of Nash, only to run right into a big boot. Nash then threw the champion out of the ring. Hunter prevented Nash from throwing him into the cell wall and rolled back into the ring. Triple H hit him with a strike, with Nash taking him down to the mat with one of his own. Nash hit Triple H with another strike and then hit him with an elbow, with Triple H hung up on the top rope. Hunter then escaped the clutches of Nash by hitting him with a hotshot on the top rope.
Nash backed into the turnbuckle and Triple H took full advantage, going straight after him, raining down right hands on Nash in the corner. Nash shoved Triple H backwards, sending him crashing into Mick Foley. Nash then pushed the champion into the corner and began hitting him with back elbows and knees in the corner. Nash sent Hunter into the ropes, hitting him with another back elbow and then clotheslined him over the top rope.
Nash then shoulder blocked Triple H back first into the ring post. Nash then sent Triple H back first into the cell wall, continuing the attack with a strike. Nash continued to send Triple H back first into the cell wall, bouncing his head off the apron. Nash sent Triple H into the cell wall again, then launched him over his shoulders with a back body drop, sending him crashing into the hard floor below.
Nash then threw Hunter back into the ring and began the attack, once again, in the corner. Nash sent Hunter hard into the turnbuckle and dropped him with a sidewalk slam, getting a two-count. Nash then dropped two big elbow drops onto the champion, getting another two-count. Kevin Nash then went under the ring and retrieved a steel chair, hitting Triple H low with it, following it up with a hard shot to the back of the champion.
Nash hit Hunter with another strike and then began pushing Triple H back first into the cell wall. Nash then sent Triple H hard into the steel steps. Nash then picks up the steel steps but Triple H only just moves out of the way, sending the steps into the cell wall. Triple H then quickly takes over, sending Nash head-first into the other steel steps. Hunter hit Nash with a few more strikes until Nash hit him with a kick and attempted a Jackknife Powerbomb on the floor, but Hunter quickly escaped it, raining down more strikes on the challenger.
Triple H then retrieved a toolbox from underneath the ring. He attempted to hit Nash with the lid of the toolbox, only for the challenger to avoid it, taking Triple H down to his knees with some hard strikes. When Nash attempted to continue the attack on Triple H, the champion grabbed a hammer and hit Big Sexy in the knee with it. The champion then hit Nash in the head with the hammer.
Foley took the hammer away from Triple H, which provoked a shove from the champion. Foley pushed Triple H right back, sending him to the mat, warning him not to mess with Foley. Nash got back up onto the apron, but Triple H met him right there, raining down right hands on Big Sexy. Triple H then began raking Nash’s face using the cell wall, bouncing Nash’s head off the steel steps.
Triple H continued the assault, once again sending Nash into the cell wall, raking Nash’s face on the wall once more. Triple H brought a screwdriver into the ring and attempted to use it on the head of Nash but Kevin prevented the champion from doing so until Hunter kicked him in the midsection. Triple H then began using the screwdriver on Nash’s head, opening him up even more than he already was.
Triple H then went back under the ring once more and brought out a 2×4 wrapped in barbed wire and he hit Nash in the midsection with it. Hunter attempted another shot with the 2×4, but Nash avoided it by hitting him with a big right hand. Nash hit the champion with another right hand, sending him to the mat. Nash then picked up the 2×4 wrapped in barbed wire, taking Triple H out with a shot in between the eyes.
Nash then secured the 2×4 wrapped in barbed wire on one of the top turnbuckles. Nash continued the attack at a different corner, hitting the champion with strikes before sending him over to the opposite corner and hit him with two big clotheslines. Nash then lifted Triple H up and dropped him face-first onto the barbed wire in the corner. Nash only got a two-count on the attempted pinfall.
Nash then went to the outside and threw the steel steps into the ring. Triple H rolled out of the ring before Nash could get to him and took Kevin out, breaking a wooden crate across his head. Triple H then retrieved the sledgehammer from under the ring, only for Foley to take it away from him. Triple H punched Foley and attempted to attack Nash with the steel steps, only for Nash to trip him with a drop toe hold, with Hunter landing face first onto the steps, getting Nash a two-count.
Nash attempted to hit Triple H with a steel chair, only for Hunter to kick him in the surgically repaired quadricep, sending Nash to the mat. Triple H then hit Nash with a steel chair, following it up with a hard chair shot to the referee, Mick Foley, before collapsing to the mat himself. Foley got up, putting Mr. Socko on his hand and then locked Triple H in the Mandible Claw until Triple H hit him low with a kick.
