WWE Hell in a Cell 2014 Matches: Breaking Down Biggest Contests on the Card

Ever since Brock Lesnar became WWE World Heavyweight champion, there have been whispers about how his part-time status would affect title defenses. To many, a pay-per-view main event should always be a world title match—but that won't be the case at Hell in a Cell this Sunday.

However, the belt not being defended doesn't mean that the show doesn't have some big matches to bolster its card. The three biggest matches set for Hell in a Cell all fill a different niche on the card: a marquee match between top stars, a sure-fire clinic between two of the most talented athletes on the roster and the next chapter in a feud that has gripped the WWE Universe.

If all three bouts can live up to expectations, we could have a very strong show in store come Sunday.

John Cena vs. Randy Orton Inside Hell in a Cell

It's easy to be critical of WWE wheeling out this well-worn feud yet again, particularly if it takes the main event spot. The No. 1 contender stipulation defies any sort of logic, considering Cena was placed in the match after a loss—not to mention the fact that the pairing seems thrown together, as much as WWE likes to stress that they're career rivals.

Many are tired of seeing this match play out, but that's not to say the entirety of the audience is. You might point to their match at this year's Royal Rumble, which was hijacked by a crowd who wanted to see Daniel Bryan above all else. However, a far more fitting example might be their match at Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2013.

That bout took place in Texas and was contested under a stipulation, much like this weekend's contest—and the crowd lapped it up. While there is undeniably a contingent of WWE's audience who find nothing of interest in another Cena vs. Orton match, there are many to whom the pairing still appeals.

It's a matter of balance; the WWE audience is split into groups of fans who are looking for very different things, and as such, a pay-per-view card needs to feature a variety of matches that cater to different segments of that fanbase.

Texas has a long history of pro wrestling, and if there's anyone on the WWE roster who can play to that sort of crowd, it's Randy Orton. His throwback interactions with a live audience are heavily informed by the greats of yesteryear—but they can be just as potent today.

Matches between Cena and Orton rely heavily on how invested the crowd is—again, compare their match at TLC 2013 to their Royal Rumble 2014 encounter—and all signs point to it satisfying its audience come Sunday. And if you don't consider yourself the sort of fan whom this bout targets, you'll surely find one of the other top matches on the card much more engaging.

Dolph Ziggler vs. Cesaro for the Intercontinental Championship

This bout is made for anyone who's looking for a top-class physical showcase. Ziggler and Cesaro always deliver the goods when they're put together—and with the recent announcement that this will be a 2-out-of-3 Falls match, it's all the more tantalizing of a prospect.

Cesaro and Ziggler might not offer the perceived "star power" of Cena and Orton, but they can make up that ground with what they do between the ropes.

Credit: WWE.com

Ziggler can play the underdog as well as anyone on the roster, and Cesaro is at his best when he's an overbearing technical powerhouse. Couple that with the sheer athleticism that both men possess, and you have a prime contender for the match of the night.

It's a spectacle of a very different sort to a Hell in a Cell match between two multiyear world champions. Ziggler and Cesaro are two competitors who consistently wrestle excellent matches across the gamut of weekly WWE programming. They leave it all in the ring whenever they step through the curtain—but they always seem to be able to go the extra mile for a pay-per-view bout.

Since both men don't possess the sort of character work that other performers can fall back on, they leave it to what they can do in the ring to endear them to an audience. Unlike the other two big matches set for Hell in a Cell, you wouldn't put this one on last—but it'll certainly be a contest that's being raved about long after the event wraps up.

That's the essence of what the intercontinental title once was and perhaps should be. If the world title belongs around the waist of the biggest star in the promotion, this one is for the workhorse wrestler who puts on the best matches night after night.

Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose Inside Hell in a Cell

Whether or not this match goes on last—and many would argue that it absolutely should—this is a bout that will fill seats and sell Network subscriptions. People are completely invested in seeing Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins tear into one another, and it is working wonders for both individuals.

For a big segment of the audience, this is the one that they're tuning in to see. We've seen Rollins dodge Ambrose, we've seen Rollins sneak a win over Ambrose, and we've seen Rollins injure Ambrose. Now we're ready to watch Ambrose get his revenge.

It's a match that is being sold on the feud behind it—and with good reason. The match itself will probably be very good, but this isn't the same sort of contest as Cesaro vs. Ziggler; this is the closest to a blood feud that WWE has seen in years.

Credit: WWE.com

At SummerSlam, we saw what these two can do with the much-maligned Lumberjack stipulation—they hit it out of the park. Now, there's hope that they can restore the Hell in a Cell match to former glory, after years of middling encounters.

For many wrestlers, this added pressure would be a handicap, but you get the impression that for a hungry pair of upstarts like Rollins and Ambrose, it's just more reason to go out and put on a show.

It would be easier to watch these two continue their skirmishes on and on, but the demonic structure of Hell in a Cell would seem to provide a fitting endpoint for their feud—for the moment, at least. Any stipulation from here would only ratchet down the intensity, which has hardly dropped over the several months that this rivalry has gone on.

Which of these matches are you looking forward to the most? Do all three have their own appeal? Are you only watching the pay-per-view for the Bella vs. Bella match? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.