Here’s my final thoughts on WWE SmackDown Live’s Hell in a Cell 2017!
Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin vs. The Hype Bros (Mojo Rawley and Zack Ryder)
Reactions: Doesn’t it feel good to see Shelton wrestling on WWE PPV’s again? He looks rejuvenated with Chad by his side. This rematch was pretty much on par with the other matches these teams have been involved in with each other. Gable and Benjamin pulled off all their cool looking amateur wrestling maneuvers, while Mojo’s comeback moment was its usual mix of unmatched hype and power. Gable’s mean streak got exposed here as he handed Mojo a nasty Belly to Belly Suplex and a Moonsault. Ryder and Mojo’s miscommunication issues almost cost them the match, but Mojo still saved his boy at the very last moment. But the next move Ryder was given ended up being the one that finally put him down. This was a solid bout that built up quite nicely and built further to the eventual breakup of The Hype Bros.
Rating: 2 & a Half out of 5 Stars
Randy Orton vs. Rusev
Reactions: Rusev is one of the more underrated brutes on the WWE roster, so I knew this rematch with Orton would be a lot better than their seconds long SummerSlam bout. This was one of the more decent bouts on the HIAC 2017 card. Rusev was in control for most of the match, which fed into the story of Orton using his slippery nature to save himself at several points. Rusev’s power offense put him in a good spot at times, but Orton’s slick movements and quick thinking helped him keep Rusev at bay. The final moments of this bout were highlight reel worthy as Orton’s RKO taunting almost led to him getting locked into The Accolade. Orton slipped out once more and planted Rusev with a snap RKO. This wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t all the way great either. It served its purpose by giving Orton another PPV win after having to deal with his losing streak against Jinder Mahal.
Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars
Bobby Roode vs. Dolph Ziggler
Reactions: Ziggler’s new gimmick (or lack thereof) tends to make anything he’s involved nowadays a chore to sit through. While I appreciate Roode, his Create-a-Wrestler moveset isn’t all that impressive. The elements of 2017 Ziggler mixed in with Roode’s cliche maneuvers almost put me to sleep. The less said about this dead match, the better. Wait! I actually have more to say. I gotta give it props for the cool little sneaky pinning counters both men used on each other. Other than that though, the rest of this match was quite simply…boring. Judging by the ending, this feud shall carry on. Not cool, WWE. Not cool…
Rating: 1 & a Half out of 5 Stars
AJ Styles (c) vs. Baron Corbin vs. Tye Dillinger (Triple Threat Match for the WWE United States Championship)
Reactions: The last minute addition of Tye ended up making this match a lot more interesting. I’m not sure this title bout would have been as good as it ended up being with just Baron in there. AJ can just about have a great match with anyone, but pulling off that feat with Baron could prove difficult. Tye’s placement here helped it thrive a bit more and allow Baron to look a bit more dominating than he usually is. Baron was pretty much a wrecking ball during the middle portion, but AJ and Tye really turned things up a notch near the closing moments. Tye pulled off some slick maneuvers here and there, Baron pulled out his Deep Six and Chokeslam into a Backbreaker and AJ pulled out…well, everything. Baron’s surprising win was the perfect ending to one of the more unpredictable Triple Threat matches contested in recent memory.
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars