WWE Hell in a Cell matches have provided fans with some of the most barbaric, insane and memorable moments in the company’s history since the first Hell in a Cell match in 1997.
Over the years, fans have been treated to many outstanding WWE Hell in a Cell matches that still resonate to this day. And while one can argue the match has lost its luster since the TV-14 to PG change in 2008 as well as having a Hell in a Cell-themed pay-per-view, the match still gets people buzzing and excited.
Whether it’s the original Hell in a Cell match between The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels or the Hell in a Cell match between Charlotte and Sasha Banks last year, these matches still draw interest no matter what.
And with the SmackDown Live-exclusive pay-per-view Hell in a Cell on the horizon, that same interest can be drawn as well. What kind of crazy spots will we see on Sunday, October 8?
Wild and crazy spots are what Hell in a Cell matches have been built on from the start and some of the most memorable spots in WWE history have come courtesy of Hell in a Cell. But which ones are the best of them all?
Let’s take a look at the 10 best Hell in a Cell spots in WWE history.
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10. D-Generation X vs. The McMahons and The Big Show: Unforgiven 2006
The reunion of the original DX of Shawn Michaels and Triple H in the summer of 2006 was a brilliant move on many levels and the duo was arguably better than ever. DX was back in the saddle with hilarious segments and great feuds, including its memorable feud with the McMahons.
Mr. McMahon was the sole reason DX got back together in the first place after all the shenanigans he did to both Triple H and Shawn Michaels individually over the previous few months before DX’s official reunion. DX and the McMahons featuring Vince and Shane feuded for a while before the night the feud officially came to a close at Unforgiven 2006 inside Satan’s prison, Hell in a Cell.
The McMahons got the help of The Big Show for the match and DX was at a three on two numbers disadvantage. The match started out in favor of the McMahons and Big Show, but DX got back into it and rallied.
After a very bloody, entertaining and intense match, Triple H put the finishing touches on DX’s problems with the McMahons with an extremely intense sledgehammer shot that broke off the end of the hammer over the back of Vince McMahon. The Game then pinned the broken chairman to secure DX’s win over the McMahons and Big Show.
In an under the radar Hell in a Cell match, this was a memorable spot that goes widely unnoticed in the annals of Hell in a Cell.
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9. The Undertaker vs. Edge: SummerSlam 2008
One of the best feuds of the mid-2000’s in the WWE was The Undertaker and Edge’s feud for the World Heavyweight Championship throughout the end of 2007 and through 2008. The world title wasn’t at stake at SummerSlam 2008, but the end of the Deadman and the Rated-R Superstar’s memorable feud was near and what better way to settle their differences once and for all than inside Hell in a Cell?
Undertaker is arguably the most recognized WWE superstar when it comes to Hell in a Cell matches, but Edge had been so crafty against Taker in this feud that there was enough doubt suggesting Edge could somehow pull out a win. The match itself was a classic and arguably the best Hell in a Cell match during the PG era.
The key spot in the match where things really got going was when Edge speared Taker through the cell to the outside. This changed the complexion of the match and after a memorable ending, Undertaker got the win and put an end to the Edge chapter of his career.
Taker choke slamming Edge through the ring off of a ladder after the match was over was probably a better spot than Edge’s spear through the cell, but since the spear happened during the match, it takes the reigns here in one of the best Hell in a Cell matches of all-time.
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8. Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose: Hell in a Cell 2014
The Shield ran roughshod over the WWE for the better part of two years behind the trio of Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, and Roman Reigns. They laid waste to countless superstars and even took care of the briefly-reunited Evolution. But just as The Shield got to its pinnacle, Rollins turned on his Shield brothers and joined The Authority.
Rollins and Ambrose feuded leading up to the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view in 2014, but the feud came to a head inside Hell in a Cell. It was a perfect match for a feud that was years in the making. Despite the match going less than 15 minutes, a big spot helped make the match very memorable. After both Rollins and Ambrose were outside of the cell to begin the match, they both simultaneously fell off the side of the cell into two announce tables.
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After both were teasingly rolled away on stretchers, Ambrose got up and began attacking Rollins to lead into the official start of the match. The heel Rollins needed every trick in the book to defeat Ambrose including an appearance by Bray Wyatt that took out Ambrose. The match itself had its great moments, but the one that everybody remembers is the dueling fall from the side of the cell through two announce tables.
