WWE Hell in a Cell 2017 Results and Review: A Little Help From Some Friends

Written by: Kevin Berge (All Images Courtesy of: WWE.com)

While I review Monday Night Raw each week, I do also generally watch SmackDown Live, and it has taken a clear drop in quality lately. Jinder Mahal's WWE Championship has been poorly handled and generally become bland. The women's division has not paid off all its build-up with interesting feuds.

Hell in a Cell is a good showcase of the good and the bad on the roster with Shane McMahon vs. Kevin Owens the most heated rivalry coming in and the tag team division holding the number two position easily. What is left is a bunch of uninteresting title matches with honestly low ceilings for success.

Still, an underwhelming card is due to overachieve as we have had so many great cards underachieve lately. The talent on the roster have to be raring to go.

He may be a 15+ year veteran, but you can barely tell since he still has an STO as a finisher.

Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin def. The Hype Bros

Overview: The Hype Bros tried to show sportmanship throughout this match, but Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin refused to shake their hand, focused on winning the match. After a Hype Ryder attempt fell apart, Ryder walked into the Paydirt followed quickly by a powerbomb/diving clothesline finish from Gable and Benjamin.

Highlights:

• Mojo caught Gable running with a crossbody.
  
• Ryder caught Gable with a slingshot splash and a facebuster, but Gable swiped away his dropkick.
  
• Benjamin caught Ryder with a sudden short-arm spinebuster.
  
• Benjamin went for a superplex but was knocked off the top and took a missile dropkick.
  
• Gable hit Mojo with a moonsault then tagged in Shelton for a lifted diving neckbreaker.
  

Analysis: This match was good with both teams clearing showing their chemistry. It would be a shame for The Hype Bros to break up as they are still genuinely good together. However, they certainly need a change of some kind. Count me in for a heel turn soon for both. Also, Gable and Benjamin are just awesome together.

Rating: 8/10

At this rate, this rivalry will have more title changes than Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks and The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler combined.

The Usos def. The New Day to Become the New WWE Tag Team Champions

Overview: The New Day talked up this match beforehand. This contest was physical and brutal throughout with both teams finding ways to trap and torture the other members particularly using kendo sticks. The Usos finally took the win with a Superfly Splash onto a steel chair.

Highlights:

• Woods hit Jey with a spinning elbow smash then a steel chain elevated fist smash with the help of Big E.
• Big E missed a Spear and ran into the Cell then took a plancha from Jimmy before taking a Spear from Big E.
• Woods broke the trombone in half on Jimmy then pulled out another to hit him again before pulling out a cowbell and gong to strike him with.
• Jey threw a chair into Woods to send him off the top rope with Big E turning right into a superkick.
• The Usos had a kendo stick party. striking Big E repeatedly.
• Woods took a running hip attack into the steel.
• Big E hit Jey with a belly-to-belly, but his Big Ending was turned into a forearm strike then a superkick on the apron.
• Big E hit a uranage off the apron into a Woods' backstabber.
• New Day hit the Midnight Hour with the pin broken up.
• Woods trapped Jey with kendo sticks in the corner of the Cell.
• Big E caught Jimmy running with a forearm then Jey lifted him for a suicide dive by Jimmy hard into the Cell.
• Big E kicked out of back-to-back Superfly Splashes.
• Big E was cuffed to the rope then Woods was hung on the post by handcuffs to take repeated kendo stick shots.
• Big E charged with an Uso on his corner then did it again, sending both Usos into the Cell followed by a Big Ending.
• Big E caught a superkick into a stretch muffler but then took a flurry of superkicks from both into the double Superfly Splash.

Analysis: The bar for this match was high given the previous efforts of these two rivals, but this was even better and may just be the best match of the year. These two teams went all out with a creative war inside the Cell that never needed a huge spot or to even leave the confines.

This was a full spectrum of emotion with both sides getting vicious and brutal while also having moments of silliness even a few moments of odd kinkiness with wrestlers being trapped and tortured. It was the purest showcase of what wrestling can be in all its weird glory.

Rating: 10/10

At least this time Rusev saw the first RKO coming.

Randy Orton def. Rusev

Overview: Rusev began dominating this match early on by wearing down Randy Orton. The strategy seemed to be working before Orton dodged a splash and began coming back. He caught Rusev with a sudden RKO for the win.

