10 years of Hell

[A.J.]

This match was ok though you had to like that WWE wanted to end the year 2000 on a solid match, which they were hoping that this be. Now the concept was nice have your top 6 guys( why Rikishi was top 6 beyond me) But anyhew overall nice match but it was hard to keep up with. One minute your with Austin/HHH then you go to Rock/Kish and then Angle/Taker. It was just hard to really focus on the match with some much action going around.

This match only got interesting for me when they went outside and got on top of the cell, but Rock didn't and that kinda shocked but you know he wouldn't risk it he is a pretty boy. But Taker throwing Rikishi off was to help him but more less ended his main event run and thank god they did.

Angle retaining was great now just cuase I like Kurt but it showed he could hang with guys like Rock/Taker/Austin/and Trips and not just some guy who couldn't cut it. But ok cell just wished there were not so many guys.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

Obviously this version of the cell match was the birth of the Elimination Chamber.

Man, I was all ready to take this match to task until you pointed this out. Dammit. I didn't think of it this way.

I didn't like this HIAC match, because I felt the HIAC should be a war between two men to settle a long standing score. None of these guys liked each other, but they also did not have nuclear heat with each other the way HHH and Foley did.

The Rikishi spot was cool, he impressed me there. Massive star power in this match, and Angle's win truly solidified him as the "it" guy in pro wrestling at the time.

 

[Shocky]

Judgment Day 2002: Chris Jericho vs. Triple H

After defeating Chris Jericho at WrestleMania X8 in 2002 for the WWF Undisputed Championship, Triple H would hold on to the title for a mere month before losing it to Hulk Hogan at Backlash 2002. Part of the reason for Triple H's loss was the interference from Chris Jericho (who was still angry about WrestleMania) and the #1 contender for the title, The Undertaker. It was decided that the next month, in May, Triple H and Chris Jericho would face in the Hell in the Cell in a WrestleMania rematch.

the highlights of the match included Triple H being bulldoged on a ladder, Triple H performing a drop toe hold causing Jericho to hit the steel ring steps, Tim White being accidentally knocked into the cage wall dislocating his shoulder,

and subsequently beaten bloody by Jericho, throwing him into the cage wall and punching him, and Jericho getting a DDT through the Spannish announce table. Following the DDT Triple H got a barbed-wire 2x4 and chased Jericho to the top of the cell. The two assaulted each other with the barbed-wire 2x4 until Triple H hit the pedigree and pin Jericho on top of the cell.

This is the only Hell in a Cell in which the pinfall was made (by Triple H) on top of the cage and the last Hell in a Cell match to date where the wrestlers would make their way to the top.

Tim White has only officiated one match ever since (That match being at WrestleMania XX during the Chris Jericho vs. Christian match

I'll start this by saying, I loved Judgment Day 2002. I know some of the matches were shit, but the names involved were huge. This card was stacked from top to bottom. Now that being said...

The feud needed this, but this pay per view didn't need this match. Let me explain. This should have happened at Backlash, but they let Triple H take the belt for one month and job to Hogan, which was blah, but okay I guess. It got the Undertaker a title run, so I'll not bash to hard. It was just weird to have a high profile feud with triple H and Jericho, take a month off, then come back with the Cell. These two had been feuding for the better part of two years, and it just seemed rushed, if that makes any sense.

The Cell seemed out of place with this pay per view as well. You had a pretty good pay per view going, which really didn't need the Cell to add buy rates. You had a helluva an opening match with RVD vs. Guerrero, a decent match with Stacy and Trish, Austin vs. Flair and Big Show (The What and Woo's being exchanged are hilarious. Kurt Angle losing a hair vs. hair match with Edge. And the main event, something I had been waiting a decade to see, a fully grown and dominate Undertaker beating the piss out of that bastard Hulk Hogan. I loved this pay per view. So what I'm saying is, the Feud needed this Cell match to end it, but this pay per view was stacked, so it kinda seems like the lost Hell in a Cell match.

Onto the match. I loved this match. It took the cell into a different direction. A different type of violence. We see the Ladder and the Stairs being used a ton. This cell pretty much made the Cell become a glorified Hardcore match, but the guys locked in a cage with each other. I didn't mind this direction the Cell was going in. There was no way you could risk superstars getting injured with overly dangerous bumps from the top, this simply was the best way to take these matches.

I think Jericho held himself up pretty well in this match. He was the small sneaky bastard heel, using hit and run tactics. Triple H dominated Jericho while he had him in this match. It sucks that Tim White's career ended to this match, (which would lay the ground work for the next year's cell match). It proves that the match is dangerous when a ref's career is ended.

