Raw's next PPV is centered around the brutal cage match. Here's what we know about the big event.
Once upon a time, 19 years ago to be more exact, Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker were set to battle it out for a shot against WWF Champion Bret Hart. Because of the severity of their feud and the need to keep Michaels’ allies out of the fray, a special kind of cage match was put together called Hell in a Cell. The two proceeded to have an outright classic, ending in the debut appearance of Undertaker’s long-lost brother Kane.
Hell in a Cell was solidified as one of the be-all/end-all grudge matches in WWE and in 2009, WWE started dedicating an entire PPV to it. This time around, WWE Hell in a Cell is being used as a Raw-exclusive PPV. As always, various matches on the card will gravitate towards this specific gimmick match.
WHEN IS WWE HELL IN A CELL 2016?
The show will take place on Sunday October 30 and will take place at the TD Gardens in Boston, Massachusetts.
CONFIRMED MATCHES
ROMAN REIGNS (C) VS. RUSEV
Hell in a Cell for the United States Championship
As a way to keep Roman Reigns out of the main event for a bit, he’s currently locked in a very one-sided feud against Rusev where nearly every interaction involves Rusev eating a Superman Punch and/or Spear. Reigns made a fool out of him prior to SummerSlam, pinned him cleanly prior to SummerSlam, beat him up in a no-contest brawl at SummerSlam, cleanly beat him for the belt at Clash of Champions, decisively beat him up again after a double count-out on the following Raw, then beat him up after another brawl when Rusev asked for another title shot.
Reigns accepted and this time it’s going to be a Hell in a Cell match, which will likely end this feud for good.
LIKELY AND UNANNOUNCED MATCHES
In terms of the WWE Universal Championship, Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins is the big feud and I really can’t see Owens defending against anyone else for the show. They’re really that low on top contenders right now. They went at it at Clash of Champions and due to interference, a ref bump, and distraction, Owens retained. Now with Rollins trying to find his footing as a top face while trying to sidestep all of the hypocrisy, it’s pretty much a given that they’ll have to face each other in the roofed cage. If anything, they can claim it will keep Jericho away.
There’s speculation that we might also get a Hell in a Cell match of Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte. As it is right now, the Rawwomen’s division has six active women and only three of them are currently treated as being part of the title picture. WWE made such a big deal out of Sasha vs. Charlotte main-eventing Raw(wherein Sasha regained the Women’s Championship) that it only makes sense to have the first female Hell in a Cell. Not only would it be a huge deal for the division, but it would also give the feud a much-needed new coat of paint as they wait for Nia Jax to become a contender.
We know that New Day vs. Cesaro and Sheamus is in the future and it will probably be for this show. After their Best of Seven Series, Cesaro and Sheamus ended at 3-3-1 due to the ref stopping the final match and calling it a draw. Since they were competing for a title shot, Mick Foley figured he would allow them a tag title shot. The problem is, the two outright hate each other and have had a hard time not tearing each other’s heads off.
Check back for more news on WWE Hell in a Cell 2016!
Gavin Jasper still wishes they would have gone with Halloween Havoc. Damn it, we need a Chamber of Horrors revival! Follow Gavin on Twitter!