A look at the predictions for this Sunday’s WWE Hell in a Cell pay-per-view.
On Sunday night, the WWE Hell in a Cell pay-per-view will take place from the TD Garden in Boston, MA. This is Raw’s second exclusive show since the July WWE Draft.
Hell in a Cell will be headlined by three cell matches, but WWE hasn’t announced which one will be the actual main event. They all have cases to be the closing match of the event, though, so we’ll see which one ends up getting the showcase positioning.
This PPV will have seven matches take place, all of which will have some type of meaning to it. Who is going to walk out a winner?
Credit: WWE.com
WWE Cruiserweight Championship MatchTJ Perkins (c) vs. Brian Kendrick
About six weeks ago, the cruiserweights seemed poised to leave their mark on Raw. They would seemingly fill a gap left in programming where nonsense usually got placed. However, heading into Hell in a Cell, this division of wrestlers have become an afterthought. That goes for this match between TJ Perkins and Brian Kendrick too.
At first, Kendrick vs. Perkins seemed to have some flare. We got introduced to their past and how they used to ride together to shows — but then this plot point got used repetitively. Video game references started getting used on every show as well since TJP has a gamer-inspired entrance. While this isn’t the best, it’s still a storyline for these two.
However, last Monday’s episode of Raw may have been the boiling point of this feud — a positive one, thankfully. Kendrick has continuously stressed how desperate he is to win. This has been his mantra from the Cruiserweight Classic and his first six weeks back in WWE, which is fine. He’s on his second life with the company, one that didn’t seem possible for a while. So, in a backstage segment with Perkins, he asked for him to throw away the match. Could this mean that the champion chooses to submit to give his friend a free win?
A signal of the former WWE Tag Team Champion winning this had been when Rich Swann beat him. It’s something to watch for down the line, and could mean these two are going to battle for the Cruiserweight Championship.
Perkins’ time on top will come to an end on Sunday. After that, it will be difficult to know where he stands in the cruiserweight division. He hasn’t really stood out since the Cruiserweight Classic, so a strong performance at the PPV will be crucial for the former EVOLVE star.
Prediction: Brian Kendrick defeats TJ Perkins to win the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.
Credit: WWE.com
Bayley vs. Dana Brooke
Since rising to superstardom, it has been difficult to find Bayley in a bad feud. She has brawled with Charlotte in NXT, put on a legendary program with Sasha Banks, and went to war with Asuka.
However, the main roster has been different. The program with Banks and Charlotte was fine, but never felt special like it should have been. Then, there’s this new one with Dana Brooke. To call this horrible may be an understatement.
Before Bayley goes for the Raw Women’s Championship again, she needed something to do. So, they paired her with Brooke, who has struggled since being called up in the spring. We have since seen one of the worst women’s matches of the year and a horrendous arm wrestling match between the two. Their bout had Dana awkwardly botch the finish when she yanked Bayley off the turnbuckle to get the pinfall win.
But wait — Bayley losing to the former Emma sidekick? It’s something that shouldn’t happen, but did. Just like the arm wrestling match. The crowd even chanted a bunch of negative things towards it.
We head into Hell in a Cell with these two instances being the only notable moments of the feud. There’s probably no business even putting this match on the card, which is a shame because Bayley is a top performer in the women’s division. A lack of intrigue highlights this, though.
Either way, the former NXT Women’s Champion will walk out a winner. If not, Brooke is going to get a push that few may want to see.
Prediction: Bayley defeats Dana Brooke.
Next: Enzo and Cass vs. Anderson and Gallows
Credit: WWE.com
Enzo Amore and Big Cass vs. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows
This may be a de facto No. 1 Contender’s match for the Raw Tag Team Championship at Hell in a Cell. A win from either Enzo Amore and Big Cass or Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows should put them into the title hunt depending on what happens in New Day’s match.
The build for Enzo and Cass seems like it’s going to be slow. They haven’t been involved in any major feuds, but could be in line for something in the future. Maybe by WrestleMania 33, they’ll win the titles. It could lead to an eventual split with Cass getting a run as a singles wrestler earlier this year.
Anderson and Gallows had countless shots for the tag titles this summer. However, WWE never gave them the win and kept New Day’s everlasting reign going. Things haven’t really changed for the former NJPW stars, though, as Enzo and Cass have beaten Anderson in singles matches in consecutive weeks.
Both teams could use the win here with the loser going directionless. It’s a tough call, but Anderson and Gallows need something so they don’t become completely irrelevant.
Prediction: Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows defeat Enzo Amore and Big Cass.
Next: Raw Tag Team Championship Match
Credit: WWE.com
Raw Tag Team Championship MatchNew Day (c) vs. Cesaro and Sheamus
New Day’s title reign has seen them beat The Primetime Players, The Dudley Boyz, The League of Nations, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, among others. They’ve been unstoppable with a run lasting almost 450 days and having no end in sight.
Cesaro and Sheamus are a bit of a wild card here, though. These two recently got paired together by Mick Foley after their seventh match of the Best-of-Seven series stopped due to a medical decision. The Raw General Manager had promised the winner a title shot, so he chose to make them a team and go after New Day’s belts.
Since then, the foreign duo has tried to stay on the same page, and while they argue a lot, wins have resulted. This includes a victory over Big E and Kofi Kingston on the go-home episode of Raw. While giving away a match isn’t the best move, these four teased fans with what they could do at a PPV.
