I stayed up late to watch this last night before it got taken down from somewhere. Wanted to get this review in just for you guys!
During Chrisitan's entrance, Miz & Truth were shown sitting in the front row. They were promptly thrown out by John Laurinaitis.
Sheamus defeated Christian: **1/2
Sheamus dominated the match early before Sheamus tried going to the top, only for Christian to push him off the top rope. Christian ended up slapping Sheamus around a bit, which pissed off Sheamus and got him fighting back. Back and forth action. Sheamus countered a Celtic Cross attempt. Christian hit a nice tornado DDT from the corner. Sheams recovered and hit a flying shoulder tackle. Sheamus went for the Broge Kick but Christian went outside the ring. Christian hit a Spear outside the ring, but Sheamus made it back in before the count of 10. Christian hit a Spear inside the ring for a two. Christian went for a high risk move but missed. Sheamus countered a Killswitch attempt. Christian went for the Spear but ate the ringpost, allowing Shemaus to connect with the Brogue Kick for the win. OK opening match. Sheamus works much better with the crowd behind him. Right man went over too, as I think they will transition Sheamus into a World Title feud with Mark Henry as Randy Orton will move onto Cody Rhodes.
Backstage, Mark Henry was interviewed by Matt Striker. Henry told Striker to shut up. Henry said he knew what Striker was going to ask him: about Mark Henry never being in a Hell in A Cell match. Henry said it didn't matter, because Randy Orton will join the Hall of Pain.
Good Sin Cara defeated EVILLLLL Sin Cara: *1/2
Quick counters early on by Good Sin Cara, frustrating EVILLLLL Sin Cara. Dueling head scissors by both men. Good Sin Cara hit a Swanton to the outside. He went for a moonsault but missed. EVILLLLL Sin Cara applied a sleeper in the ring. EVILLLLL Sin Cara remained in control inside the ring. Good Sin Cara countered a Razor's Edge then hit a flying crossbody on the outside. Good Sin Cara connected with an armdrag from the top rope. Good Sin Cara countered a powerbomb attempt into a roll up for the win. It was ok. Crowd wasn't into it. But there were some flashy spots that were good.
Backstage David Otunga approached C.M. Punk. Punk pretty much told him to get lost.
Air Boom (Kofi Kingston & Evan Bounre) defeated Dolph Ziggler & Jack Swagger to retain the World Tag Team Championships: **1/4
Bonus match here for the Tag Titles. After some early action between Kofi and Swagger the heels worked over Evan Bourne. Bourne made the hot tag to Kofi but Dolph and Swagger quickly regained some control with work behind the ref's back. Dolph and Swagger continued to make quick tags and worked over Kofi. Kofi finally hit a DDT on Swagger and tagged in Bourne. Bourne hit a handful of kicks on Dolph. Quick action. Swagger locked the ankle lock in on Bourne. Kofi broke it up. Dolph hit Kofi with the Zig Zag. Swagger tagged in. Swagger set Bourne up in the corner for a power bomb, but Bourne countered into a hurricarrana for the win, as Kofi grabbed Dolph's legs from the outside. Alright action. Crowd was more into this then Cara/Cara. Right team won. No reason for the Tag Champs to lose yet.
Mark Henry defeated Randy Orton to retain the World Heavyweight Championship: **1/2
Randy Orton took it to Mark Henry immediately. He countered a bulldog and pushed Henry into the Cell. Orton jumped from the apron, but Henry caught him and rammed him into two sides of the Cell and the ring post. Henry hit a powerslam in the ring, then another on the floor outside of the ring. Henry rammed Orton into the Cell again, then went to throw the steps into Orton against the Cell. Orton moved. Orton tried fighting back inside the ring, but Henry countered with a splash in the corner then a giant splash for a two count. Henry put Orton in a bear hug. Orton fought out but eventually found himself in another bear hug.
Henry went for the World's Strongest Slam on the steps, but Orton was able to counter by grabbing onto the Cell. Orton was then able to hit a DDT onto the steps on the outside. Back in the ring Orton hit a Lou Thesz press. Top rope drop kick into the second rope DDT by Orton. Orton set-up for and hit the RKO, but only got a 2. Orton lined up for the punt, but Henry immediately got up and hit the World's Strongest Slam for the win. After the match, Henry hit another World's Strongest Slam. He put a chair on Orton's ankle. Henry went for a splash but missed. Orton grabbed the chair and chased Henry up the ramp with it. Orton got some shots in before Henry ran off.
Nothing really too special with this Cell match. It really wasn't needed for this match, as it didn't do anything to settle the score between these two, as the Cell should. Henry retains, but Orton gets some of his heat back in the post match. I would expect another re-match at Vengeance, but Orton could use some time away from the Title scene after that. The actual match was ok. Nothing ground breaking. The basic match you would expect from Henry. But the match told a great story. It still established Henry as a monster.
Backstage, Alberto del Rio was interviewed. He said Cena and Punk don't know what they're getting into.
Cody Rhodes defeated John Morrison to retain the Intercontinental Championship: *3/4
Suddenly Cody Rhodes came out. He said people who didn't accept his paper bags should be figuratively euthanized. Cody then introduced the Classic IC Title belt. It was a bit different than the old one, but it was close enough. Cody said he would defend the Title night in and night out. John Laurinaitis interrupted. He said by orders of HHH, Cody had to defend the IC Title right now. John Morrison's music hit. Morrison went for a quick early pinfall. Cody escaped to the outside, but Morrison hit a drop kick through the ropes. Cody tried to hang on to the ringpost and get counted out, but Morrison kicked him in the back. Cody regained control inside the ring. Cody locked in a figure four a couple minutes later. Morrison fought back. He hit a reverse Rock Bottom for a two. Morrison went for Starship Pain but Cody grabbed his leg. Morrison went for a flying kick but missed, allowing Cody to roll him up for the win. OK stuff. Cody will hopefully continue to defend the Title. Morrison is stuck in jobber hell right now.
