10 Worst Endings In WWE Hell In A Cell History
9. CM Punk Vs. Ryback (2012)
What do you do when you have a WWE champion closing in on a year-long reign and an undefeated challenger? Put them in a Hell in a Cell match, apparently.
To WWE's credit, CM Punk vs. Ryback was never the long-term for 2012's Hell in a Cell main event. John Cena was actually originally slated to vie for Punk's prestigious prize that night, but due to an injury he suffered at Night of Champions, WWE thrust the up-and-coming Ryback into that spot instead.
The Big Guy had been unbeaten since returning to action six months earlier and this was the wrong time for him to lose. On the flip side, Punk had his title defense against The Rock right around the corner, so he shouldn't have lost, either.
A non-finish would have worked if it wasn't Hell in a Cell, but WWE essentially painted themselves into a corner by slapping that stipulation on it. Although Punk and Ryback attempted to make the most of it, the matchup was marred by the lackluster finish.
Just as Ryback was closing in on the championship, referee Brad Maddox hit him with a low blow from behind and counted quickly when Punk rolled him up. WWE wanted to protect Ryback in defeat, but all it accomplished was making the fans feel cheated out of a proper pay-per-view ending.