Hell In A Cell 2009 Live Experience Review
WWEBlog.co.uk Feature Writer Frank Leal gives his views on Hell in a Cell 2009
Hey, Whats Up?
Frank here and I just got back from Hell in a Cell so I thought I’d share some thoughts on the show and my experience.
So I get to the arena about 7:15, nice and early, or so I thought.
When I get there, I see thousands of people outside waiting to get in. They only had like 4 small doors open as people tried to squeeze in.
The line didn’t appear to be moving at all and in the end, it was about 8:00 before I got in the door. So I was bummed that I missed the dark match. I heard Matt Hardy beat Mike Knox.
I thought I would miss some of the first match too, but, fortunately, they played a long video package and I got to my seat just as it was ending and just in time to catch the first intro. My seats were pretty good, second level, toward the middle, so I had a pretty good view of the ring.
Opening Match
Hell in a Cell Match
C.M Punk (c)
Vs.
The Undertaker
What an odd choice for an opener.
I didn’t think that boded well for Taker’s chances. Big pop for Undertaker, lots of boos for Punk, as expected. Punk eats the cell quite a bit early but turns the tide by kicking the stairs into Taker’s knee.
Punk works and the leg and Taker sells the injury, even after the match.
Duelling chants are heard during the match and one guy in my section was really hot for Punk.
Punk hits a vicious chair shot but it’s not enough. Taker countered the GTS, Punk countered the “Old school.” Punk kicked out of the “Last Ride,” but Taker’s not using that as a finisher any more, so it kinda makes sense.
Eventually Taker puts him away with the tombstone. Oddly, the Hell’s Gates never factored in.
As a long time Undertaker fan, seeing him win the title was pretty cool, but the fact that it happened in the opening match made it seem less meaningful.
Also 10 minutes is pretty short for a HIAC match. Perhaps the rumours of his declining health are true and they don’t feel he can work a long match, but if that’s the case, why put the title on him?
Match 2
Intercontinental Championship Match
John Morrison (c)
Vs.
Dolph Ziggler
Some good mat wrestling to start here. Match hits a lull when Ziggler takes over but picks up when Morrison regains the advantage and hits some of his big high-flying moves.
They do some reversal sequences as the match picks up late and eventully Morrison wins it with the Starship Pain.
Good match that probably would have been a better choice as the opener.
Match 3
Divas Championship Match
Mickie James (c)
Vs.
Alicia Fox
Crowd was pretty dead for this match.
At least it was better than most of the women’s matches on Raw lately, although that isn’t saying much other than the fact that there weren’t any obvious blown spots.
Alicia seemed to be working too many restholds for my liking.
Mickie picks up the win with the big DDT and at least it was kept relatively short.
Match 4
Tag Team Championship Match
Jeri-Show (c)
Vs.
Batista & Rey Mysterio
The heels got a pretty good response. Jericho has always been popular in this area but the crowd seemed to be hot for Big Show too.
The faces got a mixed response at best. Mysterio has never been too popular here (except for little kids) but Batista got a lot of negative responses too.
Anyway, the faces dominated Jericho early but the tide turned when Big Show came in. He hit Rey with a vicious chop (it sounded loud even up where I was). Rey goes out and Show palms is head and brings him back in.
Eventually Batista gets tagged in and he cleans house, but gets caught with a CodeBreaker which he kicks out of. Show gets a Chokeslam but Rey breaks up the count.
Rey and Show have another nice exchange and Rey hits the 619 on Show who was standing outside. Jericho is caught by Show on the outside and then Batista spears the pair of them.
The crowd liked that spot.
Back in the ring Rey leaps off the ropes only to be caught by Show’s mighty fist and that’s all she wrote.
This was a really fun match. As a huge Jericho fan, the only thing I don’t like is that it seems every time they win a match, Show is responsible.
The same thing happened when Edge was his partner and I think that makes him look like the weak link on the team.
Match 5
WWE Championship Hell in a Cell Match
John Cena (c)
Vs.
Randy Orton
I couldn’t believe this match wasn’t last. Oh well.
The crowd were really pumped for this one. Orton got a great response and Cena got a mixed one, but mostly negative.
They slug it out early and eventually it spills to the outside of the ring. So many chants going on, it’s hard to keep up. Everything from ‘Let’s Go Orton!’ to ‘Let’s Go Cena!’ to ‘RKO!’ to ‘Cena Sucks!’
Orton had some trouble throwing the steps in the ring and appeared to flip off the crowd when they got on him. He tries to DDT Cena on the steps but Cena counters and tries to throw them in Orton’s face but misses.
Back inside, Cena hits some of his big moves but the Attitude Adjustment is countered and Orton hits the big DDT off the ropes.
