WWE: Ranking all 40 Hell in a Cell matches from worst to best

20. D-Generation X (Triple H & Shawn Michaels) vs. Legacy (Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase, Jr.)

When and Where: Hell in a Cell on October 4, 2009, in Newark, NJ

We’ve hit the halfway point, and as such we’ve fortunately gotten through all of the bad Hell in a Cell matches. While I would argue a few above this aren’t necessarily bad, they earned their bottom half rankings for various reasons. I think all of these matches have merit and are worth watching for some reasons, even if it’s just to have seen every Hell in a Cell match, but from this point on I feel like each of these deserves a watch when you have the time.

This 2009 clash was the third tag team match inside Hell in a Cell (if you count the 2-on-3 handicap match at number 23 on this list). It was also the first truly special tag team match inside the structure. Regardless of how you may feel about Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase, they were doing their best with what they were given in 2009. The match started fast and furious when Legacy ambushed DX before they could even get inside the cell.

As they brawled on the outside, Legacy managed to get Triple H down on the ramp and bring Michaels into the cell. Once inside, they locked the structure and HBK was left alone to be picked apart by Rhodes and DiBiase. Triple H eventually found bolt cutters and entered the cell, even locking DiBiase outside with the cutters inside. Rhodes was left alone, and a combo superkick and sledgehammer strike ended things for the 24-year-old.

19. Kevin Owens vs. Shane McMahon

When and Where: Hell in a Cell on October 8, 2017, in Detroit, MI

Hell in a Cell has a murky history when it comes to rules. Not every normal Hell in a Cell has rope breaks, and not every normal one ends inside the ring. However, they clearly knew going in that this one was going to end outside of the ring, so it was advertised as a Falls Count Anywhere Hell in a Cell Match.

In reality, the main black mark on this match was Shane McMahon being a part of it. At 39 minutes in length, this is the second-longest Hell in a Cell match of all time. The longest took place at Bad Blood 2004, but we’ll get to that later. Kevin Owens was really shining as a heel during this match, even grating Shane McMahon against the cell with his family feet away at ringside.

There were some great moments inside the cell, including a cannonball through a table by Kevin Owens thanks to a last-second dodge by McMahon. Once things spilled to the outside, we got a lot of fun moments. The fighting eventually went on top of the cell, which gave us a Pop-Up Powerbomb by Owens that sent Shane into the steel ceiling they were standing on.

Owens tried to escape, climbing down the cell only to be followed by McMahon who bounced his head off the side of the cell and sent him careening through a table at ringside. To put the cherry on top, Shane set Owens up on a table and was going to hit an elbow drop off the top of the cell to put him through it. At the last second, Kevin’s old friend Sami Zayn appeared and pulled Owens to safety, causing Shane to crash unimpeded into this table. Sami dragged Kevin over Shane’s lifeless body, giving him the pin and the win.

18. Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy

When and Where: Hell in a Cell on September 16, 2018, in San Antonio, TX

Okay, so this is the last of the matches that I would contend didn’t belong inside Hell in a Cell. The rivalry between Jeff Hardy and Randy Orton hadn’t even come close to earning a match like this, but here’s the thing: Jeff Hardy wanted it. Commentary stated during the match that competing inside Hell in a Cell was a career goal for Jeff Hardy, and I’m convinced that’s the only reason this match even happened.

Boy, am I glad it did though. This match was so much fun, and it was clear that Jeff Hardy was just having some fun in a way he’d probably never get another chance to. Jeff quickly brought ladders into play, which never ends well. Orton didn’t take long to use the ladders against his opponent, dropping Jeff into an upside-down ladder at ringside as just a taste of the chaos they’d give us.

In one of the most stomach-churning moments in HIAC history, Randy Orton retrieved a screwdriver from a toolbox underneath the ring. Once in possession of said screwdriver, he put it through the partially stretched earlobe of Jeff Hardy. Randy Orton then twisted…and twisted…and twisted. Hardy got some revenge, later wailing on Orton with a chair and using his studded leather belt to bust open Orton’s back.

In the end, it was one last death-defying attempt by Hardy that spelled disaster. Jeff was hanging from the top of the cell itself before he let go and tried to splash Orton through a table. Orton had moved, which meant Hardy just violently crashed through the table by himself. Orton grabbed the easy pin as medical personnel came out to tend to Hardy.

17. Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose

When and Where: Hell in a Cell on October 26, 2014, in Dallas, TX

This was certainly a match that earned Hell in a Cell. The structure is meant to be an end for bitter rivalries, and few were as bitter as Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose in late 2014. In June of 2014, Rollins had shocked the world by turning on his fellow Shield brothers and aligning himself with The Authority. Ambrose took the betrayal hardest and spent most of the following months trying to exact revenge for what had been done.

“The Lunatic Fringe” lived up to his name right from the start, coming to the ring with a shoulder-strapped Kendo Stick and quickly pulling other goodies out from under the ring. Once the ring was littered with weapons, Ambrose then stepped back outside and climbed the cell, all before Rollins even entered. Once Seth did arrive, he sent J&J Security up to fight Ambrose on top of the cell first.

Some brawling on top later led to Ambrose and Rollins trading strikes while hanging off the side of the structure, which they ultimately fell off of and each went through a table at ringside. At this point, the match still hadn’t entered the cell. They did finally make their way inside and proceeded to continue this truly classic Hell in a Cell clash.

“Now you pay for it. You stabbed me in the back you son of a bitch,” were the words of Dean Ambrose before blasting Rollins in the back with a steel chair. The fight continued to escalate inside, and Ambrose was poised to Curb Stomp his opponent through a cinder block to take the win, but the lights went out. Suddenly, Bray Wyatt appeared. He attacked and laid out Ambrose, ultimately giving a confused but appreciative Rollins the victory.

16. Universal Championship: Kevin Owens (c) vs. Seth Rollins

When and Where: Hell in a Cell on October 30, 2016, in Boston, MA

We’ve already seen Kevin Owens show up on this list, but this clash with Seth Rollins in October of 2016 was the better of the two. Kevin Owens was riding high as Universal Champion, a title he captured with a little help from Triple H and Chris Jericho along the way. This title reign by Owens had mixed reviews, with some not liking the fact that Chris Jericho helped him win almost every single title match.

However, Jericho’s involvement didn’t feel out of place for Hell in a Cell. As much as you might want to believe the structure is good at keeping people out, history shows that there are plenty of ways to get inside Hell in a Cell. Here, we saw a classic moment as the cell had to be opened to check on an injured referee. Chris Jericho took the moment to bolt down the ramp, lock the cell back with him inside, and keep the key to the lock to himself.

Before Jericho had even found his way in, these two men had already put themselves through all kind of punishment. Seth Rollins even got powerbombed through two tables at ringside. Once Jericho was in, it was only a matter of time before the numbers advantage helped Owens to victory. An absolutely brutal powerbomb through two chairs finally ended things and allowed Owens to escape with his title.