Hell In A Cell

[Mr. TM]

The old standard for the greatest gimmick match that the WWE has ever come up with is the Hell in a Cell match. The Hell in a Cell match should be a match that instills fear into its contestants and oversaturation of the match could limit its imposing magnitude. The WWE plans to have a pay per view dedicated to the Hell in A Cell match this October. Before this event, the WWE would have already had sixteen Hell in a Cell matches in its history. Here is their history.

WWE Bad Blood, 1997
Shawn Michaels(1) vs Undertaker(1)
This was the first Hell in a Cell match. The match is an amazing match that was awarded the Meltzer five stars. It was for the number one contender to Bret Hart’s WWE Championship. Shawn Michaels would go on to win this after Paul Bearer, The Undertaker’s former manager brought to the ring the man who he fathered, The Undertaker’s half brother Kane. Kane would shred the door to the cage, and tombstone The Undertaker, welcoming us to an incredible feud, and gave us Kane.






WWE Raw, 1998
Stone Cold Steve Austin(1) and The Undertaker(2) vs Mankind(1) and Kane(1)
The first multiple man Hell in a Cell match, that pitted Texas’s own Stone Cold and The Undertaker against the Corporate Foley and Kane. The match started with only stone cold coming out, and being supposedly betrayed by The Undertaker. Stone Cold however did not worry about it, as he went to take on two men at once, and did well. Paul Bearer decided it was best to be locked in the cage away from the fight on the outside. But The Undertaker was hiding in Hell, which has an elevator to under the ring. He was given the ability to beat the living hell out of Paul Bearer in this no contest.


King of the Ring, 1998
The Undertaker (3) vs Mick Foley (2)
The third Hell in a Cell is regarded as one of the biggest in our memories. It is also one of the most brutal, as we saw Mick Foley fall not once, but twice off of cage, and got to hear Jim Ross proclaim to the crowd that Mick Foley is dead, death by splitting in half. Undertaker would go on to win his, but Mick would be the memory.




WWE Raw Is War, 1998
Kane(2) vs Mick Foley(3)
The only Hell in a Cell match so far that did not contain Triple H or The Undertaker in it. It however did have some interference by The Undertaker as he came back, after allying with his brother and put Mankind through the table from the cage. After the beat down on Foley continues, Stone Cold comes to Mick Foley’s rescue.



Wrestlemania 15
The Undertaker (4) vs Big Bossman (1)
Ugh. The worst co contest Hell In a Cell probably, that featured the eerie sight of seeing The Undertaker, in his darkest forum yet, hang Big Bossman from the cage with a noose, with the help of Edge and Christian. Undertaker would keep his smaller at the time streak going.


No Way Out 2000
Triple H (1) vs Mick Foley (4)
The Game’s first appearance in a match that will soon become his gimmick match. The match would be for the WWE Championship, but it would also be a retirement match for Mick Foley if he lost. After some vicious action that only a weapons filled Hell in a Cell would provide, Triple H beat Mick Foley after he fell through the cage and was hit with the pedigree.




Armageddon, 2000
The Undertaker (5) vs Triple H (2) vs Stone Cold Steve Austin (2) vs Rikishi (1) vs The Rock (1) vs Kurt Angle (1)
Six men enter the Armageddon Cell in what would be a match that would make Kurt Angle after his victory. Vince McMahon interfered in the match, but Mick Foley came down to escort him away. Rikishi would take the Foley bump in this one, onto the back of a truck. Many rivalries were combined in one of the funniest matches of all times.





Judgment Day, 2002
Triple H (3) vs Chris Jericho (1)
My favourite Hell in a Cell match of all time in which Triple H defeated Chris Jericho on top of the cage. Fun match, that could have been done without the Cell in my opinion.



No Mercy, 2002
The Undertaker (6) vs Brock Lesnar (1)
The Champion Brock Lesnar defended against The Undertaker in The Undertaker’s yard. This match was a power battle, with plenty of blood and plenty of good spots. Lesnar gets the victory here with a vicious F5 to retain his belt.

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Bad Blood, 2003
Triple H (4) vs Kevin Nash (1)
The former members of the Kliq would face off against each other in the Cell. The match would feature a special referee, Mick Foley, who was hit during the match with a sledge hammer. The match was for Triple H’s World Heavyweight championship, which he retained after hitting the pedigree.