Nash picked up the steel steps and attempted to hit Triple H with them, only for the champion to push Foley in the way, with Nash inadvertently taking out the referee. Nash went for a pinfall but Foley couldn’t count it due to being incapacitated. Foley rolled out to the apron, with Nash attempting to help him recuperate, only for Triple H to attack Nash from behind, pushing him into Foley, sending the referee hard into the cell wall.
Triple H then attempted to hit Nash with a Pedigree, only for the challenger to avoid it and catapult the champion into the barbed wire covered corner. Nash then nailed Triple H with a huge Jackknife Powerbomb, only getting a two-count. As Nash attempted to get Hunter back up to his feet, Triple H grabbed and then struck, Nash with the sledgehammer. Triple H then dropped Nash with the Pedigree, getting the three-count and the victory to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.
An incredible match, full of gore and chaos. Glad to see no Evolution interference but it became a bit of overkill with the number of weapons used and the number of times Triple H or Kevin Nash took out referee Mick Foley. One of the underrated Cell matches in my opinion and a brutal way to end the Triple H/Nash rivalry.
SUMMERSLAM 2008
THE UNDERTAKER VS. EDGE
The Undertaker began the match by stalking Edge and going to hit him but Edge ducked, backed him into the corner and began raining down strikes on the Deadman. Undertaker pushed him off and then lifted him and dropped him into the corner. Undertaker missed another strike, with Edge taking over once again.
Edge attempted to start the ten punches in the corner but Taker pushed him off again and then dropped him with a vicious big boot. The Undertaker then sent Edge back into the corner, hitting him with a few strikes before sending the Rated R Superstar over the top rope. Taker picked Edge up and forced him back-first into the cell wall. Taker then began headbutting Edge down to the floor. He then began raking Edge’s face on the cell door. Undertaker then sent Edge right into the steel steps.
The Undertaker then dropped a huge leg drop on Edge. The Undertaker then pushed the steel steps into the ring and set it up in the corner. He then dropped Edge onto the steel steps with his snake eyes manoeuvre, only for Edge to hit him with a back elbow when Taker tried to hit the big boot. Edge then sent The Deadman into the steel steps. Edge then hit Taker with a low dropkick, once again, driving Taker’s back into the steel steps. Edge didn’t stop there as he hit Taker with a Spear, once again, into the steel steps.
Edge went to the outside and introduced a table into the match. Edge then, once again, hit The Undertaker with the steel steps. Edge went back to the outside and introduced a second table. Edge took Taker down with a clothesline and then went to the outside, setting up the tables at ringside, with one on top of the other.
Edge hit Taker with a strike, while on the apron and attempted to suplex him through the tables on the outside but Taker avoided it by grabbing Edge by the throat. Edge escaped a potential Chokeslam, with a Hotshot off the top rope. Edge then retrieved a steel chair from under the ring and hit Taker with it. He continued the attack with the steel chair, hitting Taker in the back with it.
Edge retrieved another table from under the ring. When Edge got back into the ring, he hit Taker with another chair shot. Edge was not done introducing weapons to the match, bringing out a ladder from under the ring. Taker looked ready to fight but Edge took him down once more with another chair shot to the face. Edge then set up a ladder in the ring. Edge then, once again, hit The Undertaker with another chair shot.
Edge then set up The Undertaker on the table in the ring. Edge then climbed to the top of the ladder, with a chair in hand and jumped off, putting The Undertaker through the table, getting a two-count. Edge retrieved another chair and attempted to hit Undertaker with a conchairto, only for Taker to catch him by the throat and push him back. He then took Edge down with a strike.
The Undertaker then sent Edge back first into the cell wall with a big boot off the apron. Taker then nailed Edge in the side of the head with the steel steps. Taker lifts Edge up but is reversed, as Edge pushes him shoulder-first into the steel ring post. Edge dives off the steel steps, spearing Taker, imploding one of the cell walls. Taker and Edge continue their battle with strikes.
Taker bounces Edge’s head off the announce table. He then sends Edge back-first right into the barricade. The Undertaker attempted to hit Edge with a TV monitor but Edge ducked and began raining down strikes on The Deadman. Edge then takes out Undertaker with a TV monitor, following it up with another. Edge then hit Taker with a strike, sending him onto the Spanish announce table. Edge then got onto the RAW announce table, ran at The Undertaker and Speared him, sending him right through the announce table.
