'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAj/2gAIAQEAAAAAnI//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAECEAAAADf/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAG/9oACAEDEAAAAEH/xAAcEAABAwUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAAEDBBETITL/2gAIAQEAAT8AoijmgNmjDJceh0ykrBAyHEGntyv/xAAWEQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABACH/2gAIAQIBAT8ADb//xAAXEQEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAwAB/9oACAEDAQE/AL0QkOnf/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
How do you have a disqualification in a Hell in a Cell match?
WWE Hell in a Cell was a mostly fun night of professional wrestling. You had an amazing Women’s Hell in a Cell, some surprising title changes and a truly terrible ending to the main event. The WWE seemed to book themselves into a real corner for The Fiend versus Seth Rollins main event and made the poorest choice possible. When you make two decisions in three days that really anger the fan base that could be a long term problem for the company.
As I am still figuring out why the lights were off for the entire main event, I will try to distract myself and present my list of the top five most surprising moments of WWE Clash of Hell in a Cell 2019:
#5 Shorty Gable
Chad Gable is an amazing talent. He is playing the underdog good guy role to perfection. To see the extreme usage of constant short jokes have actually worked to get him over in recent weeks. His King of the Ring final match with Baron Corbin was one of the best television matches of the year so far.
So imagine my surprise to see the WWE double down on the insults at WWE Hell in a Cell. King Corbin gave Chad Gable the nickname “Shorty Gable” before the match begun. After the quick roll-up victory, Gable was announced by his new terrible nickname. It was repeated backstage by Kayla Braxton. It is surprising to think the WWE thinks it needs short jokes to get Gable over in 2019. I hope it doesn’t ruin his character going forward.
#4 Asuka Uses Green Mist To Win the Women’s Tag Team Championship
I feel sorry for Asuka and Kairi Sane. They are two of the most talented wrestlers in the WWE and they have barely been on television in the past few months. It is proof the WWE isn’t really good at booking multiple women’s feuds at the same time. So it was surprising to see the Kabuki Warriors getting a title shot at WWE Hell in a Cell.
The match was the first time the Kabuki Warriors showed any heel tactics. It was really surprising to see Kairi Sane cheat for the first time ever in the WWE. But the biggest shock was saved for last. As Nikki Cross was checking on her friend Alexa Bliss, Asuka took the distraction to spray green mist into Cross’ face and pick up the win. It was cool to see Asuka continue the legacy of the Great Muta and Tajiri. It certainly was an unexpected title change but if it gets the talented Asuka and Kairi Sane back on regular WWE programming then I am all for it.
#3 Charlotte Flair Wins the Smackdown Women’s Championship
Poor Bayley.
Bayley has done some of her best work since turning heel in recent weeks. She cheated to beat Charlotte at Clash of Champions this September. They had another rematch at Hell in a Cell and Bayley’s attempts to cheat were quite limited this time around. After some back and forth, Charlotte locked on her submission and made Bayley tap out clean. Charlotte has beaten Bayley yet again.
Charlotte Flair is now a ten-time Women’s Champion. It is getting a bit of overkill to see her with this many title reigns at the young age of just 33. We cannot deny Charlotte is one of the best workers in the world of the past few years but it seems she constantly is getting every single break.
I mean what more is there for Charlotte to accomplish in the WWE at this point? It seems little other than breaking her father's record for title reigns. The heels are just booked so poorly as champions in the WWE. It is hard to see where Bayley goes from here. It was a good run while it lasted Bayley. You can go and hug your friend Sasha Banks. She will need it too after Sunday.
#2 Sasha Banks And Becky Lynch Have One Of The Best Hell In A Cell Matches In Years
This match was incredible.
Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks are two of the best workers in the WWE. They have had a pretty solid feud so far but were lacking that classic match to push it to the next level. That changed with the instant classic on Sunday in the Hell in a Cell match.
They worked an incredible pace for the entire twenty-two-minute match. They never stopped to rest throughout their encounter. The creativity with kendo sticks, the cage, tables and a lot of chairs was highly entertaining. The amount of dangerous spots and falls taken by the two was impressive. They will need some well-deserved ice after this match. I feel sorry for Sasha’s knees.
In this PG-Era of the WWE, it is hard to pull off a Hell in a Cell match. Leave it to these two talented wrestlers to pull it off in an amazing way. It was surprising to see Sasha Banks lose clean. Where does she and the Raw Women’s Championship go from here?
#1 A Disqualification Finish for a Hell in a Cell Match
That wasn’t the best.
The WWE had put on a pretty solid pay-per-view. It simply required a strong finish to the main event to make the night a clear success. The match, despite the weird lighting, was pretty enjoyable. It was putting The Fiend over as a true monster. He withstood over a dozen Curb Stomps, a chair shot, a ladder shot and even multiple hits from a toolbox. The crowd was clearly behind Bray Wyatt winning the title on Sunday.
Then the WWE bookers made a really poor decision.
Seth Rollins was told not to use a Sledgehammer in a Hell in a Cell match. It really shouldn’t matter based on the very brutal history of Hell in a Cell. I mean Mankind was literally knocked out and they continued the match anyway. So to see a disqualification in a Hell in a Cell for a Sledgehammer shot was pretty disappointing.
You could tell by the loud boos and AEW chants that the Sacramento crowd was not thrilled with the non-finish. It did no favors to Bray Wyatt, Seth Rollins or the WWE at all. It is so surprising that the WWE thought fans would be happy with that ending. Who knows how they are going to repair the damage going forward.