The ending, was weird as hell to say the least. I thought that the Cell was designed to keep the guys in the ring and get a pinfall in the ring. Cell, keeps people from interfering and getting a solid ending to a feud, but pinfalls in the ring. Okay, sure it was cool to see the Pedigree, but the ref counted to three and I was like, what the fuck was that? Weird and dumb ending to a pretty solid match.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

This was a damn classic, and how appropo, Shock, that this match comes in on your thread in the midst of the Jericho return rumors.

The unfortunate thing here it, as much as I loved this match, it wasn't the best match in the HHH / Jericho feud. It wasn't even #2. It was maybe tied for third (#1 being the State College Screw Job, #2 is Last Man Standing, this is tied with X8) but still a showcase of two of the greatest wrestlers of the last 15 years.

Like Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon had once done, Jericho and HHH were able to take what was around them, get creative, and tell a story. HHH, the wronged hero, trying to once again defeat his nemesis. It was the Superman / Lex Luthor dichotomy. Jericho, capable of small victories over his heroic rival, makes it interesting before JUST losing at the end.

I agree with you, Shock, that the timing of the match was a bit off. But the point is - it happened. And when it did, it further advanced a fantastic feud.

 

[Memory Horizon]

This was my personal favorite Hell in a Cell. It showed us that you didn't need to go outside for it to be great. Of course, HHH and Jericho, two of the best workers, probably had something to do with it, but still. One of the commentators said that it was a Hardcore Match times ten, which it was. But with the cell it was just so much better.

I don't get why people complain about not going to the top of the cell when it's possible to do a great match INSIDE of it without horrific stunts. People would rather watch do a Jackie Chan stunt (probably not the best of comparisons) than watch a wrestling match, which is what it's supposed to be. It had its spots, but the spots didn't carry the match around.

 

[cranevandal21]

Im not particularly a fan of HIAC matches, but im honestly looking forward to the Orton/Cena match-up at Cyber Sunday. I think WWE might bring the top of the cell back in the works for this match. I really wish they couldve put Orton over a little better in his last HIAC match with Taker at Armagedon because all that staying in the cell crap is just like a cage match with 5 feet of floor and a roof.

 

[Shocky]

No Mercy 2002: Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker

Brock Lesnar's rise to the top of WWE in 2002 was so rapid that he won the King Of the Ring and won the WWE Championship at SummerSlam 2002. This all led to a match between him and The Undertaker at Unforgiven 2002. It ended in a double disqualification leading to Lesnar retaining the title. The next month he faced The Undertaker again in the Cell. Hype leading up to the match (for the WWE Championship) was tremendous and intense as Lesnar with his manager Paul Heyman broke the Undertaker's hand with a propane tank. Despite Heyman begging Stephanie McMahon, then general manager of SmackDown!, not to let The Undertaker use his cast as a weapon, the request was denied and the match would go on as planned. It was a brutal match with both wrestlers "donning crimson masks" - their faces covered in thick blood (Undertaker's blood loss was particularly memorable, as he never stopped bleeding after he had bladed)

. Even Paul Heyman, who was outside of the cage, felt the Undertaker's wrath as Undertaker beat him up through holes in the cage. Sometime during the match Undertaker had grabbed Paul and pulled him back and forward into the cell. In return, Brock got Heyman to take his belt and tie it around the cast of the Undertaker and hold it against the cell while Brock hit the cast numerous times with a chair until Heyman's belt broke

. At a certain point, after Undertaker had taken advantage of his cast, Lesnar gained control and removed the cast, leaving Undertaker's broken hand at the mercy of the Next Big Thing. Undertaker successfully hit the Chokeslam and the Last Ride but the match ended when Lesnar reversed the Tombstone into the F5 for the three count

. After the match, Lesnar climbed to the top of the cell and held his title up high for all to see.

[

Nothing like posting this on the tenth anniversary of the first Hell in the Cell match.

For me, hands down, my favorite Hell in the Cell, and I know that's going to cause a lot of shit.

This match, was a fucking bloody, violent match. It made the cell match even more dangerous in my opinion. Here you had two guys just beating the holy hell out of each other, without all the gimmicky thumbtacks and sledge hammers and crap.

This feud was so personal with Brock and the Undertaker. The whole build up of Brock touching the pregnant belly of Sara, and then the Undertaker "breaking" his arm, incredible. The cast became legal in the match too.

Plus, you have to realize, Brock Lesnar was hot shotted the title, and was only 6 months into his WWE career at the time. He stood with the Undertaker in that ring, and in my opinion, out performed the veteran, I know, it's Blasphemy to rip the Undertaker in a Cell match, but I did. Don't get me wrong, the Undertaker was damn good in this match too, but Brock, damn did he arrive in this match.

