WWE: Ranking all 40 Hell in a Cell matches from worst to best
15. Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt
When and Where: Hell in a Cell on October 25, 2015, in Los Angeles, CA
We’re in the top fifteen! The first entry in this elite grouping near the top saw Roman Reigns taking on Bray Wyatt, furthering a rivalry between The Wyatt Family and The Shield that still roars in some form to this very day. We’ll actually see a continuation of this at Hell in a Cell when The Fiend takes on Seth Rollins, but there’s a reason this match made the top fifteen.
Once the match got rolling, Bray Wyatt took an early command of things. With Roman Reigns down for a moment on the outside, Wyatt introduced the kendo stick and the violence really got rolling. He got some shots in of his own before Reigns got a few kendo sticks of his own and got some hits in, later even spearing Wyatt off the ring apron and through a table.
As things continued to heat up, three kendo sticks were affixed to one of the corner turnbuckles. With them in place, three implements now stuck out and were ready to have someone driven into them. Wyatt tried to send Reigns into them, but Roman countered and yanked out a kendo stick to use as a weapon. Not long after, a huge Spear finished things off and gave The Big Dog the win.
14. Raw Women’s Championship: Sasha Banks (c) vs. Charlotte Flair
When and Where: Hell in a Cell on October 30, 2016, in Boston, MA
We’ve arrived at the first and (so far) only women’s Hell in a Cell match. At the peak of the bitter rivalry between Charlotte Flair and Sasha Banks, they were set to finish things inside Satan’s Structure. This was also the main event of Hell in a Cell, another milestone for the women. Before the bell even rang, the spectacle and importance of the match were on display.
Charlotte Flair was carried to the ring on a throne, while “The Boss” Sasha Banks arrived and emerged from the roof of a luxury SUV with the Raw Women’s Championship strapped around her waist. As the cell was being lowered, Charlotte blindsided Banks and sent her out of the ring.
The cell was stopped a few feet off the ground, allowing both women to brawl to the outside of the cell. It was fully lowered, and Banks started climbing the structure only for Charlotte to pull her off and send her crashing through a commentary table with an enormous powerbomb. For several minutes after that, medical personnel got to ringside and looked ready to wheel Banks out on the stretcher.
As the referee announced Charlotte as the winner by forfeit, Sasha fought off the stretcher and the real match was on. Tables and chairs came into play, but we also saw both women utilizing the cell structure and their surroundings really well. Eventually, Charlotte ragdolled Sasha over the table several times before hitting Natural Selection for the win.
13. The Undertaker vs. Randy Orton
When and Where: Armageddon on December 18, 2005, in Providence, RI
Back in 2005, the man who is now 13-time WWE Champion “The Viper” Randy Orton was only 25-years-old and known as “The Legend Killer.” Orton cut his teeth by going after classic legends, and his next target was affixed to The Undertaker. The two first collided at WrestleMania 21, where The Deadman, of course, took the win.
The next big collision took place at SummerSlam 2005, which Orton managed to win. Orton also partnered with his father, “Cowboy” Bob Orton, to defeat The Undertaker in a 2-on-1 Handicap Casket Match at No Mercy 2005. When things finally arrived at Armageddon 2005, these two needed to finish things.
Things didn’t take long to get violent, or for Randy Orton and The Undertaker to start bleeding all over the place. We saw some traditional HIAC violence, with tables and steel chains both entering the fray. Orton even went so far as to wrap his fist with the chain and subsequently strike ‘Taker in the balls. However, The Undertaker refused to stay down, fighting back and finally taking the win.
12. WWF Championship: Kurt Angle (c) vs. The Undertaker vs. Triple H vs. Steve Austin vs. Rikishi vs. The Rock
When and Where: Armageddon on December 10, 2000, in Birmingham, AL
There are plenty of mixed opinions about the infamous Armageddon Hell in a Cell. Let me be absolutely clear, this match is a magnificent clusterf*ck. It really is. You’ve also got five of the greatest champions of the Attitude Era in the same match. Rikishi is there too, and he’s great, but the comparison in accolades just isn’t there.
Inside the cell, things went off the rails quickly and we saw people brawling in different groups. Of course, Vince McMahon came out to save the day. In a large open-bed truck filled with “kennel bedding,” Vince McMahon, Gerald Brisco, and Pat Patterson made their way to the ring. The truck was backed up and hooked to the door, allowing it to be yanked off with force.
With the door removed, the action spilled onto the ramp and up the stage. At the top of the stage were several junk cars being used as props, which the competitors proceeded to fight on and around. Rikishi brawled with The Undertaker on top of the cell and ultimately got chokeslammed off the cell and into the back of the truck. It’s almost difficult to comprehend all of the crazy moments that took place in this match.
As things escalated near the end, we started seeing finishing moves get hit left and right. Ultimately it was a Stone Cold Stunner to The Rock that ended things, but Triple H intercepted Austin’s pin attempt. As Austin and Triple H brawled, defending champion Kurt Angle was able to crawl to The Rock and slip a hand over him to get the sudden victory and retain his title.
11. WWE Championship: John Cena (c) vs. CM Punk vs. Alberto Del Rio
When and Where: Hell in a Cell on October 2, 2011, in New Orleans, LA
Back in 2011, we saw the first and (so far) only triple threat take place inside Hell in a Cell. We were only a few months out from CM Punk’s shocking capture of the WWE Championship before disappearing into the Chicago crowd at Money in the Bank. CM Punk’s famous 434-day reign didn’t begin until a month and a half after this, but he was well on his way.
The WWE Championship had been held by all three of these men at some point in the few months prior, which led to this three-way clash inside Satan’s Structure. It turned out to be an extremely fun contest. The nature of a triple threat allows for several surprising moments as one competitor gets removed from the equation just long enough to make their re-emergence into the brawl feel sudden.
Late in the contest, we saw Albert Del Rio’s personal ring announcer, Ricardo Rodriguez, try to gain access to the cell. He procured the keys and unlocked the door, only to be met at the doorway by John Cena. Rodriguez was AAed out of the cell, allowing enough of a distraction for Del Rio to grab a lead pipe that Rodriguez had carried with him.
Del Rio struck Cena with the pipe and locked the door with him on the outside. With Punk alone, he slid in and used the pipe to finish off Punk and capture the WWE Championship. After the match, things got even more out of hand. R-Truth, The Miz, Triple H, the police, and the majority of the WWE locker room were involved, but that’s a tale for another time.