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Hell in a Cell 2021 is days away, and it's four months earlier than usual. The event is usually an October pay-per-view, but WWE decided to change the schedule by moving it up and keeping Money in the Bank in the July slot.
Hell in a Cell will also be the final WWE pay-per-view without fans in attendance, as the doors will re-open on SmackDown just two days before Money in the Bank 2021.
As it currently stands, the show will have a short card with only a few matches, and it should be an easy watch. This list focuses on five superstars who could benefit by losing at the pay-per-view.
#5. Drew McIntyre - One title shot too many at Hell in a Cell?
Drew McIntyre has consistently been in the WWE Championship picture since he won the Royal Rumble in January 2020. That's almost 17 months straight, and it's not hard to see why some fans have tired of this run.
Drew McIntyre lost to Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania 37 in what many considered to be a surprising outcome. Many fans thought that McIntyre would finally get his moment in front of the fans, but he walked away empty-handed.
At Hell in a Cell 2021, Drew McIntyre will have one final shot at the WWE Championship, and if he loses, he can't compete for the title as long as Bobby Lashley holds the gold.
In between WrestleMania and Hell in a Cell, Drew McIntyre once again challenged for the WWE Championship, but this bout was a Triple Threat contest that also involved the now-released Braun Strowman.
Shortly after that, Kofi Kingston entered WWE title contention off the back of an upset victory on RAW over Bobby Lashley. But he lost a number one contender's match to Drew McIntyre, so he quickly exited the title scene.
Some argued that Kofi Kingston would have made for a better opponent at Hell in a Cell because he's a former WWE champion and a fresher name. With crowds returning to WWE in a month, it'd be better to keep Drew McIntyre in a non-title feud so the fans don't turn on him as a babyface.
With that said, removing McIntyre from title contention would only be a temporary setback. Distancing The Scottish Warrior from the WWE title picture would allow him to regain momentum so he's ready to re-enter the mix next year.
In the long run, Drew McIntyre losing at Hell in a Cell would benefit him, especially because he was the best WWE superstar of 2020.
#4. Charlotte Flair - Will a defeat at Hell in a Cell help her momentum?
Charlotte Flair is officially the most decorated woman in WWE history, and she has a chance to add to that at Hell in a Cell 2021. The Queen will face Rhea Ripley in a WrestleMania 36 rematch, but this time, the RAW Women's Championship is on the line.
Flair missed WrestleMania this year for the first time, and upon her return, she instantly re-entered the RAW Women's title picture. In a situation similar to Drew McIntyre, she remained in contention after a Triple Threat title match because she wasn't pinned at WrestleMania Backlash.
The storyline has been somewhat strange because this Hell in a Cell feud has taken the spotlight off the rivalry between Ripley and Flair. Instead, it has focused on Nikki Cross and her streak of "wins" over both women.
Either way, -Ripley should have a strong showing at Hell in a Cell and walk out with the victory. She's the star that WWE should build up as a new power player on WWE RAW.
Even in defeat, Flair won't be affected, and one could argue that her momentum has a better chance of increasing while she isn't the RAW Women's Champion. Like McIntyre, The Queen would benefit from some time away from the title scene after WWE Hell in a Cell.
#3. Seth Rollins - Hell in a Cell is a good time to end his feud with Cesaro
Seth Rollins isn't officially on the Hell in a Cell card yet, but he could face Cesaro at the pay-per-view. Rollins has been feuding with Cesaro ever since his return to SmackDown in February, and the rivalry has now stretched on for four months.
It seems like this feud will come to a head at Hell in a Cell 2021. Cesaro was originally going to challenge Roman Reigns at Hell in a Cell, but Seth Rollins brutally attacked him to prolong their rivalry. attacked him. After a brief absence, The Swiss Cyborg returned and slammed the former champion through a door.
If this rivalry does wrap up at Hell in a Cell, then Cesaro needs to win the final match. Since Rollins is an established superstar, he may benefit in the long run by losing and helping another great star climb up the card. Cesaro is having the best year of his WWE career as a singles competitor in 2021, and a win would give him even more momentum.
Plus, a loss at Hell in a Cell might even plant the seeds for an eventual face turn for Rollins.
#2. Bayley - Another shot at gold at Hell in a Cell
Bayley will challenge Bianca Belair for the SmackDown Women's Championship at Hell in a Cell 2021. The last time they faced off, the SmackDown Women's Champion won with a stroke of luck.
This program has been the most logical path for Belair, especially since the two didn't get to complete their feud earlier this year. Belair quickly rose to stardom with a Royal Rumble win and a victory in the main event of WrestleMania 37 (Day 1), and Sasha Banks went on a hiatus after this defeat.
Banks' return to SmackDown will probably happen a few weeks after Hell in a Cell, and Carmella seems to be taking slow steps towards contention despite a recent defeat to Liv Morgan.
Since Bayley's incredible 2019-2020 dominance of the SmackDown Women's Championship picture, she has become one of the most established women on the WWE roster. At Hell in a Cell, she has another chance at helping Bianca Belair establish herself as a legitimate champion.
Bayley losing may not benefit her as much as the others on this list. But if WWE takes her in an interesting direction after Hell in a Cell, she'll bounce back in no time.
#1. Rey Mysterio - a loss at Hell in a Cell could help him if it's handled right
In a rather unexpected move, Rey Mysterio will challenge Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship at Hell in a Cell 2021. Now, just to be clear, this is perhaps the only match where the winner is all but guaranteed.
Even WWE made this inevitability clear, as Rey Mysterio told Reigns that he knows he will lose. It's an interesting approach for WWE to take, as the company is making it obvious that Reigns will decimate the legend at Hell in a Cell 2021.
The feud started when Reigns attacked Dominik Mysterio, as this assault prompted Rey to confront The Tribal Chief and challenge him at Hell in a Cell. But how will losing benefit Rey Mysterio?
For one, he's still one-half of the SmackDown Tag Team Champions. He faced Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series a couple of years ago, and although his loss was guaranteed, the blow was softened by a subsequent United States title victory.
Rey Mysterio's guaranteed loss can benefit him in the form of crowd support and a potentially good storyline. If WWE can tie it into his on-screen pairing with Dominik Mysterio, then it's a good direction to follow after Hell in a Cell.
