Kickoff Show:
Cedric Alexander, Sin Cara & Lince Dorado defeated Ariya Daivari, Tony Nese & Drew Gulak
Brian Kendrick and TJ Perkins had another conversation backstage. Kendrick once again asked Perkins to let him win. Perkins told Kendrick to go out there and win it the right way. Rich Swann was on the kickoff panel following this segment. Swann stated that Kendrick asking the Cruiserweight Champion to throw a match was disrespectful to the division.
Main Card:
United States Championship Match: Roman Reigns (c) vs Rusev
The crowd wasn’t into this match right from the beginning. There were chants of “we want Lana!” during the beginning of the match. Reigns started off the match in control and sent Rusev flying into the cell off of the ring apron. Roman then threw Rusev into the cage again and connected with a massive right hand. Reigns continued the assault and sent Rusev shoulder first into the steel steps.
Rusev finally captured control of the match and sent Reigns into the LED ring post. Rusev was bleeding from his arm due to flying into the cell in the beginning of the match. The action spilled back into the ring and Reigns hit Rusev with a boot to the face.
Reigns was gearing up for the Superman Punch but Rusev rolled out of the ring. Reigns went for the Drive-By but Rusev countered and hit a Clothesline. Rusev then threw Reigns into the steps outside the ring. Rusev then picked up the steps and hit Reigns with them a couple of times. Rusev set up the steps on the top turnbuckle.
The crowd was chanting for tables throughout the match. Reigns beat the hell out of Rusev with a kendo stick outside the ring. Rusev recaptured momentum in the match by hanging Reigns between the ropes and then trapping him there. Reigns couldn’t defend himself and Rusev hit him with the kendo stick over and over. It didn’t seem to matter though, as Reigns immediately escaped from the ropes and connected with a Clothesline.
Reigns connected with a Superman Punch but Rusev kicked out at two. Roman went for a Spear but Rusev countered with a kick to the face and slammed Reigns’ head into the steps set up on the turnbuckle. Rusev then went for a pin but Reigns kicked out. Rusev then locked in the Accolade in the center of the ring. Reigns was able to get out of the hold but Rusev once again kicked him in the head.
Rusev then brought a chain into the ring and hit Reigns several times with it. Rusev continued to control the match and sent Reigns into the steel steps in the ring. Rusev then propped Reigns on top of the steps and applied the Accolade once again while using the chain. Reigns once again powered through and hit a Samoan Drop on Rusev on top of the steps. Reigns then hit a Spear on Rusev off of the steps for the victory.
Winner & Still United States Champion: Roman Reigns
Reaction: This was a good match. It started off very slow and the crowd wasn’t into the match at all. Eventually, the action picked up and it wound up being entertaining. I hope this is the end of this feud because it is very tired. It was pretty obvious that Reigns was going to win this match and I think that was the main reason the crowd in Boston wasn’t into it. I also hope that the WWE has plans for Rusev in the near future. If this feud is now mercifully over, I don’t really know what they can do with Rusev. He seems to be stuck in the middle of the card forever. Yet another loss to Roman Reigns certainly wont change that.
Dana Brooke vs Bayley
Dana Brooke controlled the beginning of the match. She targeted the injured shoulder of Bayley. Finally, Bayley fought back and was able to put together some offense. Bayley was favoring her shoulder the entire time. Bayley hit the Bayley to Belly out of nowhere and picked up the victory.
Winner: Bayley
Enzo & Cass vs Gallows & Anderson
Enzo and Anderson started out the match. Enzo got the upper hand and tagged in Cass. Big Cass connected with several punches on Anderson in the corner. Cass then launched Enzo onto both Gallows and Anderson. Eventually, Gallows and Anderson took control of the match and isolated Enzo.
Enzo was finally able to fight off Anderson and hit a DDT. Enzo tagged in Cass and Anderson tagged in Gallows. Cass connected with a boot to the face of Gallows. Cass then hit the Empire Elbow on Gallows. Enzo tagged himself in and hit a Crossbody on Anderson. Gallows then hit Enzo with a massive kick. Gallows and Anderson hit the Magic Killer on Enzo for the victory.
