WWE Hell in a Cell 2014 Review: Biggest Stars of the Night

The 2014 WWE Hell in a Cell pay-per-view was a rare opportunity for the roster to step up and prove that it could put on a great show without the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the mix.

Brock Lesnar—the biggest star in the company and the current champion—was absent, but the event was not merely comprised of the bottom of the barrel in talent.

John Cena and Randy Orton faced off to determine who would get a shot at Lesnar's title in the future.

Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins sought to settle their bitter feud in the titular demonic structure of the event.

The Bella Twins have imploded, and one of them would be able to reign supreme over the other for 30 days.

Every championship in the company—except for the world title—was on the line, so many of the best and brightest were on display.

Out of all the performers, who were the ones that made the best impressions?

Who had decisive or important victories? Who put on such a great performance that people will talk about it for weeks?

It's time once again to break down the biggest stars of the night.

5. Damien Mizdow

Credit: WWE.com

For someone who didn't have a match on the card, Damien Mizdow ended up being one of the most entertaining characters of the show.

The Mizdow TV segment could have been much better, but it still showcased some of Mizdow's talent, which would be seen in more detail later on.

It's quite a feat to be able to steal the show and get the crowd chanting for you while a title match is taking place.

If it wasn't for Mizdow, the United States Championship defense would have been a complete bore.

WWE has something fun going on with Mizdow and The Miz right now. And if more is coming our way, the WWE Universe seems to be welcoming it with open arms.

4. Randy Orton

Credit: WWE.com

Cena is almost always the favorite going into a match, so it can't be said that this was Orton's match to lose.

However, Orton was made to look like a strong enough challenger to the No. 1 contender's spot that a loss here did more for him than a pointless victory would have.

This could have easily turned into the same type of match that we have seen time and time again, where Cena doesn't quite sell anything his opponent gives him because WWE wants him to look strong.

Instead, Orton's stock has risen, as he was able to take the top guy in the company to his limits and almost come out on top.

He might be the official loser as far as the record books show. But Orton has spent the past few months in a state of limbo, and he looked more like a winner tonight than he has in a long time.

3. John Cena

Credit: WWE.com

It is almost impossible to make up a list of the biggest stars of the night for a WWE show and not include Cena.

As far as Hell in a Cell goes, Cena was able to fight off a hungry Orton and win a title shot against Lesnar down the road.

As previously said, the match itself was a great contest and a fun segment, so Cena deserves half of the credit for that.

Winning the match puts him higher on this list than Orton by default, as if he needed another accolade to add to his list of achievements.

Once again, Cena finds himself at the top of the food chain and heading toward another WWE World Heavyweight Championship shot.

2. Seth Rollins

Credit: WWE.com

With one move—falling off the side of the cell and onto the commentary table—Rollins automatically became half of the biggest talking point of the night.

Not only that, but the rest of the match kept the entertainment going.

Rollins has been more than instrumental in the success of The Authority because of his outstanding performances and what could be the feud of the year with Ambrose.

There is a reason why WWE has the Money in the Bank briefcase in his possession: He can deliver.

Rollins was victorious in the Hell in a Cell match against Ambrose and will undoubtedly be celebrating this win on the next episode of Raw.

Coming out on top in the main event of the night and helping to steal the show catapults Rollins toward the top of this list.

1. Dean Ambrose

Credit: WWE.com

If Orton gets credit on this list despite losing, then Ambrose definitely can't be ignored.

In fact, it's tough to argue that he wasn't the focal point of this whole event more than anyone else.

Sure, he came up short as far as the match goes. But this was Ambrose all the way leading up to the show, and he was by far the one hogging most of the spotlight.

If it wasn't for Bray Wyatt's interference, the match would have ended differently with a sound win in Ambrose's favor.

Now, WWE has even more momentum to capitalize on with Ambrose and his character, as well as a new direction to take him.

His feud with Wyatt should be just as entertaining—if not better than—his one with Rollins, so the future looks brighter than ever for this young star.

How would you rank the performers for this show?

Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

Anthony Mango is the owner-operator of the wrestling website Smark Out Moment, as well as the host of its podcast show Smack Talk on YouTube, iTunes and Stitcher. You can follow him on Facebook and elsewhere for more.