WWE Hell in a Cell 2015: Match Card, Potential Spoilers, Predictions and More
The very first bricks of the long road to WrestleMania 32 will be laid at WWE Hell in a Cell 2015 on Sunday.
Brock Lesnar will either step out of the Devil's Playground having vanquished a legend or else be enraged by defeat. Either way, chances are high WWE offers foreshadowing for what's next for the Beast Incarnate, including whom he will lock horns with in April.
The annual celebration of steel and carnage pits Lesnar against Undertaker in the Hell in a Cell structure, as well as offering Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt their first opportunities to battle inside it when they square off.
The pay-per-view is loaded with names from the past: Kane, the Dudley Boyz and Undertaker. Still, it may end up being a springboard for future stars.
Some up-and-comer may end up dethroning U.S. champion John Cena. Charlotte may earn a resounding win. Reigns may prove himself to be a marquee player and a monster slayer.
As usual, there's the chance to elevate new faces at Hell in a Cell, but WWE remains stubborn about moving onto the next generation. Fans could possibly see Undertaker be the conquering hero despite the fact he's only around a few times a year and a 48-year-old world champion crowned by the end of the night.
News, Potential Spoilers
The biggest question heading into Hell in a Cell is whether this will be Cena's last Open Challenge. The prevailing theory is that he will lose the U.S. title to his mystery opponent, an idea brought about largely by word he is set to take time off.
Dave Meltzer reported on F4WOnline, "Cena will be taking time off from wrestling shortly for what the WWE has described as personal reasons." He also noted Cena was not advertised for anything beyond Hell in a Cell until December.
WrestleZone's Nick Paglino noted that Cena is advertised to face Sheamus for the U.S. title at a December live event at Madison Square Garden.
That still leaves the door open for Cena to take two months off, and it hints at the possibility Cena could retain at Sunday's PPV—that or Sheamus will be the one to take the belt off him, with Cena looking for a rematch once his hiatus is over.
As for the night's main event, one report suggested that how Lesnar and Undertaker plays out could shape the Beast Incarnate's WrestleMania plans. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Wrestling Inc), Lesnar is expected to either win or lose thanks to interference from whomever his next rival is, perhaps even his WrestleMania 32 opponent.
WWE is likely to go big for Lesnar's opponent at the marquee event. That could mean a run-in from the Rock or perhaps Steve Austin to set up a talked-about matchup that still feels unlikely to happen.
With Lesnar and Undertaker sure to step away from the spotlight during the holiday season, and with Cena reportedly talking time off, someone is going to need to step up as an upper-rung star. A pair of names are rumored to be line for that spot.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Wrestle Zone) reported Dolph Ziggler and Ryback are scheduled to be pushed as top babyfaces. With the stop-and-start pushes those men have received over the years, it's hard to believe that will actually happen, but there will be a vacancy at the top of the card. And someone has to take it.
Match Card
- Dolph Ziggler, Cesaro and Neville vs. Rusev, Bad News Barrett and Sheamus (pre-show match)
- Kevin Owens vs. Ryback (Intercontinental Championship)
- Charlotte vs. Nikki Bella (Divas Championship)
- The New Day vs. the Dudley Boyz (Tag Team Championship)
- John Cena vs. TBD (Open Challenge for United States Championship)
- Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt (Hell in a Cell)
- Seth Rollins vs. Kane (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
- Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar (Hell in a Cell)
Quick Predictions
- Rusev, Barrett and Sheamus over the babyfaces.
- Owens over Ryback.
- Charlotte over Nikki.
- The New Day retain.
- Cena loses title.
- Reigns over Wyatt.
- Rollins over Kane.
- Lesnar over Undertaker.
A Stable Brewing
This is just a thrown-together replacement brought on by Randy Orton's shoulder injury. But it seems as though WWE is cooking something up with a trio of foreign heels.
Sheamus and Barrett had already tagged together a few times recently. Rusev has now joined them, most recently as a cheerleader for their SmackDown match this past Thursday.
The announcers hinted at this partnership being more than just momentary. With none of the three guys doing much of anything and a tag team division filled with trios, it makes sense WWE would build a European posse of villains.