Winners: Gallows & Anderson
Reaction: The TD Garden was completely silent for this match. Enzo and Cass cut a decent promo before the match but it went on way too long for a PPV. Both of the tag teams in this match needed this win. In the end, Gallows and Anderson were the ones who got it. It would be nice to see the WWE actually do something good with Gallows and Anderson but that probably wont happen. As for Enzo and Cass, I guess they will just continue to cut entertaining promos and then lose every match of significance.
Universal Championship Match: Kevin Owens (c) vs Seth Rollins
Rollins had tape on his back to sell the injury he sustained by Kevin Owens Powerbombing him onto the ring apron on Raw. The match started off with Rollins in control. He sent Owens into the cage a couple of times. Rollins set up a table outside the ring. Owens began to target the bad back of Seth Rollins and captured momentum in the match.
Owens controlled the next several minutes of the match and targeted the back of Rollins the entire time. Owens hit a Cannonball on Rollins while he was up against the cage.
Rollins and Owens then had a brilliant sequence where they traded kicks to the head and it culminated in Owens laying out Rollins with a massive Clothesline. Owens then set up another table from the ring apron to the cell over the table previously set up by Rollins. Seth fought off Owens and landed a Suplex onto the ring apron. Owens grabbed a fire extinguisher from under the ring and hit Rollins in the ribs with it. Owens then accidentally sprayed the referee with the extinguisher.
The referee had to leave the cell and that left the door open for Chris Jericho to come down to the cell. Jericho then locked himself in with Owens and Rollins. Jericho fell victim to the Pedigree and Rollins Powerbombed Owens through both tables. Rollins struggled with lifting Owens but he eventually got it done.
Rollins rolled Owens back into the ring and climbed to the top turnbuckle. Rollins connected with a Frog Splash but Jericho dragged the referee out of the ring. Rollins then Powerbombed Jericho off of the cell wall. When Rollins got back into the ring, Owens hit a Pop-up Powerbomb but Seth was able to kick out at two.
Owens and Jericho then teamed up on Rollins. Owens hit Rollins with several chair shots to the injured back. Rollins fought back and hit both Jericho and Owens with a chair. Owens then hit a massive DDT on Rollins on top of a chair. Owens then set up both chairs in the middle of the ring and Powerbombed Rollins through both of them for the victory. After the match, Jericho hit Rollins with a Codebreaker.
Winner & Still Universal Champion: Kevin Owens
Reaction: The crowd was into this match the entire time. This match was very good. There was no interference by Triple H so that storyline is still sitting out there. The friendship between Owens and Jericho continues but I’m guessing that won’t last for much longer.
Cruiserweight Championship Match: TJ Perkins (c) vs Brian Kendrick
The match started out back and forth. Kendrick was frustrated with Perkins because he was kicking out of pins. Apparently Kendrick actually thought Perkins was just going to allow him to win. Perkins took control of the match and launched himself onto Kendrick outside the ring. The action spilled back into the ring and Kendrick connected with a Dropkick. Perkins battled back and landed a Detonation Kick and a Wrecking Ball Dropkick. Kendrick locked in the Captain’s Hook in the middle of the ring. Perkins countered the hold into a roll-up and Kendrick kicked out at two.
Perkins locked in the Knee Bar but Kendrick reached the ropes. Kendrick pretended to be injured and sucked in TJ Perkins. Kendrick then headbutted Perkins and locked in the Captain’s Hook for the submission victory.
Winner & New Cruiserweight Champion: Brian Kendrick
Reaction: This was a decent match. It told a good story and Kendrick was able to trick his old friend into believing he was actually hurt. I find it difficult to overlook the fact that nobody in the crowd cared at all. Everybody was silent for the entire match. Kendrick has been trying to get the crowd to hate him for awhile now and it doesn’t appear to be working. Instead, neither Superstar was able to generate a reaction from the Boston crowd tonight. Sure, they were put in a tough spot by having to follow the Owens and Rollins match. I also think the reaction highlights how poor the Cruiserweight division has been showcased on Raw since it arrived.
Raw Tag Team Championship Match: New Day (c) vs Sheamus & Cesaro
It was Xavier Woods and Big E wrestling for the New Day. Kofi Kingston was ringside for the match. Cesaro and Sheamus dominated Woods early. Big E finally got into the match and hit a couple of Belly to Belly Suplexes on Sheamus. Xavier Woods flipped onto Cesaro outside the ring. In the ring, Sheamus went for the Brogue Kick but Big E caught him and slammed him to the mat.
