October 5th, 1997 was a day that left a substantial mark on Pro Wrestling History for many different reasons. That was the day Brian Pillman was found dead in his hotel room. This was the last PPV where Vince McMahon was the Lead Commentator. We also saw the debut of Kane, however most people remember this as the day they saw the first ever WWE Hell in a Cell Match between European Champion Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker. Since this night in 1997, we have witnessed 31 additional HIAC Matches, and tonight, we will see the 33rd, 34th, and 35th. I have spent the last week re-watching every one of those matches, and after much internal debate, I have compiled my Top 5. In this evaluation, I looked at Match Length, Match Quality, Match Finishes, and Crowd Reaction to determine the top 5 spots. Now, some of these matches held up against the test of time, while some of them were hard to get through, and some of them were better than I remember. Hopefully, this list can change after tonight’s Triple Main Event. This list may be surprising to some, so if any readers would like to discuss the order of the list with me, my email address is listed below. With that being said, let’s get started.
#5. Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker – Badd Blood 1997
Let’s get this out of the way really quick. I loved this match. Shawn and Undertaker put the match on the map here. They didn’t just use strikes and bleed; they utilized every spot of that cell almost in a way to show the world what could happen within it. My only issue with this match is one of the most infamous elements in it.
Kane.
I thoroughly believe they should have saved Kane’s debut until after the match ended. You guys don’t know me very well yet, but Interference in high profile matches just drives me crazy. I think it makes everyone look weaker, and it drops the match rating when it works in the interferer’s favor. In addition to this, Kane’s tombstone was awful to watch. However, I can’t ignore the significance of the history, cell utilization, and the excellent crowd reactions to put this match in the Top 5.
Final Match Rating – 4.1/5 * (Yes. I used decimals.)
#4. The Undertaker vs Edge – Summerslam 2008
I have said this for years: Edge is the Under-Rated R Superstar. Edge was fantastic in this match. Edge and Undertaker flew around the ring and Cell at such a fast pace that it added to the suspense that either of these guys had a big chance to win. Edge’s spear to Undertaker through the Cell wall and the match finish were incredible spots to watch, and the crowd was on fire. The most bizarre and mood killing element to this match was actually what happened after the match, when Undertaker chokeslammed Edge off a ladder with some glitchy demonic camerawork added in. This match would be higher on the list if I didn’t love the next two matches so much.
Final Match Rating – 4.3/5*
#3. The Undertaker vs Mankind – King of the Ring 1998
Not only is this the most famous Hell in a Cell Match in WWE, I would go as far to say this is the most famous match in WWE History, period. Every wrestling fan around the world has either seen or heard of the night Mick Foley went 22 feet off the top on the cell through the announce table, dislocating his shoulder. Most have heard the history of the spot. What some people don’t know, is that Mick wasn’t supposed to go through the cell after he got back up. Undertaker’s chokeslam to Mankind through the top of the cell resulted in Mankind dislocating his jaw, knocking out his tooth which ended up in his nose, busted open his lip, bruised his hip and gave him a concussion, not to mention the chair falling from the top of the cell onto Mankind's head and face when he went through. Undertaker has said that he thought he killed Mick with this spot, and Mick has said that the only reason he is alive today is because he didn’t take the chokeslam properly. In addition to these spots, Undertaker back body dropped Mankind onto a pile of thumbtacks, a moment Mick didn’t remember, which eventually led to a Tombstone Piledriver for the win. Both Undertaker and Mankind received standing ovations from the red hot crowd.
Now, if you are asking why this match isn’t at the top of this list, as it is in numerous others, it’s because there wasn’t a lot of action as there is in the other matches. That is of course no one’s fault, as the match had to take drastic changes, but the other matches on this list will help my argument.
Final Match Rating – 4.4/5*
#2. Kurt Angle vs Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock vs The Undertaker vs Rikishi vs Triple H – Armageddon 2000
The 7th Hell in a Cell Match, and only the 2nd Hell in a Cell Match with the WWF Championship on the line, this match was exactly what is was advertised as: Armageddon. This match featured the top six superstars of the WWF, which was met with on-air kayfabe reluctance by Vince McMahon, who attempted to interfere in the match by trying to rip the cell down. Commissioner Mick Foley thwarted Vince’s attempts, and the match continued. In this match, the battle spilled to the outside onto some cars on the stage, and then to the top of the cell, where Undertaker “pushed/chokeslammed” Rikishi onto the truck bed. The match finish was somewhat unexpected and easy to miss, but in my opinion, the booking was top notch. Also, the crowd loved the entire match. There were very little moments throughout the match where the crowd was subdued. Every man put in superior effort and tore the roof off of the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center in Alabama. My only little issue with this match was how difficult it was to follow each Superstar, as I am sure WWF did as well. Since there is so much happening over a larger area than the ring area, we were bound to miss a few spots throughout the match.
Final Match Rating – 4.5/5*
#1. Triple H vs Cactus Jack – No Way Out 2000
The first Hell in a Cell Match of 2000, and the first Hell in a Cell Match where the WWF Championship was contested, the 6th Cell Match comes in at Number 1. The ferocity of Cactus Jack and the stakes of this match make this choice a no-brainer. If Cactus Jack wins this match, he wins the WWF Championship and exacts his revenge on Triple H. However, if he loses, he must retire from active WWF competition. Cactus Jack ran at Triple H with everything he had. He threw and bounced off the Cell so hard that for a few moments, you forgot the sport we loved was scripted. Blood and tears were shed, the crowd was red hot, and once again, Mick Foley went through the top of the Cell. This time, however, he also went through the ring which was rigged to be safer, yet looked even more vicious than the first time Mick Foley went through the top of the Cell. Ultimately, Cactus Jack came up short here, but this match is without a doubt my favorite Hell in a Cell Match of all time.
Final Match Rating – 5/5*
Tonight, WWE makes history when Charlotte challenges Sasha Banks inside the Hell in a Cell. I have high hopes that this match will meet and surpass expectations and be added to this list somewhere. Please feel free to send me your own lists if you like, or perhaps tell me how much you agree or disagree with this list. I look forward to discussing wrestling with you all.
Jim Smith
theillustriousjps@gmail.com
