By Shawn Valentino, PWTorch Specialist

The memories are crystal clear. The first WrestleMania I had ever seen was the second edition. The event aired from three different locations and the main event featured Hulk Hogan and King Kong Bundy in a steel cage. To a young boy experiencing the grand spectacle for the first time, the aura of that gargantuan blue structure was an unforgettable sight. What made it even more awe-inspiring was that I knew Hogan’s ribs had been injured by Bundy and could only imagine what type of devastating damage would be inflicted to him by the monster once the doors of the cage were shut. At the time, when the WWF would bring out major gimmick matches, it generally was tied to some major storyline. The need for some type of stipulation arose from a natural progression of a heated feud.

WWE has recently shifted toward entire pay-per-views revolving around specialty matches that should be saved for a special occasion. Although the matches have been solid, the impact and importance of these contests has been minimized because they have been overexposed. Additionally, the stipulations themselves have been watered down because they have been thrust nonsensically into feuds that do not warrant them.

Perhaps no WWE structure in recent years has had a more mythical presence than Hell in a Cell. The towering confine of the frightening fence has housed some of the most vicious battles in modern wrestling history. Personally, I did not enjoy the Hell in a Cell PPV event at all and I feel the company did serious damage to their most dramatic feud-concluding gimmick. This week, I thought I would look at some of the greatest matches to ever take place inside Satan’s Structure, as Jim Ross would call it.

(5) Batista versus Triple H: WWE Vengeance 2005

Triple H has not been an interesting character in years. His smug, sarcastic “hero” character is so smarmy and invulnerable that his programs hold no intrigue. In the first half of 2005, however, The Game was involved in a magnificently executed rivalry with his former Evolution partner Batista. For once, WWE took their time and let the plot unravel organically and let the fans decide who they wanted to become the next superstar. Batista won the title at WrestleMania and went on to defeat Hunter at Backlash as well. Although their first two pay-per-view matches were average at best, they proved all doubters wrong when they took part in a violent encounter inside the Cell. Most expected Triple H to regain his title and prove his superiority, especially because he had never lost inside the closed cage.

Neither man is exactly known for their athleticism or array of moves, but the two played to their strengths and presented a brutal brawl. There were no crazy spots but the psychology and timing were splendid and the action took place in a logical but exciting sequence. By the time they had built to the sledgehammer finale off the ropes, fans were clamoring for Batista to finish off his former mentor. The Game did the right thing and gave him the star-making moment he needed to become the next WWE mega-star. Batista, when not injured, has been a main event performer ever since. Triple H was brilliant throughout this entire storyline, and this would be the last compelling angle he would take part in for a long time.

(4) Triple H versus Cactus Jack: No Way Out 2000

Not only did this epic battle take place inside the legendary Cell, this was also the final match of the Hardcore Legend himself as he gracefully went off into the sun with one last memorable performance. Well, maybe not. This was supposed to be Mick Foley’s retirement moment, and it would have been a fitting conclusion to his spectacular career. Of course, Foley has come back time and again, each comeback less memorable than the last. He is now merely a lame self parody of his former figure.

Despite the fact the retirement stipulation has been rendered meaningless, the quality of this match still holds up nearly a decade later. The Game and Cactus had been feuding for months at this point and had a classic street fight at the Royal Rumble the month before. It would only make sense that the two would be locked in the Cell to prove dominance. It was a grueling struggle between the rising superstar and the grizzled veteran. This was a time when WWF still relied on a dangerous, life-shortening stunt to shock the fans and send them home happy. Foley once again fell through the top of the cage. This match was more than about one reckless fall because the buildup towards it was a bloody affair with drama and excitement. The image of the crimson-faced Hunter on top of the cage with a barbed-wire bat was the personification of evil.

Foley may not have retired after this contest, but he did succeed in creating a genuine main event star in Triple H. This was one of the greatest feuds in recent memory and provides evidence of how gimmick matches can be so much more entertaining when they are presented within the proper context of a terrific story.

