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Welcome to PWInsider.com's live, ongoing WWE Hell in A Cell 2018 coverage from San Antonio, Texas.
To read PWInsider.com's Tip Sheet for the 2018 HIAC event, click here.
To read last year's coverage of Hell in A Cell, click here.
KICKOFF SHOW
The opened with the new, red Hell In A Cell hanging above the ring. I like the look. It adds to the "hell" theme with the scarlet-red lighting.
The Kickoff Show panel is Jonathan Coachman, Booker T, Peter Rosenberg and Paige. Booker said he's doing great today becuase he's never had to step inside Hell in A Cell, which would have changed his career forever.
The panel ran down the lineup for the show, which you can find below.
The panel discussed Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch before pitching it to a video retrospective on the feud. The panel then discussed Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella vs. Miz & Maryse.
Backstage, Charly Caruso interviewed Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose. Ambrose said nothing would change if they win the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship because Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler never had the power on Raw. Seth said tonight, the Shield could end up with every men's championship title on Raw. They are the workhorses and they are ready to prove it.
The panel discussed Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy, noting Hardy has always wanted to be in a Hell In A Cell match. They aired a video piece on the match. Paige announced they will open the PPV.
David Otunga replaced Booker T on the panel as they discussed AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe. They aired an awesome video piece on the feud built around Joe's storybook narration on last week's Smackdown. It was just great.
They reviewed the Ronda Rousey vs. Alexa Bliss storyline. Bliss was interviewed from backstage by the panel. She promised she would win her sixth Women's title tonight. She said no one thinks she has a chance against Rousey because of Summerslam, which she called the worst night of her career, but this isn't Summerslam. She said she left Rousey in agony on Raw and all the headlines will be about how the Goddess regained her title. She blew off David Otunga when he tried to ask a question.
They did a heavy push for the Undertaker vs. Triple H match on the Super Showdown on 10/6. They pushed that Undertaker would appear on Raw tomorrow.
They aired a promo for the new Marine film, which will be released in November.
WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions The New Day vs. Rusev & Aiden English
New Day did a promo putting over the fall and then drove Aiden English nuts by undermining his singing and introduction of Rusev. The crowd live really enjoyed that.
Englsh and Kingston started out. Kingston outclassed him. Rusev tagged in and caught Kingston coming off the ropes, nailing him with a Fall Away Slam. English tagged back in and beat Kofi down with right hands and kicks. They worked over Kingston until he was able to tag out to Big E. E wiped out English with a big splash. Rusev got involved but was speared through the ropes to the floor by E. English came back with a nice flip dive to the outside. English drove E into the mat and scored a two count. New Day came back and drove English to the mat with an elevated double stomp but English still kicked out at the last second. Kingston went for a dive but Rusev kicked him as he came down outside. OUCH! The battle continued with English using Rusev's Accolade on Kingston. E went to make the save but Rusev flattened him with the Machka Kick. Kingston finally broke free. Rusev tried to interfere but was tossed to the floor. Kingston nailed Trouble in Paradise for the pin.
Your winners and still WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions, The New Day!
A fun but short tag bout with some good athletic spots and some nice action. It was exactly what an opening bout on a PPV should be.
I love the Hellraiser Lament Configuration-inspired Hell in A Cell cube graphics by the way!
Mick Foley was interviewed backstage and said it was emotional to be here. He said when he saw the HIAC, it was a mix of adrenaline and fear. He has woken up in cold sweat after dreams about the matches. He said that he just has the best seat in the house tonight. Baron Corbin showed up and asked Foley if he was up for the task tonight. Foley asked if he wanted pointers from a former GM and Corbin said he was going to let his performance speak for itself. Really nothing of note.
They closed out the Kickoff show with a Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman video package.
WWE HELL IN A CELL PPV COVERAGE
They aired a really good opening video before the Cell was lowered down to the ring waiting below.
Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton: Hell In A Cell
They brawled as soon as they got into the cell. Orton knocked Hardy off the apron into the cage. They battled on the floor, where Orton was sent into the cell. Hardy pulled a table out from under the ring and they pulled back and forth with it trying to gain control of the weapon until Orton caught Hardy with a clothesline. Orton began moving it into the ring but Hardy leapt at it and rode it like a skateboard, shoving it under the ropes and into Orton's mid-section on the floor.
Hardy pulled a ladder out from under the ring. Orton grabbed a chair but Hardy nailed him several times with the ladder. Orton cut off Hardy on the floor and peppered him with uppercuts. Hardy leapt off the chair, hitting a side attack on Orton into the cage. Orton cut off Hardy and nailed a big superplex. Hardy made a comeback and pulled a second ladder out from under the ring. He inverted it upside down outside the ring and tried to suplex Orton onto the open ladder but the attempt was blocked. Orton lifted and dropped Hardy down into the ladder. Ouch!
Back in the ring, Orton stalked Hardy with a chair and drilled him across the back several times. He continued assaulting Hardy over and over across the back with the chair. Orton pulled Hardy's belt off and began lashing him with it. Orton covered him for a two count. Orton placed Hardy inside a ladder on the mat, trapping his head inside one of the rungs of the ladder. Orton stomped away at him then covered him for another two count.
Hardy fought back and went for the Twist of Fate but was caught with a great scoop powerslam for another two count. Orton went under the ring and retrieved a screwdriver from a tool box under the ring. He put his finger in Hardy's earloop, then placed the screwdriver in and twisted it. That's beyond disgusting. Hardy kicked him low to escape this. Hardy began whipping Orton with the belt, then grabbed a chair and smashed him across the back over and over, completely losing it. Hardy covered him for a two count. Hardy came off the turnbuckles but was caught low.
Orton, who was bleeding across the back from taking the belt shots from Hardy as there were metal studs on the belt, draped Hardy across the ropes and nailed a DDT. Orton set up for the RKO but Hardy blocked it and nailed the Twist of Fate. Hardy went for a steel chair and placed it across Orton's chest, then went to the top rope for a swanton bomb on the chair, but only scored a two count.
When Orton rolled over, you could see a piece of his thigh was split with the meat sticking out from the chair that Hardy used on the swanton. Ouch. Hardy pulled another table out from under the ring. He set up several ladders and a table inside the ring. Hardy nailed a Twist of Fate that sent Orton staggering onto the table. Hardy ascended to the top of the ladder, then hung off the cell, dropping down for a legdrop through the table. Orton moved and Hardy crashed through the table.
The referee lost his mind and demanded they open the cage and get EMTs out for Hardy. Orton, who was also bleeding from his calf, argued with the referee and finally covered Hardy for the pin.
Your winner, Randy Orton!
A pretty damn brutal but entertaining bout that certainly fit into the pantheon and mythology of the Cell being this ultra-violent bout that changes careers and causes destruction. This was far better than I personally expected going. Orton looked really good and they had some truly twisted and creative spots of destruction. They told a very good story and this was very good. Each man took a lot of punishment in order to get the match over and you have to respect the hell out of that.
Hardy was stretchered off and given that Matt just announced he was pretty much done as a wrestler for the company, one has to wonder whether Jeff is looking at the same fate.
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Coverage continues on Page 2!
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