The Top Ten 10.30.07: Hell In A Cell Matches
Posted by Julian Williams on 10.30.2007
Sure, #1 is an easy pick, but how do rest of the HIAC matches rank? Click the link to find out. Click it now. NOW DAMMIT! There ya go.
Good day people and welcome back to another edition of The Top Ten. This week we're going to look at The Top Ten Hell In A Cell Matches. By my count, there have only been 13 HIAC matches in the history of the WWE (12 if you don't count the atrocious Undertaker/Big Bossman one) so while it was relatively easy to decide which matches would be in The Top Ten, it was harder to decipher what order they would go in. So, we'll see if you guys agree with my assessment. No feedback or random thoughts this week since I'm sickly and need to go rest. Let's get down to bid-ness, shall we?
The Top Ten Hell In A Cell Matches
10) Randy Orton vs. The Undertaker (Armageddon '05)
I watched this match once and never really regarded it highly, but last week when I did my Orton column, I got a ton of feedback asking why this match was excluded. So I decided to watch this match again and was pleasantly surprised as it was much better than I remember it being. It wasn't a blow away match by any stretch of the imagination, but these two busted their asses and put on an entertaining spectacle for the fans at home and in attendance. Undertaker set the tone of this match early when he slammed the cell door behind him as if to symbolize that there was no way that Orton was going to escape him now. ‘Taker started off the match furiously by beating down Orton and cracking his head with a steel chair not once, but twice. From there, Orton seemed like a goner, but he was able to fight back with a low blow and some steel chair shots of his own. He threw everything he had at ‘Taker and even hit him with a splash off the top rope through a table. The cell door was eventually opened when the ref got knocked out which enabled Randy's father, Cowboy Bob, to interfere in the match and enable Randy to hit ‘Taker with a Tombstone Piledriver. The Undertaker was able to kick out of that, though, and it wasn't long before he gave both Cowboy Bob and son Randy a Tombstone which gave ‘Taker the three count. This was an intense, bloody battle which successfully ended this feud once and for all.
9) DX vs. Vince McMahon, Shane McMahon & The Big Show (Unforgiven ‘06)
The feud between DX, Triple H and Shawn Michaels, and Mr. McMahon had been going on through the majority of 2006 and it seemed like the only way to finally put this feud to an end was to have a Hell In A Cell match. Vince enlisted the help of his son, Shane, and The Big Show to finally get rid of the pesky DX. Trips and HBK started off strong by immediately kicking him in nads twice, which left Vince and Shane to fend for themselves. As you can guess, that didn't go too well for the billionaire and his son. Once Big Show recovered from the nut shot, though, his team quickly regained control which included Shane giving the Van Terminator to Triple H. It seemed like the odds were going to be too much for DX, but they were able to take back control of the match after HBK gave Shane an elbow from the top rope with a chair wrapped around Shane's neck. That took out the Boy Wonder, who was now bleeding from the mouth, and after a chairshot to the gut and some Sweet Chin Music, The Big Show was out as well. That left Mr. McMahon all on his lonesome and instead of just finishing him there, DX decided to go one better and shove Mr. McMahon's bloody face right up The Big Show's ass…..literally. If that wasn't punishment enough for The Boss, he also received some Sweet Chin Music and a hellacious shot to the back of a head with a sledgehammer.
8) Triple H vs. Chris Jericho (Judgment Day '02)
Triple H and Chris Jericho had a long history with each other dating back to when Jericho "beat" Trips for the WWE Championship in 2000 and continued when Triple H defeated Jericho at WrestleMania 18 for the Undisputed Championship. Their feud continued when Jericho cost Triple H the Undisputed Championship against Hulk Hogan and The Game was seeking revenge. The best way to settle the score? Hell In A Cell, of course. They beat the piss out of each other while using steel chairs and ladders and it wasn't too long until both men were bleeding immensely. The referee, Tim White, also got hurt (legitimately actually) and refs from the back had to cut the cell to get him out since White was the only one with a key to the cell. After Triple busted Jericho wide open with a sledgehammer, Jericho tried to retreat by escaping out of the hole in the cage that had been cut open. Triple H eventually caught up with him and gave Jericho a DDT through an announce table and then grabbed a 2x4 wrapped in barbed wire. This prompted Jericho to hightail it up the cell with HHH in pursuit. Jericho gained control of the barbed wire-wrapped 2x4 and smacked HHH in the back with it while on top of the cell. After Triple H went low and backdropped Jericho on top of the cell (which almost gave out), he picked up the 2x4 and SMACKED it on Jericho's head, ripping out some of his hair and flesh. A Pedigree after that made the pin academic. This was a wild brawl and epitomized just how brutal a HIAC match should be.