There’s a chance New Day, Cesaro, and Sheamus could steal the show at Hell in a Cell. They have the most anticipated non-cell match and should get time to tell their story. There won’t be a title change because New Day will probably break Demolition’s record, but it should still be entertaining.
Prediction: New Day defeats Cesaro and Sheamus to retain the Raw Tag Team Championship.
Next: WWE United States Championship Match
Credit: WWE.com
Hell in a Cell Match for the WWE United States ChampionshipRoman Reigns (c) vs. Rusev
Roman Reigns and Rusev have feuded for the past two months. They were supposed to wrestle at SummerSlam, but Reigns injured The Bulgarian Brute, so their match got moved to Clash of Champions. This saw The Big Dog overcome the odds of everything he went through in the summer to win the WWE United States Championship. Quite the turn of events for someone who headlined WrestleMania 32.
Rusev has looked for ways to get an edge on Reigns since, but has come up short a few times. Inside Hell in a Cell, though, anything goes, so he can look to get his revenge in the most brutal fashion possible (that PG allows).
The star of this feud has been the two-time United States Champion. His promos have been strong and drew heat in the process, one of the few on WWE’s roster that can do this. Reigns hasn’t really stood out and even came off like a heel in his most recent promo on Raw. Pre-recorded ones should be better since they’re in a controlled environment, but this one would make you question who the real bad guy is.
These two will step into the cell on Sunday night and potentially battle one last time. Champions rarely win the rematch, and since this is Roman Reigns we’re talking about, he’ll win.
Prediction: Roman Reigns defeats Rusev to retain the WWE United States Championship.
Next: WWE Universal Championship Match
Credit: WWE.com
Hell in a Cell Match for the WWE Universal ChampionshipKevin Owens (c) vs. Seth Rollins
Kevin Owens literally got handed the WWE Universal Championship in August when Triple H returned to help him win. This came at the expense of Seth Rollins, who was pedigreed to eventually screw him out of the title when Kevin Owens made the pin. They would wrestle at Clash of Champions for the belt, but KO won again via distraction.
Heading into Hell in a Cell, an intriguing subplot has developed. Chris Jericho, who has been billed as Owens’ best friend, became a focal point due to the increasing tension with his ally. They seemed to be on the same page on the recent episode of Raw, but after arguments over the past few weeks, things seem like they’re prepared to implode at any point. With Hell in a Cell matches being no disqualification, this may happen on Sunday. Seeing Jericho being the cause of Owens losing the title would be surprising, though, given how early we are into this reign.
Another subplot, albeit a missing one, has been the absence of Triple H. While he did appear in a YouTube backstage clip, he hasn’t been seen on TV since the August title match. It’s a curious move to leave out a crucial element of the story, one that should have the chance of being revived Sunday. A cell match seems like the place to have his involvement play a part once again. This would cost Rollins yet another title bout and further things for a potential WrestleMania match.
The Kevin Owens Show should continue after Hell in a Cell. There’s still plenty of time to go in his Universal Championship run, which should last through the end of the year. He’ll hopefully win with the help of The Cerebral Assassin so we get some actual advancement with his storyline role.
Prediction: Kevin Owens defeats Seth Rollins to retain the WWE Universal Championship.
Next: Raw Women's Championship Match
Credit: WWE.com
Hell in a Cell Match for the Raw Women’s ChampionshipSasha Banks (c) vs. Charlotte
The first-ever women’s Hell in a Cell match will go down on Sunday. This pits Sasha Banks, the Raw Women’s Champion, against Charlotte, who is looking for her third reign with the title this year. It’s a historic moment for the women’s division that will be remembered for years to come.
What hasn’t been the bright spot of this feud is WWE harping on this being the first-ever women’s cell match. Making history is great, but it still feels like the female performers are being dropped another notch below. If WWE really wants to make this match feel special, they’ll back off the “Sasha and Charlotte are about to make history” talk and actually go into the feud these women have had in 2016.
It started in January when Banks returned from an injury. She wanted to go for the then-WWE Divas Championship, but first had to deal with Naomi and Tamina, who turned their backs on The Boss. This led to an alliance with Becky Lynch to take down the heels and eventually get title shots against Charlotte at WrestleMania 32.
After about two months away, Sasha returned again to go after Charlotte’s title and won it on the first brand-exclusive episode of Raw. Three months later, the title has been flip-flopped two more times leading into this epic and potentially final encounter between them.
It’s unfortunate that WWE has barely mentioned what the former NXT Women’s Champions have done throughout 2016. Given the lackluster build to most of these matches on the Hell in a Cell card, though, should we really be surprised?
When Charlotte and Sasha step into the ring, it should be the main event. The line of history between them is there, more than Rusev and Roman Reigns or Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins. They’ll then get to brawl inside the cell and potentially create moments that we talk about 20 years later, like Mankind and Undertaker’s clash in the dangerous structure.
On Sunday night, Banks will complete the final chapter of this feud with a win. It’s time to close this out and have each woman move onto other things. While Charlotte has done a phenomenal job in the title scene, it’s time for someone else to move up. This could be Nia Jax, who has noticeably been absent from WWE TV after receiving a slow-burn build. Might she show up after the match to place her stamp on the Raw women’s division?
Prediction: Sasha Banks defeats Charlotte to retain the Raw Women’s Championship.
Hell in a Cell is just about here and should be an intriguing PPV. It will carry us into Survivor Series, which is already shaping up to be one to watch.
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