The Day WWE Hell In A Cell Died

The stipulation was first devised in 1997 as a way to stop Shawn Michaels persistently relying on interference or total escape during his battles with The Undertaker.

It went beyond that too - 'HBK' had turned heel during the programme and made a lot of astoundingly hypocritical noise about how the company and fans were constantly trying to screw with him. It played on what many knew about his real life conduct at the time, and made him look like a bigger a*sehole for constantly utilising the help of Triple H, Chyna and Ravishing Rick Rude. When WWE presented this as a solution, it only added fuel to a conspiratorial fire.

The company could argue they were just ensuring a fair fight. Michaels could argue that they were out to get him. The Undertaker could argue that the little f*cker had it coming. Battle lines were drawn all over the shop, with a match that delivered even more than it promised in terms of violence, quality and shock. When 'HBK' did temporarily escape, it was only because he'd slipped out the door when medics needed access to a cameraman he'd abused. When Kane debuted to Tombstone 'The Deadman' and gift a nearly-dead Shawn the win, he had to rip the re-sealed door off its very hinges.

The implicit and explicit working together in storytelling harmony. Remember that?

WWE don't, or if they do, the deem it surplus to requirements and have been doing so since they doubled down on the bastardisation of a brutal gimmick in 2018.

CONT'D...