Welcome to POST Wrestling’s coverage of the WWE Hell in a Cell card from the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.
You can post feedback to the show on the POST Wrestling Forum throughout the night, including the feedback thread that we will read from on tonight’s Hell in Cell POST Show.
We will have our POST Show podcast up late tonight, if you are a Double Double & higher member of the POST Wrestling Café you will be able to watch a live video stream of tonight’s POST Show immediately after Hell in a Cell wraps up.
The kickoff show featured Jonathan Coachman, Paige, David Otunga, Booker T., and Peter Rosenberg on the panel.
They announced that Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy will open the main show.
David Otunga compared Samoa Joe bringing up AJ Styles’ family to the MGK beef with Eminem.
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KOFI KINGSTON & BIG E. VS RUSEV & AIDEN ENGLISH FOR THE SMACKDOWN TAG TITLES
Tom Phillips announced the show was sold out.
They got the advantage on Kingston in the corner with double-team offense. Kingston eventually hit a tornado DDT off the turnbuckle and tagged in Big E.
Big E. hit a series of belly-to-belly suplexes onto English until he was stopped by a back elbow from Rusev. He hit a Machka kick, English made a blind tag prior to E’s spear to Rusev off the apron to the floor. English landed a tope con giro and set up a near fall on Big E.
Kingston came off the top with a double foot stomp to English off E’s shoulders for a near fall of their own.
Kingston was launched to the floor and audience was cheering.
English and Rusev argued in the corner, Rusev missed his splash off the turnbuckle and English hit him and applied his own Accolade onto Kingston, Rusev dropped E with a kick but Kingston broke free. Kingston recovered and hit Trouble in Paradise to retain the titles.
WINNERS: KOFI KINGSTON & BIG E. AT 8:49 TO RETAIN THE SMACKDOWN TAG TITLES
For a kickoff match, this was a good opener built around several near falls and the submission tease by English before the infighting led to the challengers losing.
Mike Rome interviewed Mick Foley backstage, he mentioned waking up in a cold sweat over the past 20 years remembering the Hell in a Cell he participated in. Baron Corbin walked in to ask if he was up for the task of special referee tonight, Foley offered him some tips as General Manager and Corbin didn’t want his advice.
RANDY ORTON VS JEFF HARDY IN A HELL IN A CELL MATCH
As everyone saw on Saturday, the cell is now a red structure.
Hardy brought out a table immediately, Hardy used it as a literal surfboard to send the table into Orton’s ribs on the floor. Then, Hardy introduced a ladder from underneath the ring.
Hardy hit the Poetry in Motion on the floor off the chair sending Orton into the cell.
Orton stopped Hardy and landed a superplex and was in control until Hardy returned with Whisper in the Wind. Hardy set up another ladder upside down on the floor, instead, Orton dropped Hardy onto the ladder with a Gord buster maneuver. Orton proceeded to attack Hardy with chair shots inside the ring.
Orton removed Hardy’s MESH SHIRT to make full use of the chair shots and then attacked Hardy with his STUDDED BELT.
Hardy encouraged the “Delete” chants as he fought back, Orton stopped the Twist of Fate and hit the powerslam as he attacked the lower back of Hardy.
Orton opened a toolbox and used a screwdriver on Hardy’s earlobe, inserting the screwdriver and twisting the ear around – I cannot adequately write how gross this was.
Orton’s back is bleeding from the studded belt attack by Hardy.
Hardy countered the RKO and hit the Twist of Fate, placed a chair onto Orton and hit a Swanton that Orton kicked out from. As a result, Orton’s leg was sliced up and a piece of skin was hanging.
Two ladders and a table are set up in the ring, Orton was placed on the table as Hardy hung above from the cell and flung from the top and crashed through the table missing Orton. The referee is calling for assistance for Hardy as Orton pins him.
WINNER: RANDY ORTON AT 24:42
This was a very violent match with both men enduring a lot of damage throughout the match. The crowd seemed flat for the finish as it was hardly the level of bump that would command such concern as it was presented on the broadcast. It was the right finish to go with and along the lines, I expected with Hardy losing after a stunt gone awry.
They tried to push that Hardy may never be the same, which was a stretch given his highlight reel over the years.
Kayla Braxton interviewed AJ Styles who vowed revenge against Samoa Joe for going after his family.
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CHARLOTTE FLAIR VS BECKY LYNCH FOR THE SMACKDOWN WOMEN’S TITLE
They went back-and-forth with both trying to gain the advantage, Charlotte attacked Lynch’s left knee.
Becky took over by isolating the left arm, she attempted the Bexploder and it was stopped by Charlotte. It was a case of each capitalizing on the other’s mistake and constantly gaining the advantage on each.
Becky went back to the left arm and snapped it onto the edge of the apron. Charlotte landed a belly-to-back suplex to stop Becky but injured the arm further. Charlotte landed a big boot out of the corner and then missed a moonsault, Becky attempted an armbar, but Charlotte lifted her into a sit-out powerbomb for a two-count.
