Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte: Will There Be Blood at WWE Hell in a Cell 2016?

The “main event” for Hell in a Cell may depend on which match actually lives up to the hype, even if it becomes Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte.

In case you were confused, Sasha Banks and Charlotte are not the main event for this Sunday’s Hell in a Cell pay-per-view. Well, not technically.

Yes, Sasha Banks and Charlotte are set to meet inside the thundercage this Sunday to compete for the WWE Women’s Championship. Normally, the HIAC gimmick is used as the battleground for the main event match, so that settles it, right? Sasha and Charlotte are headlining this event and thus making history. Except Kevin Owens will meet Seth Rollins for the WWE Universal Title inside the cell and Roman Reigns will defend his United States Title against Rusev inside the cell. That makes three matches taking place inside the signature structure with no clear main event. So which one will get top billing?

It all comes down to which match actually lives up to the HIAC moniker, a fact that doesn’t bode well for Sasha and Charlotte. We have accepted that a HIAC match means we get to watch two people bleed all over the mat even in a PG environment. Barring that, we at least get to see one of the competitors leap off the top of the cell at great personal risk to their safety. While we may get one or both of these moments from at least two of our matches, its unlikely we will get them from all three.

Which brings up an interesting – albeit uncomfortable – topic. If we are so excited about Sasha and Charlotte being part of this show, do we also expect everything that traditionally comes with it? A HIAC match means violence. It means big spots. It means dangerous bumps. It means blood. That’s what separates HIAC from a standard cage match and fans will undoubtedly feel cheated if they aren’t presented with an appropriate level of danger. If the rumors are to be believed, Vince has already rejected Charlotte’s request to moonsault off the top of the cell, so I fear that the WWE is aiming to make this a PG-rated match that flirts with big spots but never actually delivers.

My fear is that these women are being set up for failure. While they may put on a quality match, the cell itself won’t come into play very much (if at all) and critics will consider it a wasted opportunity which would be a valid critique. Why have this match using the HIAC gimmick if you aren’t going to use it? On the other hand, these women could put on the performance we all know they’re capable of and help to usher in a new age of women’s matches. This feud could be the catalyst for us to see women competing in Falls Count Anywhere, Extreme Rules or even TLC matches.

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I hope Vince puts his trust in his competitors and lets them go all out. While balancing safety and entertainment is a must, the very nature of this business involves pushing the envelope every now and then in order to elevate the brand. This is one of those times.