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WWE Hell in a Cell 2021 had several intense matches scheduled for the night. No championship changed hands, but a couple of finishes came as an unwelcome surprise. Nevertheless, it was a decent event comprised of entertaining matches.
In this article, we will take a look at WWE Superstars who impressed us at Hell in a Cell 2021 and those who didn’t.
#3 Impressed at WWE Hell in a Cell: Bianca Belair
Bianca Belair successfully defended her SmackDown Women’s Championship against Bayley in the opening match of the pay-per-view. Both superstars met inside the hellacious cage and delivered an epic battle. Belair was excellent throughout the match, coming up with spectacular creative offenses that left her opponent stunned.
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Bayley was incredible as a heel and constantly introduced surprising weapons during the Hell in a Cell match. Unfortunately, she also targeted Belair’s braid, which didn’t sit well with the champion. Much to Bayley’s annoyance, Belair started using her hair as her biggest advantage.
At one point, Bayley had tied Belair’s braid to the bottom rope. However, the latter ended up using her hair as a rope to trip Bayley during her run. It caused Bayley to fall face-first on top of the steel steps that she had brought inside the ring earlier in the match.
Belair was ready with an apt response to each move Bayley made. Finally, in the match’s closing moments, both superstars started using a ladder as their weapon.
First, Bayley tied Belair’s hair to the ladder and crushed her underneath its weight. However, she accidentally hit her knee while attempting to stomp Belair’s face on the lower part of the ladder. The champion took advantage of this situation and freed herself. She eventually used a picture-perfect Senton to slam Bayley’s back against the ladder.
Finally, Belair hit Bayley with a devastating KOD, and the latter bounced off the ladder. This was enough for the champion to secure the pinfall and retain her SmackDown Women’s Championship at Hell in a Cell.
Every aspect of this title bout was perfect, and it was arguably the best match of the night. It did well in establishing Bianca Belair as a credible champion, and it will be exciting to see her next challenger on SmackDown.
Bayley also deserves a lot of credit for playing an entertaining villain. She displayed her savage side which helped make Belair look like a great babyface. But we don't think it will be long before she enters the SmackDown Women’s Championship picture again.
#2 Flopped at WWE Hell in a Cell: Alexa Bliss
Alexa Bliss locked horns with Shayna Baszler at WWE Hell in a Cell 2021. While the in-ring action wasn’t bad, her overall booking was quite underwhelming.
The WWE Universe was expecting more from this match as Bliss has constantly talked about the influence of her doll Lille. Her rivalry with Baszler started because the latter made fun of Bliss’s supposed friend. But, surprisingly, the doll and its impact were nowhere during the match.
Bliss and Baszler engaged in a couple of good spots. The latter relied on her brute strength while Bliss showcased her in-ring agility. However, the match still turned monotonous. Not to forget, Nia Jax and Reginald were also present at ringside during this match at Hell in a Cell.
In the end, Bliss hypnotized Jax, who then started to mirror all of her actions for some time. She then turned her attention towards Baszler and took her down with a modified version of Sister Abigail. She then delivered Twisted Bliss off the top rope and picked up a win at Hell in a Cell.
Bliss’ performance wasn’t bad, but one can’t help but wonder if the creative could have added better twists to this match.
#2 Impressed at WWE Hell in a Cell: Sami Zayn
WWE Superstar Sami Zayn took on Kevin Owens in an entertaining match at Hell in a Cell 2021. Both superstars share a long history inside and outside the squared circle. Once again tonight, KO and Zayn pushed each other to the limit while engaging in a compelling in-ring encounter.
Both superstars took turns asserting dominance in the match. Owens was ruthless in his offense while Zayn used a more calculated approach. At one point, KO even delivered a Stunner at ringside. Their off-screen friendship genuinely helped them with the subtle details of the story-telling.
Owens tried his best to restore his dominance, but Zayn efficiently tackled everything that came his way. He eventually delivered a devastating Helluva Kick and pinned Owens to pick up a massive win at Hell in a Cell. After spending a long time on the sidelines, Zayn deserved this win, and it could be huge for his push on SmackDown. What do you think lies in store for Kevin Owens after the pay-per-view?
#1 Flopped at WWE Hell in a Cell: Rhea Ripley
WWE RAW Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley faced Charlotte Flair at Hell in a Cell in a title match. Their match wasn’t a blockbuster, but it was still fine until we reached its disappointing finish. The match ended with Ripley intentionally disqualifying herself in a desperate attempt to retain her gold.
Both superstars started the match by attacking each other. They moved all around the ring, landing one counter after another. However, they eventually took the fight to ringside which allowed Ripley to execute her plan. She went on to rip open the top of the announcers' desk before slamming Charlotte into the same. This led to Ripley’s disqualification and Charlotte’s victory at Hell in a Cell.
After the final bell, Ripley laid out a brutal attack on Charlotte before leaving the ring. The finish completely changed the tone of the match, and it won’t work well for the champion in the long run. Although Rhea Ripley successfully retained her RAW Women’s Championship at Hell in a cell, she still ended up looking like a coward at the pay-per-view.
#1 Impressed at WWE Hell in a Cell: Drew McIntyre
Drew McIntyre’s performance in the main event of Hell in a Cell pay-per-view reminded us why he deserves to remain at the top of the WWE roster. It was his last chance to challenge Bobby Lashley for the WWE Championship, and the Scottish Warrior fought like there is no tomorrow.
McIntyre unleashed hell upon the reigning world champion inside the monstrous cage. From tables to steel steps, he efficiently used every weapon to gain dominance. His attacks were brutal and forced Lashley to back away from the fight on more than one occasion. McIntyre also took a lot of punishment during the Hell in a Cell match, as was evident by the bruises that covered his body.
At one point, McIntyre accidentally knocked out the referee and demanded another referee come to officiate the match. Meanwhile, MVP saw this as an opportunity to enter the Cell, but he had no idea what awaited him inside.
McIntyre realized that MVP’s interference could cost him the match, and he took care of the problem with a devastating Claymore. Lashley got back on his feet and tried to hold his challenger in the Hurt Lock, but the latter escaped. Overall, it would be fair to say that the Hell in a Cell match was well-balanced between both the superstars.
The match’s only drawback was in its final moments. Despite a memorable performance, McIntyre lost as a result of a distracted roll-up - a weak finish to a great match.
McIntyre deserves to walk out of Hell in a Cell with his head held high. While he certainly did that, a more credible defeat would have done justice to his work inside the squared circle tonight. It will be interesting to see what's next for both superstars on WWE RAW after the pay-per-view.
