WWE Hell in a Cell 2020: Ranking and grading every match at the PPV

By Divesh Merani
Modified Oct 26, 2020 20:26 IST
Hell in a Cell was a fun show.
Hell in a Cell was a fun show.

WWE has just put on yet another great pay-per-view inside the ThunderDome, marking its incredible consistency in recent times. Hell in a Cell was a success thanks to, quite predictably, the three titular matches. All of them were unique in their own way and told different stories. And all of them delivered wonderfully, lasting around half an hour each.

The rest of the card was mostly filler, but that can be forgiven for the supreme job done with the Hell in a Cell matches. They featured a perfect combination of brutality, emotion, and unpredictability. This was a fine revival for the satanic structure, following the debacle of last year's main event.

Every Hell in a Cell match delivered at the pay-per-view

WWE has truly nailed the formula for their pay-per-views, ensuring that they don't last too long while guaranteeing an entertaining show. Hell in a Cell is another one to add to the list, with the three Cell bouts carrying the event. There were a couple of stunning title changes as well, shaking things up in WWE quite a bit.

Here are all six matches at WWE Hell in a Cell 2020 graded and ranked, from worst to best.

#6 Bobby Lashley vs. Slapjack (United States Championship)

WWE's booking of RETRIBUTION since the reveal of Mustafa Ali as their leader has been pretty terrible. Their feud with The Hurt Business hasn't gone to plan so far, with Hell in a Cell not doing the rebellious group any favors. Bobby Lashley defended the United States Championship against the least threatening member of RETRIBUTION, Slapjack.

The match was short and unnecessary, with the former Shane Thorne not posing any real threat to Lashley. This was another piece of filler between two intense Hell in a Cell matches. The Dominator picked up the victory with the Hurt Lock before RETRIBUTION immediately stormed the ring to attack him.

However, Lashley was able to fight them off until the rest of The Hurt Business came to his aid. Things are not looking good for Mustafa Ali and his masked followers and hopefully, WWE is able to turn their fortunes around.

Grade: C-

#5 Elias vs. Jeff Hardy at Hell in a Cell

Elias and Jeff Hardy had the unenvied task of following the incredible opening Hell in a Cell match, more on that in a bit. This was an alright bout, although it was difficult to truly get into it. This felt like a RAW match, especially with the disqualification finish which saw Hardy hit Elias with his own guitar.

The two of them were on their way to a decent match before the DQ, with some big moves being hit. Jeff Hardy vs. Elias was clearly just filler at Hell in a Cell, with better days surely coming for them. Neither man was truly defeated, so the feud will continue.

Expect Elias to step up further against Hardy in the coming weeks on RAW.

Grade: C

#4 Otis vs. The Miz (Money in the Bank Contract)

Following months of comedic shenanigans, WWE has finally relived Otis off the Money in the Bank contract. As a result of that entertaining courtroom segment on SmackDown, the former Heavy Machinery member faced off against The Miz at Hell in a Cell. It wasn't overly spectacular but did its job well.

The action was solid, with Miz getting multiple near-falls. He would eventually get the victory after Tucker shockingly hit Otis with the briefcase, turning heel. That may not be the best decision, but The Miz winning Money in the Bank was great.

This match at Hell in a Cell seems like the start of the rebuilding process for The A-Lister, towards the upper echelons of RAW.

Grade: B-

#3 Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton (Hell in a Cell Match for the WWE Championship)

Hell in a Cell was rather surprisingly headlined by the third meeting between Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre, who finally got to main event a pay-per-view as the WWE Champion. Their bad blood was evident from the get-go, not even waiting until they were inside the Cell to start fighting.

This was a pretty methodical contest, operating at Orton's preferred pace while McIntyre fought valiantly. There were some great moves, like the Scottish Terminator's suplex through a table at ringside. The Viper even tried to leave Hell in a Cell out of frustration, before McIntyre chased him down.

Orton climbed to the top of the cell, with his opponent following soon after. They fought for a while before climbing back down the side, at which point McIntyre was sent crashing through the announce table. This turned the tide of the match into The Legend Killer's favor, as he ended an urgent final sequence with an RKO and the pinfall to win the WWE Championship.

While this was the weakest of the three Hell in a Cell matches, the WWE title main event had its fair share of memorable spots. Randy Orton was typically great. This was a vintage performance from the 14-time World Champion, as he ended Drew McIntyre's first world title run in WWE.

Grade: A-

#2 Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso (Hell in a Cell "I Quit" Match for the Universal Championship)

Hell in a Cell 2020 opened with this epic storytelling masterclass, as Roman Reigns and Jey Uso settled their intense feud over the Universal Championship. The two cousins engaged in a violent "I Quit" match inside Hell in a Cell, one with several layers to it. The match had much more than just in-ring action.

There was an increased focus on the emotions of Reigns and Uso, as they attempted to make each other quit. The six-time Tag Team Champion had the upper hand for a while, particularly with the use of a strap to choke his larger opponent. However, Reigns weathered the storm and eventually took complete control of the match.

The Universal Champion hit multiple spears, but Uso remained defiant. He refused to quit, even after being mauled by a drive-by dropkick involving the steel steps. The latter portion of the match dragged for a bit too long, but the finish involving Jimmy Uso was fantastic.

He pleaded with Reigns to have mercy on his twin, resulting in The Big Dog breaking down in the middle of the ring only for him to choke Jimmy Uso out. Jey Uso immediately quit upon seeing this to save his injured brother, with the emotion very visible on his face. This was a masterful performance from everybody involved.

A near-perfect match, Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso was truly special. The one issue was the non-wrestling portion going slightly too long and that this did not need the Hell in a Cell gimmick. Nevertheless, this was an excellent match, abundant in intensity, emotion, and epic storytelling.

Grade: A

#1 Bayley vs. Sasha Banks (Hell in a Cell Match for the SmackDown Women's Championship)

WWE perhaps should have closed Hell in a Cell with this absolute show-stealer between Bayley and Sasha Banks, since it was the perfect storm of gripping emotion and brutal action. It also ended on a happy note, unlike Randy Orton's WWE title victory. The two former best friends lived up to their revolutionary classic at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn, with another fantastic title match.

There were so many incredible spots and moments that helped Banks and Bayley live up to the hype inside Hell in a Cell. The Boss of the Cell lived up to her nickname, with breathtaking risks that only she is capable of. The cell was used to perfection, with some nasty looking spots against the walls.

The two-time WWE Women's Tag Team Champions were extremely creative in the environment, which naturally makes for a more exciting match. Bayley's trusty chair even played a part at various points, initially being kicked out of the cage by Banks. It was eventually brought in, with both Superstars utilizing it in their own ways.

The near-falls in this match was as intense as ever and added to the heat of the contest. Eventually, after nearly half an hour of brutality, Sasha Banks submitted Bayley with the Bank Statement with some help from the latter's chair. It was a sweet victory, after everything that The Legit Boss had gone through. She finally won the SmackDown Women's Championship, ending Bayley's reign at 380 days.

The violence in this match was phenomenal, possibly even outdoing Banks' previous effort inside Hell in a Cell, against Becky Lynch. This was everything that the fans were hoping for, and more. The combination of excellent action and a lovely moment, in the end, makes this the best match at Hell in a Cell 2020.

Very few matches this year have been as good as Sasha Banks vs. Bayley inside Hell in a Cell.

Grade: A+

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