Bianca Belair (c) vs. Bayley – Hell In A Cell match for the Smackdown Women’s Championship

Background: At WrestleMania Backlash, Bianca Belair defeated Bayley to retain the SmackDown Women’s Championship. On the following SmackDown, WWE official Sonya Deville hosted a parade of champions to celebrate SmackDown’s champions. Bayley interrupted, taking issue that she was not acknowledged as the longest-reigning SmackDown Women’s Champion and claimed that Belair had cheated at Backlash by using her hair as a weapon. On the June 4 episode, Belair challenged Bayley to a rematch at Hell in a Cell with the title on the line and Bayley accepted. Two weeks later, Belair changed the stipulation of their match to a Hell in a Cell match.

Previous PPV matches: This is the second PPV match between these two girls, Bianca previously beat Bayley at Wrestlemania Backlash.

Hell In A Cell PPV Record: Bayley is 1-2 at this event, Bianca Belair wrestles here for the first time tonight.

Match: Bianca is hot out of the blocks but Bayley attempts to bring a chair into play. Bianca fights her off with her braid and then kicks the chair into Bayleys face. Bayley takes control, throwing Bianca into the ringpost and then targetting the shoulder. Bianca looks to start a comeback but Bayley puts an end to that by biting the Smackdown Women’s Champion. Bayley swings a kendo stick in Belair and then hits a sunset powerbomb into the cell. Positioning looked a bit off there and I don’t think Bayley was happy. Bayley sets some kendo stick uo, laying them from the cell to the ring apron but it’s Belair that ends up hitting Bayley with a spinebuster through them. Bayley knots Bianca’s braid around a chair whilst sitting on it. Biance breaks free and lays into Bayley with a kendo stick. Bianca lays into Bayley until Bayley pulls a ladder out from under the ring and rams it into Bianca’s middle section. Bayley traps Binaca in the ladder and hits a roseplant but Bayley hurts her own knee. Bianca drops Bayley on the top turnbuckle and then hits a senton on the ladder. Belair then hits the KOD onto the ladder for the win.

Result: Bianca Belair retains the Smackdown Women’s Championship by pinfall.

Review: This was a decent match. Didn’t really see anything in this match I haven’t seen before but it wasn’t bad. It wasn’t as good as last years match between Bayley and Sasha Banks. Bianca retains and I’m all for her having a lengthy reign. I liked the finish, you don’t often see the ladder at the angle Bianca set it up for to hit the KOD on.

Rating: 6.5/10

Cesaro vs. Seth Rollins

Background: During Night 1 of WrestleMania 37, Cesaro defeated Seth Rollins. On the following SmackDown, Rollins interfered and attacked Cesaro during the latter’s match, with Rollins proclaiming that their rivalry was not over. Cesaro defeated Rollins in a rematch on the May 7 episode, which also earned himself a Universal Championship match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania Backlash, which Cesaro lost. Following the title match, Rollins came out and brutally attacked Cesaro, smashing his arm in a steel chair. On the following SmackDown, Cesaro attempted to challenge Reigns to a rematch for the title only for Rollins to attack Cesaro once again, this time resulting in Cesaro being taken out on a stretcher. On the June 18 episode, another match between Cesaro and Rollins was scheduled for Hell in a Cell.

Previous PPV matches: This is a second PPV match between these two men, previously Cesaro defeated Seth at Wrestlemania 37.

Hell In A Cell PPV Record: Seth Rollins is 2-3-1, Cesaro is 2-2.

Match: Cesaro is out first and Seth Rollins attacks him from behind as he’s walking down the ramp! The match gets started and it’s all Cesaro in the early going. Seth pokes Cesaro in the eye to take control. Rollins hits a running knee and then a springboard knee to the face for a near fall. Cesaro fires up and takes Seth’s glove off before ramming it down his throat. Cesaro counters a stomp attempt, hitting a powerslam for a two count. Rollins counters a neutraliser attempt and then looks for a superplex but Cesaro fights him off and hits a cross body. Seth hits a falcon arrow for a near fall and then a strange enzeguri which looked clunky. Cesaro hits the swing and then locks on the sharpshooter before transitioning into a crossface. Cesaro has to readjust and looks to set up for another swing but Rollins rolls him up for the three!

Result: Seth Rollins wins by pinfall.

