The Undertaker in Hell in a Cell: Rating and Reviewing All Matches (Video)

The Undertaker has been dismantling human beings inside the Hell in a Cell for nearly 14 years now. He's never faced the same man twice inside the demonic structure. After the cell door locks, he doesn't care about anything but winning and brutalizing his opponents. He does what he needs to do, to make sure he's the only man walking out of the cell that night.

Today I'll be giving you a video slideshow with my ratings and a brief review for every single Hell in a Cell match the Phenom has waged war in to this date.

This first of two parts will cover the first six matches, during the heart of the attitude era, 1997-2005.

The rating system is on a zero to five scale and focuses on the following topics:

Best Bump or Spot (pin-pointed & rated 0/5.0)

Brutality

Use of the Cell and/or Foreign Objects

Finish (final minutes)

I will add the numbers to create an Overall Match Score.

I hope you enjoy!

The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels: Badd Blood 10/5/1997 St. Louis, MO

Best Bump or Spot: Shawn Michaels falling off the side of the cell and through the announce table. 4.0

Brutality: 4.0

Use of the Cell and/or Foreign Objects: 4.0

Finish: 4.0

Overall Match Score: 16

Very physical match, with plenty of bad blood to fuel it! This match was the culmination of a feud between these two legends, that started after Shawn Michaels inadvertently hit The Undertaker with a chair costing him the WWE Championship against Bret Hart. Both performers had their mind set on taking this match to the limits. Michaels falling off the cage was brutal and somewhat of an omen of things to be inside the Hell in a Cell from that day.

Shawn got busted open and thoroughly decimated in this match. If it weren't the interference of Kane (Making his debut, by the way.), the dead man would have left victorious for sure. The Undertaker used a chair, the cell and his own body to inflict punishment on HBK. Giving him one of the worst one-sided beatings of his career. Kudos for The Undertaker being able to scale chain-link fencing that fast at his size.

The Undertaker vs Mankind: King of the Ring 6/28/1998 Pittsburgh, PA

Best Bump or Spot: Mankind chokeslammed through the top of the cell. 5.0

Brutality: 5.0

Use of the Cell and/or Foreign Objects: 4.5

Finish: 5.0

Overall Match Score: 19.5

One of the most iconic matches of all time. Not a single Hell in a Cell afterwards has surpassed the mainstream popularity of this bout. The first few minutes of this match are pure slugfest material between the two combatants. Just moments after the the two men get underway on the roof of the cell, Mankind is shoved off that roof, crashing through the Spanish announce table. That moment was unexpected and unseen for its time.

The Undertaker remained on top of the cell as Terry Funk, Vince McMahon, Sgt. Slaughter, EMT's, and the other officials checked on Mankind. For five and a half minutes, it appears the match is over, Mick Foley is unable to continue. 

Mankind then rolls off of the stretcher he was placed on to help in carting him towards the backs, he decides he's not done and breaks free to climb up to the top once more. It wasn't but a few moments later that the biggest bump of the match unexpectedly happened.

The Undertaker choke slammed Mankind on top of the cell, the top gave way and Mick Foley plunged down to a thud inside the ring. To top it off, there was a chair on top of the cell with him. It fell alongside, the leg of the chair smashed into Mick's mouth causing some substantial damage.

You could tell the severity of the situation with the speed that the trainer ran into the ring to attend to Foley. The Undertaker looked on from the broken hole in the top of the cell. (You can see a picture of this on the first slide.) He soon decided to end the match himself.

After jumping down into the ring, he chokeslammed Terry Funk who was in the way of his goal. Somehow, the match continued. A chair was used to its fullest thanks to Mankind. A piledriver, followed by a leg drop to the chair covered face of the dead man. A few thumbtacks, a choke slam, and a tombstone piledriver later and we have The Undertaker in the record books as victor of this historic war.

