WWE Hell in a Cell 2012: Was It Worth the PPV Money?

The WWE Hell in a Cell 2012 is history, and WWE fans were treated to a very good show.

From the opening match with Randy Orton and Alberto Del Rio to the unexpected finish of the WWE championship match, HIAC did just what it was supposed to do. It closed the door on some feuds, left the door open on others and left the fans with one great big question.

What in the heck happened in the main event?

Overall, the presentation was worth the pay-per-view price. Not all of the matches were PPV caliber, but that is always the case with any show like that.

Let’s look at several aspects of the pay-per-view and explain why they did or did not work.

The Matches

Truly, it was beginning to look like HIAC was not going to be worth the price. The match with Orton and ADR was solid and a good show opener.

But the second match for the tag team championship was probably the most disappointing of the night. There ought to be a rule that championship matches on pay-per-view should not end in a disqualification, but that is exactly what happened when Kane went berserk on Team Rhodes Scholars. Evidently, the WWE Creative Team used this match to set the table for a Survivor Series rematch.

The two best matches of the evening were the World Heavyweight and the WWE Championships. Big Show won the title in a grueling match with Sheamus, but it was disappointing that Dolph Ziggler did not cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase, as he had teased earlier in the week.

As for the WWE Championship, what in the world did we see? No one expected to see a referee on the take, but remember earlier in the show that Vince McMahon told CM Punk to go out and be the “Best in the World.” Surely this question will be answered on the next Raw.

It was exciting to see Punk and Ryback climb the cage in a flashback to the match with the Undertaker and Mankind. The only thing missing were tacks in the ring.

Overall grade: A-

The Commentary

Michael Cole (pictured), Jim Ross and John Bradshaw Layfield have become quite the three-man tandem in the broadcast booth.

Cole offered just the right amount of excitement in his play-by-play announcing. He even hinted at his recently ended heel days, mentioning that he had been knighted and referring to WrestleMania 28 at the next-door Georgia Dome as “my favorite WrestleMania.”

JBL continues to improve in his heel-flavored color commentary. As expected, he leaned toward the bad guys in the matches, but he was quick to give props to the faces. For example, he mentioned that he did not like Rey Mysterio but admitted that Mysterio is “a lot of fun to watch.” He even had a running gag with Ross with various comments about Notre Dame beating Ross’ beloved Oklahoma Sooners the night before in college football.

As for Ross, he still is at the top of his game after 37 years in the business. He may have handed over regular play-by-play to Cole, but he offered insightful commentary. He even found time to be witty, mentioning that Orton “looked naked” without gold around his waist, then quickly added, “Seeing a man naked is not my idea of a good time.”

All three men also entwined history in their commentary, mentioning things like how Damien Sandow was trained by Killer Kowalski and noting former U.S. champions such as Nikita Koloff and Magnum T.A.

Jerry Lawler is missed, but he might find it hard to retake his seat at the broadcast table.

Overall grade: A

The Interviews and Backstage Segments

The backstage interviews were, as always, weak. Josh Matthews always looks like a deer in the headlights, even when he interviews someone like Vickie Guerrero. And Matt Striker sounded like he should have been at the 18th green at Augusta when he spoke in hushed tones about Sheamus being tended to by the medical staff.

Fortunately, the backstage segments were few and far between. Just when you thought we were going to get through it without anything stupid, out come Zack Ryder and Santino Marella dressed as a witch and Lady GaGa, respectively. That was enough to give even the most stouthearted person nightmares.

Overall grade: D

Twists and Turns

Not since Christian spit in Randy Orton’s mouth last year have we seen such a PPV twist such as the one that ended the Punk-Ryback match.

Ryback was all set to hit Shell Shocked on Punk when referee Brad Maddox low-blowed him and did a fast count in Punk’s favor. Of course, the referee paid for his sins, but truly no one saw that coming.

Then when Ryback chased Punk up the cage and Shell Shocked him on top, the entire arena, not to mention the people at home, held their collective breaths waiting for one or both to crash through. Fortunately, the cage is much stronger than it looks.

Overall grade: A+

The Production

Aside from one minor audio glitch near the beginning, the technical aspect of HIAC went smoothly.

Cameras seemed to be in the right positions to catch all the action, especially when Punk and Ryback were atop the cage. Segments transitioned almost seamlessly, although they could not get away fast enough from that silly piece with Zack Ryder and Santino Marella.

Overall grade: A

Conclusion

All in all, it was a better-than-expected PPV. Initially, there were some fears that the lack of energy in the lead-in to the event might create a lackluster show.

Hell in a Cell was a good precursor to what should be an exciting Survivor Series in three weeks in Indianapolis. We should expect major storylines to carry into Survivor Series.

Some ideas include a Sheamus-Show rematch with Dolph Ziggler possibly added in, another shot for the Rhodes Scholars at the tag team belts and another battle between Punk and Ryback.

With a healthy John Cena now in place, don’t be surprised if we see another Triple Threat for the WWE title.

So what was your take on Hell in a Cell? What did you like and not like? Share your opinions with us in the Feedback section.

Follow Bill Atkinson on Twitter at @BAtkinson1963.