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This month, the WWE Universe was treated to another pay-per-view in the form of Hell in a Cell. Several big matches were scheduled for the event, and the card was filled with some of the promotion's top stars.
But Roman Reigns was missing from the pay-per-view because Rey Mysterio wanted to face The Tribal Chief as soon as possible. As a result, Drew McIntyre and Bobby Lashley closed out the show with a massive WWE Championship match inside the red cell.
Elsewhere, Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair competed in a RAW Women’s Championship match that ended with a controversial finish. Is WWE looking to extend this rivalry for a while?
Alexa Bliss defeated Shayna Baszler on the show after the two had a decent match. What’s next for Bliss, one of the most distinct characters in the industry today?
Back on the SmackDown side of things, Seth Rollins overcame Cesaro in one of the better matches of the night. But it's fair to argue that their match suffered due to an ordinary finish. Plus, Sami Zayn defeated Kevin Owens in what could be called an upset victory on Sunday night. These four superstars could continue to strengthen SmackDown’s mid-card in the weeks to come.
Finally, Bianca Belair picked up the most decisive championship victory inside Hell in a Cell. Who will aim to be The EST's next challenger for the SmackDown Women’s Championship?
Take a look at the five biggest questions from this year’s Hell in a Cell pay-per-view.
#5 Will Alexa Bliss’s character finally take off following her victory at WWE Hell in a Cell?
Alexa Bliss competed against Shayna Baszler at WWE Hell in a Cell. Bliss was in a partnership with "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt for a long time before the two parted ways. Since then, Bliss has been appearing with a doll named Lilly, and the duo has been tormenting Baszler in recent weeks.
In this bout, The Goddess took a beating from Baszler, she refused to stay down. Instead, she somehow hypnotized Nia Jax and made her attack Reginald. She then picked up a decisive victory over the former NXT Women's Champion at Hell in a Cell.
Fans have been confused and concerned about where Bliss’s character and storyline are going. Though she has been outstanding in her role, she hasn't been very successful over the past few months.
Will the events of Hell in a Cell finally shape her character in the weeks to come? Will fans finally watch Bliss compete in the ring more often?
Bliss could start controlling Jax and Baszler following her victory. This direction could create a compelling storyline and finally give Bliss’s character a purpose.
Following this victory, Bliss could end up taking over the RAW women’s division again if she’s given the chance to do so.
#4 Why did Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair end with a questionable DQ at WWE Hell in a Cell?
Rhea Ripley got a massive chance to prove herself to the WWE Universe at Hell in a Cell. The Nightmare was set to defend her RAW Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair in a one-on-one match.
Unlike their last encounter, Asuka was not involved in this contest. WWE teased adding Nikki Cross to the match, but this clash remained a singles bout instead.
In a match against Flair, Ripley had the opportunity to cement her status as a dominant star on the red brand. But the creative team did not book the match accordingly. To retain the title, Ripley used the top of the broadcast table as a weapon and got disqualified from the match.
Why did WWE decide to end this match at Hell in a Cell with a disqualification victory for Flair? Why did Ripley get disqualified for using the table? The two superstars used the steel steps and broadcast table as weapons earlier in the match, so this ending was certainly questionable.
It seems like the WWE RAW creative team will be looking to continue the rivalry between Flair and Ripley following Hell in a Cell. But would ending this feud on Sunday night have been the better result?
#3 Should Roman Reigns and Rey Mysterio have competed at WWE Hell in a Cell?
Roman Reigns and Rey Mysterio were scheduled to have a match at WWE Hell in a Cell. The two stars started feuding recently, and Mysterio wanted to take on The Tribal Chief inside the unforgiving structure.
But Mysterio could not wait until Sunday, so he decided to fight Reigns on Friday Night SmackDown instead of the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view. Reigns ultimately put the veteran in his place by making him tap out on Friday.
Did WWE do the right thing by having Reigns and Mysterio compete on SmackDown? Should the face of the company have been featured on the Hell in a Cell card instead?
Reigns' absence on Sunday impacted the pay-per-view, as the show lacked one of the company's top stars. Plus, the decisive outcome in this bout would have helped the rest of the card on Sunday.
Bianca Belair picked up a great victory at Hell in a Cell, but several other bouts ended with strange finishes.
Reigns’ involvement in the pay-per-view could have helped WWE produce a stronger show on Sunday, as his impressive matches always elevate the card.
#2 Why does WWE constantly protect Drew McIntyre from clean losses, as seen at Hell in a Cell?
Like many of the other matches at WWE Hell in a Cell, the main event contest between Drew McIntyre and Bobby Lashley suffered from a lackluster finish.
McIntyre and Lashley performed their hearts out inside Hell in a Cell, but the match ended thanks to MVP's interference. With McIntyre distractd, Lashley rolled the challenger up to retain his title at the end of the night.
WWE has been working hard to protect McIntyre for the past year and a half. Even though Lashley should have picked up a convincing victory at Hell in a Cell, his cheap victory disappointed many fans.
Why is WWE protecting McIntyre from taking clean losses? Does the creative team have anything big planned for the former WWE Champion?
McIntyre is being protected even more than John Cena was at one point. WWE needs to loosen its grip around The Scottish Warrior, who seems nearly indistructible despite his recent losses on pay-per-view.
Due to the stipulation of the bout, McIntyre can't challenge for Lashley's title again, but the company should have ended this feud with a more satisfying conclusion.
#1 Will Drew McIntyre be back in the WWE Championship picture soon after Hell in a Cell?
Drew McIntyre lost his final chance to win the WWE Championship from Bobby Lashley at WWE Hell in a Cell. The Scottish Warrior will likely need to slide down the card and move into another rivalry after he spent over a year in the title scene.
Surprisingly, no other superstar except MVP played a role in McIntyre’s loss. WWE could have built McIntyre’s next opponent by having Jinder Mahal, or another potential enemy, attack him either during or after the match.
With the match ending the way it did, WWE has left the door open to a rematch between Lashley and McIntyre at a later date. Will McIntyre be back in the WWE Championship picture soon after Hell in a Cell?
In theory, McIntyre can only challenge Lashley for the title if he wins the Money in the Bank contract. If he does, he could overcome the stipulation Lashley proposed for their match at Hell in a Cell and win the title back from The All Mighty.
WWE has protected McIntyre for a long time now, and the creative team could look to keep him in the title scene.