Undertaker and Edge then began trading off strikes, sending Edge back inside the Cell structure, with Edge rolling back into the ring. As The Undertaker got back into the ring, Edge dropped him with a ladder strike. Edge then took Taker down once more by nailing him with a camera off the skull, getting only a two-count. Edge attempted a Spear but got caught with a Chokeslam, with Taker only getting a two-count.
The Undertaker looked as though he was about to attempt the Last Ride, but Edge low-blowed him to avoid it. Edge then dropped The Undertaker with the Edgecution, getting another two-count. Taker sat up and hit Edge with a strike and then a body shot. Taker then set up Edge for the Last Ride, looked over at the two tables on the outside and attempted to put him through them, only for Edge to jump out of the Last Ride and hit another Spear on Taker, getting another two-count.
Edge continued to hit Taker with right hands until Taker caught him and dropped him with the Last Ride out of the corner, getting another two-count. The Undertaker moved the steel steps into the ring and dragged Edge onto them. He then lifted Edge, attempting to hit a Tombstone Piledriver but Edge reversed it, hitting a neckbreaker right onto the steel ring steps, with the Rated R Superstar getting another two-count.
Edge continued the attack on Undertaker, hitting him with hard right hands. Edge then added insult to injury, attempting to hit Old School, only for Taker to crotch him on the top turnbuckle. Taker then hit him with an uppercut and grabbed him by the throat and sent him crashing through the tables on the outside. When Taker and Edge got back into the ring, The Deadman hit Edge with a Spear of his own. He then cracked the camera over the skull of Edge. The Undertaker then hit Edge with a Conchairto. Taker then hit Edge with a Tombstone Piledriver to get the pinfall and the victory over Edge inside Satan’s Structure.
The beatdown did not end there, though, as, when it looked as though Taker would leave after winning the match, he returned to the ring and set up a ladder. He lifted Edge up into the Last Ride, placing him onto the ladder. Taker then retrieved another ladder and set it up right next to the ladder with Edge on it. Taker then grabbed Edge by the throat and Chokeslammed him right through the ring.
When it comes to personal rivalries, Edge and The Undertaker had one of them. The match had The Undertaker do to Edge exactly what Edge had done to him in the months prior, with The Undertaker ending the rivalry by sending Edge right to Hell. An incredible match and one of the best non-title Cell matches I have ever seen.
HELL IN A CELL 2009
D-GENERATION X (TRIPLE H AND SHAWN MICHAELS) VS. THE LEGACY (CODY RHODES AND TED DIBIASE)
The match started early as Legacy attacked D-Generation X during their entrance. Rhodes hit Triple H with continuous punches, while DiBiase sent Michaels into the barricade. All four competitors then began brawling outside the cell. Triple H clotheslined DiBiase over the announce table. Triple H and Shawn Michaels then began double-teaming Cody Rhodes. DX double suplex onto Cody onto the SmackDown announce table.
DiBiase then got back into the match, jumping out and pushing Triple H into the cell, clotheslining Michaels down. DiBiase then sent Triple H into the crowd, raining down strikes on The Game. DiBiase then suplexed him back to the ringside area. Michaels continued the attack on Cody, sending him hard into the barricade, while Triple H and Ted DiBiase brawled into the crowd.
HBK sent Cody into the crowd as well, with Cody running at HBK, only for Shawn to back body drop him back to ringside, with Cody’s knee bouncing off the cell. As Michaels attempted to get back to ringside, Cody attacked his knee with the chain that’s normally used to lock the cell door. Cody then ran up to the stage and took Triple H out with a chain to the skull.
Legacy then hit Triple H with a double DDT on the Hell in a Cell stage. Cody then nailed Triple H with the Cross Rhodes on the steel stage. Rhodes and DiBiase then made their way back down to ringside, with DiBiase kicking Michaels’ arm. They then started double-teaming HBK, slamming the cell door onto Michaels’ knee. Rhodes then retrieved the chain and locked the cell door, leaving HBK in the cell on his own with both members of The Legacy, with the referee, finally, officially ringing the bell for the start of the match.
