Originally published at WWE Hell in a Cell: Reigns vs. Uso, Bayley vs. Banks, McIntyre vs. Orton
Welcome to POST Wrestling’s coverage of WWE’s Hell in a Cell pay-per-view featuring three Hell in a Cell matches.
We will have the Hell in a Cell POST Show airing LIVE immediately after the show, hosted by Wai Ting & John Pollock available for all Double Double, Iced Capp & Espresso members of the POST Wrestling Café.
Our coverage will begin at 6 pm Eastern with the kickoff show. Below is tonight’s card:
*WWE Championship: Randy Orton def. Drew McIntyre (champion) in 30:34 (Hell in a Cell)
*WWE United States Championship: Bobby Lashley (champion) def. Slapjack in 3:51
*WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship: Sasha Banks def. Bayley (champion) in 26:30 (Hell in a Cell)
*Control of the Money in the Bank Briefcase: The Miz def. Otis (holder) in 7:28
*Elias def. Jeff Hardy by disqualification in 7:48
*WWE Universal Championship, I Quit Match: Roman Reigns (champion) def. Jey Uso in 29:08 (Hell in a Cell)
*24/7 Championship: R-Truth (champion) def. Drew Gulak in 5:24 to retain the title (Kickoff show)
The kickoff panel was hosted by Charly Caruso with panelists Jerry Lawler, Booker T., Jeff Jarrett, and Peter Rosenberg.
Kayla Braxton interviewed Paul Heyman and asks him what the consequences will be if Roman Reigns loses to Jey Uso tonight. He said “when” Reigns wins, Uso will become an indentured servant at the leisure of Reigns.
Sarah Schreiber spoke with Jeff Hardy, who said he has made many mistakes but is proud of who he is and owned up to his mistakes. He did not hit Elias with the car and was cleared months ago. He hopes they catch the “true culprit”.
R-Truth showed up at the panel and thought that Jeff Jarrett was Road Dogg.
Elias appeared to promote his album and it was a sponsored segment by Credit One Bank. Elias argued with Lawler and then played a song for Jeff Hardy insulting him. His lyrics including calling Jeff Hardy & Jarrett “junkies”.
They interviewed The Miz & John Morrison. Rosenberg criticized the problems with the U.S. legal system and Miz responded stating Otis cannot represent WWE around the world.
R-TRUTH VS DREW GULAK FOR THE 24/7 CHAMPIONSHIP
Gulak pretended to play with Little Jimmy and snuck in the Zandig pose before kicking Little Jimmy into the crowd and upsetting Truth. Gulak attacked the ankle and leg before Truth did his John Cena comeback ending when Gulak avoided the AA. Truth had Gulak on the shoulders, Gulak went for a sunset roll-up and was countered with a jackknife cover by Truth for the win.
WINNER: R-Truth in 5:24 to retain the 24/7 title
After the match, Akira Tozawa ran down along with Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado. They chased R-Truth past the panel and Drew Gulak announced that R-Truth’s childhood hero John Cena “sucks”.
ROMAN REIGNS VS JEY USO IN AN I QUIT, HELL IN A CELL MATCH FOR THE WWE UNIVERSAL TITLE
Jey Uso came all in white and gave you the impression this would be a bloodbath (it wouldn’t).
The dialogue was Reigns adding a compelling aspect to the match with Michael Cole and Corey Graves knowing when to be quiet.
It escalated when Uso brought a strap into the match and began whipping Reigns, threatening to “beat the dog shit” out of Reigns. Reigns recovered and hit multiple spears on Jey, who would not quit. Reigns took the strap and whipped Jey repeatedly. Jey took back control of the strap and choked Reigns, which was the same spot that led to Bryan Danielson’s release in 2010 – but times have evidently changed.
Reigns caught Jey in the guillotine and released the submission threatening to “take things to the next level” if Jey didn’t quit, and he didn’t. So, Reigns hit a Drive-By on the apron, then set up the steps and did a Drive-By to the steps that sent Jey’s head into the post. The referee wanted to call the match off and Reigns refused and tossed the referee out of the ring.
Adam Pearce, Pat Buck, and other officials swarmed the ring to try and stop Reigns, who grabbed the steels steps and was about to use them on Jey when Jimmy Uso ran into the ring. He acted as a shield, protested to Reigns, and caused Reigns to break down into tears. He grabbed Jimmy’s hand as though they would work out their problems, but it was a ploy and he put the guillotine on Jimmy. Jey held onto Jimmy’s hand and then he quit to save his brother.
WINNER: Roman Reigns at 29:08
After the match, Afa & Sika appeared at the top of the ramp to place the Lei onto Reigns and proclaim him the “head of the table”.
This was dramatic as hell and if you enjoyed the match at Clash of Champions, this built upon that performance and heavily leaned on the family aspect of the feud. I thought it was a really well-done match and story, although it took up a lot of time. Both Reigns and Jey performed at a main event level and Reigns feels like the biggest star in the company by a significant margin.
Elias came out for the next match and told the crowd to silence their cell phone and shut their mouths as he played a song. He said Jeff Hardy stands for “DUI”.
Elias came out for the next match and told the crowd to silence their cell phone and shut their mouths as he played a song. He said Jeff Hardy stands for “DUI”.
JEFF HARDY VS ELIAS
Tom Phillips noted they were facing each other “for the first time ever”.
They made it clear the culprit that hit Elias with the car is still at large.
Hardy leaped off the steps, missed Elias, and hit the barricade with his ribs.
Elias had the advantage, lifted Hardy on the shoulders, and turned it into a powerbomb. Hardy landed Whisper in the Wind and got a two-count.