This wasn’t the first time that a version of that stunt has been pulled, but it was a welcomed addition to the PG era of the WWE.
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7. The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels: Badd Blood 1997
Everything has a first, and the first Hell in a Cell match back at Badd Blood in 1997 between The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels was a fitting first for a match that would go on to create some of the most memorable moments in WWE history. Michaels was the European Champion at the time, but this match had nothing to do with championships and everything to do with The Undertaker wanting to pummel the brash leader of DX.
Michaels played the role of the cowardly heel perfectly in this match and despite getting his offense in, he got handled by Taker throughout most of the match. The two eventually escaped the cell and the bloodied Heartbreak Kid was in for a rude awakening. After trying to escape from The Undertaker, Michaels precariously hung from the side of the cell with Taker at the top trying to get his hands back on Michaels.
And after Taker stomped his foot on Michaels a couple times, the Heartbreak Kid went crashing through the announce table. This has been replicated many times in various ways since, but being the first time meant something and it was unheard of at the time. Just when it looked like Undertaker had the match won, the debut of his younger brother Kane changed everything and Kane laid out Taker, allowing Michaels to pick up the cheap win.
The first Hell in a Cell match was a classic and the spot where Michaels crashed through the announce table while hanging from the side of the cell set the foundation for what was to come with Hell in a Cell matches.
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6. Triple H vs. Chris Jericho: Judgement Day 2002
The return of The Game Triple H in January of 2002 from injury was a huge moment in WWE history and planted the seeds for Triple H’s reemergence as a main eventer in the WWE. The Game won the 2002 Royal Rumble and earned the right to main event WrestleMania 18 against the Undisputed Champion, Chris Jericho.
Jericho was aided by Stephanie McMahon after her kayfabe marriage to Triple H came to a memorable end. Jericho and Stephanie gave The Game fits for months, but Triple H won the Undisputed Championship from Y2J at WrestleMania 18. And while Triple H lost the Undisputed Championship to Hulk Hogan at Backlash, his Jericho problem did not go away and the two had a final clash at Judgement Day 2002 inside Hell in a Cell.
Despite the match being so-so in comparison to the Hell in a Cell matches before it, a very memorable spot came at the match’s conclusion. After both Triple H and Y2J were on the top of the cell, The Game put the finishing touches on the match with a pedigree to Jericho from the top of the cell to get the win.
In a hit or miss feud and match itself, this was a bright spot and true standout moment between two of the best WWE superstars in history.
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5. Kurt Angle vs. The Rock vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Undertaker vs. Triple H vs. Rikishi: Armageddon 2000
The year 2000 was a banner year for the WWE and is considered arguably the best year in the company’s history. And the WWE rolled the dice to end the year when at Armageddon 2000, the first-ever six-man Hell in a Cell match took place between six of the biggest WWE superstars in history.
The match had huge hype heading in with good reason and it seemed like a no-brainer that current WWE Champion Kurt Angle would lose his title. The match would live up to its expectations and then some with a hard-hitting, bloody affair that took so many twists and turns that a roller coaster would be jealous.
Arguably the most memorable moment of the match came towards the end when The Undertaker and Rikishi were on the top of the cell where something major seemed destined to go down. And boy did it ever.
Taker choke slammed Rikishi off the top of the cell into the bed of a truck that was brought out by Mr. McMahon who was attempting to get the cell taken down because he didn’t want to lose his investment of the talent in the match. The match ended in an unexpected way when a beaten and battered Kurt Angle put one arm across The Rock to get the win and retain his championship.
The ending might have been a bit tame, but the spot featuring Taker choke slamming Rikishi off the top of the cell will be remembered forever in the WWE’s history.
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4. Triple H vs. Cactus Jack: No Way Out 2000
The feud between Triple H and Cactus Jack in early 2000 was one of the better feuds of the Attitude Era. The Game and Stephanie McMahon were running roughshod on the WWE and had control of the company in the on-screen absence of Vince McMahon and a target of their attention was Mick Foley.
Foley had a lot of misfortune because of the McMahon/Helmsley regime and Foley’s transformation back into Cactus Jack led to an unbelievable street fight between him and Triple H at the Royal Rumble which resulted in The Game retaining his WWE Championship. The richest prize in the game was once again on the line at No Way Out, but this time Triple H and Cactus Jack would settle their differences inside Hell in a Cell.