Highlights:

• Rusev knocked Orton off the apron into the barricade then sent him into it again with a fallaway slam.
• Rusev caught Orton with a spinning heel kick.
• Rusev went for The Accolade, but Orton rolled outside with Rusev following him outside to hit a running Machka Kick.

Analysis: This match was so bland and unaffecting. I could not have cared less about the action with so little happening. Orton has not been great all year, but this was a damning performance that made no sense. It should have been a good match, but Rusev had to drag him around the ring most of the match.

Rating: 6.5/10

That right there, that's a true champion.

Baron Corbin def. AJ Styles and Tye Dillinger to Become the New WWE United States Champion

Overview: Baron Corbin took over this match and dominated the pace by brutalizing his smaller opponents. However, Tye Dillinger got on a roll and seemed close to taking the win on AJ Styles. Styles blocked the Tye Breaker then hit the Phenomenal Forearm only to be booted out of the way by Corbin who stole the pinfall for the win.

Highlights:

• Corbin knocked Styles into Dillinger then slid him into the steel post.
• Corbin tried to throw Styles into the barricade but got bounced off it instead only to end up whipping Styles across the ring into the barricade.
• Corbin caught Styles mid-springboard with a fist that knocked him out.
• Styles fought out of a fireman's carry then hit a flurry of strikes into a clothesline.
• Styles hit an enzuigiri into a running low forearm on Corbin.
• Dillinger went for the Tye Breaker but had it almost turned into a Styles Clash multiple times before being rolled into the Calf Crusher.
• Styles hit Corbin with a slingshot Phenomenal Forearm outside but was then blasted into the post.
• Corbin almost got Corbin with a schoolboy then a victory roll before Corbin hit him with a Deep Six followed by catching Styles on the top rope with a chokeslam backbreaker.
• Dillinger caught Corbin with a superkick then ran into a pele kick that landed him right on Corbin for a nearfall.
• Styles forced Corbin's shoulder into the post then hit the springboard 450.

Analysis: This match was solid with Corbin taking the lead and pulling out some vicious offense throughout. In fact, it was particularly impressive that Styles was the least noticeable performer in the contest. It is a shame that Styles' open challenges will again not be taken advantage of, but Corbin can be a great US Champion.

Rating: 8/10

Just like their fathers used to do it. Well, Natalya's uncle but same difference. All that matters is we only focus on their lineage.

Charlotte Flair def. Natalya By Disqualification; Natalya Retains the SmackDown Women's Championship

Overview: Natalya immediately trapped Charlotte Flair in the corner and assaulted her knee. This allowed Natalya to consistently target the knee until Charlotte struggled to get anywhere even limping. After a big moonsault outside, Natalya decided to continue her assault unimpeded by the rules by striking Charlotte's knee with a steel chair, causing a disqualification.

Highlights:

• Charlotte got to her feet only to immediately take a discus clothesline.
• Charlotte managed to turn Natalya's charge into a backslide then hit a series of chops.
• Charlotte went to the top rope only for Natalya to trap her knee for a series of strikes followed by a running sit-out powerbomb.
• Natalya trapped Charlotte in the Sharpshooter only for Charlotte to flip her into the bottom turnbuckle.
• Natalya rolled out of the way with a moonsault then took a moonsault to the outside.

Analysis: This was a fine match that had a well-told story with a technical focus, but the finish was both premature and nonsensical, killing the contest. While this might work well as an opening act to this feud, they will need to do more in their second match to make this feud work especially given how many times we have already seen these two wrestle.

Rating: 6.75/10

Jinder Mahal is a trendsetter for a whole generation of heels who do very little until they hit their finisher. Returning to the golden age of wrestling.

Jinder Mahal def. Shinsuke Nakamura to Retain the WWE Championship

Overview: Jinder Mahal looked completely out of his depth against Shinsuke Nakamura early on before finding a way to ground him. However, Nakamura got fired up once more and looked unstoppable. The Singh Brothers tried to warn Mahal about the Kinshasa only to be thrown out with Nakamura then hitting it only for a near fall. Mahal dodged another Kinshasa then hit the Khallas for the win.

Highlights:

• Nakamura caught Mahal quickly with a cross armbar.
• Nakamura grinded down Mahal with Good Vibrations then an enzuigiri followed by a series of low knees.
• Mahal knocked Nakamura into the audience then sent him back into the ring to hit with repeated jumping knees.
• Nakamura hit Mahal with a running knee off the apron then went for a jumping knee but missed.
• Mahal called for the Khallas only to have Nakamura turn it into a sudden roll up.

