Ranking The 28 Greatest Hell In A Cell Matches In WWE History
7. Triple H Vs. Kurt Angle Vs. Undertaker Vs. The Rock Vs. Rikishi Vs. Steve Austin (Armageddon 2000)
If ever there was an example of the difference between greatest and best, it would be the 6-man Hell in a Cell match from 2000. A match that does not sniff the top 10 when ranking the gimmicks history on performance alone, it has qualities that made it a candidate despite critical misgivings. Frankly, this one has gotten mixed reviews more than any other in the top 8. It was an era-specific garbage brawl with distracting involvement from Vince McMahon and, even thirteen years later, still screams of being we need to pop a buyrate, so lets bring back the Cell. It was the second longest Hell in a Cell, so it had plenty of time to play out and tell a thorough tale, but it could have been viewed as too much Attitude Era junk. However, this is not just about pure performance. It featured huge names, including five of the greatest 20 WrestleMania Era stars. There were some intangibles unique to all its peers (Rikishis fall, Austin raking Triple Hs face around the entire Cell structure, the sheer amount of blood spilt, the huge fight around the ring). Though it does not rank well critically or historically, it did well financially. In accomplishing its goal of popping a buyrate (1.15), it boosted its Hell in a Cell profile considerably. Some people love this match; some thought it was average. The goal of objective subjectivism is to strip away much of the emotion that skews historical comparison. Its place in the top 8 is not safe, but its intangible and fiscal statistics will keep it in the conversation.
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