The match was, as expected, an intense and bloody affair with many memorable moments. But the most memorable moment came towards the end of the match when both Triple H and Cactus Jack were on top of the cell. Cactus hit The Game with a barbed wire-covered 2×4 that was set on fire on top of the cell, but the biggest spot came shortly after.
Triple H countered an attempted piledriver by Cactus with a reversal that sent Cactus flying through the top of the cell to the ring below and the section of the ring he fell on collapsed. The Game finished off Cactus Jack soon after and retained his championship.
In one of the best Hell in a Cell matches of all-time, that spot still stands out to this day and helped define both superstars’ careers.
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3. The Undertaker vs. Mankind: King of the Ring 1998
The most memorable Hell in a Cell match of all-time is a no-brainer. The Undertaker’s battle with Mankind at King of the Ring 1998 is still the Hell in a Cell match all others are compared to and for good reason. To call the match a spot fest would be an understatement and what Mick Foley allowed to happen to his body on this night is still hard to believe.
Taker and Mankind’s feud at the time wasn’t much heading into King of the Ring and Foley has even said his character was going through a rough stretch at the time. But this match quickly ended that and reestablished Foley as one of the WWE’s biggest stars. This match has two of the biggest spots in WWE history, but for number three on this list, only one of them will be the focus.
Still early in the match, Foley and Taker were back up on top of the cell and just when you thought Mankind’s punishment in the match had already passed, it was only beginning. Undertaker choke slammed Foley through the top of the cell all the way down to the ring.
And to make things worse for Mankind, a chair that was on top of the cell followed him down through the cell to the ring and hit him in the face on the impact of hitting the ring and lodged one of his teeth through his nose, as visibly seen later in the match.
The list of injuries Foley obtained in this match is hard to believe and even though he has said this was the most painful moment of the match, it isn’t quite the most memorable moment of the match.
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2. The Undertaker vs. Shane McMahon: WrestleMania 32
The Undertaker is the king of Hell in a Cell and to add the daredevil known as Shane McMahon to the equation is raising the stakes even higher. But this occurred at WrestleMania 32 when Taker faced off with Shane O’Mac inside Hell in a Cell. The match came about when Shane made his return to the WWE after a seven-year absence.
He interrupted Stephanie and Vince McMahon on an episode of Raw and said he did not like the direction the WWE was going and wanted to change it for the better. So, Vince responded by saying he would allow Shane to run Raw if he could defeat The Undertaker at WrestleMania inside Hell in a Cell. The stipulation was added if Taker would lose to Shane, he would never be allowed to wrestle at WrestleMania again.
Despite the match not being the most entertaining Hell in a Cell match of all-time, a major moment made up for it. After both Shane O’Mac and Taker were outside of the cell, Shane laid out Taker on an announce table and then began to climb the cell all the way to the top. Given Shane’s past of daredevil moves in the WWE, you could see the writing on the wall once he climbed the cell.
Shane took a breathtaking leap off the top of the cell and came crashing through the announce table after Taker moved out of the way. It looked as if he was going in slow motion through the air it was that unbelievable to see.
Undertaker eventually got the win, but Shane stole the match with his out of this world spot from the top of the cell.
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1. The Undertaker vs. Mankind: King of the Ring 1998
If a match gets two spots on a list, it must be memorable. And nothing could be truer than The Undertaker and Mankind’s battle at the King of the Ring in 1998 inside Hell in a Cell. The other spot featured on this list would normally top most any list, but not this list.
The most memorable spot in this match is also quite possibly the most memorable spot in WWE history and still carries a major impact to this day. Mankind began the match on top of the cell and challenged Taker to come up and fight him, with Taker obliging. The two briefly battled on top of the cell with a steel chair in the picture, but what was to come is something nobody expected.
With both Foley and Taker battling right on the edge of the cell, Taker threw Mankind off the cell and he went crashing through an announce table all the way to the floor. To call it shocking would be an understatement, especially back in 1998 when nothing like that had ever even came close to happening.
Most figured the match was over because of Foley’s health, but the fact that he continued the match and took another all-time memorable spot later in the match is truly unbelievable even to this day. Undertaker got the win, but Foley earned the respect of wrestling fans everywhere and created the most memorable moment of his career in the process.
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This is the best Hell in a Cell spot in WWE history.