The show kicks off with a display of Hell in A Cell, and an ominous voice talks as if he is the cell itself.....Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler, and Matt Striker welcome us from ringside.....
1.Daniel Bryan(c) vs The Miz vs John Morrison in a submissions count anywhere match for the US Title
Bryan retained the title in about 14 minutes by making Miz submit on the stage to the LaBell Lock. The match quickly spilled out of the ring into the crowd, and Morrison showed off a few unique submission holds with his legs that appeared to be inverted body scissors. Morrison also hit the insane spot of the night with a cross body off the scaffolding onto both Miz and Bryan. Cool, but somehwat choreographed in appearance as both men just waited for Morrison to dive onto them. On the ground, Morrison applied a Texas Cloverleaf on Miz but was interrupted by Alex Riley, who kicked Morrison out of the picture. Riley was immediately run into a cameraman by Bryan, who struggled, then eventually applied, the LaBell Lock to Miz on the stage, who fought for a few seconds before tapping out.
(Very good opener that saw all three men bust their asses to entertain the crowd. The outcome was really never in doubt, but Morrison applied some unique submissions that were dramatic and appeared like they could garner realistic tapouts. my only complaint is Miz tapping again to Bryan, making him look weaker in the process. I thought Morrison was put into the match to submit so miz wouldnt have to. Otherwise, a fun opener.
***.5/5)
2. Randy Orton(c) vs Sheamus in a Hell in a Cell match for the WWE Championship
Orton retained the title in around 23 minutes with an RKO on the steel ringsteps that had been brtought into the ring by Sheamus. Sheamus had the advantage early, and did a nice job of working over Orton and ramming him into the cage. Orton sold his ribs the rest of the match. Orton hit a cool scoop slam on Sheamus in the center of the ring on the steel steps. Orton went back to selling, so Sheamus regained control, hitting the Irish Curse Backbreaker over, but not on, the steel steps. Weird spot.
Sheamus hit the brogue kick for a dramatic near fall shortly after. Frustrated, he went for a steel chair under the ring. Sheamus hit Orton over the back with it several time to gain another near fall. Sheamus went for a head shot, but Orton countered into the RKO, which lead to another great near fall.
The action went outside the ring, where Orton set up for the punt kick, but Sheamus avoided it and hit yet another great Brogue kick. Sheamus threw Orton back in the ring, but Orton kicked out at the last second. another eventful near fall. Sheamus set Orton up over the ring steps, bounced off the ropes, and Orton RKO'd him onto the steel steps for the pin. Orton climbed the cage afterwards to celebrate in a great visual.
(This match far exceeded my expectations, and was the best match between the two of them by far. The structure didn't add much to the match, but the lack of it didnt hurt it either. This may have been Sheamus' best match since joining the main roster period, and certainly his longest. Another match with a fairly predictable outcome, but the dramatic nearfalls and the way they built the match to its finish was spot on. Sheamus' brogue kicks looked brutal, as did Orton's decisive RKO onto the steel steps.
****/5.)
Tony Chimel introduced Alberto Del Rio's personal ring announcer, who introduced Del Rio. Del Rio said he wanted his first PPV to be memorable, and showed pictures of him with his dog from Smackdown on Friday. Edge interrupted shortly after,. continuing his mission to rid the WWe of all things stupid. He said he wasn't there to defend Mysterio or Christian, both of whom Del rio was bragging of having injured. Rather, he was on a mission to get rid of stupidity, and Del ERio's dog bit was stupid. Jack Swagger interrupted Edge, still angry over Edge interrupting his homecoming, and injuring his personal mascot. Del Rio and Swagger double teamed Edge, who disposed of Del Rio quickly and focused on Swagger, just as the anonymous GM chimed in and told Edge he would apologize to him on raw Monday night, and face Swagger right now.
(Disapointing segment, and a waste of Del Rios PPV debut. He wound up taking a backseat to Edge and Swagger. I guess they snuck it in there to order the issued apology from Edge, but couldnt that have been done the following night? They could have simply recapped the events between Swagger and Edge from Smackdown, and said the GM had ordered the match to spite Edge.)
3.Edge vs Jack Swagger
Edge pinned Swagger clean in 12 minutes. They fought early to the outside, where Swagger attempted to apply the ankle lock, but Edge twisted and flipped Swagger into the ring steps. Back in the ring, Edge hit a sweet missile dropkick for a good two count. Edge went to the top rope again, but Swagger ran up ala Kurt Angle and suplexed him off. Swagger hit the gutwrench powerbomb, but Edge kicked out. Swagger went for it again, but Edge countered with the Impaler DDT.
Swagger tried several times aqain for the ankle lock, and finally got it applied, but Edge got to the ropes. Swagger tried to go back to it, but dropped Edge's leg in an awkward spot that looked like a serious injury. He re-applied the ankle lock, but Edge reached the ropes again. Edge got up gingerly, and swagger ducked Edges first spear attempt, but Edge countered a charging Swagger off the ropes with a spear for the 3 count.
(This was a clunky match, one that had several blown spots in it too, one that appeared to legitimately hurt Edge. The crowd was dead for most of the match until Edge speared SWagger, which took away from the match as well. Swagger needs to stop trying to be Kurt Angle 2.0, and get over with his own moveset, which is quite impressive whenb he uses it. The lack of an established feud between the two and the fact that Edge really hasnt turned face probably hurt this match as well. **.5/5)
4. Wade Barrett vs John Cena. If Cena wins, Nexus disbands, if Barrett wins, Cena joins Nexus.
Wade Barrett pinned John Cena when Husky Harris drilled Cena with a 2 by 4 while the ref was distracted by another man trying to enter the ring as Barrett was about to submit to the STFU.
