WWE Hell in a Cell Live Blog and Results

Hell in a Cell 2015 Dolph Ziggler, Cesaro, and Neville vs. Rusev, Sheamus, and King Barrett 8h20151016_HIAC_KickOff_EPLights_HP Fun opener featuring a lot of good mid-card talent. 50/50 booking had the babyfaces going over here (since they just lost against the same team last RAW). A lot of pre-show, crowd-pleasing warm up moments - especially Cesaro's round-the-ring uppercut onslaught. And then a Giant Swing on Barrett that lasted a good, long while - like his Giant Swings used to. After the swing, Neville pinned Barrett after a Red Arrow. WINNERS: Dolph Ziggler, Cesaro, and Neville John Cena's U.S. Open Challenge 7h20151012_HIAC_EP_Lights_HP Okay, either my Network feed was delayed or Alberto Del Rio robo-tweeted too early, but his "Glad to be back!" tweet came about a minute before Zeb Colter announced the returning Del Rio as Cena's big U.S. title opponent. So Del RRRRRRRRIIIIIOOOOOOO is back, after a little more than a year away from the WWE. After getting fired for slapping WWE's gross, racist social media manager. Bridges repaired, wounds mended, all's well. Reports of him talking to the WWE came up last week, so this was a quick turnaround. I guess since Cena was dropping the belt, he made sure it was to a former champ. Because he lost to Del Rio, and he lost clean. He went for the AA, but Del Rio nailed a Backstabber and then a kick to the face. That was it. Unremarkable match overall, though the surprise of Del Rio's return (and "strange bedfellows" alliance with Zeb) was the bigger, more entertaining news here. WINNER, and New United States Champion: Alberto Del Rrrrrrrrrrrrrio! Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt (Hell in a Cell Match) 2h20150920_HIAC_romanbray_EP_Lights-hp A well-worked, tough match that absolutely did not need a Cell. There were a few parts when Bray stuck a few weapons in the cage holes to hold them up, but other than that, this was just a caged-up No DQ match. A lot of kendo shots and table spots. Nothing bad here really. Some close calls with powerbombs and Sister Abigails, but overall the important part of this one was that it was meant to end the feud that began back at MITB. And perhaps push Reigns up into the title program with Rollins. Match investment here really depends on your love/like/loathe of Reigns. I think everyone really likes what Bray does usually, but Roman's still so polarizing. He's ALREADY a tainted brand in some stubborn fans' eyes, in fact. But he's been proving himself well these past few months - though I will say that this match wasn't quite as fun as RAW double-countout chaos from a few weeks back. In the end, after Roman had kicked out of Sister Abigail, Bray tried to impale Roman on some propped up sticks. Roman reversed it, sent Bray face first into a stick and then hit a spear for the win. WINNER: Roman Reigns WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day vs. The Dudley Boyz 5h20151005_HIAC_NewDayDudleyBoyz_EP_Lights_HOMEPAGE Even without Xavier Woods there at ringside (we miss ya, little unicorn!) to provide the usual DQ finish, The New Day still retained the tag gold. This time though by actually pinning and beating the Dudleys (after a trombone shot to the back off Bubba and a "Trouble in Paradise" kick). Toward the end of the match, Kofi went for a Eddie Guerrero-style fake DQ finish by trying to make the ref think Bubba had used the trombone as a weapon. Perhaps as a tribute to honorary New Day-er Sasha Banks who's a mega Eddie fan? Anyhow, it was a fun spot as the ref was so close to ringing the bell, but then kept the match going. Another notable moment in the match was a BIG double team botch by the Dudleys (something you don't see these guys do). It got them a chorus of "boos" and JBL pretty much talked about it the rest of the match. The Dudleys 'uncharacteristic "miscommunication." You know a botch is bad when it becomes part of the announcers' match rhetoric. WINNERS, and still WWE Tag Team Champions: The New Day Divas Champion Charlotte vs. Nikki Bella 4h20151005_HIAC_nikkicharlotte_EP_Lights-hp Last minute match stips made it so this was a one-on-one fight, with no other Divas at ringside. Refreshing actually. When's the last time