The Undertaker vs. Big Bossman: WrestleMania XV 3/28/1999 Philadelphia, PA

Best Bump or Spot: Bossman being hanged. 3.0

Brutality: 2.0

Use of the Cell and/or Foreign Objects: 3.0

Finish: 3.0

Overall Match Score: 11

The crowd knew the winner before it began. The Undertaker was supposed to be handcuffed to the cell for the most part of the match, but the cuffs were flimsy and broke too early. He kind of just sat there as Bossman tried to pour on the offense with the help of his nightstick. But we were all just waiting for the finish. Interesting finish as well.

Once the pinfall was made following the Undertaker's tombstone, the brood repelled from the rafters onto the top of the cell. They broke the top of the cell and secured a noose to the roof. They then raised the cell with the noose around Bossman's neck.

Best part was the costume for The Undertaker's entrance and the hanging at the end. Not much of a wrestling match in between, but still entertaining in my book.

Armageddon 6-Man Hell in a Cell: Armageddon 12/10/2000 Birmingham, AL

Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle vs. Triple H vs. Steve Austin vs. Rikishi vs. The Rock

Best Bump or Spot: Rikishi chokeslammed off the cell roof onto the bed of a truck. 3.5

Brutality: 3.0

Use of the Cell and/or Foreign Objects: 4.0

Finish: 2.5

Overall Match Score: 13.0

The only multi-man match we have in this slideshow. A bloody battle, I wish we saw more matches like this today. Austin raking Triple H's face around the entire inside of the cell, Rikishi being choke slammed of the roof, Triple H catapulted into the car, Austin's head smashed through the window of the truck, then finisher after finisher. The ending was hard to catch. You hear the referee counting before you notice there was a pin.

Sneaky moment and I kinda wish it would have gone down differently. I would have preferred Angle drop the title to The Undertaker or The Rock. Let The Undertaker run in to disrupt the three count then a double choke slam to Triple H and The rock, big boot to Steve Austin sending him flying outside the ring and a Tombstone Piledriver to Kurt Angle for the pinfall.

Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar: No Mercy 10/20/2002 North Little Rock, AR

Best Bump or Spot: Brock Lesnar using the steps on The Undertaker. 3.0

Brutality: 4.0

Use of the Cell and/or Foreign Objects: 3.0

Finish: 3.0

Overall Match Score: 13.0

The Undertaker bled buckets in this match. Very brutal fight between two powerful men. The steel steps picked up by Brock Lesnar and smashed into The Undertaker showed this was meant to be an epic battle. Not much of a wrestling match as for as technique goes. The finish was quick and I honestly expected a few more kick-outs and reversals, but it was entertaining and left you wanting more.

Undertaker vs. Randy Orton: Armageddon 12/18/2005 Providence, RI

Best Bump or Spot: Randy Orton's splash off the top rope on The Undertaker through a table. 3.0

Brutality: 4.0

Use of the Cell and/or Foreign Objects: 3.0

Finish: 3.0

Overall Match Score: 13.0

This match had some technique here and there, bu overall a brutal onslaught of aggression. It was very back and forth, with each man busting each other open.They both let their fears go and went all out to beat the other competitor. Neither caring if they hurt themselves in the process.

With chairs, chains, the cage walls, a table and the urn they waged war inside the cell. After the referee was inadvertently knocked out of the ring Randy Orton's dad Cowboy Bob Orton made his way in the cell after Charles Robinson came in to take over for the injured Nick Patrick. Bob interrupted the three count, keeping his son in the match. In the end Bob got the urn to the side of the head and a tombstone piledriver for his trouble. The Undertaker with a tombstone to Randy and that's all she wrote. Solid Hell in a Cell match.

Part 2 Incoming

Part 2 is coming in the next day or so. I'll post a link in the comments for ease-of-access. Thanks for reading and if you have any feedback about my reviews or ratings please do leave a comment. I'm looking to hone my skills and any insight into what works and what doesn't would be much appreciated! Also let me know what other types of matches you'd like the see reviewed in the future!

Thanks again for reading!

-J.

Part 2 is now up at this link.

(Also check out my article covering the Dead Man's WrestleMania streak in full. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. And future Streak opponents here.)