Advertisement
WWE hell in a cell will be held tonight (Sun., June 5, 2022) at the Allstate Arena just outside Chicago, Illinois. It begins at 7:00 p.m. ET with the kickoff show leading straight into the main course at 8:00 p.m. ET on peacock in the US, WWE Network everywhere else, or your local cable pay-per-view provider.
Lucky for you cagesiders, our team of veteran wrestling blowhards are here to find out how the event will play out with predictions for every match on the map.
Let us begin.
WWE HELL IN A CELL PREDICT
Raw Women’s Championship: Bianca Belair (c) vs. Becky Lynch vs. Asuka
Geno Mrosko: My head tells me to keep Belair and they continue the longer build back to Lynch, but my heart tells me to go in surprise. Choice: Asuka
Sean Rueter: In history, a woman has shown that she can orchestrate this situation. And actually, as much as I love her, I’m afraid the WWE can’t resist overwhelming her. Choice: Becky Lynch
Kyle Decker: None of these women should have had one-on-one matches with each other at this point. But the creatives’ hand was likely forced when Naomi and Sasha Banks walked out. (Even so, they could have avoided it and booked that match anyway.) I don’t think Bianca should have lost her belt before then, and I don’t think that’s changed. Choice: Bianca Belair
Claire Elizabeth: I can’t help but think Asuka and Becky cancel each other out and the EST stands high here. Choice: Bianca Belair
Cain A. KnightQ: I think the idea is to get to another singles match between Belair and Lynch at a stadium show, meaning Belair retains the title until then. Choice: Bianca Belair
Stella cheeks: If I were a bad WWE writer, a random trio match would be the perfect opportunity to take the belt from Bianca. Choice: Becky Lynch
Mark Benjamin: WWE wants another one-on-one match between Becky and Bianca. Possibly at SummerSlam. While I prefer Asuka x Bianca one-to-one, we don’t have that. At this point, Asuka is probably here to grab a pin. Choice: Bianca Belair
Hell in a Cell: Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins
Geno Mrosko: It’s hard to imagine them doing this match again and Cody winning again. It’s just so unusual for WWE to book their feuds, with a star earning every major match win, especially when it’s up against one of the few legitimate main event-level talents they have. Choice: Seth Rollins
Sean Rueter: Last time I was sure that Seth would win in this program. Now I don’t think he will, so should I take him? Pro wrestling Sports entertainment has wrecked my brain. Actually it was always like that. What are we talking about again? Oh yes… Pick: Cody Rhodes
Kyle Decker: It’s weird for a guy at the top of the map like Rollins to lose three matches in a row, but it wouldn’t make sense for Cody to lose the blow-off match when the whole point of this feud is to get everyone that show Cody is now the real deal. Does WWE do things that don’t make sense? The whole time. But I don’t think they will do it here. Choice: Cody Rhodes
Claire Elizabeth: I’m kind of blown away that Cody has won it twice in a row, but clearly part of his contract was that he was presented a certain way and given a certain arc, so I can’t help but feel like that that he will go 3-0 and force Seth to continue. Choice: Cody Rhodes
Cain A. Knight: WWE is generally bad at booking babyfaces, but it should be obvious to protect Cody until he faces Roman Reigns. This is a trilogy sweep for the American Nightmare. Choice: Cody Rhodes
Stella cheeks: This match, like the first two, serves to strengthen Cody Rhodes in WWE. That way, when he finally takes Roman’s belt off, he’ll have the numbers behind him. I mean, I’ll still complain, but as they say, the math doesn’t lie. Choose Cody Rhodes
Mark Benjamin: Although Cody didn’t go beyond clean in the first two fights with Seth, he still wins. And Seth isn’t the whining type because he’s a villain. But he’s obviously an important piece of this Cody puzzle and Cody’s stepping stone to something bigger. Choice: Cody Rhodes
US Championship: Theory (c) vs. Mustafa Ali
Geno Mrosko: I really like Mustafa Ali’s work, but here he is on the wall. Choice: Theory
Sean Rueter: Who does Ali think Pat McAfee is? Choice: Theory
Kyle Decker: Vince’s golden boy vs. the guy who was desperately trying to leave the company? Yes, come on Choice: Theory
Claire Elizabeth: All I know is that if Theory wins, I’ll be really sad and the rest of the liveblog will be in lower case with no formatting or line breaks. I just can’t, y’all. Choice: Mustafa Ali
Cain A. Knight: Mustafa Ali was booked as the loser of this whole feud. I don’t see why this should change, especially given how poorly WWE usually books their hometown heroes. Choice: Theory
Stella cheeks: NO NO NO NO. I refuse to choose a theory. NO! I WILL NOT MANIFEST THAT FUTURE. Choice: Mustafa Ali
Mark Benjamin: sigh. Choice: Theory
2v1 Handicap: Omos & MVP vs. Bobby Lashley
Geno Mrosko: Can we talk about how absolutely lame it is that they spent so much time trying to make Omos look like a big monster just to book him against Lashley like that? Omos now needs a handicap match to win? It does not look good. And I’m not even sure they’re going to win! Choice: Omos & MVP
