On Sunday night, WWE will bring forth its annual Hell in a Cell pay-per-view (PPV) event that has eight big matches on the card. Three of those matches will take place inside the unfriendly confines of the brutal cell structure that has been the scene of numerous memorable moments over the years. Next year will be the 20th anniversary of the debut of the Hell in a Cell so let’s check out the top 10 most insane moments that have been witnessed and cringed at.
10. Batista vs. Triple H at Vengeance 2005
At the time that Evolution split up, it was becoming evident that everyone’s ego was a bit too big to work together. While there may not be one particular moment from this bout that stands out, it’s the entire match that was brutal. Triple H and Batista used the steel stairs, sledgehammers, chairs, chairs wrapped in barbed wire, and anything they could find to destroy one another.
9. Ryback Shellshocks CM Punk on top of the cell
Sure, the match wasn’t all that good and it was meant to be CM Punk vs. John Cena who ended up injured before it happened. Still, it had its interesting moments including Punk nailing Ryback in the throat with a kendo stick and then Ryback dropping Punk with the Shellshock on top of the cell for an awesome visual.
8. The Undertaker and The Brood hang Big Boss Man at WrestleMania 15
See, here is another example of another Hell in a Cell match that really wasn’t that good, but had one insane moment. As recapped by Philly.com , once the match was over and Undertaker had achieved victory, The Brood (Gangrel, Edge, Christian) came out to climb on top of the cell.
It was then that The Undertaker put a noose around the neck of the Big Boss Man and hanged him from the cell that was being raised into the air. It was just so weird.
7. Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins toss each other off the side of the cell
These two former members of The Shield have had some big-time battles since their stable split up, but this was one of the most brutal. The whole match saw a lot of huge bumps and crazy spots, but seeing them fighting on the side of the cage…fans knew something big was coming.
As they tried to scale up the side of the cell, Rollins and Ambrose began exchanging punches that led them to swing and sway dangerously off the wall. Eventually, it got to be too much and they both fell off the side of the cell and crashed through some tables at ringside.
6. Edge spears The Undertaker straight through a wall of the cell
At SummerSlam in 2008, Edge was on top of his game and in the middle of a great feud with The Undertaker that led to the Hell in a Cell match. During the match, both men used weapons and brute strength to take out their opponent, but then came the awesome moment that will always be remembered.
The Undertaker was standing near the side wall of the cell when Edge sprinted toward him and speared the big man straight through the cell. The panel gave way and they crashed through it and outside of the structure.
5. The Undertaker chokeslams Mankind through the cell roof
At King of the Ring in 1998, The Undertaker and Mankind had perhaps their most brutal encounter ever when they fought in the Hell in a Cell structure. At one point, they were fighting on top of the cage and things got really violent as they exchanged punches…but then, it got bad.
The Undertaker picked up Mankind to chokeslam him on top of the cage, but the cage broke and sent him crashing down to the mat below. As Undertaker said in an interview with TSN back in 2002, “That panel wasn’t supposed to break loose. That panel gave way.”
There is much more to this match and it actually deserves to get two spots on the Hell in a Cell countdown, but the other spot comes later.
4. Rikishi gets tossed off the top of the cell into the back of a truck
In 2000, there was the Armageddon pay-per-view which had an unusual Hell in a Cell match that was called the “Six-Pack” and it was for Kurt Angle’s WWE Championship. Stone Cold Steve Austin, Rikishi, The Undertaker, Triple H, and The Rock fought Angle for the belt which he ended up retaining, but it was something else that truly stands out.
As the end of the match was drawing close, The Undertaker and Rikishi were battling on top of the cage. Taker ended up throwing Rikishi off the top of the cage and into the back of a flatbed truck that Vince McMahon had driven out earlier in the night.
Sure, there was an airbag covered up in wood chips to lighten the fall, but it was still an awesome visual.
3. Triple H backdrops Cactus Jack through the top of the cage into the ring
At No Way Out in 2000, Mick Foley was going through a phase where he wanted to be the hardcore icon known as Cactus Jack. Well, he certainly brought the hardcore into the cell against Triple H as things got carried away and bloody.
There was one point when both men were on top of the cell and fighting for the advantage. Cactus Jack set up Triple H for a piledriver, but the move was reversed and sent Jack crashing through the cell roof and planting him down into the mat.
2. Kane makes his WWE debut during the first ever Hell in a Cell match
There really is no explanation needed for this as one of the most iconic characters in WWE history made his debut at Badd Blood in 1997. The first ever Hell in a Cell match was taking place between The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels when Kane appeared, ripped the door off the cell, and destroyed his “brother.”
No-one will ever forget Vince McMahon’s commentary as he exclaimed, “That’s gotta be… That’s gotta be Kane!”
1. The Undertaker throws Mick Foley off the top of the cell through the announce table
If you’re a wrestling fan, you are fully aware of this moment in history that happened back in 1998. As Mankind (Foley) and The Undertaker battled on top of the cell, the “Dead Man” got the advantage. After a few minutes, Taker simply pulled back and then launched Mankind off the top of the cell and through the announce table below.
To this day, almost 20 years later, it is still one of the most violent and brutal falls in WWE history.
This Sunday’s Hell in a Cell event has the chance to go down as a good one with three huge matches taking place in the unfriendly structure. Perhaps Charlotte and Sasha Banks will light it up. Maybe Roman Reigns and Rusev will bring it down. Then again, it could be Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins ending up with another insane WWE moment.
[Featured Image by WWE]