WWE Hell in a Cell preview

The Miz & Maryse vs. Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella (SmackDown)

The story: The Miz beat Daniel Bryan at SummerSlam by, coincidentally, punching him in the face. He did so with brass knuckles though, so the legitimacy of that win is questioned by Bryan, though not the history books. (But really, history books for wrestling absolutely say when there was a shady win, so it doesn’t make sense that Miz always has that response?) So of course Bryan still wants to punch Miz in the face. And Brie? She has no problem punching Miz or Maryse in the face.

Prediction: Brie Bella gets the pin on Maryse, meaning Miz can still say Bryan never beat him. (And waiting in the wings, Zelina Vega and Andrade “Cien” Almas can continue to call Brie the top star in the Bryan family. Assuming they don’t interfere in this match to help Miz and Maryse win) But honestly, as long as this leads to The Miz vs. Brie Bella at WrestleMania, does the result actually matter. 

The New Day (c) vs. Rusev Day (Rusev & Aiden English), for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship (SmackDown)

The story: After defeating the Bludgeon Brothers at SummerSlam for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship, The New Day needed new #1 Contender. So Paige set up a tournament, one that saw Rusev Day defeat The Bar to get this match. This match is the only one of the card that would not make sense in the Hell in a Cell structure, so it’s for the best WWE doesn’t try any funny business here.

Prediction: While Rusev Day finally gets the focus they deserve, The New Day were just knighted by King Booker (ALL HAIL) for joining the five-time champions club. That might be all The New Day needs to keep the titles. 

Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy, in a Hell in a Cell match (SmackDown)

The story: While this story takes place in Hell in a Cell, and these men have some absolute disdain for each other, it’s not exactly the SmackDown match that feels like it has to be in the cell. Based on the competitors alone, the match feels like it should take place 13 years ago with Johnny Nitro, Shelton Benjamin, and/or Carlito also somehow involved. Orton wants to end the legend of Hardy, and Hardy just wants to… wear his face paint in peace? Honestly, this feud became kind of white noise of hatred—it kind of seems cool, but also, does it?—once Shinsuke Nakamura stopped dick-punching Hardy.

Prediction: Jeff Hardy made a promise that Randy Orton will be forced to fade away and classify himself as obsolete. (OBSOLETE!) Always bet on Hardy. 

Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose, for the RAW Tag Team Championship (RAW)

The story: Seth Rollins has been feuding with Dolph Ziggler (and as a result, Drew McIntyre) over the Intercontinental Championship for months now, but due to the combination of Ziggler, McIntyre, and Braun Strowman (the “Dogs of War” to the Shield’s “Hounds of Justice”), the whole brotherhood is now involved. Ziggler and McIntyre very recently made an opportunity for themselves—sorry, Revival—to win the RAW Tag Team Championship from The B-Team, and this match followed.

Prediction: While the entire Shield rocking championship titles would be great, Ziggler and McIntyre are too good of a team to have such a short run.

Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Becky Lynch, for the SmackDown Women’s Championship (SmackDown)

The story: It was supposed to be Becky Lynch’s time as SmackDown Women’s Champion again, at SummerSlam—and then Charlotte returned from injury and ended up being added to the title match against then-champion Carmella. You know how it goes: Becky has the match won against Carmella, until Charlotte hits her with Natural Selection and wins. Yes, she hit her finisher on her best friend—and a finisher that relies on attacking the opponent from behind, mind you—and pinned her to become the new SmackDown Women’s Champion. Naturally, Becky didn’t want to hug like everything was okay and raise Charlotte’s hand after that, so instead, she attacked her. And she’s continued to attack her, week-after-week (much to the joy of the WWE Universe). She promises that the championship is coming home to her, because unlike Charlotte, she actually cares about it

Prediction: To quote the WWE Universe every Tuesday night on SmackDown: “BECKY! BECKY! BECKY!” Also, how is this not a Hell in a Cell match? 

Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Alexa Bliss, for the RAW Women’s Championship (RAW)

The story: At SummerSlam, Ronda Rousey proved Alexa Bliss wrong about that whole “overhyped rookie” thing and won the RAW Women’s Championship for the first time in her relatively short WWE career. Since then, Alexa Bliss has continued to use her girls—Mickie James and Alicia Fox—to make Rousey and her friend/training partner Natalya’s WWE lives a living nightmare, going for every possible cheap shot they can take. (While also actively trying to avoid a beat down from Rousey, which they don’t always succeed at.) Going into the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view, Bliss has worked on having a couple more equalizers in her attempt to get back the RAW Women’s Championship: She’s added an armbar of her own to her arsenal, and she and her girls have made sure to wound Rousey on a weekly basis (targeting the abdomen area, specifically).

Prediction: Not to be rude—as that is Alexa Bliss brand—but have you see Bliss’ armbar? Ronda Rousey retains (unless now is the time Natalya turns on her, as we assume will happen every pay-per-view until it finally happens).

AJ Styles (c) vs. Samoa Joe, for the WWE Championship (SmackDown)

The story: This is one of those shows that feels like it should be in the Hell in a Cell match, and yet it is not. After SummerSlam—when AJ Styles got so upset by all of Samoa Joe’s personal antagonizing that he ended up getting DQ’d, actually meaning Joe worked his plan a little too well—Joe doubled down on focusing his attention on AJ’s wife Wendy (and daughter Anney) and messing with his former friend that way. At least if this were a Hell in a Cell, we wouldn’t have to worry about this ending in a DQ again; and the way Joe is going about things, history is either going to repeat itself or things will actually work out for him.

Prediction: As much as Styles has been keeping strong in this feud with Joe, it’s got to wear on him eventually. Daddy’s already gone ‘night ‘night—let’s go, Joe. 

Roman Reigns (c) vs. Braun Strowman, in a Hell in a Cell match for the Universal Championship (RAW)

The story: Braun Strowman decided to cash-in his Money in the Bank contract “like a man”—and not the coward’s way—so this match is his Money in the Bank title match. However, some time before that, The Shield reunited and attacked Strowman before he could (they assumed) cash-in during a RAW main event. That led to Strowman linking up with Ziggler and McIntyre, and now he’s decided he’s the big dog who runs the yard. Also,: Mick Foley just announced that he will be the special guest referee for this match, as part of the celebration of the 20 years since the infamous Undertaker vs. Mankind Hell in a Cell match.

Prediction: After Roman finally beat Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship, it would be majorly frustrating if he lost it so soon. Then again, it would be even more frustrating if Braun Strowman lost his Money in the Bank cash-in, no matter how many variables—cashing it in in advance, a special guest referee, Hell in a Cell—there are to “soften the blow” of him possibly losing. The last person to fail a cash-in is Baron Corbin, and do we really want Braun Strowman to be compared to Baron Corbin?