Both were down, and a “Becky” chant began. They traded strikes and Becky used a hammerlock to set up an Inverted DDT for a near fall. Becky came off the top for a missile dropkick and was caught with a Boston crab and fought to the rope for the break.
Becky locked on the Disarmer, but Charlotte was too close and got underneath the bottom rope.
Charlotte attempted a spear and it was countered with a roll up and got the cover on Charlotte to win the match.
WINNER: BECKY LYNCH AT 13:51
This was a really well-worked match and each knowing the other’s game so well with Becky winning on a miscalculation by Charlotte. This can let the program extend and added more drama with Charlotte losing clean than doing a heel finish.
Charlotte offered to shake her hand, Becky held up the title and walked away stating, “you will never take my moment.”
Kramer Kingsman interviewed Big E. and Xavier Woods, they announced they would defend their tag titles against The Bar next month at the Super Show-Down. They poured a bucket of pancakes over the goof in the top hat.
DOLPH ZIGGLER & DREW McINTYRE VS SETH ROLLINS & DEAN AMBROSE FOR THE RAW TAG TITLES
McIntyre caught Ambrose in the back of the head while he was distracted and allowed two of the three Dogs of War to gain the advantage.
Rollins was tagged in and ran wild, McIntyre tried a trip from the floor and allowed Ziggler to hit a jumping DDT.
Corey Graves reminded us that, “the dogs of war are a dangerous pack”.
The dogs beat down Rollins in their corner, Ziggler applied a sleeper and Rollins broke free with a suplex. McIntyre hit the inverted Alabama Slam and Ambrose saved. Rollins made the tag, but the referee missed it and Ambrose was sent back. It was tag team 101 and the audience ate it up.
The hot tag was finally made, he attempted Dirty Deeds on the edge and was knocked off by McIntyre. Graves said that Ziggler and McIntyre have “outclassed” the challengers and Renee agreed so you can’t accuse her of bias.
Ziggler and McIntyre caught Rollins on the floor, Ambrose dove and took everyone down with a suicide dive.
Ziggler went for a jumping DDT, Rollins caught him and countered into a Falcon Arrow in an impressive spot. Ziggler avoided the stomp and took the buckle bomb and McIntyre saved.
Ziggler hit the Zig Zag and Rollins kicked out for a major near fall. Rollins superkicked McIntyre for another near fall, hit another superkick and frog splash to the back and McIntyre kicked out as the place popped big.
Rollins misses a pescado and crashed onto the floor.
The finish occurred when Rollins returned and hit a superplex, rolled for the follow-up Falcon Arrow and was caught with a Claymore in mid-sequence and Ziggler landed on top for the cover.
WINNERS: DOLPH ZIGGLER & DREW McINTYRE AT 22:57 TO RETAIN THE RAW TAG TITLES
This built well, the final five minutes were tremendous with a perfectly executed finish. The best match on the show so far.
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Mick Foley met with Braun Strowman and explained how the Hell in a Cell will change his career, he needs to respect Foley’s authority and Strowman tells him to do his job and “you don’t want a monster problem.”
There were promos from all four teams that will be part of this Tuesday’s Mixed Match Challenge. I thought AJ Styles learned from that failed 2010 gimmick that he should never mimic Ric Flair, but apparently not.
AJ STYLES VS SAMOA JOE FOR THE WWE TITLE
Styles landed with a knee of the apron and followed with a baseball slide dropkick. Joe recovered and sent Styles into the steps.
Joe kicked Styles through the ropes and he landed on the floor. Joe connected with a tope suicida and Styles was sent to the announcer’s desk. Joe used headbutts on the turnbuckle, Styles slid under and yanked Joe from the top. Styles hit a moonsault into an inverted DDT off the turnbuckle. They were working at a good pace, but the audience seemed subdued.
Joe hit a snap powerbomb and transitioned to the Boston crab and then the crossface. Styles got out of the submission and lifted Joe for a rack bomb. Styles followed with a springboard 450 splash and Joe kicked out.
Joe got up and slingshot Styles into the corner and nailed him with a huge lariat. Graves called the impact of the lariat “unholy”. The mouth of Styles was bloodied from the lariat.
Joe blocked the Styles Clash and calf crusher and dropped Styles with an enzuigiri. Styles ducked and landed a Pele kick. He went for the Phenomenal Forearm and Joe sidestepped and applied the Coquina clutch, Styles rolled back and landed on top to catch him with the cover.
WINNER: AJ STYLES AT 19:00 TO RETAIN THE WWE TITLE
Samoa Joe is complaining by stating that Styles tapped before the three-count. The disputed finish should set up some sort of stipulation for their Super Show-Down card.
They replay showed that Styles did tap and the referee missed it.
