WWE Hell in a Cell Highlights: Smackdown LIVE On it's way back to the Top ?
The Match of the Night?
I want to kick start today's blog post off by saying that honestly, I enjoyed the hell in a Cell pay per view far far more than I was expecting too and there were more matches that I enjoyed than I was expecting also. The main event was one of my personal favourite main events of the year with the match simply having everything you could ask for however, there was one other match that in my opinion just about topped it; the opening tag team championship match between the Usos and the New Day. To be fair, I did mention both in my prediction post last Friday and yesterday before and throughout the show that this was the match I was looking forward to the most and was expecting to be the best match of the night and it was. I did have to re-watch the show to double check I did really think this was the best match of the night because the main event was so strong it was a tough one to call but going over the show again it was clear that what went down in that tag team match was on another level and it has to take the reward for match of the night. We were all expecting something strong when it came to this one. We've seen these two teams kill it before delivering some truly epic matches in the past both on pay per view and weekly episodes of Smackdown LIVE and with all the character and charisma both these teams bring to the table this was a must see, something both hardcore and casual fans could enjoy. The fact this time round the teams were set to face each other inside hell in a cell only meant things were even more interesting and this became and even bigger must see.The expectations from fans were high and after raising the bar to the level these guys have done it was to be expected but these two damn right delivered. They kick started the show perfect ensuring everyone was ready for an epic night. They set the bar for the rest of the show and it was a damn good job they did open the night. It was a risk kick starting the show with arguably the best match of the night but it worked. They instantly raised the energy levels, had everyone in the crowd up on their feet and all of us at home on the edge of our seats. No team had the upper hand for too long with all four superstars going out their and putting on their best performance. The match had everything you could ask for, every superstar was showcased perfectly, there was a good story behind it and the action was on another level. We had plenty of unique moments that made this a Hell in a Cell standout and the constant close calls and false finishes had every single one of us completely glued to our screens. I personally was backing the New Day but as I mentioned last night over on twitter, both thee teams have done so well and performed at such a high standard you just couldn't be angry with the end result regardless and so when the Usos picked up the victory I found myself satisfied completely as Jimmy and Jey yet again proved to be one of the best teams in wrestling today and this match will go down in tag team wrestling history. A brilliant brilliant start to the night.Natalya and Jinder Mahal retain their Championships
Last night's pay per view saw both the WWE and the Smackdown LIVE women's championships defended. Neither title changed hands but I want to run over both those matches and give you a little insight to what I thought of both. First up Natalya VS Charlotte. Again, if you follow me on social media or read my prediction post last Friday then you will know that this was actually one of the matches I was most looking forward too. While the build up was weak and I wasn't the biggest fan these are two of the best of the best in wrestling today putting Gender aside completely and we have seen them work fantastic matches in the past and so with that in mind I was really expecting this to be something pretty damn special. Maybe not the match of the night but at least a standout and I did believe this was the dark horse match of the night however, I was left pretty disappointed. The bout itself was strong. It was a decent one on one women's championship match with both women feeling like a big deal and having a solid performance but it wasn't as strong as I was expecting. I enjoyed the match greatly, I was entertained and again both competitors looked good throughout but I wasn't keen on the finish and I still believe their championship match at NXT Takeover a few years back was their best match against one another to date. It's clear that business is far from over between these two women and I did like the fact the finish has resulted in possibly a more intense feud to build and an even bigger match which I'm confident could actually be an epic epic match. I do feel as though good things are to come for the Smackdown LIVE women's divison and I'm excited for the near future.As for the WWE Championship match... honestly? I have mixed opinions. I really wasn't looking forward to this match and as I've said throughout the build up, when the WWE Championship match is the one you're least looking forward to it doesn't say many good things about your current product. You guys know me, you know that I was all for Jinder's championship reign but the booking has been so bad, the promos and segments have been so weak that I just haven't been able to keep those feelings and instead I've lost so much interested. With that being said I've also been pretty disappointed with what we have seen from Nakamura; it's nothing to do with him but more his booking and how the WWE have used him since he join the main roster. I do believe things will get a lot better for Shinsuke once he enters a better program, his inevitable bout with AJ Styles will for sure change things around massively. Back to last night however and this championship match didn't feel like a championship match. It wasn't awful but we got some real strong strong matches last night and this just felt very very weak in comparison. You just expect more from a WWE Championship match. I wasn't surprised to see Jinder retain, I do want a different champion and I do feel as though it's what Smackdown LIVE needs and after what we saw last night there are some worrying questions regarding the title and Nakamura. Can this feud survive another match? If not, who challenges Mahal next? And just how do the WWE save this really awkward position they've found themselves in?