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Bad Blood, 2004
Triple H (5) vs Shawn Michaels (2)
Michaels and Triple H had been in a vicious feud, being apart of the Kliq as well as DGeneration X. Both had been leaders. But who was the better man? This match would decide, as Shawn Michaels would enter the match that lasted close to an hour. Shawn Michaels delivered a massive elbow onto Triple H that nearly won him the match. However, Triple H did what he does best, by winning yet again in the Hell in a Cell, as the third time out of three that Bad Blood had this match in the card.








Vengeance 2005
Batista (1) vs Triple H (6)
Triple H and Batista betrayed Randy Orton after Triple H had a hit out on him during the Evolution days. Then Batista turned the table on Triple H himself, facing him at Wrestlemania, and defeating him for the World Heavyweight Championship. Triple H wanted revenge, and Batista was all for it. So Triple H chose the most vicious thing he knew, The Cell to finish the take his title back. However, Batista was prepared as he beat Triple H to retain his belt.





Armageddon 2005
The Undertaker (7) vs Randy Orton (1)
Lame. The only time they left the cage was for a pose. Lame. Well it was not that bad, but I was not too pleased paying to see this match. Randy Orton was not able to beat Undertaker, and Undertaker proved that the old guard has some power left. Randy Orton was able to capitalize in the match however and prove that he has some skills that I think helped him move on to once again being a champion.




Unforgiven, 2006
Triple H (7) and Shawn Michaels (3) vs Vince McMahon (1) and Shane McMahon (1) and Big Show (1)
Well DGeneration X was back, and Vince McMahon was trying to stop them. So they were put in a handicapped match which a cage that was billed as being 20 feet higher than the original. Big Show would be the first ever ECW wrestler to enter the cage while he was the champion. The Hell in a Cell veteran team was able to defeat The McMahons, and some heads were shoved up asses.




Survivor Series 2007
Batista (2) vs The Undertaker (8)
The World Heavyweight Championship would again be put up in the Cell as the Champion did what Champions usually do in the match, Batista beat The Undertaker. But it was not that simple. Edge interfered in the match, as he was rivaling with The Undertaker, costing him his chance at becoming champion.





Summerslam, 2008
The Undertaker (9) vs Edge (1)
Undertaker would enter his record breaking ninth Hell in a Cell as he challenged the man who screwed him out of the chance to go on in the first place. The match used many elements of Edge’s past, such as the TLC weapons. However, undertaker was able to power over Edge, and choke slam him to hell.


​

That is the history of all the Hell in the cell matches. Many matches try to parallel the cell, such as WCW’s triple Cage, The Tower of Doom, The Elimination chamber, and TNA’s cage matches. However there will never be a match quite like the Hell in the Cell and its history. This October the WWE will present their first pay per view entitled ‘Hell In A Cell’. Much debate has been put forth if the new pay per view will be similar to TNA’s Lockdown pay per view which features cage matches for every event. That means there would now be one pay per view that had somewhere between 5-8 matches all taking place inside the Hell in a Cell. However, I assume that the match will pit the Hell in the Cell’s two biggest names, Triple H and The undertaker in two matches for their respect brands.

So what do you think of the Hell in the Cell match? Does its history of a gimmick match override other gimmick matches? Is it the best cage match. Care to comment on a Hell in the Cell match that you enjoyed? Talk about the abomination known as the Kennel from Hell match? Are you anticipating WWE’s Hell in a Cell pay per view?

Use this thread to talk about the Hell and the Cell, and as a tool to relive the 16 matches that have taken place. Spread the knowledge on the Cell, such as Tim White’s history regarding it, or any other bits and pieces of its history that you know.

 

[hArdyPUNKmArk]

I loved the match, it's always an exciting build up. With a few exceptions the match generally delivers. My favourite would probably be between the Bad Blood match between Foley and Undertaker simply because of it's legendary status and the bumps/falls Foley took. The other would be the first, Shawn Michaels v Undertaker and the debut of Kane.

Another mention would be the 6 man HIAC, not the greatest i suppose but I still found it extremely entertaining thanks to the sheer star power involved, everyone in there bar Rikishi is a guaranteed HOFer.

 

[Fuel The Fire]

you missed one..the armageddon 6 man hell in a cell..very epic with 6 people in a hell in a cell . i wish they would do that more often. Just alot more action fun stuff to watch.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

I think Hell In A Cell is the best gimmick the WWE currently has right now. The recent ones haven't had anybody go to the top of the cell or much bloodshed so to some it has lost its luster. It's the only gimmick match other than the EC that they don't overdo. They usually have it once a year and they haven't had two in a year since 2005.

My personal favorite match would be Undertaker vs. Randy Orton from Armageddon 2005. It cumlinated a great nine-month feud and both guys really gave it their all. Randy Orton was just as impressive in facing Taker in the cell as Edge was. This was one of the classic Undertaker feuds and moments that didn't revolve around a title which was what he was best at.

The one I feel that is overrated is the HHH/HBK one from Bad Blood 2004. I wished they did this one in 2003 instead of Kevin Nash. The reason I feel this is overrated is because they went too long. The ending was somewhat tedious and I believe they could have taken 10-15 minutes off and it would have been a lot better. The Undertaker/Orton match was just as long but I didn't feel that way like I did with the Bad Blood one.

It looks like the next HIAC match might be HHH and Orton which I am not too excited about. I would rather see Cena vs. Orton because I don't remember a decisive win from either of them the last time they feuded. Everybody is pretty much sick of Orton/HHH and I think it would be cool to see the WWE Title defended for I believe the third time in history.

I don't think the WWE will do any multi-man Hell In a Cell matches. The 6-man was okay but it was hard to keep track and the 3 on 2 handicap one with DX and the McMahons/Big Show didn't hold my interest at all. I believe down the road they will do HHH vs. Taker and I bet that would draw big time.

 

[ShastaMcNasty83]

dear fuel the six man hell in the cell is listed at the top of the page with video but he called it funny i liked this one very much also but just saying he did mention it

 

[Pepper Wadman]

I think you missed another one...

Wasn't there one between The Hardyz and teh Dudleyz at Wrestlemania 2000?

I seem to recall one. I should probably just go check my facts though.

 

[Paradox]

Greatest gimmick match of all time. It's not a match that has been overused This is the one match that I feel wwe always uses at the right time. And is almost always an enjoyable match.

I'm really sad to see have change from the original structure. I don't know what the point in it was. It does look more daunting, but I felt the older structure really felt better. It look like a cell. Where this one is huge.

My personal favorite has to be... The every first Hell in a Cell match between Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker. It was a great match, there was so much that happened in that match that was amazing. For me it is the standard that all other Hell in a Cell matches should be put against. When HBK fell from the top of the cell. You heard King yell, "INCOMING" Priceless. All of these false finishes, then ending with the debut of Kane. All around great match.

I personally like the 6 man match, it was hard to keep up with what was going on, but still a good match. I don't think that we will ever see one like it again. Though it was a clusterfuck of a match I still enjoyed it.

 

[TheDandTheV]

I really like this match because its always hardcore and usually is a good entertaining match, but I'm not looking forward to the pay per view because I think it will be something like lockdown which I don't think we need another pay per view like that.

 

[SavageTaker]

Over the years the Hell in a Cell has become my favorite gimmick match of all time. I don’t think any other match comes close to this one. My second favorite gimmick match is a distant second. Even though there have been some crappy Hell in a Cell matches that everyone just knew weren't going to be as good as others have been or it just was going to be bad; I still always get hyped up when the WWE does one.

My two favorite have always been the original one between Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker in Badd Blood in 1997. I saw a few years after I became a pro wrestling fan. I just liked the whole match and I didn’t mind my favorite wrestler of all time losing the match. The match was good from top to bottom and I was and still am entertained by the match every time I see it. It will probably be my favorite Hell in a Cell match for a long time to come.

My second favorite match is the Mankind vs. The Undertaker match at King of the Ring in 1998. This match is not my second favorite match because of the actual wrestling, even though I find it to be underrated. But I like it mostly because of the now famous, Mankind getting thrown of the Cell. I think that is one of the most shocking, if not the most shocking moment in the history of the WWE and it is definitely in the top 5 most shocking moments in the history of professional wrestling. No one at the time actually expect it to happen and people will forever remember Mankind getting thrown off the Cell and Jim Ross calling the spot.

