Once again it’s time for WWE’s monthly pay per view offering, this time Hell In The Cell. As Mo and I have mentioned repeatedly on We Talk Wrestling, this show suffers from the stipulation already being on the show without the feud to properly fit the Cell. With that said, the injury to John Cena played into that as I think a Cena vs Punk Hell In The Cell match would have been able to fit the stipulation but that just didn’t happen. So far there are five matches announced for the show, with only the main event being inside of the Cell. This is a stark contrast from the first few years of this concept pay per view where as many as three Cell matches would occur in one show. With that said, let’s look at the card!
Intercontinental Title Match: Kofi Kingston vs The Miz
This is your typical WWE in 2012 mid card match for the IC title. Perpetual midcarder Kofi Kingston is now the Intercontinental Champion after beating current (and most likely future) midcarder The Miz on the Main Event show on ION. The basic storyline here is that Kofi couldn’t “win the big one” (sound familiar?) and then did when he won the title, causing Miz to invoke his rematch clause. This match should be fine and I expect two things: Kofi to go over and neither man any better or worse off for this match happening.
Randy Orton vs Alberto Del Rio
This match has probably had the best pure build on the card. Throughout the past month Del Rio has cost Orton the number one contender-ship and has given Orton a series of sneak attacks. Orton has countered with some revenge attacks of his own and what we have is a well designed grudge match. The interaction between these two men can be traced back to ADR beating Orton to become the number one contender. The rematch is where the initial attack occurred as Del Rio beat on Orton after Orton RKO’d his way to a victory. This has been very simple yet effective for it’s place on the card. Randy has been on the losing end of many matches lately so I could see him picking up the win here.
WWE Tag Team Title Match: Team Hell No vs Team Rhodes Scholars
Let me start off by saying that putting the word “Team” in multiple tag team names is not only stupid but unimaginative. That said, I do have to give WWE credit for developing their tag team division. They were able to put together an eight team tournament with only one “make-shift” team, Ryder and Santino. Hell, even they have been teaming up more lately so it might be a regular thing for those two as Team (that’s number three for the “creative” team) Co-Bro. Rhodes and Sandow play off each other well, I especially like Rhodes starting off Sandow’s cartwheel, and this should be a fine match. Team Hell No have dominated Smackdown’s air time and it might be time to bring in a new part to their story as the partners who yell at each other is getting old. I do enjoy the “I can make fun of you but if someone else does I’ll kill them” aspect to the pairing and I see Team Hell No going over in this one to keep the titles and their story going.
World Heavyweight Title Match: Sheamus vs The Big Show
This match I had just assumed would be in the Cell when it was announced but apparently that isn’t the case. If this isn’t the first meeting of these two men, it’s at least the first high profile match. The build has gotten better for me as it started out with Sheamus’ stupid comedy that I hate but has morphed into Show as a legitimate threat for the title. How much of that has to do with the departure of Brian “The Douche” Gewertz I don’t know but I will take the improvement. The debate was horrible as I sided with the heel Big Show when his point was stop the funny stuff and get serious because I will take your title. Sheamus didn’t listen until the Brogue Kick vs WMD comparison on Smackdown where Show won and Sheamus immediately wiped the smile from his face. Since then a series of attacks by Show on Sheamus during matches with Tensai and Wade Barrett have kept the issue going. Sheamus retains in this one, although I am interested in what kind of match these two will be able to have.
WWE Title Match Hell In The Cell: CM Punk vs Ryback
This is an intriguing match up to say the least. The man who promotes his title streak vs the undefeated challenger. This match is truly WWE rolling the dice with Ryback as there were multiple other guys who could have stepped in when Cena got hurt. None, however, were receiving the push that Ryback has been recieving. It’s no secret that Vince loves Ryback and has even when he was Skip Sheffield. I personally feel that the Ryback character has shown me less personality than Skip Sheffield but I do understand the need for new talent on top. What I question is the old “bigger is better” mentality of Vince “man 1987 was great” McMahon. The finish is the key to people’s interest in this match. Will Punk lose the title or Ryback lose his first match? Fantasy bookers around the world have given their two cents on this match, which is promising to WWE that they at least have something some people are talking about. Last year’s Cell main event saw Awesome Truth run in and allow Alberto Del Rio to win the match and I could see a similar concept happening here with a multitude of wrestlers coming into the Cell. Mo booked the finish in a similar fashion to the Undertaker vs Yokozuna casket match at the 1994 Royal Rumble and I think that is the perfect way to handle this match finish. Punk retains and Ryback has a series of guys that he can get revenge against.
Well there’s the card top to bottom unless there are some unannounced matches that take place. The Cena injury has given WWE a fresh match on top that has some people talking. Time will tell if it is enough people that are talking or if the interested people merely offset the people that won’t watch because there is no Cena. If WWE were smart (sometimes a BIG if there), they would have Cena do commentary on the show in order to promote him as being on the pay per view. This might help some of the Ce-Nation part with their money even if he isn’t wrestling on the show.
Agree? Disagree? Did I miss something? I’d love to hear from you at addie@wetalkwrestling.com