Sean RueterMission: I’m pretty sure this isn’t over anyway, so… Eat Arbys. Choice: Omos & MVP
Kyle Decker: This is booked so the two guys who have to protect her can be protected. Lashley wasn’t to take another loss, but neither was Omos. (Well, at least I’m sure they think Omos needs protecting. I don’t care.) MVP allows them to have their cake and eat it too. Lashley pins him and Omos might look dominant before he doesn’t get pinned. Choice: Bobby Lashley
Claire Elizabeth: Omos has all the joints of a 1987 LJN WWF action figure. I love MVP very much, but he’s not here to win. This is Lashley’s show and always has been. Choice: Bobby Lashley
Cain A. Knight: MVP is there to take the pin and help Omos save face in a loss. Or maybe Omos wins and we get more Omos/Lashley matches in the summer. That would be something. Choice: Bobby Lashley
Stella cheeks: I mean, MVP released a new diss track. Bobby needs to be heated over it. A win here could bring him back some street cred. Choice: Bobby Lashley
Mark Benjamin: Lashley needs that W. He can’t lose this match against Omos. Choice: Bobby Lashley
No Compromises: Madcap Moss vs. Happy Corbin
Geno Mrosko: Please be the end of it. Choice: Madcap Moss
Sean Rueter: You wouldn’t end an impressive four-game winning streak on a C-level PLE, would you? Choice: Madcap Moss
Claire Elizabeth: All I want is for Madcap to be renamed something colossal stupid like Mean Moss. Corbin will recover, Moss becomes a midcard babyface challenging GUNTHER after winning the IC or something, all go home neutral. Choice: Madcap Moss
Cain A. Knight: WWE would cut Madcap’s legs off if he loses this match fresh to a gimmick change. But the condition means Happy can easily introduce a new henchman to help him win. Corbin always has a henchman, it’s in the rules. Choice: Happy Corbin
Stella cheeks: Happy Corbin won’t be as happy next Sunday. His friendship is permanently thrown in the trash alongside Madcap’s suspenders. Choice: Madcap Moss
Mark Benjamin: This feud needs to end sometime, doesn’t it? Choice: Madcap Moss
Ezekiel vs Kevin Owens
Geno Mrosko: I really enjoyed everything about it and I just hope the match is as fun as everything before it. Pick: Ezekiel
Sean Rueter: Now that we all understand that Ezekiel was always Ezekiel, he just pretended to be Elias for a while, KO is focused. He has this. Choice: Kevin Owens
Kyle Decker: That was insanely entertaining, but I have no idea how it translates into a match. Kevin Owens isn’t too far from the main event WrestleMania with Stone Cold Steve Austin so he should probably pick up the dub here. Meanwhile, Ezekiel can lose and continue his act with no problem. Choice: Kevin Owens
Claire Elizabeth: Ezekiel obviously wins by distraction when his brother Elias appears. Come on. Pick: Ezekiel
Cain A. Knight: Kevin Owens is so busy and distracted by the narrative he has built in his head that Elias and Ezekiel are the same guy that he will not be able to deliver the level of wrestling knowledge required to complete this to win match. Pick: Ezekiel
Stella cheeks: Kevin Owens will lose by spontaneous combustion. A man can only take so much! Pick: Ezekiel
Mark Benjamin: If Elias shows, this could be the greatest game in the history of our sport. Kevin Owens is doing the Lord’s work with every segment and I’m not sure where that’s going when it’s all over. Hopefully we won’t see that end anytime soon. Pick: Ezekiel.
Judgment Day vs Finn Balor & AJ Styles & Liv Morgan
Geno Mrosko: This is where we definitely get the new member and it’s definitely one of the three on the Babyface side, right? Tip: Judgment Day
Sean Rueter: It won’t be clean and will likely involve a new member of Evil Edge’s roster debuting (possibly someone on the other side of this game…dun dun DUUUN), but one of those teams gets a nudge, and the other is AJ Styles and two people that WWE loves not having won big matches. Tip: Judgment Day
Kyle Decker: AJ Styles needs a win in this feud after losing two Premium Live Event matches. But it’s difficult to decide against the established stable in favor of the more motley group. I’m leaning toward AJ getting his win by pinning Priest because he has to win at some point to win his one-on-one rematch. Selection: AJ Styles, Finn Bálor and Liv Morgan
Claire Elizabeth: Team legally separated from Bullet Club over, heels regroup and snap up a member or members to complete their stable with a tag team afterwards, boom. Selection: AJ Styles, Finn Balor and Liv Morgan
Cain A. Knight: Damian Priest joined Edge Wrestlemania 38. Rhea Ripley joined Edge WrestleMania backlash. Finn Balor will join Edge at hell in a cell. Tip: Judgment Day
Stella cheeks: Liv Morgan will be too busy in Hollywood to team up with AJ Styles & Finn Bálor for long. She’s big now! Tip: Judgment Day
Mark Benjamin: The heels have to win that. The new stable cannot lose their first big match together. Look for a new member tonight for something new from the show. Tip: Judgment Day
This is how we see the card play.
You?