Review: This was a decent enough match. It wasn’t spetacular and to be honest I lost interest two thirds of the way through but it really wasn’t bad. Seth wins so really we should be looking at a rubber match between the two. Especially considering the finish was a roll up.

Rating: 6/10

Alexa Bliss vs. Shayna Baszler

Background: Shayna blames Alexa Bliss for all of Reggie’s accidents and for costing her the women’s tag team championships. Alexa said that she wants an apology from Shayna for calling her doll stupid. Shayna didn’t and the doll chased her around the arena. Yup.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two girls.

Hell In A Cell PPV Record: Alexa Bliss is 0-2, Shayna Baszler wrestles at this event for the first time tonight.

Match: A distraction from Reggie in the early going allows Shayna to take the early advantage. Alexa does a creepy walk thing and takes control. Bliss then stares at Reggie who sells it like he’s terrified. Shayna goes to work on Alexa, applying wristlocks and small joint manipulation but Bliss just laughs. Alexa then hypnotises Shayna into letting go. Alexa hits a DDT for a two count. Alexa then hypnotises Nia and controls her hands. I hate this shit. Alexa hypnotises Nia into slapping Reggie. Alexa hits a throat thrust to Shayna and then a spinning DDT. Alexa hits twisted Bliss for the win.

Result: Alexa Bliss wins by pinfall.

Review: This was strange. It could have been much better if Alexa didn’t have this gimmick. All the hypnosis stuff is terrible. Alexa wins though and will probably start getting pushed towards the Raw Women’s Championship at some point.

Rating: 3/10

Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn

Background: During Night 2 of WrestleMania 37, Kevin Owens defeated Sami Zayn, who was accompanied by YouTube personality Logan Paul. On the following SmackDown, Zayn claimed that he lost to Owens because he was distracted wondering if Paul was okay. Zayn then called out Owens for a rematch. Owens defeated Zayn by count-out after Zayn retreated from the ring, after which, Owens brought Zayn back to the ring and performed a Stunner on him. Zayn would continue to be a hindrance to Owens over the next several weeks, and another match between the two was scheduled for Hell in a Cell.

Previous PPV matches: This is the 4th PPV match between these two men, KO has won 2 of the previous 3 and Sami the other.

Hell In A Cell PPV Record: Kevin Owens is 3-0 at Hell In A Cell events, Sami Zayn wrestles at this event for the first time tonight.

Match: Kevin Owens takes the early advantage, throwing Sami around the ring. Sami soon takes control and Michael Cole keeps referring to Owens being unable to breath so I’m fully expecting Sami to win after Owens can’t breath. Zayn forces Owens neck into the rope and then hits a big dive to the outside. Babyface move. The referee checks on Owens but Zayn hits his former best friend with a helluva kick. Owens looks for a senton bomb on the outside but Zayn gets his knees up. Back in the ring and Sami hits a blue thunder bomb for a near fall. Sami counters a stunner and hits a German suplex for a near fall. On the outside Owens hits a stunner and Sami very nearly gets counted out. The two men go at it until Sami forces Owens into the ropes again and then hits a helluva kick for the three!

Result: Sami Zayn wins by pinfall.

Review: This was a good back and forth match. Michael Cole giving Kevin Owens an excuse all the way through made it clear who was going to win. Zayn gets his win back from Wrestlemania much like Seth Rollins did earlier. I like Sami Zayn winning, he’s really underrated and I’d actually love to see him win Money In The Bank.

Rating: 6.75/10

Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Charlotte – Raw Women’s Championship match

Background: At WrestleMania Backlash, Rhea Ripley defeated Charlotte Flair and Asuka to retain the Raw Women’s Championship. The following night on Raw, Flair confronted WWE officials Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville, demanding another opportunity at Ripley for the championship as Flair did not take the pin in the triple threat match. Pearce and Deville stated that if Flair won her match against Asuka, they would consider it. However, Flair lost the match thanks to a distraction from Ripley. The following week, however, Flair defeated Asuka. A match between Ripley and Flair for the title was then scheduled for Hell in a Cell.

Previous PPV matches: This is the second PPV match between these two girls. Charlotte previously defeated Rhea Ripley at Wrestlemania 36.

Hell In A Cell PPV Record: Charlotte is 4-1 at Hell In A Cell, Rhea Ripley wrestles at this event for the first time tonight.