Elias rolled to the floor and grabbed the guitar but Hardy took the guitar and smashed it over Elias and was disqualified.
WINNER: Elias by DQ at 7:48
The DQ allowed Elias’ music to be played, which is rare. It was a television-style match with a cheap finish to extend the feud and largely eat up time on the show and allow them to promote Elias’ album.
Kayla Braxton interviewed Heavy Machinery, who were broken up last week and have been together on every show since.
THE MIZ VS OTIS
Otis was in control early as Miz begged off and played the coward. Morrison got involved allowing Miz to take over.
Morrison got onto the apron and went to attack Otis with the briefcase when he was caught by referee Jessika Carr and was ejected.
The match continued as Otis was sent into the ropes and Tucker nailed Otis with the briefcase, turning on his former partner, and Miz pinned Otis to take control of the briefcase.
WINNER: The Miz at 7:28
Tucker and Otis are on opposite shows so either the draft will mean nothing or this turn will mean nothing. It felt like a finish designed to get out of the match and not based on any demand by the audience to see Heavy Machinery feud.
The Miz and Morrison spoke with Kayla and they called it the “most monumental victory of the night”, Miz said he won’t squander this and the briefcase isn’t a prop and puts the champions on notice. Miz said he’s cashed it in before and will do it again. He said Otis took the briefcase and his best friend for granted.
Tucker walked in and said they were supposed to be a team, he was the workhorse and carried the load. He did everything for Otis, put him first and he became an afterthought while Otis had the spotlight. He gave Otis the confidence to ask Mandy Rose out and he can’t tie his own shoes without Tucker. Otis ran to the back and ran after Tucker.
BAYLEY VS SASHA BANKS IN A HELL IN A CELL MATCH FOR THE SMACKDOWN WOMEN’S TITLE
This was one of the best WWE matches of 2020 and delivered in a big way.
Bayley brought out her chair, but it was tossed out of the cell area before it lowered. There were lots of weapons introduced with the escalation from the kendo sticks to the tables, and eventually, a ladder before the chair was brought back into the cell.
There were some incredibly scary moments as they worked as a fast-paced, one was Banks taking a sunset flip that drove the back of her head into a chair set up in the corner. Later, Banks used a fire extinguisher to blind Bayley, who made her way to the door and slid her chair into the cell.
Bayley used the chair to block a top rope splash, hit the 1 percenter on the floor but Banks still kicked out.
With the ladder inside the ring, Banks was placed on it and Bayley spray-painted “X” on her gear, came off the top holding the chair as Banks rolled away. Banks hit the Bayley-to-belly to Bayley onto the ladder for a dramatic near fall. Bayley recovered, hitting her own Bayley-to-bell that Banks kicked out from.
The end came when Bayley tried another Bayley-to-belly while holding the chair for Banks to land on, it was countered into the Bank Statement where Banks put the chair around Bayley’s neck, kicking on it to choke Bayley, who was forced to tap.
WINNER: Sasha Banks at 26:30 to win the SmackDown women’s title
This was better than the first Hell in a Cell match, which was heavy on the story but this was a genuine top-level match. The two were excellent and this would be a highly recommended match to watch.
The Hurt Business was asked who will represent them against Retribution. MVP said Lashley will lead them into battle, Benjamin selects Slapjack to face Lashley. MVP said they are driven by profit and their intense passion to inflict pain like them. MVP proposes no cornermen or back-ups at ringside and Lashley will defend the United States title.
BOBBY LASHLEY VS SLAPJACK FOR THE UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP
Lashley speared him in the corner right away. He hit a big vertical suplex and dominated Slapjack.
Slapjack, who looks like he can barely see with this mask, missed on a dropkick that Lashley had to sell. Lashley tossed him off the top, hit a belly-to-belly, and set up for the Hurt Lock, which he applied and Slapjack submitted.
WINNER: Bobby Lashley at 3:51
Retribution immediately swarmed Lashley with T-Bar and Mace going for a double chokeslam but Lashley fought them off. The Hurt Business ran down as Mustafa Ali ran away.
They promoted the Survivor Series on November 22nd and noted that the event will celebrate “30 Years of The Phenom” with the anniversary of The Undertaker character.
DREW McINTYRE VS RANDY ORTON IN A HELL IN A CELL MATCH FOR THE WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
Orton was disguised and attacked McIntyre during his entrance outside the cell. McIntyre sent him into the cell and had the door locked shut.
McIntyre destroyed Orton from the beginning and attacked him with a chair. Orton got out of the way of the steps thrown at him. Orton sidestepped the Claymore and attacked McIntyre’s knee and jaw with the chair. Later, Orton drove McIntyre’s jaw and face into the cell.
Orton got serious as his pants came off like he was Taichi.
McIntyre made his comeback hitting a series of belly-to-belly suplexes. Orton bailed to the floor but got hit with another belly-to-belly with Orton going through a table.
Orton kicked the ropes to hit McIntyre low and a draping DDT.
Orton got bolt cutters and cut the chain to open the door and exited. The two fought outside the cell with McIntyre driven into the cell. Orton looked up and climbed and was followed by McIntyre climbing on top.
Orton had a pipe on top but was taken down by McIntyre. Orton hit McIntyre low with the pipe and went to climb down. They met on the side of the cell and fought with McIntyre flying off and going through the desk. They actually piped in chants of “Holy shit”.
McIntyre sold it for all it was worth as they returned to the ring. Orton called for the RKO and McIntyre countered with a backslide for a two-count, hit Claymore and Orton rolled to the floor.
McIntyre forced him back into the ring, he went for another Claymore but Orton ducked and hit the RKO to pin McInytre.
WINNER: Randy Orton at 30:34 to win the WWE Championship