5 legends to never step inside Hell in a Cell

WWE Hell in a Cell is an annual Premium Live Event. The epic show became a yearly tradition beginning in 2009 and was built on the success of the Hell in a Cell match.

The infamous match stipulation first appeared on WWE programming all the way back in 1997. Shawn Michaels took on The Undertaker inside the brutal structure at In Your House: Badd Blood. Twenty-five years later, both men are members of the WWE Hall of Fame. In fact, numerous legends and Hall of Famers have competed in Hell in a Cell since the match's inception.

Despite many top stars wrestling inside Hell in the Cell over the years, a surprising number of legends haven't done so. This could be due to when they were wrestling, what company they were signed to, or pure happenstance.

Below are the 5 biggest legends to never step inside Hell in a Cell.

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#5. Goldberg hasn't entered the hellish cage yet

Roman Reigns and Goldberg

Bill Goldberg made his professional wrestling debut in 1997 with World Championship Wrestling. He became a mega star by going undefeated in the company for quite some time. His streak became legendary to fans during the 1990's before he came to WWE in 2003, before he later returned in 2016.

Goldberg is also a four-time world champion. Three of those heavyweight title runs came while he was in WWE. In 2018, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Despite these accolades, he's never been inside Hell in a Cell.

The iconic superstar joined WWE six years after the stipulation was created and he only stayed with the company for one year. His returns from 2016 onward have all been short-lived and on a part-time basis. While he's had rivalries befitting the hellish structure, the timing has never been quite right. There's still a chance it could happen one day, though.

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#4. Trish Stratus was around before women had Hell in a Cell matches

Trish Stratus made her WWE debut in 2000. At the beginning of her career, she was primarily used as a valet. With her hard work and determination, Trish would transition into becoming an in-ring talent. In fact, she became one of the all-time greats.

The Canadian superstar won the WWE Women's Championship seven times between her debut and when she retired from being an active superstar in 2006. Despite retiring, Trish still wrestles occasionally. Most recently, Stratus took on Charlotte Flair at SummerSlam 2019 in what many felt was one of the best matches of her career.

Trish was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013 and has had a legendary career, but she's never stepped foot inside Hell in a Cell.

This is due to timing. While Stratus was an active superstar, women didn't have the same opportunities as they do today. In fact, the first Hell in a Cell to feature women came a decade after she retired from full-time competition in 2016. While it remains possible that she will get the opportunity to do so, it seems unlikely.

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#3. Bret Hart left WWE right after the match type was introduced

Bret "The Hitman" Hart

The legendary Bret Hart first started wrestling professionally in 1978. Six years later, he'd joined the World Wrestling Federation. From 1984 to 1997, Bret was a fixture in the promotion. Over time, he became one of the top stars in the company.

Bret Hart captured the WWE Championship on five separate occasions. He also held several other titles, won the Royal Rumble, and is a two-time King of the Ring. Hitman was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice. He was first inducted in 2006 as a singles competitor and then again in 2019 as part of The Hart Foundation.

The Hitman never competed in Hell in a Cell, and it all comes down to timing. The dangerous structure debuted in October 1997. A month later, the Montreal Screwjob took place. Bret Hart went to WCW immediately afterwards and his career ended in that promotion due to an injury. Hart inside the cage could have been extremely entertaining, but it wasn't to be.

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#2. Ric Flair somehow avoided entering Hell in a Cell

Ric Flair had his first professional wrestling match all the way back in 1972. Over the next twenty years, he built an incredible name for himself. Flair became the biggest draw outside of the World Wrestling Federation and held title after title.

In 1991, Ric joined WWE and held even more championship gold before returning to WCW in 1993 until the promotion closed its doors. In 2001, almost thirty years after The Nature Boy started wrestling professionally, Ric was brought back to WWE.

This run was successful, but because of his age, he was rarely in a position to main event. The sixteen-time world champion was around for numerous Hell in a Cell matches, but he never competed in one himself. With his upcoming retirement match announced, it seems unlikely he ever will.

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#1. Hulk Hogan never competed in the structure

Jimmy Hart and Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan is arguably the biggest star in the history of professional wrestling. The Hulkster began his career in 1977. He made a name for himself in several territories and Japan, but his career exploded starting in 1983 with the World Wrestling Federation.

Hogan held the WWE Championship on six occasions. He's also held the WCW World Heavyweight Championship six times. He's a two-time Hall of Famer. Most importantly, Hogan is synonymous with wrestling. When people think of pro wrestling, they think of Hulk Hogan.

Despite his massive success, Hogan never stepped foot inside Hell in a Cell. This is primarily due to timing. When the gimmick match was introduced, Hulk was active in World Championship Wrestling.

While Hogan did return to WWE in 2002, his schedule, along with professional issues with the company, had the star only appear sporadically over the next few years. Now that he's retired, he will likely never compete inside the dangerous structure.

While most of these legends will likely never end up competing inside the hellish structure, they've all had Hall of Fame worthy careers. The WWE Universe will remember them fondly all the same.