Backstage, John Laurinaitis told HHH that Miz & R-Truth were in the back. They were shown beating up Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne.
Beth Phoenix defeated Kelly Kelly to win the Divas Championship: *1/4
Kelly 'hit" a Lou Thesz Press early, but it was all Beth after. She bulldoged Kelly into the corner. Kelly surprised Beth with a quick roll-up, but only for two. Beth then went for a power bomb, but countered into a pinfall for two again. Couple more counters. Kelly hit Beth with a top rope bulldog for two. Natalya tried to interfere, Eve tried to stop her, but ate the guardrail instead. Beth put Kelly in her submission finisher but got to the ropes. Natalya hit Kelly with the mic, then Beth hit the GlamSlam for the win. This should have happened in Buffalo two weeks ago. There was almost no reaction to Beth's win. It also would have been nice to see a clean win for Beth. Why should Kelly be protected?
Alberto del Rio defeated John Cena and C.M. Punk to win the WWE Championship: ***
Cena and Punk took turn working over Del Rio early in the match. With ADR on the outside, it left Cena and Punk to go at it. Both men teased finishers before Cena went to the outside. ADR tried to intervene. Cena went for the AA, But Punk dove through the ropes. Punk got a chair on the outside. Cena threw Punk to the the steps but Punk jumped on them and taunted Cena, but ADR pushed Punk into the cell. In the ring, ADR set a chair up in between the ropes. ADR went for the cross arm breaker, but Punk stopped him, then hit a DDT on Cena and ADR at the same time. Punk set a table up on the outside. He kneed Cena, but Cena countered and threw Punk into the Cell.
In the ring, Alberto del Rio hit a backbreaker onto a chair set up in the ring. ADR set Cena up in the Tree of Woe in the corner. ADR charged but Cena moved. Cena went for his top rope leg drop, but Punk grabbed the ropes and Cena fell off. ADR had Punk in a side headlock, but Cena broke it up. Cena and Punk exchanged kicks before ADR came in with a chair and used it on Cena and Punk. ADR then hit a seated Senton on Punk and Cena with a chair in between them. Punk then tossed Cena over the turnbuckle onto the steps. Cena hit the AA on Punk but ADR broke up the count. ADR went for the cross armbreaker on Cena but Punk broke it up. Punk hit the GTS on Cena, but ADR pulled Punk out of the ring during the pin and tossed him into the cell. ADR through Punk into the steps.
Cena surprised ADR with an inside cradle in the ring for two. Del Rio took care of Cena on the outside. In ring Punk took control. He connected with the Macho Man Elbow Drop. Cena came back in. Punk went for the Elbow drop on Cena, but ADR pushed Punk off onto the table setup outside. Cena locked in the AA, but Ricardo knocked down the ref and unlocked the Cell. Cena stopped him, but ADR hit Cena with the lead pipe key, then locked him out of the Cell. Brilliant! Punk and Cena exchanged near falls in the ring. Punk finally regained control with some knees and kicks. Del Rio regained control and hit Punk with the lead pipe. Punk tried the GTS, but ADR connected with the lead pipe for the win.
After the match, Miz & R-Truth came from underneath the ring and attacked everyone. The Cell was lowered as the entire roster came out to try and get in. Eventually bolt cutters were used to unlock the Cell. Miz and R-Truth were arrested, but HHH got some shots in on them before the show went off the air.
I'm really up in the air about all of this. The actual match itself was good. Punk sold well for Del Rio, and the finish was very creative with Cena being locked out of the Cell. Del Rio looked like a bad ass with the pipe and it was nice to see him win the WWE Title back. But you have to wonder what the point of Cena winning the Title last month was. The Title could have been kept on Del Rio, even through a DQ finish. I'm assuming we're getting some kind of match again between these three at Vengeance.
I really liked the Miz/R-Truth stuff. It is a great way to push them as top level threats and anti-authority figures with the entire roster trying to get into the Cell to stop them. Of course the question remains about who lowered the Cell to allow Truth & Miz to do their damage. I thought it was a strong ending to a show that was just average up until the end.
OVERALL
While I liked the end to the PPV and most of the action was decent, I still think it was a PPV that did not need to happen. All of this could have happened in a week or two. The World Title Match told a great story about Henry's dominance. The WWE Title Match was a good match with a solid ending getting all players involved. It was almost a throwback to the Attitude Era with the cops showing up to arrest Miz and Truth. The Sheamus/Christian opener was fun. It was also GREAT to see Cody Rhodes bring back the old school Intercontinental Title Belt. I thought it was a good enough PPV justifying me staying up until 3 a.m. to finish this. I'm giving it a 6.5.
OVERALL PPV RANKINGS
1. Money in the Bank
2. SummerSlam
3. Elimination Chamber
4. Extreme Rules
5. Wrestlemania 27
6. Hell in A Cell
7. Night of Champions
8. Royal Rumble
9. Capitol Punishment
10. Over the Limit
With another PPV in three weeks, I would expect another handful of re-matches at Vengeance. Henry/Orton may be No DQ. A WWE Title rematch may be something with a stipulation as well.
That's all for this Review. RAW & NFL Review up tomorrow.
Until next time,
Justin C
Follow Me on Twitter @JCWonka
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