WWE Hell in Cell Spoilers and Recap

One of the best draws in WWE is the Hell in a Cell match. WWE is so aware of this that not only does the sadistic structure get its own pay-per-view but tonight it was given 2 installments – and they both were a blast.

SmackDown went nearly a month and a half without any pay-per-view magic so tonight had plenty of built up tension. That said, WWE supplied several instances of resolution to their long-running programs. The Usos and New Day had what looked like to be the final chapter of their career-making feud and it also appeared that are done with Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Jinder Mahal.

With WWE clearing the slate as 2017 closes, tonight’s pay-per-view felt like a season finale of SmackDown.

So what Superstars got big wins that will carry them into next season? Which Superstars were written off? Let’s have look:

Quick Hits

Randy Orton defeats Rusev

This finish comes as no surprise if you’ve been watching WWE for the last few years. While Rusev performed well, it was the RKO that ended the match. 

Both of these men deserve better spots on SmackDown’s card but we’re just not sure how or when that will happen. 

 

Charlotte defeats Natalya Via DQ

WWE isn’t quite done squeezing the juice out of these two. Even though it felt a little cheap, Natalya’s illegal use of a chair just gave us one more reason to dislike her and Charlotte will get to further her babyface chops.

Charlotte’s thrown atop WWE awaits her, but Vince McMahon and Co. are still deciding how to facilitate her coronation. 

Bobby Roode defeats Dolph Ziggler

WWE didn’t do this match a favor by putting in between the WWE Championship match and the Shane McMahon/Kevin Owens Hell in a Cell fight, but it was fine enough.

Oddly enough, it was the aloof Ziggler who seemed to draw more of the Detroit crowd’s interests than internet darling Bobby Roode. It was Roode who won after a series of roll-up pinfalls. 

Corbin’s Catharsis

While some of may have been exaggerated, Baron Corbin had quite the fall from grace this summer. After being pegged as one of WWE’s next big deals, Corbin saw himself hemorrhaging momentum. He lost his MITB contract, a forgettable match with John Cena at SummerSlam and seemingly, a fair amount of opportunity.

But the Lone Wolf is climbing WWE’s mountain once again. His big win tonight came as a surprise as the US Championship seemed so secure in AJ Styles’ hands. 

Corbin is one of the few Superstars in WWE who exclusively garners boos. So while some fans may already be tired of Corbin, that’s kind of the point. 

 

Feud of the Year

Wrestling is about maintaining constant forward motion. Whether a Superstar wins or loses, their character must always expand. 

This is exactly what’s happened between the New Day and Usos. While each team and won and lost big matches, they have continued to add layers to their WWE characters. In their wonderful program, each team summoned a tenacity that was not there before. 

The New Day quickly monopolized fun in WWE. While that’s certainly important, for them to become a truly great tag team, they needed to add a level of seriousness to their act. 

Not only did Jimmy and Jey draw out the much-needed grit from the New Day but they gave the trio a signature feud. Even further, the Usos elevated themselves to an unpreventable level of success in WWE.

This is wrestling at its finest. So congrats to the Usos for becoming 5-time champs. But we must applaud both teams for their commitment to excellence. 

Jinder the Great

While Jinder Mahal may never be anyone’s favorite WWE Superstar, the Modern Day Maharajah is quickly becoming one of the more notable WWE Champions in recent memory. 

WWE is behind this guy and puts that sentiment on full display at Hell in a Cell. While the Singh Brothers certainly contributed some distractions, Jinder beat Shinsuke Nakamura on his own merits. 

It looks like WWE may be building Mahal for something. Or someone. 

Like John Cena.

Sami’s Big Surprise

WWE, Shane McMahon, and Kevin Owens took us for quite the ride. On top of putting together a wonderful display of violence, Owens and Shane’s big Hell in Cell match will be remembered for one thing: Sami Zayn.

After Kevin Owens took a nasty bump from the cage to the announce table, Shane set him up for the kill shot. However, thanks to Sami’s interference, Shane missed terribly and Zayn dragged KO’s lifeless body on top of Shane’s for the shocking victory. 

Needless to say, come Tuesday, Sami Zayn will have some explaining to do…