WWE Hell in a Cell Reax

Read on for my thoughts on last night's WWE Network special event.
Kickoff:
Somewhat surprisingly, Bray vs. Roman has been kept interesting. Bray's promos are really something.

I'd be fine with Sheamus hitting the Brogue Kick and taking the U.S. Title from this goof. A few months off would be great for Cena and for the audience.

Whoa, teasing an NXT performer facing Cena? That's a little surprising.

Decent Owens promo. The LA/sports references felt forced.

- Ziggler/Cesaro/Neville vs. Sheamus/Rusev/Barrett:
"Hey King, former WWE and World Champion Sheamus is in the ring. He's got a guaranteed title shot, so he could be the top guy again very soon. What do you have to say about him?" "He looks like a paintbrush! WEEP WOOP!" Fire this idiot.

Neville can MOVE.

Ziggler has a lot of energy. He can be fun to watch in the right circumstances.

Dolph's wrestling is great for the face in peril role.

I'd rather see a series of two or three running uppercuts treated as a really big deal than six in a transitional spot.

Cesaro's on a roll here!

I like Barrett setting up for the Bullhammer while Cesaro was focused on what was going on outside the ring.

I wish the swing had a more climactic ending, like when Kidd would hit the dropkick.

Cesaro's really someone WWE can get behind.

Nice ending.

GODDAMNIT KEVIN CUT AWAY FROM THAT CESARO SECTION SIGN. SHOW THE DUDLEYS.

Tom asking about what the Dudley Boys did to the Dudley Boys cracked me up.

Part of me wants something to happen to keep the belts on New Day, but it's probably time for the Dudleys to get what they've been after.

Hell in a Cell:
IF BIG SHOW ACCEPTS, WE RIOT.

BASED ZEB!!! HE'S BACK!!!!!!!!

YYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Cena vs. Del Rio:
This is exciting, but Cena's beaten Alberto before. Why should we think this will be different?

Del Rio is smooth. His time away from WWE has done him well.

I hope Del Rio is the Latino star WWE wants/needs until guys like Sin Cara and Kalisto go higher up the card.

WHOA. I haven't seen someone win clean with one superkick in quite some time.

I'm ready for them to end the Corporate Kane thing. Kane's a good actor, though.

You'd think Kane would be inside HIAC given his history there.

- Bray vs. Roman:
I like Reigns' power coming through on his throws.

Don't talk about someone going off the top of the cage if no one's going to do it tonight.

Has there ever been an explanation of who puts weapons under the ring? Did Wyatt tip off the ring crew before the show or something to put something down there?

I like Bray just hanging out in a chair to smash Roman with the kendo stick.

Where does one even GET kendo sticks? Is there some shop that makes them for wrestling companies ro order?

I'm liking this so far from a hardcore perspective.

It seems silly to me that pinfalls only count in the ring during a match where tables and kendo sticks are legal.

Will they have to put more tables under there for the Dudleys later?

Nice sequence with the reversed Sister Abigail.

BAH GAWD THE CARNAGE!!! BOTH MEN THROUGH A DAMN TABLE.

I almost fell for a surprise Wyatt win.

When your best move doesn't work, just use kendo sticks!!

Enjoyable match overall. Good work.

I wonder what they do for Taker's anniversary? That's the perfect place to set up a big match for WM32. But with whom?

New Day is OVER. Those armbands are great, too.

Making a Kamala reference in 2015 is kind of sad given the condition he's in.

- Kofi/Big E vs. Dudleys:
I'd rather see Enzo and Cass in there, but the Dudleys can still go in 2015.

Kofi and Big E make a solid team. Kofi can fly, and Big E brings the power (although he can move pretty well, too).

How many fans remember where the Whazzup thing originated? That goes back.

HAHAHAHA Kofi pulling an Eddie Guerrero there.

I think the Dudleys are giving New Day a decent run before they presumably win.

OH SHIT! STILL THE CHAMPS! That's the POWER of POSITIVITY!!!!!

I do wonder where Bubba and D-Von go from here without winning the belts. It seemed like the whole point of PTP losing them was so they could get another run.

- Charlotte vs. Nikki:
Very solid match so far. Both women are getting physical.

It's literally been a year (HIAC 2014) since we've had a Divas Title match on PPV that didn't feature one of the Bella Twins. That PPV featured Nikki vs. Brie in a match where the title wasn't involved.

Charlotte sells a lot like her father, in a good way.

That spot in the corner almost went REALLY wrong.

BAH GAWD SHE'S GOT A FAMILY!!! Nikki's getting really physical here.

Really solid match. Nikki's no slouch in the ring, and Charlotte's already impressive despite just debuting here a few months ago.

I wish they would have saved Paige vs. Charlotte to start on Raw instead of while Charlotte was still feuding with the Bellas. By all means set up seeds of dissension, but PCB should have been kept whole so the focus was on the new champ instead of Paige turning heel out of nowhere.

A Shield triple threat at Survivor Series would be money. Unless that's too soon.

WWE just showed a Bullet Club shirt on TV!

- Rollins vs. Kane:
I get the whole "WWE Title should headline the show" thing, but I'd definitely think a good number of fans would leave the building after Brock vs. Taker rather than watch Kane headline the show.

Kane's actually old enough to be Rollins' dad (provided Kane would have been about 18 when he became Rollins' dad).

Rollins is really having to move and bump to keep the pace up against another '90s wrestler. I miss when he competed with people below the age of 40.

Good God just put him down to the count already. The frog splash should have done it.

PHEW. Unless they're doing an Inferno match at Survivor Series, it's time to put this feud to bed.  Even then, it's going to be a tough sell.

I don't think they need someone to replace Kane as DOO. Just drop the position.

- Ryback vs. Owens:
Ryback is pretty strong. I'll give him that.

That one could have been bowling shoe ugly. It was fine for what it was. Hopefully Owens faces someone less limited in his next feud.

WELP. HEAH COMES THA PAIN.

Taker's going to be REALLY sore tomorrow.

Talk about your big fight feel.

- Brock vs. Taker:
HE'S GOT THE PROVERBIAL CRIMSON MASK.

Brock Lesnar with a chair is a really scary visual.

I love seeing an absolute brawl instead of overly choreographed fancy moves. This is a treat.

How hard do you mark if Brock hits the doctor with a suplex?

I love the story of the Conqueror having to take out one of the greatest the business has ever seen.

Brock's just pounding him. He's not thinking of his next cool highspot. He's putting on a fight.

I would have probably believed the Tombstone on the boards was the ending. This is a damn war.

If Taker goes for Last Ride, I mark like no one's business.

Brock just destroyed the legend. Where the heck does Taker go from here?

Both men are spent after that one.

Actually, where does Brock go from here? No one's stopping him!

Thank You Taker indeed. It's been one hell of a run. Starting something at Survivor Series that wraps things up for him with a HoF induction the night before a final match at WM32 would be the best way to end a legendary career.

OH SHIT WHAT!!!????

If Taker beats four guys, we riot.

I'd KIND OF mark if Brock comes out to help Taker here. Kane, not so much.

Well that was an interesting way to end the PPV! I hope this leads to something interesting. How many more matches does Taker have in him?

More wrestling coming up.