Rhodes and DiBiase continue to beat down Michaels, with Ted taking Michaels out with a huge boot to Michaels’ skull. Legacy then took HBK out once more with a combo taking out Michaels’ knee. Cody attempted a pin but only got a two-count. Cody continued the attack by raining down fists onto the top of HBK’s skull. DiBiase then continued the assault on Shawn’s knee by lifting and dropping it on the mat, following it up with two back-to-back knee breakers. Michaels escaped a third by taking Cody down with an Enzigiri.
DiBiase then regained control and cornered Michaels, with Cody smashing Shawn’s leg against the ring post. Michaels tried to get back into it slightly by grabbing a chair from under the ring and launching it at Cody’s face. DiBiase didn’t take too kindly to that and bounced HBK’s face off the cell wall. Michaels prevented DiBiase from continuing the attack by tripping him face-first into the cell wall. Cody took over and catapulted Michaels into the cell wall.
Cody attempted to catapult Michaels into the cell wall but HBK gripped onto the wall and took Cody down with a dive from the wall, only for DiBiase to blindside him and beat him down on the floor, all while Triple H was locked on the outside of the cell door. DiBiase rolled Michaels into the ring but Michaels continued to fight back, dodging an attack from DiBiase, who inadvertently took out Cody, sending him back first into the cell wall.
HBK hit DiBiase with an atomic drop, following it up with a chop. Michaels takes down DiBiase with a flying forearm, all while Triple H was trying his best to get inside the cell, even attempting to climb it. Michaels then dropped DiBiase with a Sweet Chin Music. Cody interrupted the pinfall attempt by dragging Michaels to the outside and hitting him with a chair shot to the back.
Rhodes continued the attack with a big stomp to the chest of Michaels. Triple H attempted to bust the padlock on the door by hitting it repeatedly with a steel chair. Cody then hit Michaels with a powerbomb right into the cell wall. DiBiase then hit Michaels with a powerbomb into the cell wall. Triple H then began walking to the back. Cody then began beating Michaels down with punches in the corner of the cell. DiBiase then continued the assault on Michaels back, pushing him into the cell wall and the steel ring post.
Legacy then rolled Michaels back into the ring. Michaels attempted to fight back, hitting DiBiase and flooring Cody. It didn’t last long though, as DiBiase floored Michaels with a clothesline. Cody then held a chair into HBK’s face with DiBiase dropkicking the chair right into Shawn’s face. Rhodes and DiBiase then continued the attack, with Cody locking a figure four variant while using the steel ring post.
Triple H then returned to ringside with bolt cutters, breaking the lock and finally getting into the cell while DiBiase hit Michaels with the Million Dollar Dream onto a steel chair. Triple H took out Cody with a high knee after a missed clothesline and then threw Cody into DiBiase. He then hit Rhodes with a Spinbuster onto a steel chair. Triple H attempted a Pedigree on Cody, only for DiBiase to make the save, with Michaels taking DiBiase down and then sending Ted over the top rope.
Triple H prevented another referee from locking the cell door, taking the chain from him and hitting DiBiase in the skull with it. Triple H pushed DiBiase back first into the cell wall and then dropped him with a Pedigree on the floor. HBK then dragged DiBiase outside of the cell, and threw the bolt cutters into the ring. Triple H then locked the door, keeping DiBiase out of the cell.
Triple H nailed Cody with a Spinebuster. He then wrapped a steel chair around Cody’s neck, with Michaels hitting a diving elbow drop onto the chair. Hunter then pulled out old faithful from under the ring: his trusted sledgehammer. DX then hit Cody with a Sweet Chin Music and a sledgehammer shot to the skull simultaneously, with Michaels scoring the pinfall victory for D-Generation X. HBK dropped DiBiase with a Sweet Chin Music as he got back into the ring following the cell being raised.
An incredible match, with this personal rivalry reaching new heights inside Satan’s Structure. Shawn Michaels did very well to persevere when stuck inside the structure on his own. Definitely one of the most personal, and underrated, Cell matches in the history of the match.
HELL IN A CELL 2017
FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE HELL IN A CELL MATCH
KEVIN OWENS VS. SHANE MCMAHON
The match began as Owens was getting into the ring, with Shane taking him down from the apron and outside the cell. McMahon attacked Owens with strikes and knees, before sending him into the barricade. McMahon then continued to hit Owens with strikes until Owens pushed him away, getting some strikes in of his own. That did not last long as McMahon came back with strikes, before kicking the back leg of Owens, sending him to the ground.