It was another good match on a show with very good matches. The negative was the audience who didn’t seem to recover from the tag match and were subdued throughout the match. Styles and Joe had a great match though, bell-to-bell I enjoyed it more than the SummerSlam match although the crowd heat was stronger and came off better in Brooklyn.
Charly Caruso interviewed The Miz and Maryse backstage, Maryse said that Miz cannot get even with Brie but she can. The called Bryan and Brie “irrelevant losers”.
DANIEL BRYAN & BRIE BELLA VS THE MIZ & MARYSE
Bryan missed in the corner and they teased he had hit his head and was holding it while allowing Miz to take control. The audience got into this a lot with the interactions between the men and women.
Miz held Bryan while staring at Brie, who made a fist as she urged on Bryan to break free. Miz hit the kicks in the corner with the audience chanting, “No”. Bryan headbutted Miz from the top, he missed a diving headbutt and Miz tried to pull him away, but Bryan back body dropped him to the floor. Bryan made the tag, Miz got in the way and Brie attacked him, and slid through his legs to dropkick Maryse and smashed her face into the desk.
Bryan hit a knee off the apron to Miz but Miz came back and sent Bryan into the barricade. Brie hit a missile dropkick and Bryan pulled her off Maryse. This led to Bryan jumping Miz and calling him a “son of a bitch”.
Bryan and Brie delivered Yes kicks deliver, Brie sent Maryse into Miz sending him to the floor, went for a roll up and Maryse countered and grabbed Brie’s tights.
WINNERS: THE MIZ & MARYSE AT 13:00
The match got over live as the crowd was into it most of the way. It was centered around tag spots for Bryan and Brie to work together and then being outsmarted in the end by the heels.
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Michael Cole provided an update that Jeff Hardy been throwing up blood and has been taken to “a local medical facility”.
RONDA ROUSEY VS ALEXA BLISS FOR THE RAW WOMEN’S TITLE
Rousey threw her right away and was in control until Bliss kicked her in the ribs and attacked the injured area.
Rousey rolled and mounted her but got up when Alicia Fox got onto the apron. She threw Bliss across the ring and went for the armbar, but Mickie James and Alicia Fox pulled her to the floor.
Bliss was tossed onto Fox and James a few minutes later. Bliss returned and kicked at the ribs.
Rousey attempted the reverse kata guruma and could not execute the move because of the rib injury. Rousey was placed into the tree of woe and Bliss dropkicked the ribs. She wrapped Rousey around the post and pulled. Fox and James attacked her and led to Natalya suplexing Fox and Rousey knocking James off the apron.
Bliss kicked and punched the ribs and mocked Rousey. Rousey stood up with her angry face.
Rousey pounded her ribs to fire herself up, she landed short right uppercuts and then ran into a kick to the ribs. Rousey caught the punch to block it and applied the arm breaker for the immediate tap.
WINNER: RONDA ROUSEY AT 12:00 TO RETAIN THE RAW WOMEN’S TITLE
It was a lot of selling from Rousey, who made the extra effort to emphasize every movement affecting her ribs. For how long this was, you can see all of Rousey’s attributes and working a different style of match. I’m not convinced long matches with her selling is what people want out of Rousey but for longevity and allowing her to do different styles it’s a good thing for her to be working longer matches. This came off much better than the SummerSlam match.
Samoa Joe was yelling at the referee and Paige backstage over AJ Styles tapping out in their match. Paige said the referee’s decision is final and announces he will get his rematch at Super Show-Down. Paige says there has to be a winner in the next match and suggested a potential stipulation being added.
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ROMAN REIGNS VS BRAUN STROWMAN FOR THE UNIVERSAL TITLE IN A HELL IN A CELL MATCH
Mick Foley came out to the biggest reaction of the three.
Strowman stole the title away and held it up in front of Reigns, who attacked Strowman with strikes as the match began.
Strowman caught Reigns off the steps and choke slammed him onto the edge of the apron. Reigns grabbed a kendo stick and then a chair to use as a weapon.
Reigns hit two superman punches and the third was stopped and he took a choke slam. Strowman thought he won the match, but Foley insisted it was two.
Reigns ran around the ring and into the steel steps. Strowman called him a “moron” for not staying down.
Reigns comes back and spears Strowman through a table in the corner for a two-count.
Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre came down followed by Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins. This led to the four of them climbing on top of the cell. Rollins and Ziggler fought on the side of the cage and fell off through two of the announcer’s desks.
Brock Lesnar came out with Paul Heyman, Lesnar ripped the door off the hinges. Heyman used mace into the eyes of Foley.
Lesnar attacked Reigns and Strowman with pieces of a broken table. He hit Strowman with the F-5 and then hit Reigns with a F-5 landing on top of Strowman.
Another referee ran in and called off the match and they immediately went off the air.
WINNER: NO CONTEST AT 24:24