If that's the case, look for them to win here to kick start their run.
Owens Downs the Big Guy
Owens versus Ryback has all the makings of a long feud. The pace of the story has been slow thus far. There have yet to be any definitive wins, either.
Owens' title win came courtesy of a rake to the eyes. The rematch allows him to follow that up with something less fluky to establish himself as a formidable champ.
If the Big Guy is going to regain his crown, it will be a more powerful story if he has to struggle more. Rather than wrap up that journey at Hell in a Cell, WWE is more likely to have the powerhouse overcome his nemesis at a much later date.
Charlotte Remains Champ
Like Owens versus Ryback, it would be odd for WWE to just move the title back to the previous champion. Charlotte's win at Night of Champions felt like her coming-out party.
WWE would ruin that if it has Nikki Bella beat her already.
It's more likely Charlotte handles Nikki and puts an end to this feud. She can then move on to fight former ally Paige or the increasingly popular Sasha Banks.
Bleacher Report's Big Nasty believes this to be among those bouts with the best chance to steal the show:
The New Day Can't Be Stopped
The original plan was likely to have returning fan favorites the Dudley Boyz have another title run. That was until the New Day absolutely caught fire.
They have been the most entertaining act in WWE. The company has rewarded them by featuring them prominently on both Raw and SmackDown.
Xavier Woods, Big E and Kofi Kingston have gotten off the veterans by the skin of their teeth in the past. Expect a more dominant win, freeing both teams to take on new rivals and for the rising stars with a love for clapping to remain champions and remain the division's alpha males.
Cena's Last Stand
WWE can't have Cena win and then have him take the title with him as he goes inactive for two months, can it? That would be a waste of all the momentum Cena has generated for the U.S. belt.
The best and most likely scenario is to give someone a major rub by surprising the audience, beating down Cena and becoming the next U.S. champ.
As for who will accept this challenger, Bleacher Report's Dan Pecoraro broke down Cena's most likely challengers:
The Juggernaut Emerges from Hell
Reigns is Cena's heir apparent. He's the one racking up the wins. He was the one standing in the ring with Cena as WWE saluted breast cancer survivors.
WWE hasn't shown a commitment to Wyatt the way it has to Reigns. He's lost to the Undertaker and to Cena and promises to be on the losing end here.
Beating Wyatt in the Hell in a Cell would be the kind of statement win that pushes Reigns further up the ladder. And it's clear that's the position WWE wants for him.
Expect a wild, fun brawl, and one that sees the babyface take down the monster.
Rollins Ousts the Director of Operations
As poorly as WWE has booked Rollins, he is still the heavy favorite. It can't seriously crown Kane at this point in his career. A midcard, depth-adding talent made to be the top champion would be a baffling move.
Kane is not a credible threat. He's a stopgap challenger for Rollins until the Lesnar-Undertaker feud is over with and the champ can get a more prominent story to work with.
WWE has to see sense that the audience is tired of Kane and Big Show and other longtime stars being top acts. Making the Big Red Machine champion would be a step backward, and WWE, as nostalgia dependent as it is, isn't likely to go that route.
A Repeat of No Mercy
In 2002, Lesnar trounced Undertaker inside the Hell in a Cell to launch himself into megastar status. Thirteen years later, he will beat him again.
It makes zero sense for Undertaker to win this feud. Lesnar is going to be around more. Lesnar is the one the company has built up as a juggernaut in the past two years.
For Undertaker to be the one to fell him would be a giant middle finger to the current roster. It would say none of the full-time guys are good enough to down the Beast, that only a legend from yesteryear could do it.
A loss makes Undertaker's character more interesting, allowing him to be more desperate, more angry. A win for Lesnar would continue the narrative he's WWE's top titan, a man waiting for someone to push him off his throne.
Those are the better stories—the ones WWE is far more likely to tell.
Hell in a Cell will end with one Goliath besting another, but there promises to be more to the night than that. There is groundwork to set for WrestleMania. And WWE will plant those first seeds in the depths of hell.