Owens avoided another attack from Shane by pushing him back first into the cell wall, following it by throwing him into the barricade. Shane then jumped off the barricade, taking Owens down with a leaping clothesline. Shane continued the attack, hitting Owens with strikes and taking Owens down with a high kick. Owens kicked back at McMahon and then entered the cell, holding onto the door to prevent Shane from following him in. McMahon bicycle kicked the steel fencing into the face of Kevin Owens.
While Shane was attempting to get into the ring, Owens saw him coming and pushed him back first off the apron into the cell wall. He continued the assault by launching him into the cell wall once more. Owens continued the assault, stomping him on the ground. Owens then began grinding Shane’s face into the cell. Kevin then sent Shane back first into the steel stairs.
Owens didn’t let up, choking Shane out with his foot. Owens then dragged the steel steps into place, only for Shane to hit him with kicks and sent him into the ring. Owens quickly took over as Shane got back into the ring, standing on Shane’s head. Owens continued the assault, raining down strikes on McMahon, eventually sending Shane to the mat with a boot to the side of the face. Owens then, once again, stood on Shane’s head.
Owens dropped McMahon with a clothesline and quickly followed it up with a standing senton, getting only a two. Owens hits Shane with a strike in the corner, with McMahon hitting Owens with one back. Owens then dropped Shane with a headbutt, using his foot to push him into a seated position in the corner. Owens then nailed McMahon with a cannonball senton, getting a two-count.
Owens went to the top rope and then attempted a Swanton Bomb, only for Shane to get the knees up. McMahon then corned Kevin, hitting him with multiple strikes and body shots. Shane then dropped Owens with a leaping back elbow. McMahon continued the attack by hitting Owens with lefts and rights, before kicking Owens backwards into the corner.
Kevin prevented Shane from doing whatever he planned on, by hitting him with a back elbow.
McMahon then dropped Owens with a float-over DDT. Shane then climbed to the top rope but missed a Shooting Star Press. Owens then went to the top rope himself and hit Shane with a Frog Splash, getting a two-count. Owens attempted an early Pop-Up Powerbomb but Shane avoided it by locking Owens into an armbar, transitioning it into a triangle choke, with Kevin escaping it by rolling out of the ring.
Shane kicked Owens into the cell wall and then locked Owens back into the triangle choke. Owens escaped that by dropping Shane with a powerbomb on the steel ring stairs, with Kevin getting a two-count on the attempted pinfall. Owens continued the attack, stomping on Shane. Owens then retrieved a table from underneath the ring. Owens set up the table using the cell wall. Owens popped up Shane on the table and then made his way to the apron. Owens attempted a Cannonball but Shane moved out of the way, with Kevin going through the table, with Shane getting a two-count.
McMahon smashed one piece of the broken table over the back of Owens twice. He then retrieved a trash can and threw it into the ring, before hitting Owens with another piece of the table. McMahon beat down Owens in the corner, making sure he was in a seated position. He then picked up the trashcan and propped it against Owens’ face. Shane then nailed the Coast To Coast, dropkicking the trashcan right into Owens’ face, getting a two-count before the referee stopped counting due to Kevin Owens getting his foot on the bottom rope, although that makes no sense due to the Falls Count Anywhere stipulation added onto the Hell in a Cell match.
Shane demanded the referee open the door but was turned down. McMahon then retrieved bolt cutters from under the ring and broke the chain on the door. Shane hit Owens with two shots from the trashcan, with Owens stumbling out of the cell, crawling up to the ramp. Shane continued the attack with strikes until Owens hit Shane with a low-blow, following it up with a DDT on the solid steel ramp.
Owens then lifted up Shane and sent him midsection first into the cell door. Owens then raked Shane’s face across the cell wall on the outside. Owens continued the attack, kicking Shane while he was on the floor. Owens then cleared the Spanish announce table. Owens headbutted Shane, with McMahon falling backwards onto the announce table. Owens stood up on the barricade and stared down at Shane McMahon but then looked upwards towards the cell roof. Owens then began climbing to the top of the cell.
While Owens was decided whether or not to dive off the cell, Shane McMahon began climbing up to the roof himself. Owens saw Shane coming and began punching McMahon, trying to cause him to fall off the roof, but Shane reached the top. Owens and Shane began trading off strikes, with Shane taking Owens down with a Russian Leg Sweep. McMahon then bodyslammed Owens. Shane then suplexed Owens on the roof. Owens and Shane both got back to their feet at the same time, with Kevin dropping McMahon with a superkick. Owens then hit him with a standing senton.
