3 Risky WWE Hell in a Cell moves that were approved and 2 that were not

While WWE Hell in a Cell is undoubtedly one of the most dangerous match types in WWE history, the steel structure also gives Superstars the opportunity to execute moves that they cannot usually attempt in a regular WWE match.

Mick Foley, for example, will forever be synonymous with WWE Hell in a Cell. He competed in two WWE Hell in a Cell matches at pay-per-view events, suffering one fall from the top of the cell and two through the cell roof.

Plenty of Superstars have successfully performed high-risk stunts in WWE Hell in a Cell matches, but did you know that some hazardous moves were not given the go-ahead by WWE’s higher-ups?

In this article, let’s take a look at three risky WWE Hell in a Cell moves that were approved, as well as two that were not.

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#5 Approved: The Undertaker throwing Mick Foley off WWE Hell in a Cell

In one of the most memorable matches in WWE history, The Undertaker defeated Mick Foley’s Mankind character in a WWE Hell in a Cell match at the King of the Ring 1998 pay-per-view.

The first risky spot in the match came when The Undertaker launched Foley off the top of the WWE Hell in a Cell structure and through an announce desk at ringside.

Speaking on the WWE Network show WWE Untold in 2018, Foley confirmed that the first fall was planned in advance

He also revealed that he lied to WWE Chairman Vince McMahon by telling him that he had already tested out the WWE Hell in a Cell structure by climbing to the top of the cell earlier in the day.

“I don’t remember the build-up to that day, other than being approached by Mr. McMahon and him asking me if I had been up there on that structure earlier in the afternoon. I assured him I had, which was the biggest lie I had told up to that point in my life. Then he asked me if I was comfortable up there, which I assured him I was, which became the newest biggest lie I ever told in my life.”

Foley, who continued the rest of the match (more on that shortly), also said in the WWE Untold episode that he was “terrified” on top of WWE Hell in a Cell and he would not have taken the bump if he had stood on top of the cell before the match.

#4 Not approved: The Undertaker chokeslamming Mick Foley through WWE Hell in a Cell

Despite being thrown off the top of WWE Hell in a Cell, Mick Foley refused to bring an early end to the match.

After being wheeled halfway up the entranceway on a stretcher, the WWE legend went against the advice of WWE colleagues Sgt. Slaughter and Terry Funk by going back to the ring and climbing to the top of the WWE Hell in a Cell structure.

The chaotic scenes continued on top of WWE Hell in a Cell, with The Undertaker sending Foley through the cell and onto the ring canvas with a chokeslam (08:40 in the video above).

As the man behind The Undertaker character, Mark Calaway, recalled on NotSam Wrestling in June 2020, the second fall through the WWE Hell in a Cell roof was not approved and the cell was not supposed to give way at that moment.

“He’d already taken the bump off the top. Although that one was planned, that’s not easy to do and it ain’t easy on the body. And then this [second WWE Hell in a Cell bump] happens, and he landed… Man, he landed in such a funky way. I didn’t know that he was going to get up.”

Calaway said he encouraged Foley to end the match after the chokeslam through the WWE Hell in a Cell roof. However, his opponent was keen to get to the next scripted spot in the match, which involved thumbtacks.

In the end, The Undertaker slammed Foley back-first onto the thumbtacks before following up with a Tombstone Piledriver to pick up the victory.

#3 Approved: Jeff Hardy’s WWE Hell in a Cell ceiling swing

Jeff Hardy fell through a table inside WWE Hell in a Cell

The 2018 WWE Hell in a Cell match between Jeff Hardy and Randy Orton is best remembered for the screwdriver incident, but the riskiest spot in the match actually came at the end.

For those who are not aware, Orton twisted a screwdriver through Hardy’s stretched earlobe midway through the match. The sequence lasted almost two minutes, including Orton grabbing the screwdriver from a toolbox, before Hardy struck his opponent with a low-blow.

Later in the match, Hardy set Orton up on a table and climbed to the top of a ladder in the middle of the ring. The three-time WWE World Champion then swung back and forth from the top of the WWE Hell in a Cell ceiling before attempting to hit a splash on Orton.

The Viper moved out of the way of the splash at the last moment, meaning Hardy went crashing through the table.

The referee ordered that the WWE Hell in a Cell structure should be raised in order to let Hardy receive medical treatment. However, Orton had one last goal to accomplish: defeat his opponent.

After a disagreement with the referee, Orton finally covered Hardy to pick up the victory.

This Hardy spot was not only a lot safer than Mick Foley’s ceiling-to-canvas fall, but it was also part of the WWE Hell in a Cell script.

#2 Not approved: Charlotte Flair’s WWE Hell in a Cell moonsault

Charlotte Flair defeated Sasha Banks at WWE Hell in a Cell 2016 in the first women’s match ever to take place inside WWE Hell in a Cell.

It was reported by Top Rope Wrestling before the match that Flair’s request to hit a moonsault from the top of WWE Hell in a Cell was rejected by WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.

Ric Flair confirmed to Busted Open Radio that two “huge spots” were removed from the match, including a moonsault, but he did not confirm whether or not the risky move would have been executed from the top of the WWE Hell in a Cell structure.

“They took two huge spots out of the match, during the match, because they were afraid Sasha was going to get hurt. If the original plan had been, there were two things and I don't want to say what they were, but you can only imagine. One of them involved a moonsault.” [H/T Cageside Seats]

As of the time of writing, The Queen’s match against Banks remains her only appearance inside WWE Hell in a Cell.

Banks competed in another WWE Hell in a Cell match against Becky Lynch in 2019, while she is currently preparing to face Bayley inside the cell at the upcoming WWE Hell in a Cell pay-per-view.

#1 Approved: Rikishi & Shane McMahon’s WWE Hell in a Cell falls

When it comes to WWE Hell in a Cell, there is nothing riskier than a Superstar falling from the top of the giant steel structure.

After Shawn Michaels (Badd Blood 1997) and Mick Foley (King of the Ring 1998 and No Way Out 2000) both suffered WWE Hell in a Cell falls, Rikishi was the next Superstar who took a big bump in a WWE Hell in a Cell match.

The moment took place in the six-man WWE Championship match at Armageddon 2000, where The Undertaker chokeslammed Rikishi from the top of WWE Hell in a Cell and onto a bed of sawdust in the back of a truck.

WWE director Bruce Prichard made it clear on his Something to Wrestle With podcast that he did not like the risky stunt.

“I hated it. I guess a lot of people loved it. I hated it because, to me, it fed into that, ‘We’ve got to top ourselves with the Mick Foley bump. Shawn Michaels bump, Mick Foley bump, what are we going to do? What’s the next big bump we’re going to do? It’s Hell in a Cell, you’ve got to have a big bump.’”

Over 15 years on from those bumps, Shane McMahon launched himself off the top of WWE Hell in a Cell in scripted moments at WrestleMania 32 (vs. The Undertaker) and WWE Hell in a Cell 2017 (vs. Kevin Owens).

McMahon’s second WWE Hell in a Cell jump was especially risky, as Sami Zayn had to pull Owens out of the way at exactly the right time to avoid the then-SmackDown Commissioner from landing on his opponent.