Ranking The 28 Greatest Hell In A Cell Matches In WWE History
6. Triple H Vs. Batista (Vengeance 2005)
As time passes, the story of a match has to be the part that you best remember or it otherwise becomes dated. Novelty is what makes special effects fanatics go crazy at the movies to light up the box office, but if the film that features the modern graphics in one decade produces a plot that cannot match its visual artistry, then it will struggle to hold up against scrutiny as technology advances a decade later. The story of Batista vs. Triple H played out masterfully, culminating in a feud that remains one of the finest of its generation. Though their final clash a wonderful edition of Hell in a Cell cut from the same mold as the Taker-Brock match did not feature the financial rankings necessary to compete for the top spot, the cumulative match rating data surprisingly trumped some of its predecessors. Batista showed us his full potential, providing one of his best outings (with only his work against Undertaker in its league). Hell in a Cell has drawn some strong buyrates over the years, making it difficult for a match like HHH-Batista - that performed well as the #1 bout on a PPV with good box office numbers - to stand out. Trips and Bats had their big drawing showdown at WrestleMania 21, but it did not receive high critical marks. The roles, compared to the other contenders, were reversed for their Hell in a Cell match. Vengeance 05 was the benchmark for brand-only PPVs during the Raw vs. SD era, drawing a near equal buyrate (0.92) to that years Survivor Series. Unfortunately, the strong number for 2005 ranked just 7th out of 8 amongst Hell in a Cell matches in the latter third of this discussion.
"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.
