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WWE's Hell in a Cell is all wrapped up. Despite having just six matches on the main card, there were some major changes to the company's landscape.
Three of the matches took place inside the iconic Hell in a Cell. The first one was a Clash of Champions rematch between Roman Reigns and Jey Uso for the Universal Championship in an 'I Quit' match. Jey Uso once again was unsuccessful in dethroning his cousin.
This match was followed by a returning Elias facing the man who he thinks is responsible for driving him over with a car, Jeff Hardy. In an interesting turn of events, Hardy was the one who hit Elias with a guitar to hand himself a loss via disqualification.
The other two Hell in a Cell matches saw two major title changes. Randy Orton finally managed to topple Drew McIntyre to earn his 14th World title in WWE. Sasha Banks had a great night as well when she finally got her hands on her former best friend Bayley. Bayley's 380-day reign finally ended when The Boss made her tap out to a nasty looking Bank Statement.
There were a few more events that transpired during WWE Hell in a Cell. While some Superstars managed to impress viewers during the show, few others were a letdown. Here is a look at a few of them:
#3 WWE Superstar who impressed: Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns has elevated his game to another level since his return. A vicious persona, Paul Heyman's support, and some merciless offense have ensured that he is at the top of the SmackDown roster. Seeing him annihilate a helpless Jey Uso during Clash of Champions might have made fans think things could not get any grimmer, but they did.
There were so many more intriguing layers added to the emotionally-charged feud between the cousins. Jey Uso managed to get some impressive offense in, but Roman Reigns was soon able to incapacitate his opponent.
Jey Uso refused to quit which irked WWE's Universal Champion. Scaring off the WWE officials who tried to conclude the match, Roman Reigns was adamant about breaking Jey Uso's spirit.
The main difference between their match at Clash of Champions and Hell in a Cell was the way he reacted to Jimmy Uso who ran down to shield his twin brother. During Clash of Champions, Reigns backed away when an injured Jimmy Uso intervened. At Hell in a Cell, however, Roman Reigns seemed to break down in tears before choking out Jimmy Uso in a Guillotine hold. Watching his injured twin getting choked, Jey Uso had no choice but to concede the match.
Roman Reigns' character work is impeccable. The Universal Champion continues his reign of terror and provides a glimpse of the length he is willing to go to maintain dominance on WWE's Blue brand.
#2 WWE Superstar who flopped: Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy has not had a spectacular run in recent times. His crowning achievement was winning WWE's Intercontinental Championship in August but he dropped it a mere 35 days later.
Hardy's downward spiral continued even after he moved to the Red brand in the recently concluded WWE Draft. Jeff Hardy's match at Hell in a Cell had little to no build and seemed to have very little at stake.
Jeff Hardy was blamed for hitting Elias with a car back in June. Elias returned on RAW following the WWE Draft and targeted his alleged assailant.
Hardy went from feuding with AJ Styles and Sami Zayn for WWE's Intercontinental Championship to being involved in a mid-card feud with Elias. What's worse is the performance he put in during their match at Hell in a Cell.
Elias came out singing a song about Jeff Hardy's DUI's, a serious issue that WWE seems to exploit time and time again. The match itself saw Hardy get very little offense in as Elias dominated most of the proceedings.
The finish was bizarre as well. Elias rolled out of the ring and grabbed a guitar to hit Hardy with. Jeff Hardy caught it and broke it over Elias's back to get himself disqualified.
So not only did Jeff Hardy get thrown around for most of the match, but this also goes down as a loss for him in the record books. Certainly a step-down from the fascinating three-way feud he was involved in a month ago.
#2 WWE Superstar who impressed: Randy Orton
Randy Orton was finally successful in beating Drew McIntyre for his WWE Championship. While some fans will not be happy with Orton winning the title in the year 2020, the veteran has justified it by being a fantastic heel over the past few months. A championship run seemed more a matter of 'when' not 'if'.
Randy Orton seemed to have revitalized his career during his feud with Edge earlier on in the year. Brooding, unpredictable, and heartless, Orton turned back to the clock as he is on one of the most compelling runs of his career.
The Viper failed to win the WWE Championship from Drew McIntyre at SummerSlam and Clash of Champions. Hell in a Cell, however, was a different story.
While the first half of the match may have been a little sluggish, the latter part was a delight to watch.
Randy Orton ambushed Drew McIntyre before the match started by impersonating a technical WWE personal. Once the match got underway, there was the usual back and forth between the two Superstars.
Things started picking up when Orton used bolt cutters to make his way outside the cell. He coaxed McIntyre to join him atop the cell's roof where the action got heated. Randy Orton managed to shove Drew McIntyre midway off the table to send him crashing through the announce desk.
When the action returned to the ring, Drew McIntyre struck with a Claymore but The Apex Predator smartly slid outside the ring. Drew McIntyre went for a second Claymore which Randy Orton reversed into a signature RKO out of nowhere to claim the WWE championship.
#1 WWE Superstar who flopped: Slapjack
Slapjack, and in extension RETRIBUTION, once again had a bad night in WWE. In a match that lasted 230 seconds, Bobby Lashley put away Slapjack to successfully defend his WWE United States Championship.
Earlier in the night, The Hurt Business was allowed to defend the US Championship against any member of RETRIBUTION. A match between Slapjack and Bobby Lashley was set up for later in the night.
Slapjack got a little bit of offense in but he never really looked a threat. Bobby Lashley rag-dolled him for the majority of the match before quickly making him submit to The Hurt Lock.
If this wasn't enough, RETRIBUTION's night got a lot worse. Following Slapjack's loss, RETRIBUTION got into the ring to gang up on Bobby Lashley. Lashley held his own against the entire faction tarnishing RETRIBUTION's image even further.
The rest of The Hurt Business ran down to assist Bobby Lashley, and RETRIBUTION quickly fled without putting up a fight. Another WWE event, another forgettable evening for Mustafa Ali's squad.
#1 WWE Superstar who impressed: Sasha Banks
Sasha Banks recorded her first victory inside the Hell in a Cell. Arguably the best WWE feud in 2020, Bayley and Sasha Banks lived up to the massive expectations set for them. The two wrestlers stole the show at WWE's Hell in a Cell.
The two clashed in an extremely physical bout complete with loads of weapons spots. Kendo sticks, chairs, tables, duct tape, and even a fire extinguisher was featured in the match with both competitors desperate for the victory.
Sasha Banks dominated the early proceedings, even locking in the Banks Statement which Bayley managed to escape by sliding out of the ring. Meteoras, Elbow drops, and submissions were also aplenty to complement the numerous weapon spots.
Sasha Banks was struggling to put a persistent Bayley away who even kicked out of a Bayley-to-Belly that Banks delivered. The Boss finally had enough and locked her former best friend in a Bank Statement assisted by a steel chair around Bayley's neck. The champion tried to hand on but eventually tapped out to end her 380-day reign.
Sasha Banks was exceptional. She did not even glance at the SmackDown Women's Championship when it was presented to her as she was too busy staring daggers at an unconscious Bayley. This just further accentuated the bad blood between the two competitors.
WWE has a new SmackDown Women's Champion after a year, and this is unlikely to be the last time Sasha Banks and Bayley cross paths.