7) Kurt Angle vs. Steve Austin vs. The Rock vs. Triple H vs. The Undertaker vs. Rikishi (Armageddon 2000)
What happens when you put five of the most popular superstars in wrestling history (and Rikishi) together in a demonic structure for the WWE Title? You get a wild, out-of-control match that is fondly remembered by most fans even to this day. Kurt Angle had won the WWE Championship from The Rock at No Mercy and during every title defense, he seemed to narrowly escape with his title through hook or crook. So Commissioner Mick Foley devised a way that Angle could no longer squirm out with a victory and that was to create a Hell In A Cell match featuring Angle and 5 of the top contenders. The match started out fast and furious with all the competitors hitting their finishing move on one of their adversaries. Eventually, Mr. McMahon came out and opened up the cell's door with a flatbed truck since he didn't want any of his top superstars trapped in the evil structure. That basically opened up the floodgates of hell, as all six superstars started bashing each other both in and outside of the Cell. The match featured insane action like Austin getting driven headfirst through the glass window of a car (placed on the set), HHH giving The Rock a Pedigree on the hood of a car, a stunner by Austin on HHH from the top of the cell, and Undertaker pushing Rikishi all the way from the top of the cell to the flatbed below. The ending came when Austin hit The Rock with a stunner, but was pulled off the cover by Triple H which enabled Angle to swoop in and steal the victory. This match featured lots of blood and wild action and as a wrestling fan, what more could you ask for?
6) Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels (Bad Blood '04)
A lot of people complain about this match saying that it went on for too long and while I agree with that assessment, I don't think you can deny the fact that the first 30 minutes of this match contained perhaps the best action ever seen in a HIAC match. These two men brutalized each other with chairs, ladders, tables and whatever else they could put their hands on. By the end of the match, both men were bleeding and seemed like they could hardly move. It definitely had the feel of an epic match, even though some people complained that the laying around at the end took away from it epic-ness. The ending came when Triple H hit his THIRD Pedigree on Michaels and that was enough to get the three count. This is the longest HIAC match ever, clocking in at just over 47 minutes and while that may have been TOO much for an HIAC, the overall quality was classic stuff.
5) The Undertaker vs. Brock Lesner (No Mercy '02)
This feud was all about respect as Brock Lesnar had shown The Undertaker zero respect and The Deadman was determined to beat it into him and take Lesnar's newly won WWE Title as well. After an intense conclusion at Unforgiven where ‘Taker threw Lesnar through the stage setting and after Brock ambushed ‘Taker and broke his hand, this feud reached a boiling point where only one thing could resolve it. Hell In A Cell. The Undertaker dominated the early portions of this matchup, using his HIAC experience as well as the cast he had on his broken hand as a weapon. The tide would turn, though, when Brock slammed steel steps into The Undertaker's head and busted The Deadman WIDE OPEN. And when I say wide open, I mean it. Blood poured out of ‘Taker's head like a faucet and it was one of the most gruesome sights I've ever seen in a wrestling ring. Despite the huge amount of blood loss, ‘Taker was still able to valiantly fight back and at some points it seemed like he was going to pull off the victory against Lesnar. But the youthful energy and brute strength of Lesnar proved to be too much as he was able to ward off The Undertaker's best shots and deliver the F-5 for the win. A lot of people crapped on ‘Taker at the time for not jobbing to Brock at Unforgiven, but I think this victory was a hell of a lot more significant as Brock beat ‘Taker at his own game.
4) Triple H vs. Batista (Vengeance '05)
This was a Hell In A Cell match for Batista's World Heavyweight Title and despite the fact that Trips had lost cleanly to The Animal in their two previous encounters, many people felt as though HHH was just waiting to reclaim the belt in this match since he was undefeated in HIAC matches up to that point (Well not including the 2000 Armageddon HIAC, but who counts that one anyway). HHH once again proved his detractors wrong by putting over Batista clean for the third straight time in a brutal, bloody affair. Both men beat the hell out each other and absorbed a sick amount of punishment especially Trips who took a brutal shot to the face with a chair covered in barbed wire as well as a spinebuster on steel steps. This was a great effort from both men and showed that despite a lot of criticism, HHH is willing to do what is best for the company.
3) Triple H vs. Cactus Jack (No Way Out 2000)
This was the follow up to the classic Street Fight at the 2000 Royal Rumble and these two put on a match that matched their previous classic in sheer brutality. The match included ring steps being smacking Cactus' skull, HHH getting planted with a double arm DDT on a steel chair, a chair assisted elbow drop off the second turnbuckle to a prone HHH, Cactus getting hit in the head with a 2x4 wrapped in barbed wire and falling off the cage through an announce table, HHH getting hit in the head with a 2x4 wrapped in barbed wire ON FIRE, and Cactus getting backdropped through the ceiling of the cell and crashing on the mat below. That's just a few of the major spots as there was a lot more sick shit in the match that I didn't even include here. This is definitely one of the best HIAC matches and was a fitting way for Mick Foley's career to come to an end (well at least for a month).
