|
TUCKER'S TOP 10: Best Hell in a Cell matches - does anything top the Taker-HBK Original?
Oct 30, 2012 - 11:44:31 AM
By Benjamin Tucker, PWTorch TV specialist
The Hell in a Cell match. The ultimate gimmick match used by WWE, it was a highly-protected match that was only used once, maybe twice in a year. Then, the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view came around and in 2009, WWE offered three of these matches in one night. If there's one match that suffers severely from the PG rating, it's Hell in a Cell. No blood, minimized violence, and limited use of the Cell structure has been the name of the game recently, but there are still many good Hell in a Cell matches of the past that can still be watched and enjoyed. The following is my Top Ten Favorite Hell in a Cell matches. And, no, the Kennel from Hell did not make the list. Nor did Sunday night's Punk vs. Ryback match. But, what did, you ask?! Let's find out.
(10) Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels (Bad Blood 2004). This match is over-rated. Just because a match lasts 45 minutes doesn't mean it's an instant classic. I remember WWE trying to bill this as one of the best matches of all-time, and while it was certainly a good one, it definitely didn't warrant the praise that some gave it. There was way too much selling, and it felt more like the Cell matches of today rather than a true Hell in a Cell bout. That being said, it was well-wrestled and had several good spots and nearfalls. If this match was shortened ten minutes, it would have been much better than it was. Still, it was a very good Cell match.
(9) Undertaker vs. Mankind (King of the Ring 1999). As a match, there isn't much to talk about. Mick Foley himself has admitted that the idea of starting a Hell in a Cell match on top of the cell sounds a lot better on paper than in practice, as seen here. The match was more of an angle at certain points, with the climax occurring right at the start. That being said, this is undoubtedly one of the most memorable matches ever. Mick Foley was at his most reckless here, creating a spectacle that will almost definitely not be matched. The utter brutality of this Cell match has put it on a level that few others have reached, and despite the fact that the actual match quality is a bit lacking, the overall spectacle is still one of WWE's defining moments.
(8) Undertaker vs. Batista (Survivor Series 2007). Some of Batista's greatest matches were against Undertaker. Their WrestleMania 23 encounter surprised many and ended up being one of the highlights of the night. Their match at the 2007 Survivor Series was no different, stealing the show in a bout that lacked a lot of psychology, but made up for it in big spots and a memorable return in the end of the match (with Edge running in to cost Taker the match). The big spots do start to take their toll on the match by the end, with both men kicking out of near-impossible situations, but it was still a solid Hell in a Cell match.
(7) Triple H vs. Chris Jericho (Judgment Day 2002). Prior to Sunday's PPV, Triple H vs. Chris Jericho was one of the last Cell matches to feature the concept of battling on top of the cell, and was also one of the better Cell matches in memory. The two exhibited great chemistry, and constructed a well-paced Cell match. Notable in this match is the greatest ref bump in the history of wrestling, with Tim White bumping like Dolph Ziggler on a good night. A few spots felt contrived, and the match took a while to get going (I can only stand so many punches before it gets tired). However, it did successfully build to a great climax on the top of the cell, and had good-enough pacing and action to warrant it the number seven slot on this list.
(6) Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar (No Mercy 2002). This is one of the last matches that solidified Brock Lesnar as a beast. If Vince McMahon needs a refresher on how to get green wrestlers like Ryback over, look no further than this. Lesnar continued to look like a monster after his match against a wounded Undertaker, with the Dead Man pouring buckets of blood by the end of the night. The cell protected Lesnar from exposing his lack of experience in the ring, and most of all it told more of a cohesive story (with Taker's broken hand) than most other Cell matches. This was dramatic, had convincing nearfalls, and was one of Lesnar's greatest wrestling matches ever. Even with as little experience as he had, this was still great to watch.
(5) Undertaker vs. Triple H (WrestleMania 28). This match would be ranked higher, but it's hardly a Hell in a Cell match. Rather, it's more of a No DQ match with some Cell flavoring. On its own, the End of an Era match is a Match of the Year contender, as well as one of the best WrestleMania matches of all-time. As a Cell match, it's still incredible, but lacks that brutal intensity that was present in previous, non-PG Cell bouts. That being said, all three men played their parts perfectly. Shawn Michaels was stellar as the conflicted referee, and the role reversal of Taker and Triple H compared to their Match the Year before was great. It's a shame the match didn't feature the cell more, but as it stands, the match was still awesome to watch. I'd be remiss not to put it on the list.
(4) Undertaker vs. Randy Orton (Armageddon 2005). Yes, another Cell match with Undertaker in it. Don't worry, there's more of him on this list. This match served as a great end to the 2005 Orton-Taker feud. They skillfully-used past spots and new ones to create a match that both referenced their past matches and kept this one fresh. Bob Orton performed extremely well in his role, enhancing the main event and his son's character. This was also another star-making performance for Orton, who held his own with Taker yet again. It may not have had as many hardcore spots as others on this list, but the storytelling was stronger in this match than almost any other features on this list, and it served as a fantastic and fitting conclusion to the Orton-Taker rivalry.
(3) Undertaker vs. Edge (Summerslam 2008). I still think the spot where Edge went through the ring, no matter how contrived, looked awesome. Moving on, I thought this was a much more entertaining Cell match than the Batista-Taker affair the year prior. The spots were much more varied, with multiple captivating nearfalls and several fun call backs to the last Cell match in 2007. Much of it played out like a hybrid Cell/TLC match, which is right up both men's alleys, and they used both concepts wisely, building up to one of the better finishes in Cell history.
(2) Triple H vs. Cactus Jack (No Way Out 2000). This contest is similar to how the Undertaker-Mankind match from 1999 should have gone. This was brutal, especially for Mick Foley. In his (first of many) retirement match, Foley pulled out all of the stops to produce a memorable main event. And, produce he did. Both Foley and Triple H had spots that Vince McMahon would cringe at today. Triple H continued to get over his heel character, and Foley was sympathetic as the man whose job was on the line. All of the stars lined up to deliver an incredible encounter, and one of my favorites of the Foley-H series. As far as hardcore, emotionally-driven matches are concerned, this one is one of the best.
(1) Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels (Badd Blood 1997). The first and the best. Blood, intensity, a good back-story, the debut of Kane, and one of the greatest moments of Jim Ross's career ("That's Kane! That's gotta be Kane!"). Shawn Michaels sold like a champ and took bumps that were unheard of at the time. The bout wasn't paced too frantically and took its time between spots (but not too much). Both Shawn and Taker got their characters across in the match, and used the big cage in an innumerable amount of unique ways, an incredible feat considering the match was the first for the concept. Without a doubt, this is the best Hell in a Cell match in history.
_________________ The Hawk wrote: There is not a damned thing wrong with people who are bull shitters.
|
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
