Match Ratings For WWE Hell In A Cell 2021 From Sean Ross Sapp

Natalya (w/ Tamina) defeated Mandy Rose (w/ Dana Brooke)
5.25/10

This is a pretty solid match, and a harmless one from a storyline perspective. A nice mix of ground transitions and high flying stuff. There are some good submission chains that lead into Natalya winning with a Sharpshooter. I’m okay with this.

WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship
Hell in a Cell
Bianca Belair (c) defeated Bayley to retain
8/10

Just a few minutes in, there are some creative spots with chairs, hair and stairs. Bayley bites Bianca Belair, as commentary tells us 200 times that it’s PERFECTLY LEGAL. I do not need the zooms. The moves look good enough without it. Even the sunset flip bomb that looked rough at first looked good with Bianca’s bump. There’s an incredible spot where Bianca sends Bayley through kendo sticks, then ties herself to Bayley with her hair. I feel like that spot would have made more sense outside of a structure that keeps someone from running away. Bayley hits a Rose plant, but does it on a ladder and messes up her own knee. Bianca Belair wins with a KOD on an opened ladder. That was a fantastic, main event level match with a top notch finish.

Seth Rollins defeated Cesaro
7/10

Rollins attacks Cesaro before the match, which is a great preface to Pat McAfee using the term “piss missile” on commentary. Fast paced, high impact action. One of my favorite spots in this one is the running step over kick that Rollins uncorks on Cesaro. The swing leads to a Crossface, which leads to a Sharpshooter. Just excellent chains. “Rollins stole one.” “Rollins got LUCKY” He pinned the man! Clean!! With an unconventional small package without the leg cradled with Rollins’, but I liked it.

Alexa Bliss defeated Shayna Baszler (w/ Nia Jax & Reginald)
5/10

The theatrics fo Alexa Bliss look even weirder without pre-tapes, but her offense looks great. Shayna going more methodical is good, but I’m just not into all the goofy shit. I actually think Alexa’s offense looking so good makes me more frustrated about the stupid stuff they book for her.Why are Reginald and Nia there? Did I miss a promo or something? Nia and Shayna haven’t teamed for a month, and Shayna loathes Reginald. Alexa possesses Nia and makes her slap Reginald. Sister Abigail DDT and Twisted Bliss get the win. As far as that storyline goes, that was probably the least ridiculous thing, and it was still pretty ridiculous!

Sami Zayn defeated Kevin Owens
6.5/10

It feels like Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens have had a hundred matches with each other and constantly find new ways to do things, new spots. It always feels fresh. Owens is selling his throat from Friday, his wrist from tonight. He eats knees on a Swanton to ringside. Owens does a one-armed Stunner outside the ring, too. They really slug it out at the end, then Zayn wins with a Helluva kick. That was Sami Zayn’s first one-on-one pinfall win since October 2, 2020. It was Sami Zayn’s third televised one-on-one pinfall win in the last two years. He has six televised, one-on-one pinfall wins since August 2017.

WWE Raw Women’s Title
Charlotte Flair defeated Rhea Ripley (c) via DQ, Ripley retains
7/10

Charlotte Flair attacks Ripley before the match, and the chemistry between the two is instant. Charlotte does a hanging straight ankle lock in the ropes. That’s cool. I dunno about Ripley doing a missile dropkick right after, despite how incredible it looks. This match should be way more special than it is, but it’s another rematch on a show full of rematches. Ripley folds herself in half on a superplex, but it looked great. Charlotte’s foot is on the ropes for the Riptide, and is able to lock in a Figure Eight shortly after. Ripley goes all the way outside the ring instead of tapping out. Ripley gets herself disqualified. No problem with that finish if it leads to the Peter Griffin vs. The Chicken story I’ve been wanting forever. They need to be fighting ALL THE TIME. Riptide hits after the match.

WWE Championship
Hell in a Cell Match
Last Chance For Drew McIntyre
Bobby Lashley (c) (w/ MVP) defeated Drew McIntyre
7/10

We are reminded again that everything is legal. Drew puts the pain on Lashley with a chair, and does a Bammaslamma onto it. Drew doing a sitdown powerbomb on Lashley is impressive. There’s a neat stairs spot into Drew’s head and into the cage, but we all know — and anyone who knows how to fit their little shape blocks into their puzzle in pre-school — knows that isn’t making contact with Drew McIntyre. MVP wedges Drew in the corner of the cell with a kendo stick. There’s a ref bump that saw the chair fall on Chad Patton’s face. Damn. Drew’s pin doesn’t get counted. MVP stops the new ref from counting the pin. Drew beats MVP’s ass, which shows he’s not learned anything since WrestleMania. The camera work here is terrible. Shows them missing strikes over and over. No camera cuts when they need it, too many when they don’t.

Drew counters a Hurt Lock by going Bam Bam Bomb through a table. Lashley dodges a Claymore and sends Drew ringside through a table. This is going Guano crazy. MVP grabs Drew’s leg and Lashley wins with a school boy roll up.

Rating Guide
10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor

Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a “star rating,” which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive “TV match” lands at a 5. The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.
These are opinions, and incredibly inconsistent ones that may change upon a second viewing, or sitting on the match for a period of time. Don’t take them too seriously, and have (and share) your own! Our opinions mean exactly the same amount as yours.