The Card
Pre-Show
Cedric Alexander, Lince Dorado and Sin Cara versus Drew Gulak, Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari
Main Card
Bayley versus Dana Brooke
Enzo & Big Cass versus The Club
RAW CRUISERWEIGHT Title Match: TJ Perkins (c) versus Brian Kendrick
RAW Tag Team Title Match: The New Day (c) versus Cesaro/Sheamus
HELL IN A CELL US Title Match: Roman Reigns (c) versus Rusev
HELL IN A CELL Universal Title Match: Kevin Owens (c) versus Seth Rollins
HELL IN A CELL RAW Woman’s Title Match: Sasha Bank (c) versus Charlotte
OVERALL COMMENTARY
The last two RAW broadcasts have been their best shows since the Brand Split. With this past Monday’s Go Home Show a massive improvement over the previous Go Home Show for Clash of Champions. Of course, RAW has been anything but good for the most part since the split (I will cover this more in the October EOM on Tuesday).
The main focus of this PPV is the Hell In A Cell matches of course, all three title matches, all three major feuds and all three given the majority of time on RAW over the last two months.
The New Day/Cesaro, Sheamus and Perkins/Kendrick have had nice builds, but what the Hell is Bayley/Dana and Enzo & Cass/The Club doing on this card? Seriously these two matches are just an afterthought. They seem like filler matches to round out the card and fill out a 2 ½ hour slot.
As I wrote above, I love that all the titles are on the line that this feels like a big deal event but there is still one big massive drawback to Hell In A Cell: IT’S A RAW SHOW.
MATCH SPECIFIC COMMENTARY AND PREDICTIONS
Pre-Show: Cedric Alexander, Lince Dorado and Sin Cara versus Drew Gulak, Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari
Commentary: The only person in this match I am not a fan of is Sin Cara, and that is more the gimmick then Hunico. Cedric is a longtime favorite of mine (ROH), Nese is just awesome, Gulak’s Old School and the younger Daivari is vicious and growing on me.
I expect this to be an eclectic affair of high flying, ground and pound and smash mouth.
Prediction: Gulak and crew win.
Main Card
Commentary: I like Bayley, but not as much as most. However, this is really beneath her, for a PPV at least. This is a RAW match. Even though Dana did get an upset win two weeks ago, she isn’t in Bayley’s league . . . and honestly isn’t in the WWE’s league.
Bayley should win in a squash match. If Dana does win, it better be because the WWE plans on giving her a major push, otherwise it hurts Bayley and wastes the match.
Prediction: Bayley wins.
Commentary: I truly don’t give a #$%^ about Enzo. No, I take that back – I do give a @#$% about Enzo. I CAN’T STAND HIM. Cass is okay, but Enzo . . . Stupid.
The Club came in with a lot of fanfare, but has been misused so far. This match is really a filler match that should be on RAW, not a PPV.
This match is truly a Toss Up.
Prediction: The Club (Please!!!)
Commentary: TJ Perkins has finally made it. Not that he hasn’t had a good career, but now he is the TOP Cruiserweight going. For now. I have to be honest, I haven’t always been a big Perkins fans, but I like the guy.
Kendrick I never used to like. He’s a great talent, but I never liked him. Spanky? Spanky?! What grown man calls himself Spanky?! Spanky?!?!?!?!?!
That has changed now, this Kendrick, what he did in the CWC, I’m loving it. Kendrick had a good run his last go around, and a great run as Tag Champs with Paul London. They may have been the best tag team going then.
This match though, something feels off. Kendrick lost the first match, but won a (Non-Title?) rematch. There is why this feels off, Kendrick should be champ. Their RAW match was promoted as a Title Match, yet when the match ended, it was Non-Title. WTF?
Prediction: This could steal the show. Let’s rev this feud into high gear. Kendrick wins the title, but cheats to do so.
I am not sure if what Cesaro and Sheamus have been doing is entertaining, just sad or a little of both. Probably Both. The New Day are defined as entertaining.
Cesaro and Sheamus beat New Day on RAW, so they should be on the same page at Hell In A Cell. Will Mick Foley’s experiment work? Probably not, and it probably shouldn’t . . . both these guys should be vying for the Universal Tile, but I wouldn’t mind them as Tag Champions.
Prediction: I love all these guys, but I’m going with The New Day. I want to see the Day they eclipse Demolition’s record.
Commentary: Rusev may be my favorite wrestler on the card. Reigns, my least favorite. This feud has gotten a lot of air time and a lot of buildup and it was the first match announced as a Hell In A Cell Match.
They have really made this match personal, involving Lana (Rusev’s real life wife) and making mention of Rusev (possible fictional) and Roman’s family (real).
Truth is, Rusev is better, but I see this feud as a way to put over Roman. Problem is Roman, like with every feud, seems disinterested.
Prediction: Reigns wins in a hard fought match. This should be the most violent match of the night.
I can’t wait to see Seth Rollins versus Chris Jericho in Hell In A Cell . . . what an awesome match that will be.
Oh, wait . . . sorry. Chris has been carrying RAW so much lately, and carrying the build up to this match that I forgot he isn’t in it.
Sparkle Crotch has had more interaction with Rollins in the last month then KO has, and KO is in the match!
They really haven’t built this match up the way they should have. This should be a major deal. The two tops guys going at it in Hell. Two guys with a storied history outside the WWE.
Think about this: Two former RING OF HONOR WORLD CHAMPIONS FIGHTING FOR THE WWE UNIVERSAL TITLE!
Prediction: KO wins when Sparkle Crotch interferes.
Sasha Banks and Charlotte are arguably the biggest stars on RAW. Maybe in the WWE as a whole. While it is too soon to label either a legend or “Greatest Ever” it is not too soon to say this: They may have had the biggest impact on the WWE this century.
This is the first time two women have faced off in Hell In A Cell. This is History. Lita, Trish, Mickey, Beth, AJ, The Bellas, Ivory . . . none of them have done that since Hell In A Cell’s inception as a match.
Every time Sasha and Charlotte have faced off it has been the match of the night, and they keep toping each previous. I have to agree with Wes (http://wrestlementary.blogspot.com/2016/10/glitter-and-slam-1.html) this match should have been built up a little better – ramp up the personal animosity, make it about more than just the title.
Problem is, Foley #$%^ &* everything he touches. Monday Night’s signing seem more like he was scolding them for daring to be in Hell In A Cell, like he didn’t want them in there. It didn’t help the build, it killed it.
Charlotte and Sasha can overcome that though. They have to. This is history. They need to put on a historic match. This match needs punishment, viciousness, it needs blood.
This has to be the best, darkest and damn grueling match they have ever had. Point blank – This needs to be Flair versus Steamboat. Anything less is a failure.
Things is, they can do it.
Prediction: Flair’s bleed. We will find out in this match if Charlotte is truly worth of the name Flair. Charlotte, by hook or crook.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Well the card looks good, this is a RAW Show. I want this to deliver. I want this to be a good show. I am going to watch it live, but because of how RAW has been lackluster and how they do things, I can’t say that I expect it to be good.
It has the potential to be good. It should be good. But it is RAW . . .
The major saving grace is Sasha and Charlotte. They have always delivered. In this structure I expect them to deliver more. Right now, they need to deliver a match that outshines all the others.
I have faith in those two.
patricia@mail.postmanllc.net
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