2) The Undertaker vs. Mankind (King Of The Ring '98)
Anybody who criticizes this match as being "two spots and nothing else" can quite frankly kiss my ass. Mick Foley took two of the sickest bumps (one of them unintentionally) ever seen in a wrestling ring and still had the balls to finish the match. Most men would have stopped after just one of those bumps, but Mick took both of those bumps and then proceeded to get slammed into thumbtacks as well. This match was a spectacle in every sense of the word and I mean that in a very good way. I still remember the chill that came over my body the first time I saw The Undertaker hurl Mankind off of the HIAC. I remember being absolutely stunned and wondering how the hell Mick Foley survived that fall. I thought that was the end of the match, but then when I saw Mick Foley get off of the stretcher with a sick smile on his face and climb back on that cage, that's the moment Mick Foley became my favorite wrestler ever. I started the match as one of the biggest Undertaker marks ever and ended the match with a newfound respect for Mick Foley. But enough about Foley, this is The Undertaker's list and UT came out of this match looking like the baddest motherfucker on earth. The Undertaker also entered the match with a broken foot so the fact that he was able to wrestle in such a classic match with that injury should be commended as well. Of course, Foley's two bumps overshadowed pretty much everything that UT did in the match, but ‘Taker greatly contributed to this match and it will go down as one of the most awesome displays ever seen in any wrestling ring.
1) The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels (Badd Blood '97)
This was, of course, the first Hell In A Cell match and it lived up to its name by the end of this contest. This match came about after HBK had cost The Undertaker the WWE Title at Summerslam by accidentally cracking him in the head with a steel chair and instead of apologizing, decided to become a total dick. That led to their great match at Ground Zero and once that resolved nothing, this match was made to ensure that Michaels had nowhere to run. After some early domination by Taker, HBK was able to fight back and get control of the match but soon Taker started to prove too much for Michaels and he had to find a way out of the cage. That way came by an injured cameraman in the cell who had to be taken out and once that door opened, Michaels tried his best to escape. Taker followed him and proceeded to ram his head repeatedly into the unforgiving steel cell. After that Michaels was busted wide open and his face was drenched in blood. I mean you would have thought his skin color was red with the amount of blood he was bleeding. The ending of the match saw the debut of Kane who dropped his brother on his head which allowed a bloody and fatigued Michaels to cover for the three count. This match will be remembered as one the greatest ever and I'll never forget the blood that engulfed the face of HBK in it.
Drive-By Pimpin'
Check out all these great columns by my 411 brethren:
-Andy Clark's "Shimmy"
-Ari's "Column Of Honor"
-Sean, Alex and David's "Triple Threat"
-Bayani's "Truth B Told"
-Weyer's "Shining The Spotlight"
-Byers' "Cheap Wrestling for Cheap People"
-Larry and Geoff's "4R's"
-Fact Or Fiction
-Sat and Uncle Trunx's "High Road/Low Road"
-Phill Feltham's "Quick Talkdown"
-Sarnecky's "Piledriver Report"
-Slimmer's News Report
-Hidden Highlights
-Carapola's "That Was Then" and "Friendly Competition"
-The Fink's Payload
-Gamble's "Just 'Spose"
-Cook's "Ask 411"
-Wilcox's "Thoughts From The Top Rope"
-Meehan's "Meethinks"
-Sforcina's "Evolution Schematic"
-Prag's "In Defense Of?."
-Wrestlers of the Week
-Randle's "Wrestling News Experience"
-Linkous' "Why I Love Wrestling"
-Double M's Rasslin Report
-News To Start Your Weekend
-Dunn's Rawtopsy, Smackdown Breakdown, & ECW eXperience
-Your News, Larry's Views
-Zac Calhoun's "The Ripple Effect"
-Joe Estee's "Keys To The Game"
-Halden's "You're An Idiot And Here's Why"
-Buy......OR SELL!!
And don't forget about the new guys:
-Chris Lansdell "The Way I C It"
-Alex Barcham's "Hitting Below The Beltway"
-T.G. Corke's "The Seventh Dimension"
-Magnus Donaldson's "Cut To The Crap"
-Tim Haught's "Pro Wrestling Pundit"
-William Bumgarner's "What Were They Thinking?"
-Jarrod Westerfield's "Viral Dose Of Reality"
The Sign-Off
We gone! That's all I got for you this week people, but come back next week when the topic will be The Top Ten Tag Teams of Allllll-Time. Until then, go wash your ass!