Analysis: To be fair, this match was better than their last match from a technical perspective, but the build up made me care so much less about this fight. The finish did a great job selling Mahal as a legitimate star, but it killed Nakamura's build. This guy has cleanly defeated WWE's best. He should not lose clean to a cheating heel.

Rating: 7.75/10

I remember a time I would have loved to see this match. Now I'm old and jaded, and this match probably aged me a few more years.

Bobby Roode def. Dolph Ziggler

Overview: Dolph Ziggler used his amateur wrestling background to ground down Bobby Roode with headlocks and body locks. The two rolled into repeated roll ups with Ziggler trying to hold the tights before Roode caught Ziggler with his own hold on the tights. Afterward, Ziggler immediately hit a Zig Zag on Roode.

Highlights:

• Roode sent Ziggler shoulder-first into the post.
• Roode caught Ziggler with a spinning falling side slam.
• Ziggler caught Roode with a leaping DDT.
• Ziggler hit Roode with a couple elbow before catching Roode with a sleeper hold with Roode flipping him off only to walk into a Famouser.
• Ziggler went for a superkick right into a spinebuster then nearly had a Glorious DDT only to have Ziggler roll him up.

Analysis: Ziggler does not look great with his heel offense. He limits himself so much that it is unbearable. Roode barely did anything in this match, also looking bad in the face role. Maybe this would have worked better if the two were in opposite roles which is a contest I would have been excited for a few years ago.

Rating: 7/10

I mean, it worked so well the first time. Why not try again?

Kevin Owens def. Shane McMahon In a Falls Count Anywhere Hell in a Cell Match

Overview: This match was all vicious with both fighting outside before being locked inside the Cell. After Shane got control, he decided to send the fight outside only to get taken out. KO considered splashing Shane through a table off the barricade then decided to do it from the top of the Cell instead only to lose his nerve with Shane coming up to join him.

The two fought, and KO eventually fell before Shane went for a top of the Cell diving elbow with Sami Zayn pulled Owens to safety then putting KO on top of Shane for the win.

Highlights:

• Shane hit KO with a jumping clothesline off the barricade.
• KO taunted Shane's kids as he ground Shane's face into the Cell.
• KO hit a cannonball then went for a senton bomb right into Shane's knees.
• Shane caught KO with a float-over DDT out of nowhere.
• KO dodged a shooting star press then hit him with a frog splash.
• Shane turned a pump-up powerbomb into a triangle choke.
• KO went for a cannonball off the apron through a table only for Shane to dodge it, sending KO through the table.
• Shane hit KO with Coast to Coast for a nearfall.
• KO crotched Shane on the Cell door.
• Shane hit KO with a Russian leg sweep onto the Cell ceiling.
• Shane turned a powerbomb into a back body drop on the Cell.
• KO hit a pump-up powerbomb on the Cell.
• Shane knocked KO off the Cell through a table.

Analysis: This was a pure epic of a war that made up for Shane's wrestling by being violent and unyielding and also REALLY long. The match was way too long no matter how well it sold its violence with the PPV going over by 30 minutes (which is completely unacceptable).

Still, I absolutely enjoyed the carnage with the crazy end results with Zayn's turn a ridiculous moment that was built up if not well set up with the reasoning likely difficult to explain. Still, I cannot wait to see what is next for everyone involved. I may even look back more fondly on this match, rewatching without the grind beforehand.

Rating: 9/10

The Fashion Police are now officially heels for not even giving The Ascension a chance as BFFs.

Final Notes: Styles was asked about his match becoming a triple threat, and he refused to be intimidated. The latest Fashion Files opened up a brand new case as well as rejected The Ascension's friend request. KO promised to go as far as was necessary to make Shane pay for what he had done to Owens.

Conclusion: Why does each WWE PPV feel even more like a grind than the last? This was utterly exhausting even with two matches that could very easily both be on my top matches of the year list at the end of 2017. It was an emotional drain of overlong matches that meant little to get to the exciting moments.

I'm happy with where the tag team division is. I'm excited for where KO and Zayn are headed, and I have no idea what is next for them. I'm even sort of intrigued about the SmackDown Women's Championship and United States Championship scenes. I just want them all to be written and wrestled in the way those first two were.

I honestly think SmackDown is better off now than it was before, but this show was too much of a slog for me to appreciate that. I need to go to sleep because I could not be more tired, and I hope I wake up tomorrow far more excited about the good things that happened than the frustration of getting there.

Grade: C-