Owens attempted a powerbomb, only for Shane to send him over his shoulder with a back body drop. Owens and Shane started striking each other back and forth. Owens then hit Shane with a Pop-Up Powerbomb. Owens attempted to throw Shane off the top of the cell but Shane avoided it by falling to the ground and then hitting Owens with strikes. After they traded a few strikes back-and-forth, Owens clotheslined McMahon down hard onto the steel roof.
Owens then began climbing down from the top of the cell, with Shane following. Shane bounced Owens’ head off the cell wall, sending him backwards, crashing through the Spanish announce table. Shane McMahon then cleared everything off the American announce table and dragged the lifeless body of Kevin Owens onto the table, headbutting Kevin. McMahon then climbed back to the top of the cell roof.
As Shane was coming off the cell roof, Sami Zayn pulled Kevin Owens off the announce table, sending Shane through it himself. Sami moved the EMTs out of the way so Zayn could drag Owens onto the lifeless body of McMahon, with Owens getting the three-count and the victory in the first-ever Hell in a Cell Falls Count Anywhere match.
An incredible match with such a personal touch to it, due to Owens’ attack on Vince. Adding Sami Zayn, due to his history with Kevin Owens, not only in WWE but also on the independent scene was a very good piece of storytelling. A great Hell in a Cell match and an ending that I did not see coming when I watched it live.
BADD BLOOD: IN YOUR HOUSE 1997
SHAWN MICHAELS VS. THE UNDERTAKER
The match began with The Undertaker stalking Shawn Michaels around ringside before Michaels charged at Taker but missed a clothesline, getting dropped with a big boot. Taker continues the attack by bouncing Shawn Michaels’ head off the turnbuckle three consecutive times. Taker sent Michaels into the ropes with an Irish whip and grabbed HBK by the throat but Shawn escaped it by hitting Taker with consecutive kicks and strikes.
Michaels cornered Taker with the strikes and continued the attack on The Deadman in the corner. Michaels attempted to send Taker into the other corner but Undertaker reversed it and sent him upside down in the corner, taking him down with a clothesline, getting a two-count. Taker then hit Michaels with three shoulder blocks, while wrenching on HBK’s arm. Taker then took Michaels down with Old School.
Taker floored Michaels with a headbutt, choking him out with his foot. Taker dropped Michaels with a bodyslam and then dropped a huge legdrop on the European Champion, getting a two-count. Taker then sent HBK into the ropes and sent him high up into the air with a back body drop. Undertaker attempted to clothesline Michaels over the top rope but Michaels ducked, only for Taker to avoid a punch from Shawn with a strike of his own.
Taker took Michaels down another two times with another two strikes. Taker then threw Michaels over the top rope, with his feet hitting the cell wall. Taker attempted to throw him into the cell wall but HBK avoided the impact, jumping up onto the wall, attempting to climb it, only for Undertaker to grab his tights and pull him off the wall.
Taker sent Michaels back-first into the cell wall and then took him down with a strike. Taker sent Michaels back-first into the cell again, taking him down with another strike. He continued the attack, bouncing Michaels’ head off the apron. Taker attempted a powerbomb, lifting him up, with Michaels attempting to hit Taker with a barrage of strikes only for The Undertaker to push him hard into the cell wall.
Taker then threw Michaels into the steel steps, with his arm hitting the ring post. Taker began hitting Michaels with lefts and rights. Taker punched Michaels into the cell and then lifted Michaels up, pushing him into the ring post and the cell wall. Taker attempted to send Michaels face-first into the cell wall, but HBK avoided it, pushing The Deadman into the cell himself, only for Taker to take HBK down again with another hard clothesline.
Taker bounced Michaels’ head off the steel steps, following it up with an elbow to the bridge of the nose. Taker then used his foot to choke out Michaels. Taker then sent Michaels back-first into the cell wall again and went to continue the attack, only for Michaels to dodge it and then pounce on Taker on the floor, raining down punches on The Deadman.
Michaels then rolled back into the ring, with Taker attempting to follow him back into the ring, only for Michaels to hit him with a few strikes. Taker took over by slingshotting Michaels backwards by hot shotting him off the ropes. Taker attempted to get back into the ring again, but Shawn pushed him off the apron, once again, sending him into the cell wall. Michaels then hit Taker with a Tope Suicida, pushing Taker into the cell wall once again. HBK then climbed the cell wall and dropped an elbow on The Undertaker.
