Predicting The Quality Of All 13 WWE WrestleMania 39 Matches

8. Edge Vs. Finn Bálor - Hell In A Cell Match

Cody Rhodes Roman Reigns five stars
WWE

Two great workers.

One of the best stipulations ever.

The Grandest Stage.

It can't not be a classic, can it?

Well.

The melodrama of their first match just about got there in the end. The finish elevated the Extreme Rules original to a remarkable extent; for a long old while, it was a cringeworthy slog of un-earned emoting. There's a danger here that Edge, as he is guilty of doing, gets a bit too intense and it all feels a tiny bit laughable. Edge's uneven form makes this difficult to predict. Since returning in 2020, he has either turned in naff Emmy-bait performances or crafted really quite intelligent matches with, of all people, Austin Theory. Who knows.

You'll either cringe, be bored sh*tless, or purr at the work of a master craftsman.

Edge has actually worked a Hell In A Cell match in this second phase of his career - at Crown Jewel 2021 against Seth Rollins - and it was beautifully put-together and worthy of a far less ugly backdrop. This should be a great bit of business...

...provided Edge's eyes don't bulge too far out of his sockets.

Predicted Star Rating: ★★★★½

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!