WWE Hell In A Cell 2018: Star Ratings For All 8 Matches

2. Ronda Rousey Vs. Alexa Bliss - RAW Women's Title Match

Randy Orton Screwdriver III
WWE.com

If everybody else must wrestle the Brock Lesnar match, why must Ronda Rousey wrestle the everybody else match?

Ronda is very, very good at selling, but why is she selling for Alexa Bliss? This match didn't just defy the version of Ronda Rousey common sense dictates WWE should promote; it defied the version of Ronda Rousey WWE has promoted thus far. The rib injury hardly excused the constant cut-off narrative. Virtually every WWE performer throughout the course of virtually every match takes an apron bump and or a push into the guardrail. Every performer's ribs take a pounding, only we were expected to buy that Ronda's ribs were affected here. It was selective stuff that made little sense, all things considered.

In patches, this was d*mn good. Ronda looked authentic when she crumpled to the mat in agony, failing at the last nanosecond to spike Alexa with a judo throw, but she only looked her explosive, singular self for too little of an over-long duration. Going 12 minutes was some achievement on Ronda's part, though the worry for the future is that she acquitted herself too well to WWE normality.

For what it was, this was good. It just should not have been what it was.

Star Rating: **1/2

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!