 

[Tenta]

Wow.... This was actually really well done.... Damn...

Anyway, I guess for what we sacrificed for it, The Hell in a Cell has done an amazing job of becoming the big blow off battle. It has taken the place of the Cage Match, as it suppose it should, in terms of blowing off a feud, and becoming the big pay day match. Call me crazy, but to this day I still miss the importance of a good cage match. I just feel that, while HIAC does a great job for it's purpose, it still doesn't have that nostalgia feel to me as a cage match would. Granted, perhaps that's because I was weaned on cage matches, and my time has seemingly passed in terms of being able to relive my memories of childhood through the cage. For me, at least, I will take the Tully Blanchard VS. Magnum I quit match over an of the HIAC matches we've witnessed.

Now then, with that said, Hell in a Cell is the best gimmick going in the WWE, because it hasn't been overdone to pieces. I wish that the WWE would scale back on all specialty matches, such as my beloved cage match, but alas, it shall never be. At the moment, HIAC is a category all it's own in terms of importance, and will probably stay that way. There have been matches that have tried to overtake it (Read: The Elimination Chamber, Punjabi Prison, etc.), I can only assume that none of these matches will entirely do so, at least until Vince is completely ready to bastardize the Hell in a Cell match.

I also feel that the HIAC is going to lose very much of its relevance when The Undertaker retires. Call me crazy, but it just seems like this match has become a niche match for his gimmick, very much like the Casket Match used to mean for The Undertaker. When he retires, it will probably become Triple H's "match", but I don't feel it's nearly as fitting for Trips as it is for The Undertaker. The name of it even embodies all that is The Undertaker, and even consider the nickname of "Satan's Structure". This was an Undertaker match, and I feel that when he does retire, he's going to leave a void in the feel of the match. Unless Vince finds someone to The Undertaker, we can expect that, after he retires, the HIAC is going to become far more generic, and not seem nearly as special to the fans. Some will say that Trips had the "best" match in it, with Cactus Jack, but I'm of the opinion that The Undertaker is completely responsible for making Hell in a Cell what it is today. Without his and Mick Foley's contributions to the match, I would argue that we would have no HIAC to speak of whatsoever, and that we'd be entirely screwed in having a "special" gimmick match for this generation. If anyone can fill that void, no one will be as ecstatic as me, as I love the concept of Hell in a Cell. Still, for me, once Taker retires, that Cell is going to seem as empty as the cage match does now.

 

[Pepper Wadman]

Yeah you should it was a ladder match between E&C the Hadyz and the Dudleys....

Ah my bad! I really have NO idea how I confused that as I remember ordering that PPV and being blown away by that match!

My fave was definitely between HBK and Taker or the Y2J/ HHH HIAC.

 

[mister_b1LL]

I will say my most favorite HIAC was The 6-Man one at Armageddon. It had most every wrestler I loved as a kid, was the basis for IMO the greatest promo of all time (The Rock mocking all the wrestlers), and had so much action that anymore than that and your head would explode!

But I've got to say, the most recent one with Undertaker and Edge was thoroughly amazing. With Edge spearing Taker through the cell and Taker sending Edge to hell, this was a very well done match that I think is one of the top 5 best matches in the past 5 years.

I am not digging the whole every match will be a HIAC PPV thing, but I'm thinking that this is just a name to represent the match that will be the main event, kind of like the old In Your House PPV's where for example, Buried Alive was also the name of the main event match at that PPV.

 

[mickeymickmike]

dear pepper wadman... the hardys and dudleys did not fight HIAC at WM2000 as they were in the first TLC match that night... BUT there was a (pretty rubbish) HIAC match bbetween UNDERTAKER and BIG BOSS MAN at WM15, which had the kinda cool gimmick of Taker, Edge and Christian hang Big Boss Man at the end.
Odd that its not on the list, but not too bad as it was rubbish.