Match: The match begins with Charlotte grabbing the title out of the referees hands and throwing it at Rhea before laying in a big boot. Charlotte keeps control from there, slowing the pace down slightly with chinlocks. Ripley starts a comeback but Charlotte targets the leg, locking on an ankle lock in the ropes. Rhea fires back with an ankle lock of her own but Charlotte gets out of it and hits natural selection for a near fall. Charlotte hits a moonsault for a near fall. Ripley hits back with a superplex and can’t keep Charlotte Flair down. Rhea hits Riptide but Charlotte is too close to the ropes and gets her foot on them. Charlotte rolls to the outside but Rhea follows. Charlotte dropkicks the ring steps into the knee of the champion before going back in the ring, hitting a spear and then locking on the figure eight but Rhea gets to the bottom rope. The two girls roll to the outside where Rhea pulls off the top of the announce desk and smashes it into the face of Charlotte. The referee calls for a disqualification! After the match the fight continues and Rhea hits a Riptide to leave Charlotte laying.

Result: Charlotte wins by disqualification.

Review: This was a good match even if the finish was a bit shady. It’s a rivalry I expect to continue. A good match though between two talented women.

Rating: 6.75/10

Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Drew McIntyre – Hell In A Cell match for the WWE Championship

Background: At WrestleMania Backlash, Bobby Lashley defeated Drew McIntyre and Braun Strowman to retain the WWE Championship. The following night on Raw, MVP and Lashley issued an open challenge to anyone on the Raw roster except McIntyre and Strowman. Later in the main event, it was revealed that the open challenge was just to face Lashley rather than a title match. The New Day’s Kofi Kingston answered the challenge and defeated Lashley thanks to McIntyre’s distraction. The following week, WWE official Adam Pearce scheduled a match between McIntyre and Kingston where the winner would face Lashley for the WWE Championship at Hell in a Cell, only for it to end in a no-contest after interference from Lashley and MVP. A rematch was scheduled for the following week where if Lashley and/or MVP were at ringside or interfered in the match, Lashley would be suspended for 90 days without pay; McIntyre defeated Kingston to earn another title match against Lashley at Hell in a Cell. During the match contract signing on the June 7 episode, the match was made a Hell in a Cell match with a further stipulation that this would be McIntyre’s last chance at the WWE Championship as long as Lashley was the champion.

Previous PPV matches: This is the third PPV match between these two men, they have both previously won one match each.

Hell In A Cell PPV Record: Bobby Lashley is 1-0, Drew McIntyre is 2-1.

Match: The bell rings, Lashley leaves the ring to look for a weapon but Drew McIntyre stops him and takes control early. Drew hits a brutal looking suplex into the side of the cell and then leathers the WWE Champion with the ring steps. MVP passes Lashley his cane through the fence which allows Bobby to take the advantage briefly. McIntyre hits white noise on the ring steps. It’s back and forth from here, Drew hits an inverted Alabama slam for a near fall and then lays into Bobby with a chair. Lashley gets back into it with help from his manager on the outside of the cage. Lashley hits a couple of flatliners onto a chair and then lays into McIntyre with a kendo stick. The kendo strikes fire up McIntyre who hits a headbutt and then swings a chair around. Lashley knocks McIntyre into the referee, taking him out. Drew then hits a futureshock DDT but the referee is down.

Drew calls for another referee, counters a hurt lock attempt and then goes back to work on Lashley with a chair before hitting a claymore. The new referee counts to two before MVP drags him out of the ring. McIntyre lays into MVP, hitting him with a claymore! Bobby locks a hurt lock on outside of the ring but McIntyre backs him up into and through a table! Back in the ring and Lashley ducks a claymore before chokeslamming McIntyre through a table. Drew avoids a spear and then hits a Glasgow kiss and the futureshock DDT. McIntyre motions for a claymore but MVP grabs his leg! Lashley then rolls up Drew for the three.

Result: Bobby Lashley retains the WWE Championship by pinfall.

Review: This was a good back and forth hell in a cell match. It was one of those that could have gone either way but in the end Bobby Lashley won and retained his title. I think this was a good stipulation and I hope they stick to it. It’ll be nice to keep them apart and freshen up the main event scene a bit. Good match though here, nothing groundbreaking here but a good performance from both men.

Rating: 7/10