Some good chain wrestling to start the match. Barrett seized the early advantage, but Cena took him down with a dropkick to the stomach, and a nice armwhip takedown. Cena went for the FU early, bought Barrett fought him off. Barrett gained the advantage when the rest of Nexus surrounded came tpo ringside and just stood, distracting Cena. Barrett hit a top rope elbow drop and continued to dominate Cena as Nexus looked on.
As Barrett continued to ground and pound Cena, both Smackdown and Raw Superstars came rushing out of the dressing room, and beat the absolute crap out of the Nexus. Huge crowd pop for this. Cena trapped Barrett in the STF, but Barrett powered out of that and hit a pump handle slam for a very convincing near fall. Cena recovered and hit a twisting gutwrench powerbomb and again went for the FU, but Barrett powered out of it again. Barrett went for a second top rope elbow drop, but Cena rolled out of the way.
Cerna climbed to the top and hit a rocker dropper to the back of Cena's neck for a 2 count. Cena went for the FU for a 3rd time, by Barrett elbowed his way out, and hit a dazed Cena with Wasteland, but Cena kicked out at 2 this time. Barrett went right back to Wasteland again, but Cena powered out of the attempt and hit the FU, which Barrett kicked out of in kind after a dramatic 2 count.
Cena locked in the STFU in the middle of the ring, and Barrett squirmed toward the bottm rope, but Cena pulled him back. Just as Barrett was about to tap, a "fan" attempted to enter the ring, which caused the ref and security to try and remove him. Cena let go of the hold at this point, and Husky Harris ran by undetected and KO'd Cena with a 2 by 4. Barrett turned around and covered Cena for the 3 count.
(A surprisingly damn good match. Just like with Sheamus earlier, this was Barretts best, and longest one on one match of his time in WWE. There were spots where Cena carried him, but he hardly looked overwhelmed. The finish was well executed, everything from the run ins to Cena's selling of disbelief and shock of the ramifications of losing the match. Barrett showed he belonged in there with Cena and Cena continues to improve in his selling and overall wrestling His facial expressions after a pivotal loss are second to none. A very brave move by WWE to put Cena in with a heel faction, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out tomorrow on Raw.***.75/5)
5. Michelle Mccool(c) w Layla vs Natayla for the Unified Divas Championship
Natayla defeated Michelle McCool by disqualification in 5 minutes, so McCool retained the Divas title. Good mat wrestling to start the contest, but the refree was too preoccupied with controlling Layla on the outside to pay attention. McCool scored a 2 count with a well executed belly to belly suplex.
McCool went for the Styles Clash, but Natayla rolled under and applied the sharpshooter on McCool. McCool did a nice job of reversing into a Brazilian heel hook, and Natayla almost tapped, but she broke free and re-applied the sharpshooter. McCool tried to get to the bottom ropes, but Natayla pulled her back to the center of the ring. Just as McCool was about to tap, Layla threw her shoe at Natayla, causing the ref to disqualify McCool.
(This was well on its way to being a good match, until the awful finish. These two can actually wrestle, so why not let them go out there and do it? Its hard to invest in an area of the company like the womens division when its apparent the company doesn't care either. There are plenty of creative ways McCool could have cheated to win to allow the feud to continue, but they went with one of the worst disqualifications ive ever seen. *.5/5.)
6.Kane(c) vs The Undertaker w Paul Bearer for the World Heavyweight Championship inside Hell in A Cell.
Kane retained the World Heavyweight Championship when Paul Bearer turned on The Undertaker and gave Kane the urn, who KO'd Taker with it.
Paul Bearer wanted to enter with the Undertaker, who refused, and let him know " he had it". Kane attacked the Undertaker before the bell sounded, but Taker quickly gained control and picked up an early nearfall off a huge swinging clostheline. Kane quickly recovered, however, and grabbed a steel chair, and began targetting Takers knee with it. They fought back into the ring, where Kane continued to target Takers knee in the center of the ring.
Taker eventually fought Kane off, and went for old school, but Kane once again targetted the knee of the Undertaker and knocked him off the top rope. They traded blows, and Kane landed a huge European uppercut. Kane then hit a top rope clostheline, but his attempt at a pinfall was countered into Hells Gate by Taker. Kane did a nice job of breaking the hold by rolling to the floor at ringside, all the while holding his neck. When Kane re-entered the ring, both men hit simultaneous big boots on the other.
Both men sat up at the same time, but it was Taker who got the advantage, and hit the Chokeslam for a close near fall. Undertaker went for the Last Ride, but Kane fought him off. He went to the top rope for another closthelione, but Undertaker reversed it into the Last Ride for yet another near fall. Undertkaer signaled for the Tombstone, and attempted it, but Kane countered it into a tombstone of his own for a dramatic 2 count.
Kane flipped out, ko'ing the ref with a huge uppercut afterwards. Medical personal, a new referee, and Paul Bearer all entered the Cell. Kane chased Paul Bearer around the ring, and into it, and Bearer was caught between Undertaker and Kane. Bearer then blinded Undertaker with the urn, held it up for him to see, and handed it to an astonished looking Kane. Kane ko'd Taker with the urn, and chokeslammed him for the pin. Kane and Paul Bearer left together while looking back over a fallen Undertaker still inside the cell.
(This simply wasn't a good match. Their no holds barred match two weeks ago at Night of Champions was far superior. While the lack of utilization of the cell didnt hurt the Orton/Sheamus match, it killed this one. There was such a personal aspect to this match, simply put, a "blood" feud, and the lack of blood spots or using the cell as a weapon hurt this match immensely. Once Kane KO'd the referee, it became blatantly obvious that Bearer was going to turn on Taker, and it was executed very poorly as well. It made sense, as Taker had buried Bearer alive 8 years ago, but it just wasn't done well. This certainly was not the match to main event the show with. **.75/5.)