This is why the Undertaker is, in my opinion, the best wrestler the WWE has ever had. He puts Brock over cleanly in the Undertaker's match. Not only did he put Brock over, he sold everyone on how good Brock Lesnar was. Brock got put over so good in this match, that the inevitable happened, the guy had to be turned face. How couldn't it have happened. Brock was a bad ass in this match, and to make the Deadman bleed and beat him like he never had been beaten before, how as a fan could you not recognize how good Brock Lesnar was?

I love this match, and it may not be the best, I still think Taker/HBK is the best cell, but this one is easily my favorite.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

Word man. This was a classic. I still remember the words Brock spoke to Taker a week later after the match. In a show of respect.

"I had to wrestle The Undertaker. I needed any advantage I could get."

It's sad Brock wasted his talent, he was a shoe in Hall Of Famer, and so many top guys put him over.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

One of the best. It's just sad that this was the only way Taker was going to put over Brock. Unforgiven the month before was a piss take, and proves how selfish Taker can be sometimes. Loved the fuck you that Brock gave him at the end by easily climbing to the top of the Cell.

 

[Shocky]

I agree with the "Fuck You" to the Undertaker at the end of the match. I mean, Brock Look completely unscathed coming out of that match, and the Undertaker was just lying in a pool of his own blood, beaten badly in "his" match.

I'll disagree with the month before at Unforgiven though. This feud seemed to follow the HBK/Undertaker feud from 5 years earlier. The same Double DQ bullshit finish at both pay per views, leading to the necessity of having the feud end inside of the cell.

Again, I agree that the Undertaker had a problem with putting Brock over, but unlike a Hogan, he did do it, so you have to give him some credit. Off Topic, but I don't remember the Undertaker having a victory over Brock on pay per view. I do remember that when the Undertaker returned after WM 20, he was supposed to feud with Brock and make Brock "look bad".

Anywho, back on topic.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Taker did put him over in that match. But in the lead up to the match Brock was taking out Taker every week. He ''broke'' his arm and just generally beat him up on every edition of Smackdown. The storyline was that Taker was going into the Cell already hurt. Personally I think Taker did everything he could to protect himself and make Lesnars victory look like a fluke.

 

[wweman1]

hiac matches have been awesome with so many moments like u that said lesnar vs taker was good but i liked the HHHvsHbk 1 aswell best spots and ending has to be in the top 4

 

[Shocky]

Bad Blood 2003: Triple H vs. Kevin Nash
The return of Triple H's former friend Kevin Nash sparked tension as Nash was stuck between the feud of Triple H and Shawn Michaels (also former friends). However, Triple H had enough, and turned on Nash leading up to the brutal Hell in a Cell match at the Bad Blood 2003 pay-per-view.

This is the only Hell in a Cell match with a special guest referee (Mick Foley). The storyline explanation for a special referee to be introduced was because no referee wanted to officiate a Hell in a Cell match. Highlights of the match include Triple H hitting Nash in the head with a hammer,

Triple H being slingshot into the corner where a barbed-wire 2x4 was positioned on the top turnbuckle pad and Triple H using a screw driver to bloody Kevin Nash. Triple H retained the World Heavyweight Championship after nailing Kevin Nash with the sledgehammer, followed by the Pedigree.

[8]

So when I think of Kevin Nash, I have a hard time remembering that Nash was actually a fairly dominate WWF champion. People bitch about Cena, but Remember, Nash had a year long title reign too.

I was pretty aprehensive about this match. I know a ton of people that thought that Nash was going to win the title, and I just shook my head. I knew Vince was high on Big Kev, but not high enough to give him another world title run.

This match wasn't great, but wasn't terrible. I mean, expecting a masterpiece out of Nash, you're asking way to much. Nash did pretty well in this match dominating Triple H. This was the first match in a while that made me cringe. The screwdriver shot was just sick, and even though you know its planned, it's just gruesome.

So maybe not one of the better cell matches, but still a watchable match. I'm not sure if the feud itself warranted the Cell as a finisher though.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

I thought that match was crap. That was the year when HHH couldn't work for shit. He fucked up feuds with Steiner, Booker, Nash & Goldberg. I was actually expecting Nash to be the one to carry the match, as he was the more agile out of the two. Bored me to tears. And Mick Foley is there for no reason. And his bump is an insult to toddlers falling over on there asses.

 

[hbk&triple h]

Hell In A Cell with Brock Lesnar and Undertaker I honestly disliked. Its just a matter of opinion but I hated the match. Not because it wasn't all flashy with the weapons and there wasn't any high spots but I just didnt like it. The storyline was great but when I watched the match it didnt catch my attention and bored me.

Kevin Nash and Triple H probably put on the worst or one of the worst hell in a cell matches. It bored me and the only good part was the screwdriver. Foley being in there served no purpose.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

Sad fact...I FORGOT the ever had a HIAC Match.

