Satan’s Structure has been home to 45 matches since its inception in 1997. With many titles changing hands and even more feuds settled, Hell In A Cell became the go-to match type to settle a score. Here are the top 10 best Hell In A Cell matches of all time.
10. Triple H vs Shawn Michaels – Bad Blood 2004
The rivalry between Shawn Michaels and Triple H will forever go down as one of the best. The former best friends turned enemies had many classic encounters, but it was Hell In A Cell where the score was finally settled, allowing them to move on and later become friends again as DX reformed. The match lasted for 47 minutes and saw both men bloody and battered by the end of it, with Shawn Michaels receiving a standing ovation at the end of the match. HBK and The Game have unmatched chemistry and this match proved it.
9. Brock Lesnar vs The Undertaker – Hell In A Cell 2015
After the disappointing end of The Streak at WrestleMania 30 in 2014, it seemed like the end had come for the career of The Undertaker. But, 2015 marked the year of redemption for The Deadman, with ‘Taker putting on many great matches to prove to himself that he still had it. The highlight of his year was without a doubt his encounter with Brock Lesnar inside Hell In A Cell. As expected from these two titans, the match was physical and hard-hitting, becoming an instant classic. This wasn’t the first time that the two met inside Hell In A Cell as they faced each other inside Satan’s Structure in 2002, another classic match between the two that is worth checking out.
8. Sasha Banks vs Bayley – Hell In A Cell 2020
The two former best friends settled the score at Hell In A Cell 2020 as Sasha Banks took on Bayley. Even without a crowd in attendance, they were able to put on an emotional match filled with Kendo sticks, steel chairs, amongst other means of punishment. This match is one for the ages and shows what two Superstars with amazing chemistry can do when given the freedom to tell a story.
7. Sasha Banks vs Charlotte Flair – Hell In A Cell 2016
In the main event of Hell In A Cell 2016, Charlotte Flair defeated Sasha Banks for the Raw Women’s Championship in the first-ever female Hell In A Cell match. Following on from the Women’s Revolution, the two former NXT Superstars put on one of the best Hell In A Cell matches ever seen, with nods to previous matches and a match that was just as physical as matches put on by the male Superstars.
6. Edge vs The Undertaker – Summerslam 2008
A Hell In A Cell match at the start of the PG era, that wouldn’t work right? Wrong! As expected, Edge and The Undertaker put on the match of the night at Summerslam 2009, making up for lack of blood with plenty of other crazy shenanigans including a chokeslam off a ladder through the ring canvas. This match proved that Hell In A Cell could still work in the modern era.
5. Dean Ambrose vs Seth Rollins – Hell In A Cell 2014
In 2014, Seth Rollins turned his back on his Shield teammates, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns, this began a long feud between the former friends. Dean Ambrose faced Seth Rollins inside Hell In A Cell with the match starting on top of the cell, which resulted in both men falling off, similar to Mankind at King Of The Ring 1998. The finish of the match is often criticized as Bray Wyatt interfered to allow Seth Rollins to win the match. But, the match itself was fantastic so it can be overlooked in favour of the quality match that was put on beforehand.
4. Triple H vs The Undertaker – WrestleMania 28#
By 2012, most of the veterans from the 1990s had come and gone, with only a handful left with the company, including Triple H and The Undertaker. Billed as the “end of an era”, Triple H and The Undertaker went at it one last time with Shawn Michaels as the special guest referee, this time inside Hell In A Cell, a match both competitors were very familiar with. The match was emotional, with both Superstars giving it their all and putting on a wrestling clinic that stole the show.
3. Triple H vs Cactus Jack – No Way Out 2000
The match between Triple H and Cactus Jack at No Way Out 2000 had the stipulation that if Cactus Jack lost the match then he would have to retire. Well, this is wrestling so of course that didn’t happen. Following on from their classic match the previous month at Royale Rumble 2000, Triple H and Cactus Jack settled their feud once and for all. As expected, the match was brutal, with plenty of violence including using a 2×4 wrapped in barbed wire while on fire. Mick Foley ended up going through the top of the cell, thankfully in a much safer manner than his match at King Of The Ring 1998.
