After a disappointing showing at Clash of Champions, the Raw brand bounced back in Boston with a splendid Hell in a Cell PPV that provided fans with a number of stellar matches. Brian Kendrick feigned his way to victory as he captured the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.
Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens tore the house down with a wonderful match for the Universal Championship inside the structure, albeit not being the main event. Sasha Banks and Charlotte made history in a fantastic matchup, competing in the first Women’s Hell in a Cell bout as well as main eventing the PPV, for the Raw Women’s Championship.
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Were these three matches the only ones to deliver, or did other bouts on the card show their worth? Let’s find out, as I Analyse and Grade each match from WWE Hell in a Cell 2016.
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#1 Sasha Banks vs Charlotte (Hell in a Cell- Raw Women’s Championship):
Grade: 9/10
Even before the match begun, this was a monumental achievement for the women. Competing in the first Women’s Hell in a Cell bout, and main eventing the PPV, Banks and Charlotte made history before the bell had rung. Expectations were incredibly high, and I for one felt the bout was going to be overhyped.
I was wrong. Banks and Charlotte put their bodies on the line for the sake of entertainment, and the crowd were firmly behind Sasha which gave the bout that extra hype. Charlotte’s vicious heel work continues to be outstanding, and Banks was brilliant as the resilient babyface fighting to retain her title.
The women were given brutal spots that would usually only be reserved for the men, and they performed them to their full ability. The historical significance of this bout along with the incredible work from the competitors combined to make this a classic, but unfortunately there was one fault in an otherwise perfect bout.
The finish. Whether it was to keep Charlotte’s flawless PPV singles record or to implement a title change for the sake of history, the Boston crowd and Banks’ fans around the world were stunned, and unfortunately, WWE are making the mistake of too many title changes in a short period of time. The reason why Sasha lost could be atrributed to her injury prone resume or to the fact that she may have suffered a legitamate one during the match.
Despite the flimsy finish, this was an outstanding, historic main event from the women inside the steel structure, as they proved the women’s revolution is completely underway.
#2 Bayley vs Dana Brooke:
Grade: 5/10
After the short and lacklustre build to this bout, it wasn’t a surprise that the crowd were very quiet during this filler match. Only serving as a cool-down matchup after the first Hell in a Cell bout, neither woman benefited much from this, and Brooke especially continues to appear inexperienced on the main roster.
Also read: WWE Hell in a Cell 2016: Best Twitter reactions
Brooke did appear smart in attacking Bayley’s injured shoulder, however, and Bayley emerging victorious after a quick comeback was a smart decision to get her back on track. Still, this bout wasn’t strong and felt more like something we would see on Raw rather than on a PPV.
A short and somewhat weak bout, Bayley should move on to bigger and better things after picking up the quick victory.
#3 Enzo and Cass vs Gallows and Anderson:
Grade: 6/10
The pre-match promo from Enzo and Cass was entertaining as usual, but not one of their best.
Still, it had the crowd invested, and they continue to be extremely popular among fans. In regards to the match itself, it was a fun (yet short) bout that wasn’t there to steal the show, but rather to give Gallows and Anderson a much-needed victory over the popular duo of Enzo and Cass, who won’t be severely affected by the loss due to their popularity.
If given more time in future, these two teams could have a much better bout. Expect bigger and better things for this rivalry in the next few weeks, as Enzo and Cass will surely be looking to gain vengeance on Gallows and Anderson.
Overall, a fun bout that gave Gallows and Anderson a crucial win, but it was still somewhat forgettable due to the time restraints.
#4 Kevin Owens vs Seth Rollins (Hell in a Cell- Universal Championship):
Grade: 9/10
Incredible spots, an intriguing story and splendid in-ring action, this was the best match of the night in my opinion. Rollins and Owens gave it everything they had, creating the type of chaos that has been arguably missing in PG Era Hell in a Cell matches.
The crowd were also the loudest they had been all night, chanting “This is Awesome” several times throughout the bout. Although some may complain that Jericho’s interference soured the otherwise incredible match, his involvement was an aspect of the story heading into the PPV, as he was present in almost every segment involving Owens and Rollins.
The story of Owens as the devious, cheating champion retaining his gold at whatever cost was wonderful, as it coincided perfectly with Rollins’ story as the valiant babyface fighting with all of his heart against the odds. Owens retaining was definitely the right booking decision as well, as he can develop his reign further in the coming months.
Despite taking place in the middle of the night, this match was main-event calibre. Overall, a fantastic Hell in a Cell bout between two of the best in-ring workers in the company, as they stole the show in the middle of the PPV.
#5 T.J. Perkins vs Brian Kendrick (Cruiserweight Championship):
Grade: 8/10
This was a strong bout between Perkins and Kendrick, but the crowd just weren’t into this match. Kendrick’s cheap heel title win should have had a much bigger effect on the audience than it did, but unfortunately the fans didn’t care as much as they should’ve.
Still, the two have solid chemistry and this was a fun match, and the storytelling was on point. The young champion Perkins let his emotions get the best of him, as the desperate veteran Kendrick took advantage by feigning an injury.
Despite the filler feel to this bout, it was arguably the strongest of the night that didn’t take place inside the Cell. Where Perkins goes from here is anybody’s guess, but Kendrick as champion will be a breath of fresh air for the struggling Cruiserweight division.
#6 The New Day vs Cesaro and Sheamus (Raw Tag Team Championships):
Grade: 7.5/10
Given the five talented competitors involved, this was always going to be a strong bout. The tensions between Cesaro and Sheamus teetered throughout the match, but they were ultimately able to stay on the same page. The New Day were entertaining as usual in and outside the ring, but their act has grown a bit stale in recent months.
Still, this was a fast-paced, fun matchup that had fans convinced Sheamus and Cesaro were going to capture the gold. Ultimately, they didn’t, but the finish left the duo with reason for another opportunity. The DQ finish was a blemish in an otherwise strong story, as the New Day appeared too much like heels in their way of retaining the titles.
Despite the finish, this was a splendid match that set up a rematch in future and kept tensions between Cesaro and Sheamus at the centre stage.
#7 Rusev vs Roman Reigns (Hell in a Cell- United States Championship):
Grade: 7/10
This was a hard-hitting slugfest to open the show, and it partially achieved what it set out to do, but it never felt worthy of being inside the Cell. Big spots and weapons popped the crowd, but besides that the poor storyline heading into this bout took its toll.
Also read: Best and Worst of WWE Hell in a Cell 2016
The crowd was not nearly as hot as they should have been, and if the anticipation for this bout was higher, WWE may have got the opening bout it was looking for. Reigns continues to be jeered despite occupying the mid-card title scene rather than the main event, as boos rained down whenever he gained the upper hand.
Despite the negatives though, this was still a very good match that showcased both men positively, with Rusev appearing extremely vicious even in a loss. Although the crowd reacted poorly and the brutality of the bout wasn’t nearly as strong as it could have been, this was still a solid, hard-hitting Hell in a Cell match to open the show.
Overall Grade for Hell in a Cell 2016: 8/10
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