(3) Undertaker versus Edge: Summerslam 2008

The Undertaker and Edge were the two most prominent superstars to have never lost a singles match at WrestleMania. Fittingly, the two were thrust against each other on the Grandest Stage of Them All in an impressive main event encounter. This would be merely the beginning of a few months of great matches between the Dead Man and the Rated-R Superstar. Their finest clash may have taken place inside the gates of hell itself.

Undertaker had been “retired” by Edge a few months prior but would return to exact his revenge. The Ultimate Opportunist had been playing a cowardly heel for years but thanks to a sensational exchange with Foley, the more ruthless side of him was uncovered in this contest. The story here was that Edge would have to sink to the demonic depths of hell to defeat Taker in this caged confrontation He ended up falling prey to his wrath. The post-match sequence where Edge was choke-slammed through the ring into flames was cheesy, but the bell-to-bell action showcased both men’s strengths. Edge showed a more vicious side of him and proved why he was the best heel of his era, and Undertaker again made a case for being the best big man in wrestling history.

(2) Undertaker versus Mankind: King of the Ring 1998

This unforgettable match is like the double-edged sword of wrestling history. One blade of that sword was yielded by WWF stabbing its WCW competition in the heart at the height of the Monday Night Wars. The other end inflicted severe damage to its own company as well as the wrestling business in general. The sight of Mankind falling from the top of the Cell, not once but twice, was one of the most shocking sights any wrestling fan has ever witnessed. It gave the WWF the highlight footage it needed to present an edgy product that was far more shocking and exciting than its competitor. Unfortunately, it also set the bar of risk and punishment so high that it would set the tone for absurd spots that would result in severe injuries and potentially life-shortening consequences.

Despite the negative effect, one simply cannot have a list such as this without including the most memorable match in the history of the format. Beyond the devastating imagery was the story of the deranged Mankind character willing to put his body through hell and back again without regard to injury or his life. Undertaker was also perfect as the reaper looking to destroy his opponent without remorse. The Dead Man may have emerged victorious, but Foley’s courageous performance in this match made him a main event draw, and the shots of him falling from the Cell became emblematic of the Attitude Era. Other matches have presented better in-ring work, but the impact this match had on the wrestling industry and on any fan that saw it make it one of the seminal matches in the sport’s history.

(1) Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker: Bad Blood, In Your House 1997

This was the original and it is still the best. The build-up to this match was the perfect illustration of the utilization of a gimmick match making sense. Shawn Michaels and Undertaker had been feuding for a few months, and each time, the Heartbreak Kid had weaseled his way to victory through outside interference. HBK had just formed the D-Generation X faction to help him return to the World Championship. Despite his victories, the smaller Michaels had been apprehensive of the aura and intimidation of Undertaker. WWE officials decided that a cage with a roof on it would be the only way to ensure that he would not resort to shady tactics to win.

During over 25 spectacular minutes of innovative and exciting action, Michaels and Undertaker put the Hell in a Cell match on the map. The story in the match could not have been told better, and it was the one time where the internal logic of escaping to the top of the cage made sense. When HBK injured the camera man and the door had to be unlocked to stretcher him out, who could have imagined what would take place? The image of the two combatants battling on top of the structure was unforgettable and Michaels’ bump falling from the cage to the table set a new standard for WWF in-ring risk-taking.

The debut of Kane tombstoning The Undertaker, which also built up for months, only adds to the aura of this match. This match set a standard not only for how to climax a feud with a revolutionary gimmick, but also for two in-ring performers putting on legendary performances. The fact that the two would meet again over a decade later and put on an even better match than this classic is a testament to their greatness.

As you can see, the greatest matches in the history of Hell in a Cell all took place between two bitter rivals in the context of a larger storyline where it made sense that the structure would be needed to house the competitors. No matter how successful their recent pay-per-view was, here is hoping that they come to their senses and realize that the myth of the Cell as the ultimate feud-ending battleground is far more valuable than any extra money they may generate with an experimental concept that weakens the aura.

Please send questions, comments, and feedback to valentino.torch@gmail.com

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