Michaels got back onto the apron and took down Taker with a diving clothesline. Michaels then picked up part of the steel steps and hit Taker in the spine with them. Michaels nailed Taker with a piledriver right onto the steel steps. Michaels then stomped on Taker. Michaels then took to the top turnbuckle and dropped Taker with a double axe-handle. Taker rolled into the ring, but Michaels saw him coming and took him down with a hard strike.
Shawn then retrieved a steel chair from underneath the ring. He then cracked the chair off The Undertaker’s back. He ignored the referee’s request of putting the chair down by hitting Taker in the back with the chair once more, getting a two-count on the attempted pinfall. Michaels continued the attack when Taker returned to his feet, only for The Deadman to hit HBK with strikes of his own.
Michaels prevented Taker from gaining any momentum by wrapping up him in the ropes. Michaels continued the attack on Undertaker while he was tied up in the ropes until the referee put a stop to it. He attempted another attack but Taker hit him with a huge boot. He went for another strike but Taker sent him over the top rope, sending him crashing into the cameraman. Michaels then continued the attack on the cameraman at ringside.
Michaels sent Taker over the top rope, while Michaels pushed the cameraman onto the steel chair at ringside. Michaels took out Taker with a forearm in the ring. He dragged Undertaker into the middle of the ring and then nailed Taker with a diving elbow. Commissioner Slaughter then demanded that the referee open the cell door so that they could help the cameraman that Michaels attacked.
As the cameraman was being helped out of the cell, Michaels was setting up to hit The Undertaker with the Sweet Chin Music. Michaels hit it but Taker immediately sat up. Michaels then escaped the cell, with Undertaker following him. HBK dropkicked Taker into the cell wall but then Taker catapulted Michaels into the cell wall, face first, busting him wide open.
Taker then continued the attack by hitting Michaels with multiple strikes. He lifted HBK up and sent him face-first into the cell wall once again. Taker then launched Michaels face-first into the cell again. Before The Undertaker could do it again, Michaels hit him with a low blow. Michaels, battered and bloodied, began climbing to the top of the cell, kicking Taker who tried to stop him. The Undertaker then began following Michaels to the top of the cell.
Michaels attempted a piledriver but Taker avoided it with a back body drop. Taker then began grating Michaels’ face on the cell roof. Taker then picked Michaels up and dropped him back first onto the cell roof. Taker then punched Michael, sending him teetering on the edge. Michaels attempted to escape by climbing down from the cell, but Taker stood on both of his hands, sending him crashing right through the Spanish announce table.
Taker went right back after Michaels, launching him over the Canadian announce table. Taker then threw Michaels onto the broken announce table. Taker then dragged Michaels back inside the cell and threw HBK into the ring, while the referees locked the cell door once again. Taker took Michaels down with a clothesline. Taker then placed Michaels onto the top rope and hit him with a hard right hand. Taker then nailed Michaels with a huge chokeslam from the top rope.
The Undertaker brought a chair into the ring and cracked it right over Michaels’ head. Taker then signalled for the Tombstone but before he could hit it, the lights went out, with organ music playing. And then Vince made the infamous call of “THAT’S GOTTA BE KANE!” Kane then ripped the cell door off its hinges. He then sent Earl Hebner into the cell wall before stepping into the ring.
Kane and The Undertaker had a staredown in the middle of the ring until Kane signalled for fireworks to light up the turnbuckles with flames. Kane then hit The Undertaker with a Tombstone Piledriver, and then, with Paul Bearer, walked to the back. Michaels then crawled over to Undertaker, draped his arm over his chest and got the three-count and the victory.
An absolutely hectic match, with The Undertaker dominating the majority of it until the much-hyped debut of his brother Kane. Vince McMahon’s call, realising that Paul Bearer was leading Kane to the ring has to be one of the best commentaries calls for a debut that I’ve ever heard and it made the moment so much better. An incredible way to debut the Hell in a Cell match and Kane as a character, with him literally ripping the cell door off its hinges just to get into the ring.
With Hell In A Cell coming up this Sunday, with the total number of Cell matches reaching forty-five by the show’s conclusion, the cell match has always been used to settle a grudge. With it debuting back in 1997, each cell match since that time has only been used to settle grudges, even evolving into its own pay-per-view in 2009. All three cell matches this Sunday will involve rivalries that have become very personal over the past few months and I cannot wait to see what memorable moments the Cell will bring us in 2020.