Xavier Woods was then tagged in and immediately was greeted by a White Noise from Sheamus. Woods battled back as Cesaro was tagged in and connected with an Elbow from the top rope. Cesaro then locked in the Cesaro Swing and turned it into the Sharpshooter. Big E ran into the ring and broke up the hold. Sheamus went to hit the Brogue Kick on Big E but he accidentally hit Cesaro.
Sheamus launched himself from the top rope onto all three members of the New Day outside the ring. Cesaro locked in the Sharpshooter on Woods in the middle of the ring. Big E was trying to get into the ring but Sheamus prevented him. Kofi Kingston hit the Trouble in Paradise on Sheamus outside the ring and the referee disqualified the New Day. Even though they lost, the New Day remain Tag Team Champions.
Winners: Cesaro & Sheamus
Reaction: I thought this was an okay match and the ending made sense. The New Day will certainly be losing the titles soon. The WWE may just be keeping the belts on them till they break Demolition’s record or they don’t want to rush Cesaro and Sheamus. I think that Cesaro and Sheamus will become the champs in the near future but there was no real reason to do it tonight.
Raw Women’s Championship Match: Sasha Banks (c) vs Charlotte
The Boston crowd chanted “we want Sasha!” before the match. Charlotte attacked Sasha Banks before the match. Sasha launched Charlotte into the crowd. The cell came down while both Superstars were outside of it. Charlotte and Sasha climbed halfway up the cell and traded punches. Charlotte was knocked down but pried Sasha off the cell and Powerbombed her through the announce table. At this point, the match still had not officially started.
The referees tried to escort Sasha Banks backstage but she refused. They tried to stretcher Sasha Banks to the back but she finally got back into the ring after about 7 minutes of nothing. Sasha Banks all of the sudden was completely healthy and got back into the cell and attacked Charlotte. Her momentum didn’t last long because Charlotte launched Sasha into the cell.
Sasha locked in the Bank Statement but Charlotte got out of the hold. Banks slammed Charlotte’s head into a chair in the ring several times. Charlotte countered by delivering slamming Sasha’s back onto the chair. Charlotte launched Sasha Banks into the cell but Sasha caught herself and hit a Double Knees off of the cell. Sasha followed it up by hitting the Double Knees a few more times.
Banks hit the Frog Splash but Charlotte kicked out at two. Sasha then hit the Double Knees on Charlotte as she was hung up in the second rope and onto a chair. Once again, Charlotte kicked out at two. Banks tried to bring a table into the ring but Charlotte caught her and drove the table into her neck all the way back to the cell wall.
The action returned to the ring and Charlotte locked in the Figure Four. Sasha battled out of the hold by hitting Charlotte with a steel chair a couple of times. Charlotte and Sasha both hit each other with a punch at the same time and they both fell to the mat. Banks went for the Bank Statement but Charlotte countered into three Backbreakers in a row. Charlotte then propped Sasha up on the table and smacked her in the face.
Charlotte climbed to the top turnbuckle but Sasha got up. Banks hit Charlotte with several punches and repositioned the table across the ring. Sasha tried to Powerbomb Charlotte through the table but her back gave out. Charlotte then tossed Sasha Banks on the table twice and hit the Natural Selection for the victory.
Winner & New Women’s Champion: Charlotte
Reaction: The first ten minutes of this match were brutal. Sasha Banks was supposedly going to be stretchered out of the arena, even though everyone knew that wasn’t the case. Finally, the match actually started and it took a few minutes to regain momentum with the crowd. What followed was a very good match.
There were a bunch of excellent spots in this match. I’m very surprised that Charlotte won the title back so quickly. Sasha Banks really still hasn’t gotten a title run. I don’t really understand why the WWE felt it necessary to take the belt off her right now. Having said that, this match lived up the hype and the main event billing.
Overall, Hell in a Cell was an okay show at best. The Universal Championship and Women’s Championship matches were good. Everything else was very mediocre. I’m hoping that tonight marked the end to a lot of these feuds. I would hate to turn on Monday Night Raw tomorrow night and see Reigns and Rusev fighting again. I’d also like to see Charlotte and Sasha Banks start feuds with other women on the roster.
What did you think of Hell in a Cell? Let us know in the comments below.
