Hell Freezes Over.
The ninth annual WWE Hell in a Cell was a SmackDown LIVE exclusive pay-per-view and it came to you, live, from the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI. Throughout WWE history, the most personal and savage rivalries have necessitated the inclusion of the unforgiving Hell in a Cell structure and perhaps no rivalry has become more personal than the one between Kevin Owens and Shane McMahon. Convinced that Shane McMahon intentionally screwed him out of the United States Championship, Kevin Owens would raise the ire of the SmackDown LIVE Commissioner by bringing up Shane’s kids and saying that Shane’s entire family would have been better off if the Commissioner had not survived his helicopter crash. As if that was not savage enough, Kevin Owens would target Shane’s father, the 72-year old WWE Chairman & CEO Mr. McMahon, viciously headbutting the patriarch of the McMahon Family before also blasting the Chairman with a super kick and flattening Mr. McMahon with the frog splash. Now, at WWE Hell in a Cell, Kevin Owens would find out just how far Shane McMahon will go to avenge his family when Kevin Owens faces the SmackDown LIVE Commissioner inside the demonic Hell in a Cell where both men will be locked inside the structure with essentially no rules and no restrictions as Owens and Shane will be able to do whatever they want inside the Cell with the match only ending by either pinfall or submission and, as decreed by Shane McMahon on SmackDown LIVE, the Hell in a Cell Match will be contested under Falls Count Anywhere rules, meaning that the match can end anywhere in the arena! Can Shane McMahon avenge the savage assault on his father by Kevin Owens or will the unhinged Kevin Owens drag the SmackDown LIVE Commissioner to hell and back inside Hell in a Cell and make good on his promise to beat another McMahon “senseless”?
After weeks of Jinder Mahal’s controversial comments about Shinsuke Nakamura and his appearance, “The Artist” would get the opportunity to shut the mouth of “The Modern Day Maharaja” at WWE Hell in a Cell as, in a rematch from SummerSlam, Jinder Mahal would defend the WWE Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura. Throughout his reign as WWE Champion, Jinder Mahal has repeatedly used The Singh Brothers to help him retain the WWE Title, but will this be the case come WWE Hell in a Cell or does Shinsuke Nakamura have a plan in mind to neutralize The Singh Brothers and claim the WWE Championship?
The rivalry between The New Day and The Usos has quickly become the most talked about tag team rivalry in recent memory as both teams have went all out to deliver classic match after classic match all in the name of the SmackDown Tag Team Championship and this heated rivalry would be taken to another level at WWE Hell in a Cell when two members of The New Day will put the SmackDown Tag Team Titles on the line against The Usos and this match will be contested inside Hell in a Cell! In the first tag team Hell in a Cell Match in eight years, which team can survive the demonic Hell in a Cell structure and leave Detroit as the SmackDown Tag Team Champions?
For weeks, Baron Corbin has made it obvious that he wants his opportunity at the United States Championship as “The Lone Wolf” has repeatedly done whatever it takes to ensure that he remains the focus of United States Champion AJ Styles and, at WWE Hell in a Cell, Baron Corbin would get the opportunity to turn his career around in a big way when he challenges AJ Styles for the prestigious United States Title. Also at WWE Hell in a Cell, after Randy Orton and Rusev have each embarrassed the other with quick victories in recent weeks, “The Viper” and “The Bulgarian Brute” would look to settle the score at WWE Hell in a Cell when Randy Orton goes one-on-one with Rusev.
Feeling that the fans do not appreciate his in-ring ability and that they are only interested in flashy entrances, Dolph Ziggler has made it a point to drive his belief home over the last month as Dolph has parodied the likes of Triple H, Shawn Michaels, The Ultimate Warrior, and The Undertaker. This would bring forth “Glorious” Bobby Roode, who would take issue with Dolph’s tirade against flashy entrances, setting up a match between the two at WWE Hell in a Cell as Bobby Roode would go one-on-one with Dolph Ziggler. Also, in a rivalry that has been going on for years, the latest chapter in the rivalry between Natalya and Charlotte Flair would come to a head at WWE Hell in a Cell when Natalya defends the SmackDown Women’s Championship against “The Queen” Charlotte Flair. Can Natalya re-enforce her claim of being “the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be” or will Charlotte Flair add another championship to her family’s legacy by winning the SmackDown Women’s Title?
Match Results
- Kickoff Match: Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin def. The Hype Bros by Chad Gable pinning Zack Ryder following the double team powerbomb/neckbreaker.
- SmackDown Tag Team Championship: Hell in a Cell Match: The Usos def. The New Day’s Big E & Xavier Woods (c) (with Kofi Kingston) by Jimmy Uso pinning Xavier Woods (c) following the Double Uce with a steel chair to win the SmackDown Tag Team Titles.
- Randy Orton def. Rusev by pin following the RKO.
- United States Championship: Triple Threat Match: Baron Corbin def. AJ Styles (c) and Tye Dillinger by pinning Tye Dillinger following the Phenomenal Forearm by AJ Styles (c) to win the United States Title.
- SmackDown Women’s Championship: Charlotte Flair def. Natalya (c) by DQ after Natalya (c) uses a steel chair. As a result, Natalya (c) retains.
- WWE Championship: Jinder Mahal (c) (with The Singh Brothers) def. Shinsuke Nakamura by pin following the Khallas to retain.
- Bobby Roode def. Dolph Ziggler by roll-up with the tights.
- Hell in a Cell Match: Falls Count Anywhere: Kevin Owens def. Shane McMahon by pin after Shane McMahon misses the elbow drop off of the Hell in a Cell.
See page 2 for detailed results.
