The Hell in a Cell pay-per-view is a mere days away and WWE SmackDown is gearing up for a memorable showing at the event. And last night’s SmackDown helped build more intrigue for the pay-per-view.
Hell in a Cell is one of the most recognized matches in WWE history and with two huge WWE SmackDown matches set to take place inside Hell in a Cell on Oct. 8, the participants involved will be looking to leave their mark on the history of Hell in a Cell.
The rest of the event’s card is solid as well and could provide some possible show-stealing matches as well. Let’s take a look at five takeaways from the Oct. 3 edition of SmackDown.
credit: wwe.com
5. Randy Orton/Rusev/Aiden English Feud is Surprisingly Entertaining
One of the more surprisingly-entertaining feuds in the WWE over the past few weeks has been between The Viper Randy Orton and two unexpected adversaries. Rusev made his SmackDown debut after months of waiting only to lose to John Cena in a Flag Match at Battleground, but began to challenge Orton following that loss to Cena and the two had a match at SummerSlam.
A match that consisted of one RKO and nine total seconds for Orton to get the win. Rusev, however, returned the favor on an episode of SmackDown a few weeks later by beating Orton with a superkick in a quick match thanks in large part due to the help of Aiden English. And since then, the duo of Rusev and English has been very entertaining.
Rusev’s backstage celebration after beating Orton was very humorous and English singing in honor of Rusev Day continued the humorous trend. Both Rusev and English are funny heels and the WWE has been lacking that in recent memory.
And to add Orton to the equation where he can RKO anyone at any given time makes the three’s chemistry even better. Rusev is set to battle Orton at Hell in a Cell and it’s probably safe to assume English will get involved somehow someway.
This seemingly minuscule feud has been enjoyable and has shown different sides to each of the three involved.
Smackdown. Photo by WWE.com
4. Baron Corbin as United States Champion Could Work
Baron Corbin has been one of the most unusual stories the WWE has seen in recent years. The former NFL player won the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32, but seemingly did nothing after that. But he has gained momentum in recent months and even won the Money in the Bank contract for a WWE Championship match, but that’s where the unusual kicks in.
Corbin became just the second superstar in history to cash in the Money in the Bank contract and lose cleanly. There have been rumors about his bad attitude behind the scenes and many have speculated he lost the Money in the Bank contract because he was being punished for his transgressions. Since losing to John Cena at SummerSlam, Corbin has been in the thick of the United States Championship hunt, and he is set to challenge “The Phenomenal” A.J. Styles at Hell in a Cell for the championship.
Styles has made the U.S. Championship prominent again, and working with an up and coming heel in Corbin could lead to good things. Despite Corbin’s bad reputation, he could make a solid U.S. Champion. That title has been a good stepping stone for younger or new talent over the past few years and having Corbin beat a top guy like Styles would do wonders for his career. It would legitimize him as a true threat on SmackDown while also keeping him out of the WWE Championship picture, which he is nowhere close to being ready to reach.
Whether he wins at Hell in a Cell or not, Corbin as U.S. Champion at any time in the near future could be a success for both Corbin and SmackDown as a whole.
Photo by WWE.com
3. The Usos and The New Day’s Promo Puts Feud in Perspective
The most consistent and long-running rivalry on SmackDown over the past few months has been the rivalry between The Usos and The New Day for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship. Outside of just SmackDown, this rivalry has been arguably the best tag team rivalry of the year and another memorable chapter will be written inside Hell in a Cell.
These teams have consistently produced high-quality matches no matter the circumstances and have treated the WWE universe to their best work. Last night’s SmackDown did a great job of putting this feud in perspective. The Usos’ in-ring promo was cut short by The New Day who came out in its usual laidback and entertaining attitude, but with more seriousness wrapped around it.
All three members of The New Day cut great promos and helped get fans more excited for these teams’ match inside Hell in a Cell. Big E’s in-ring speech was particularly enlightening and did a great job of explaining just how special this rivalry has been. He said no matter what position on the card these teams have faced off with each other and no matter what type of match, they always go out and have the best match on the card.
And if you look back at each of their pay-per-view matches over the past few months, you can argue that is exactly the case. Not to mention the select number of matches they have had together on SmackDown.
The Usos and The New Day are arguably the two best tag teams in the WWE and it’s only fitting they will conclude their outstanding rivalry inside Hell in a Cell.
Photo by WWE.com
2. Jinder Mahal’s Momentum Heading Into Hell in a Cell Could Signal a Changing of the Guard
When will the Jinder Mahal experiment end? That has been on the minds of the WWE universe for months after Mahal’s shocking win over Randy Orton for the WWE Championship at Backlash. But it’s October and Mahal is still the WWE Champion after several successful title defenses in the most heelish ways possible.
The King of Strong Style, Shinsuke Nakamura, fell victim to these heelish ways at SummerSlam, but will get another chance at the championship at Hell in a Cell. Conventional WWE wisdom has typically always suggested that when a superstar goes into a pay-per-view with momentum on either Raw or SmackDown, that superstar usually will lose at the pay-per-view. And the same could potentially be said for Mahal after last night’s SmackDown.
Mahal got the upper hand on Nakamura and laid him out in the middle of the ring with the usual help of the Singh Brothers. Mahal then cut a brief backstage promo later in the night saying how he was going to beat Nakamura at Hell in a Cell. This could mean great things for those who want to see a changing of the guard as WWE Champion.
Nakamura has rarely lost a match since joining SmackDown in April and it seems unlikely he will lose to Mahal at two straight pay-per-views. That added with the momentum Mahal has going into Hell in a Cell could spell doom for Mahal’s hit or miss title reign.
The WWE could swerve us and have Mahal retain once again, but it seems inevitable the King of Strong Style will take the reigns as WWE Champion sooner rather than later.
Photo by WWE.com
1. Kevin Owens vs. Shane McMahon Feels Like Classic Hell in a Cell Match Buildup
The hottest angle on not just SmackDown, but the WWE, in general, has been the feud between Kevin Owens and SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon. The two have had a memorable feud up to this point, but it will reach another level inside Hell in a Cell. We all know what Shane is capable of in a WWE ring and he has treated fans with some of the most extreme, daredevil-like moves in company history.
So, it’s safe to imagine more of the same will happen at Hell in a Cell. The feud between Owens and McMahon has been an old-fashioned, classic encounter with a lot of personal elements involved to make the feud more intense. And that is exactly how Hell in a Cell matches are supposed to be built. In the past, Hell in a Cell matches were built between individuals that just couldn’t stand each other in need of a way to solve their differences.
But in recent years, the meaning behind Hell in a Cell matches has greatly disappeared and the matches, as a whole, have turned into nothing more than a random match just to fit the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view card. The meaning hasn’t been there, but it definitely exists between KO and Shane O’Mac. This feels like the classic Hell in a Cell match buildups that made the match famous in the Attitude Era and Ruthless Aggression Era.
Next: Top 10 Most Memorable Hell in a Cell Spots
Owens and McMahon have raised the bar on SmackDown and their encounter inside Hell in a Cell could be one to remember forever if the buildup to the match is any indicator.