 

[TheIconHBK]

for me the first one with HBk and Taker at badd blood is still the bench mark for HITC

people will always talk of the KOTR one for foleys insane bumps for me these two are the best two

i can see a HHH orton HITC in the future which im not looking forward to

 

[Y 2 Jake]

It's all be down hill since the first if it's relating to match quality. It's a good gimmick, not as great as people make out. You could watch the HBK/Undertaker & Mankind/Undertaker ones alone any you wouldn't be missing out.

I think people love them so much because of the anticipation that they might climb the roof of the cell.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

It seems like these last few Hell of a Cell matches have been devalued or poorly rated because no one ever goes to the top of the cell or there isn't much blood. People watched the Taker/Foley and HBK/Taker matches and expect the rest to be just like that. Vince doesn't want to risk injury so I don't think he's going to let anybody get on top of the cell anymore. If he does, though, I would love to see a Jeff Hardy Swanton from the top. That would have better than what he did to Orton last year.

 

[yoshi_doce2006]

The DX/McMahon and Big Show was a brutal match that had spots I still wince at when I watch it. Just a few lessons I learned from that match:

1) metal and groins dont mix.
2) screwdrivers can not fix a gash to the forehead
3) Never try to make a grown man kiss your ass with another angry grown man in the cage with you.
4) Don't put a chair around someone's neck and drop a top rope elbow on it. There is a reason it was not done before or since.
5) Faces and asses don't mix.

Those are just a few lessons I learned from this match. Great match.

 

[StaRRStruck]

Here are my top 5 Hell in a Cell Matches:


1.Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker

I don't care how many times HBK it the camerman, but this match put 2 things on the map, the HIAC and The Big Red Monster,Kane.


2.Angle vs Rikishi vs The Rock vs Austin vs Taker vs Triple H

Awesome,fun and wicked. The spot near cars were halarious. Trips was funny has hell in this match. Taker and Rikishi had great spot on top. And the finish was bit odd.


3.Chris Jericho vs Triple H

Good match, nice spots and in awesome ending on top of the cage.


4.Mick Foley vs Triple H

I believe this match was WAYY better than Foley's previous match against Taker for the fact we didn;t have to take a break every 5 mins, plus the spot ontop was pretty much the same as the other match besides the fall from hell.


5.DX vs McMahons & Show

Damn this Unforgiven was stacked, but anyways, this match was funny and gory and that what HIAC are for.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

Here are my worst Hell In A Cell matches:

Big Boss Man vs. Undertaker- Wrestlemania 15
This is the worst for me because the cell wasn't really needed and it was a bad match at that. BBM wasn't right for that type of atmosphere and his hanging was the only thing cool about it besides Undertaker's entrance music. BBM did contend for the title later that year if you find that hard to believe.

HHH & HBK vs. McMahons & Big Show- Unforgiven 2006
I hated the fact that it was three on two to begin with and the match to me was just boring. Other than Big Show getting a "surprise" and HHH breaking the sledgehammer across Vince's head, what else can you remember. If HHH and HBK were allowed to pick a partner and they choose Undertaker, then maybe this match would be off my list.

Undertaker vs. Batista- Survivor Series 2007
They had a great series of matches earlier in the year but this one just didn't feel like it to me. I maybe would have prefer a casket match but they did a lot recently. I couldn't get into this match at all and if it weren't for Edge interfering, I would have forgot this match even happened. This should have done this match at Judgment Day if Undertaker hadn't got injured before then.

 

[Pepper Wadman]

dear pepper wadman... the hardys and dudleys did not fight HIAC at WM2000 as they were in the first TLC match that night... BUT there was a (pretty rubbish) HIAC match bbetween UNDERTAKER and BIG BOSS MAN at WM15, which had the kinda cool gimmick of Taker, Edge and Christian hang Big Boss Man at the end.
Odd that its not on the list, but not too bad as it was rubbish.

Yeah, thanks for that... I remember the WM15 HIAC. It was actually the first Wrestlemania I had ordered on PPV. I was not impressed with that particular match.

I really liked the 6 man HIAC, but I felt it dragged on a little too long.

 

[tnasuxs]

my favorite hitc match was the armageddon hitc 2000 for the wwf title because when mcmahon came in and buled a truck out then taker chokeslamed rikishii off of it that was cool