Countdown to Hell In A Cell

Bobby Lashley: -350. Drew McIntyre: +225. Winner: Bobby Lashley.

Booking in WWE seems to be “wash, rinse, repeat”.  Now having opponents face off several times can be perfectly fine if there has been effort made by the booking team to advance the storyline and provide a reason.  However, WWE Creative & Vince McMahon have failed to do that with not only this match, but pretty much most of what is on this card.  Furthermore this program suffers from the same issue that there was with the McIntyre and Orton program from 2020 which is if the challenger is going to keep losing why should the audience buy him as a credible contender for the title.  So who wins?  The logical choice would be to have Lashley retain and perhaps move McIntyre over to Smackdown to challenge for Reigns’ Universal Title, but the reverse happening wouldn’t shock me either.

Unlike the other highly predictable matches on the card the WWE could pull the plug on Lashley’s run here considering the Hurt Business is not much of a “business” any longer. Winner: Drew McIntyre

After Lashley won – and pretty convincingly so – at WrestleMania, perhaps the better choice would have been to pause that feud and have him move on to someone else. There certainly didn’t seem to be a need to escalate it further and have a Hell in a Cell match. I’m thinking that Lashley wins again, and am hopeful they move onward in a new direction after that (*cough* Lashley-Lesnar at the SummerSlam *cough*). Winner: Bobby Lashley

Rhea Ripley: -400. Charlotte Flair: +250. Winner: Rhea Ripley.

If WWE Creative are serious about Ripley as long term main event player than she needs a clean win over The Queen to cement her title reign.  Yet my suspicion is that this will go the other way and Charlotte Flair will start a new reign as Raw Women’s Champion.

I have really been bored by Ripley’s run. I really did want her to win and thought her reign would amount to more than this. It has been very disappointing with her being just “Big Woman Number 334” and no real character to her persona unlike in NXT. She needs to be relieved of the title ASAP but Charlotte is not that person at this point in time.  Winner: Rhea Ripley.

I absolutely hate, hate, hate what they’ve done with Rhea since moving her onto the main roster. She could be – nay, should be – the biggest female star in the company. Instead, they’ve treated her, and her championship reign, as a complete joke, including with the insertion of Nikki Cross into the mix. Just put her out of her misery, put the title on Charlotte yet again, and move Rhea back to NXT where she can actually be used correctly. Winner: Charlotte Flair

Bianca Belair: -2500. Bayley: +750. Winner: Bianca Belair.

It’s funny, but a lot of Belair’s promos come off quite heelish and it seems likely that at some point she will have to turn heel. Bayley isn’t like to win the title here, but there will probably be some kind of controversy again which extends this program another month.

All but the Lashley, McIntyre championship matches on this card are predictable. Belair’s reign has just begun. Winner. Bianca Belair.

I can’t say the build-up for this one has been strong enough to justify this as being a Hell in a Cell match – but it has been entertaining, just for the scenes of the Thunderdome screens being taken over, and the maniacal laughing. Similarly, I don’t think this will be an epic match – but it should be entertaining. It’s still too early for Bianca to lose it, so look for this to close the book on this feud. Winner: Bianca Belair

Alexa Bliss: -1000. Shayna Baszler: +525. Winner: Alexa Bliss.

This match may mark the return of The Fiend.  If that does happen though whose side will he be on?  Regardless it seems likely that somehow Baszler will become Bliss’ acolyte after this match which will lead into her feuding with her former tag team partner Nia Jax.

This whole Alexa Bliss – Harley Fiend character needs to be put out to pasture. I don’t care to watch a 29 year-old woman acting like a child on a playground. The whole supernatural element has been taken too far. It is just silly, an insult to the collective intelligence of wrestling fans. The Fiend reappears causing Bliss to drop this bout. Ler’s hope the WWE moves the wasted and talented Baszler to Smackdown or does something fantastic with her. Winner: Shayna Baszler.

Remember when Shayna Baszler was booked as an unstoppable juggernaut who destroyed everyone in her path? And now she’s scared pf a doll. Remember what I said about Rhea earlier and how she should go back to NXT? Same idea here. Winner: Alexa Bliss

Kevin Owens: -300. Sami Zayn: +200. Winner: Kevin Owens.

With WWE’s history of 50/50 booking it seems likely that Zayn will get the win here and extend this feud for another month.  Regardless Owens and Zayn should put on a good quality contest and with enough time could steal the show.

These two are two of my favourites but this recycled feud is lazy booking. We have seen it all before. We shall see what happens to either or both of them after this feud is over but I don’t predict it will be anything decent or good which is an utter shame. Winner: Kevin Owens.

As much as I don’t care for either one of their characters right now – Owens seems to be treading water, and Sami’s conspiracy schtick has overstayed its welcome – I love it whenever these guys are competing against each other. Their chemistry is off the charts, and if given enough time (and if they can keep the peripheral nonsense to a minimum), this could be the match of the night. I can see them ending this one in a non-finish to keep things going to the SummerSlam, and maybe beyond. Winner: None

Cesaro: -200. Seth Rollins: +150. Winner: Cesaro.

At least this is an angle that is going somewhere, we hope. Rollins has teased challenging Reigns so this should keep him busy until the field clears after SummerSlam. Winner: Seth Rollins.

On paper, this could rival Owens-Sami for match of the night. It looks like they’re finally getting serious about Cesaro, so hopefully they continue to build his momentum with a win here. Winner: Cesaro