That alone says what I felt about it. It was a time when WWE became very over reliant on gimmick matches to settle feuds. What I had loved about Hell in a Cell was that it was reserved for honest, long term feuds to settle a score. The HHH / Nash feud was forced and sloppy.

From what I remember...

 

[~Rated R Assassin~]

Wasn't there a HIAC between HHH and HBK too? Wasn't it part of that match where they did 3 in one night? One was a ladder match, I forget what the other one was, and I'm pretty sure the third was a HIAC.

 

[Wall_of_Jericho]

Wasn't there a HIAC between HHH and HBK too? Wasn't it part of that match where they did 3 in one night? One was a ladder match, I forget what the other one was, and I'm pretty sure the third was a HIAC.

No dude, what your getting mixed up between is at Bad Blood 2004 they had a HIAC match which was the feud finisher of their rivalry in 2004. It was a great match which lasted over 45 minutes. Triple H won in the end.

The other match your mixing it up with is at Armaggeddon 2002 they had a 2/3 Falls Match for the World Title, first fall being No Holds Barred, second fall was a Cage Match and third fall was a Ladder Match. Triple H also won this match.

Hope that clears it up.

 

[saveusjwjf]

taker vs mankind... hands down... mankind laying in a mangled mess after being chokeslammed through the cell, and later with that deranged smile on his face while he was sticking his tongue through the hole in his lip...

 

[scorpionz_venom]

When the smoke has settled, the Taker/Folet HIAC will go down as the greatest. Sorry to say for you technical critics, but that was historical. Hogan/Warrior, Hogan/Rock, etc, had a mystique about them. Those bumps in that match set the bar. And after two generations of wrestling fans pass, and Mick Foley is to them what Dusty Rhodes is to me, people will remember that HIAC.

 

[hbk&triple h]

When the smoke has settled, the Taker/Folet HIAC will go down as the greatest. Sorry to say for you technical critics, but that was historical. Hogan/Warrior, Hogan/Rock, etc, had a mystique about them. Those bumps in that match set the bar. And after two generations of wrestling fans pass, and Mick Foley is to them what Dusty Rhodes is to me, people will remember that HIAC.

Yeah it set the bar a little to high dontcha think?
I mean come on now.The bumps were amazing and nothing like that was ever done but ever since these moves happened everyone expects the same thing out of a Hell In A Cell match.So when it comes time to have a hell in a cell match everyone is disapponited when something big doesn't happen.

The bunps is what made the match. It wasn't about it being technical. The bumps were all that happened in the match. After that the rest was crap.

 

[Shocky]

Bad Blood 2004: Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels

This was the ninth Pay Per View meeting in the feud between Triple H and Shawn Michaels that lasted from 2002 in a Street Fight (SummerSlam), the first ever Elimination Chamber (Survivor Series), a Three Stages Of Hell Match (Armageddon), a six-man tag team match with their partners being Chris Jericho and Ric Flair and Booker T and Kevin Nash respectively (Backlash 2003), The Second Elimination Chamber (SummerSlam), a Last Man Standing Match (Royal Rumble), as part of the main event at WrestleMania XX, and a rematch from WrestleMania a month later at Backlash.

The match lasted 47 minutes, with both men bleeding heavily by the end. Michaels hit Triple H with a diving elbow through a table, and the two made frequent use of the ring steps, and ladder

.

Shawn Michaels tried to finish the match with the Sweet Chin Music but missed. Triple H got the pin after three Pedigrees

.

After the match, Triple H was assisted by his fellow Evolution members Ric Flair, Batista and Randy Orton to leave the cell leaving Shawn Michaels out cold. After a few minutes, Shawn Michaels, barely on his feet, was given a show of respect from the audience.[9]

Well at the time, we knew this match was coming eventually. It was the only thing left to actually resolve this feud. This is probably going to go down as the best feud of this decade in the WWE, if not all of wrestling. You have two solid performers that know each other in and out, and this has been the last great feud for Triple H.

It was an odd Hell in the Cell match. It had the pacing and feel of a regular wrestling match, which just didn't seem right for the Cell. The Cell was hardly utilized, and again, this essentially became a glorified hardcore/street fight with a cage wrapped around it.

I liked the match, but it was so long for a match like this. I like these matches to be around 20-25 minutes, and fast paced. This match went the opposite of that. I'm not knocking it though for going outside the box of typical Hell in the Cell match.

Overall, I think it was a damn good match, not the best of the cells, but easily one of the top hell in the cell matches. Thankfully, it ended this feud, which really needed a break.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Good match but again the Cell was pointless. I really don't see the point in using it if there not going to use the structure. They may as well just have a regular cage match. Essentially it was just a Street Fight in a chicken coop.