Orton is ready for the RKO but Cena catches him with the Attitude Adjustment! Orton kicks out at the last split second. Cena goes for another one off the top rope but Orton counters with an electric chair.
He gets a chair and viciously drives it into Cena’s neck and throat. Cena kicks out of a pin. Cena regains control and applies the STF but Orton makes the ropes and breaks out of it.
Ref bump.
Cena makes Orton tap but there is no ref. As Cena tries to revive the ref, Orton catches him with an RKO. Cena kicks out again. Orton ties Cena in the ropes a puts a sleeper/choke on him. Cena falls forward and as he comes back up he gets caught with the big Punt to the head and Orton wins.
I thought this was a great match. The best of the night. All the teased finishes late had me on the edge of my seat.
Orton was at his sadistic best and Even though I like Cena, Orton is the better choice to carry the title right now.
They made sure that Cena looked strong by forcing Orton to tap when the ref was down and even by having him walk out under his own power after taking Orton’s devastating punt.
Match 6
Singles Match
R-Truth
Vs.
Drew McIntyre
These guys tried, but they were in a tough spot.
The match was not advertised ahead of time and they had to follow a great WWE title match. Chants of ‘Boring!’ could be heard but it wasn’t that bad.
There was some pretty decent back and forth action.
McIntyre eventually wins with the Double Underhook DDT.
Match 7
Triple Threat United States Championship Match
Kofi Kingston (c)
Vs.
The Miz
Vs.
Jack Swagger
The Miz gets some cheap heat by running down Newark.
Apparently Kofi is no longer from Jamaica and is now from West Africa.
As expected the heels double-teamed Kofi early before turning on each other. Kofi takes advantage and hits some of his big moves on both guys including “Trouble in Paradise” to Swagger.
Miz then catches Kofi with the “Scull Crushing Finale” (that move needs a better name) but Swagger breaks up the count.
He then hits his the Gutwrench Powerbomb on Miz but Kofi hits his finisher on Swagger again and pins The Miz.
Decent match but kind of short and the crowd were already looking forward to the main event.
Main Event Match
Tag Team Hell in a Cell Match
DX
Vs.
Legacy
I don’t understand how, on a card with six title matches, this one which has nothing on the line, gets the main event slot.
I guess DX want to feed their egos.
Anyway, the crowd was really hot for DX and it seemed like everybody had those green DX thunderstix.
Legacy jumps them from behind early but DX regain control pretty quickly and suplex Cody through the announce table, which doesn’t break.
They brawl through the crowd. Cody gets the chain from the Cell and nails Michaels. Then he nails HHH who is on the entrance ramp. He hits him with the CrossRhodes and HHH is out for what seemed like an eternity.
I guess that’s what they call laying down on the job.
Meanwhile, they slam the Cell door on Michaels’ arm and knee. Then they get him inside and lock the Cell.
The bell finally rings.
Michaels puts up a fight but the numbers game is too much. Eventually HHH makes his way down and tries to break in, unsuccessfully.
It’s hard to concentrate on the action in the ring with HHH on the outside desperately trying to get in. He gets a chair and tries to pry open the lock but can’t do it. Inside Shawn hits Sweet Chin Music on Dibiase but Cody breaks up the count. Michaels gets powerbombed into the Cell, then he gets driven back first from the Cell to the ringpost.
Meanwhile HHH has left ringside. Shawn gets a chair drop-kicked in his face.
Rhodes and Dibiase applied the ring post Figure Four/Million Dollar Dream submission and HHH reappears with bolt cutters.
Dibiase hits Dreamstreet but HHH is in and he cleans house with his big moves.
He takes the chain from the referee and nails Dibiase, followed by a pedigree on the floor.
DX now lock him out in a nice touch. They wrap a chair around Cody’s neck and Shawn hits the big elbow. HHH gets his sledgehammer and in a cool spot he and Shawn hit Cody with a simultaneous Sledgehammer & Sweet Chin Music for the win. After the match Dibiase comes in and tastes Sweet Chin Music too.
Cody does a stretcher job for good measure. This was a good match but it was disappointing to see so little of HHH in action.
Overall Reaction
Overall, I thought it was a pretty good show, though the match order seemed a little puzzling.
Undertaker in the opening match?
The World and WWE titles change hands and neither is the main event?
I was also hoping we’d get some action on top of the Cell, after the tease on Raw. I also don’t like the no blood policy they apparently have now. A little blood helps sell a good beating.
Oh well, I can’t complain. I got to see the two major titles change hands, most of the guys I was rooting for won, and most of the matches were pretty good.
So, this show gets a thumbs up from me. Hopefully the WWE will run another show here real soon.
Thanks for reading guys! Look out for my Spotlight On articles, coming soon!
F.Leal (On behalf of the WWEBlog.co.uk Team)