there weren't at least four women out at ringside, regardless of the match? I get sad though when I think about how one of the side effects of this Divas Revolution is that it's made me rather apathetic about Charlotte. Well, she did well tonight, and worked hard to stand out on her own - away from the DR team warfare rabble. She even got her nose busted at one point. Yes, there was blood in the Divas match, not in the earlier Reigns/Wyatt Cell match. Nikki worked on Charlotte's back for a while, and then even escaped the Figure Eight, delivering a mean looking Alabama Slamma on the ring apron to Charlotte. It was enough to almost make up for the fact that she slapped her knee during a missed springboard kick. So the sound was there, but no contact. Anyhow, Charlotte toughed her way through this one and won with her second Figure Eight attempt. Nikki went down again. In the end, a solid encounter. Much better than ones previous. WINNER, and still WWE Divas Champion: Charlotte WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins vs. Demon Kane 3h20150928_HIAC_EP_Lights_HP To be honest, I didn't give the first half of this match my full attention. Firstly, it's Demon Kane. Nothing big was going to happen here. Secondly, it was a given that this particular World Title match wouldn't be going on last - but to have it go on before the Intercontinental Title match? All the more reason not to take this bout seriously. Plus, the announcers spent the whole time paying tribute to Kane. Spouting Kane facts. Telling us every single thing Kane's done. Kane stuff. Still, toward the end, things picked up. Not to the point where one could expect Kane to win, but the action got better. Seth snuck out of a table spot and nailed Kane with an awesome table powerbomb (which would have been more awesome if the table had broke). In the end it was a Pedigree and a win. WINNER, and still WWE World Heavyweight Champion: Seth Rollins Intercontinental Champion Kevin Owens vs. Ryback 6h20151005_HIAC_EP_LIGHT_R_OwensRyback_HP Kevin Owens getting the same pre-Undertaker/Lesnar slot on the card that he got at SummerSlam. Making for sort of a good-though-unspectacular match with Ryback in which - instead of an eye rake - Owens kicked Ryback in the eye while he was reeling on the ring apron. But none of the announcers called the move. As usual, they were just talking about something else. So no one called the kick and then Owens went for the Pop-Up Powerbomb and got the win. Sad to be so unexcited about an Owens match, but that's sort of what happens when it's given pre-Taker "last chance for bathroom" placement. And when Ryback's involved. WINNER, and still Intercontinental Champion: Kevin Owens The Undertaker vs. Brock Lesaner (Hell in a Cell Match) 1h20150920_HIAC_Taker_Brock_Sponsor_Homepage_EP_Light Honestly, I didn't really have a favorite going into this one, though I suppose I would have preferred The Undertaker to beat Lesnar here. Even though he's on his way out and there's still money in protecting Brock. It's just the completist in me really, since Taker's never beaten Lesnar totally clean before. Either way, this was fun, bloody, violent match that had the crowd in the palm of its hand. In fact, the doctor in the ring (yes, in the middle of a Hell in a Cell match) got more heat than any of the heels on the card. Eventually, after Undertaker started bleeding too, Brock tossed the doc away and went for an F-5. In the end, it would take three F-5s to put away Undertaker. With the final one being on the exposed wood underneath the ring. Yes, Brock went nuts at one point and tore up a spot in the middle of the ring and pulled off the tarp and the padding to reveal the boards. He himself then took a chokeslam and a tombstone on them. A very fun, final match between these two - with the ending pretty much playing like a send-off for Taker - until BRAY WYATT, of all people, showed up to ruin Undertaker's closing moments. Thankfully, this interference happened after the match was over and done with. I would have hated for the Cell bout to get messed up. Interesting turn. Was this meant to set up Taker/Wyatt II for WrestleMania? Which would most likely be Taker's retirement match? WINNER: Brock Lesnar