WWE Hell in a Cell 2015: 10 Things That Must Happen
Photo Courtesy of WWE.com
Rollins and Kane Must Both Stand Tall at Hell in a Cell
Whether or not it’s apparent, tonight’s WWE World Heavyweight Title Match is actually an important crossroad for Kane and Seth Rollins.
For Kane, the reasons are glaring: It’s unlikely that he is going to walk away the champ tonight; that puts him in a pretty tough spot. Kane isn’t getting any younger, and for the first time in years, he’s actually involved in a program where he’s once again stretching his character and making himself shine.
This isn’t Corporate Kane versus another up-and-coming babyface; this is Schizophrenic Demon Kane versus that jerk Seth Rollins. Kane is actually the hero of this story, and he’s a hero that you can actually cheer for. Yes, the segments building up to tonight’s match have been over-the-top campy, but they’ve been handled by Kane and Rollins in such a delicate manner that this feud has been pure fun, in the best way.
There’s an undertone of nostalgia present which highlights just how great pro wrestling can be when it’s at its most ridiculous and unbelievable. Like a cult horror film, the appeal rests in running as far as one can with the genre without ever stopping to wink at the camera, nor taking one’s self too seriously.
And none of this would be possible without Kane.
In an era where the majority of wrestlers have regular people names, Kane is one of the few bastions of delectable unreality. So what’s next? Considering that his character is rooted in being Undertaker’s half-brother who managed to survive the fire that killed their parents, Kane has done far more during his tenure than what was imaginable when he first appeared at Badd Blood ’97. He’s proven otherwise so many times before, but one has to think that, at this point, he’s finally exhausted all the possible avenues.
And Seth isn’t off the hook either. As great of a performer as he is and as great of a champion as he has been, his first title run is still missing a memorable feud. Maybe that’s in the cards by bringing his history with Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose back into the fold, possibly setting up the dream match of a Shield triple threat at WrestleMania 32. But even if that’s the case, we’re still a long way off from April.
If Kane and Rollins are trying to retain the spotlight after tonight’s match, they’ll obviously need new, entertaining programs immediately. However, before that can happen they need to put on a great match tonight. With such a large, talented roster, it doesn’t matter if you’re the WWE World Heavyweight Champion or a twenty-year veteran, every night that you’re at the top of the card, you need to prove that you belong at the top of the card.
Given the outlandish nature of their feud, it doesn’t seem like Kane versus Rollins is sustainable past Hell in a Cell. But if in their match tonight they can keep people invested in a tale about a Director of Operations with a Mr. Hyde dark side tormenting a sniveling, egotistical champion with some bleached highlights and a chip on his shoulder, then that’s reason enough for both of them to remain relevant from now until WrestleMania.
And to be clear, it’s not just Kane and Rollins’ feud that needs to end tonight either…
Next: Time to Start Anew