Opinion: Potential reason for the finish to the Hell in a Cell main event

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Sportskeeda.

To say that fans are feeling let down by the Hell in a Cell main event would be a gigantic understatement.

The decision to have the Universal Championship match between Seth Rollins and The Fiend end in a no-contest is a baffling move on paper, especially considering it took place in a match with no rules. Many expected The Fiend to walk away from the PPV with the championship, but it would appear WWE has different plans in mind.

The reasoning for all of this could stem from other events within the company that have changed the landscape of their booking.

One of these was the recent move of SmackDown to FOX. Given the amount of money FOX has already invested in the brand, it would be fair to assume they have sway when it comes to WWE's creative direction, including that of The Fiend.

It was reported at the end of September by several sources, including WrestleVotes, that FOX was keen on having Bray Wyatt move to the Blue Brand, as they were apparently impressed with his character.

Something nobody can deny: a person who works for FOX has directly told me, face to face, they would like Bray Wyatt on SmackDown. However, it looks like he’s going to remain on RAW, with Paul Heyman being a gigantic fan of his. Not confirmed, but we’ll see.

— WrestleVotes (@WrestleVotes) September 24, 2019

The reports appear to have been backed up in the build up to last Friday’s SmackDown, when FOX started dropping subliminal images of The Fiend in their own advertising.

This is where my theory kicks in!

As August came to a close, the Golden Center issued a tweet letting fans know that The Fiend would challenge either Seth Rollins or Braun Strowman to a Hell in a Cell Match. This all came out before Strowman and Rollins squared off at September 15th's Clash of Champions pay-per-view.

Get ready @WWE fans... “The Fiend” @WWEBrayWyatt challenges @WWERollins or @BraunStrowman to a #HIAC match! Get your tickets now, and stay tuned 👀 🎟 » https://t.co/OdSXNuZRHq pic.twitter.com/kLpux4dDHK

— Golden 1 Center (@Golden1Center) August 27, 2019

This was also announced before any speculation was made about FOX's interest in The Fiend coming to SmackDown Live. WWE’s original intention may very well have been to put the title on Wyatt after his amazing performance at Summerslam. However, their hand could have been forced, if FOX insisted that they wanted The Fiend on their network.

If this indeed happened, it would have left WWE in a creative conundrum, as the company wouldn’t be able to put the Universal Title on Wyatt. Such a move could have rendered RAW with no champion. Last night's controversial finish could have been WWE's way of keeping The Fiend character strong, while keeping the belt on Rollins, all in an effort to please FOX.

This is only a theory, but what happens with The Fiend in the coming weeks could indicate just how accurate it is.