At the end of the match, Triple H had his arm raised, which meant the end of the career for Mrs Foley’s baby boy, but this is wrestling, it would just be mere weeks before Mick Foley competed in the WWF again.
2. The Undertaker vs Mankind – King Of The Ring 1998
The Hell In A Cell match at King Of The Ring 1998 often goes down as the best Hell In A Cell match on many lists like this, and they aren’t wrong. The clip of Mick Foley being thrown off the top of the Hell In A Cell structure through the announcer’s table has become one of the most iconic visuals in wrestling. But, when it comes to match quality, I do think the number 1 entry is the better overall match, but this one is certainly more iconic.
Since Mick Foley debuted in the WWF in 1996, he had a long-lasting feud with The Undertaker, which saw them brawl in boiler rooms, in Buried Alive matches, and now inside Hell In A Cell. Mick Foley has stated in the past that he knew he couldn’t top what HBK and The Undertaker did 9 months prior at Badd Blood in terms of wrestling ability. So he had to do something big to make sure the match was remembered, and it was certainly is remembered so he achieved his goal.
Starting the match on top of the structure, it wasn’t long before Mankind was thrown off the cell through the announcer’s table, breaking some bones in the process. Many people expected the match to be over then, and if it had it would likely still be number 2 on this list. But, we all underestimated Mick Foley as he wasn’t about to call it a night. Mankind then proceeded to climb back on top of the cage before being chokeslammed through it, with a chair following behind him which caused one of his teeth to be lodged up his nose.
Thankfully, Foley was too weak to jump up during the move otherwise he may have potentially been killed. So after cheating death, you would expect that the match would be over, but no, the former King Of The Death Match still had a job to do. Barely able to stand, Foley continued the match, even being slammed on thousands of thumbtacks before The Undertaker finally pinned him to win the match.
This match is one of the most brutal that we’ve seen, but it has become legendary in its own right and helped cement Mick Foley as one of the great WWE Superstars of all time.
1. Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker – Badd Blood: In Your House 1997
I went back and forth with which match to put in the number 1 spot and either of these two could rightfully take the throne as the best Hell In A Cell match of all time. But, while Undertaker vs Mankind had arguably one of the most iconic moments in WWE history, the very first Hell In A Cell match between HBK and Undertaker was a classic that only these two men could do together. The chemistry between Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker is special, very few Superstars share this chemistry and it can’t be duplicated, whenever these two stepped in the ring together you knew you were about to witness a fantastic match.
To end their feud that began at Summerslam 1997 after HBK accidentally hit The Undertaker with a steel chair during his match against Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and the Deadman would be locked inside a brand new structure, a steel cage on steroids, 16 feet high and surrounding the entire ringside area, no way in and no way out, well so we thought. During the near 30 minute match, the two Superstars went at it in an incredible physical brawl. This wasn’t about wristlocks and arm drags, this match was to settle a score. A large portion of the match saw HBK on the defence, trying to escape the punishment that The Undertaker was looking to dish out. With DX trapped outside of the cage, HBK was all alone against the Phenom.
After an incredible fall from halfway up the cell to the announcer’s table, a bloody HBK looked like he was defeated when suddenly the lights went out, Kane had arrived in the WWF. Months prior to this match, Paul Bearer revealed that The Undertaker’s younger brother, who ‘Taker thought he had murdered in a fire, was still alive and was coming for revenge. Kane made his way to the ring and ripped the door off its hinges before standing face to face with his brother. After delivering a Tombstone, ‘Takers own finishing move, he left the ring to allow Shawn Michaels to pin The Undertaker and win the very first Hell In A Cell match, the battered and bloody HBK would go on to face Bret Hart at Survivor Series for the WWF Championship.
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