Baron Corbin Crowned new United States Champion
A couple of weeks back it was announced that AJ Styles would defend his United States Championship against Baron Corbin at the Hell in a Cell pay per view but following his victory against the number one contender, former NXT star Tye Dillinger requested that the title match be made into a triple threat. General manager Daniel Bryan agreed and the match was made a triple threat. Originally, I did think this was an underdog match. It wasn't one that had plenty of fan attraction but easily had the potential to be a strong title match and with Dillinger added to the picture things were made very interesting. It gave Corbin more fire, the pressure was laid on thicker for Styles, Dillinger was given the opportunity he deserved and fans had more to enjoy. The match was much much better than I thought it was going to be. With the main event being so strong and the opening match being so good it's hard to sit here and say this was one of the best matches of the night but it was and I really don't want anyone to forget just how good it was. Again, every single competitor looked strong. They all had a role to play and played it well. The match was brilliant for Dillinger who for weeks has been proving himself but finally was given the opportunity to standout, have his moment and work a top match against top superstars and prove himself on a new level. The ending was completely right and done so so well. Corbin stealing the win fitted his character and the build up to this match perfectly. It made sense, it was done right and it got a reaction. Of course being a huge Corbin fan this was basically the highlight of my life but honestly, I'm so so happy and proud and I really do believe he does have it in him to have a strong championship reign if he's used and booked correctly.Shane McMahon and Kevin Owens go to Hell and Back
So I mentioned earlier that I believed the match of the night was the opening bout between The New Day and The Usos and while I stick to that one hundred percent there is no denying that last nights main event was on another level and was hands down one of the best main events of the year, in fact I would rate this in the top five. While it wasn't a pure wrestling masterclass this felt like a main event, it felt like a big deal, I was kept completely entertained from start to finish and the action had me on the edge of my seat completely hooked. I mention in last Friday's Hell in a Cell prediction post that I didn't really know what to expect from this match. I touched on the fact that I was for sure expecting some brilliant spots and a number of impressive moments and while that was exactly we got boy did we get so much more! These two men went to war and effectively gave fans one epic match up. The build was the best of all the matches of the night without a shadow of a doubt. The feud felt personal and intense and that ran throughout the match. The comments Owens yelled in the face of McMahon during the match not to mention directly yelling abuse at Shane's children who sat at ringside all made this feel that much more personal and gave the match that real life feel that was missing throughout the night. The action we got in this was also at another level. Shane is no five star wrestler but damn does he know how to put his body through hell. Jumping off anything and everything in sight, pulling every little thing out from under the ring and throwing himself into the worse positions, Shane was a top standout of the night and went out there and nailed it! His performance had be on the edge of my seat and there were several times watching where I questioned whether or not he would be able to carry on. As for Kevin Owens... damn. Intense, spiteful, fearless, Owens went out there last night and delivered proving why he is one of the best of the best in the world of pro wrestling today. Bringing so much character as well as fantastic wrestling ability he adapted everything to make this work. He was far more intense then ever, he felt like that dangerous ruthless Kevin Owens we got down in NXT and it gripping. The look in his eyes showed the former US Champion had reached new heights, had lost it and was willing to prove a point and inflict serious damage on Shane. I was totally hooked and completely emotionally invested throughout. Honestly, one of my favourite matches of the year and one I know I for sure will be going back and re-watching time and time again.A Darker Sami Zayn
And we finish things off today with a quick chat about Sami Zayn. A man we are all always talking about, Zayn is someone who has had it rough for the past twelve months. Every wrestling fans knows Sami Zayn is one of the best wrestlers in the world today. His run in NXT was one of the best and most iconic and has us believing when he went up to the main roster things would go swimmingly for him and he would be working as one of the top baby faces in the company but things just haven't worked out that way and he's struggled. The WWE haven't used him right at all and things could have been a lot lot strong than they have been. However, last night it looked as though a new chapter in
All round I actually enjoyed the Hell in a Cell pay per view much much more than I exacted too. I mentioned in my prediction post last Friday that I wasn't too excited for this in particular show feeling as though the build up was average at best and the card was a little weak, however, I was surprised to see I was far more interested in certain matches than I expected with bouts such as the triple threat and the main event really stepping up and impressing far more than I thought they would. The match of night for me was exactly what I thought it was going to be, the Smackdown LIVE tag team championship match between the Usos and The New Day. Fantastic. A true match of the year candidate and just as strong as I believed it was going to be. The main event was fantastic with very very little to complain about. We got surprises throughout the show, title changes and the booking all round was fairly decent. I wasn't the biggest fan of Jinder retaining but totally expected it and so I wasn't surprised in the slightest but the match that did frustrate me was Rusev vs Orton where I really did feel as though the wrong man went over but as a whole, Hell in a Cell was pretty damn decent and it was those strong matches that really made the show feel that much better. Now, of course I would love to know what you all thought so feel free to leave a comment bellow telling me what you thought of Hell in a Cell 2017 or you can tweet me over at @TezangiVictoria.
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