WWE hell in a cell is all set to take place tonight (Sun., June 5, 2022) from the Allstate Arena just outside Chicago, Illinois. It begins at 7:00 pm ET with the Kickoff show leading right on into the main course at 8:00 pm ET on Peacock in the US, WWE Network everywhere else, or your local cable pay-per-view provider.
Luckily for you Cagesiders, our staff of learned wrestling blowhards is here to help figure out just how the event is going to play out with predictions for each match on the card.
Let’s get to it.
WWE HELL IN A CELL PREDICTIONS
Raw Women’s Championship: Bianca Belair (c) vs. Becky Lynch vs. Asuka
Geno Mrosko: My head tells me Belair retains and they continue the longer build back to Lynch, but my heart tells me to go with the surprise. Pick: Asuka
Sean Rueter: In story, one woman’s shown she can orchestrate this situation. And in reality, much as I love her, I fear WWE can’t resist over-pushing her. Pick: Becky Lynch
Kyle Decker: None of these women should have had one on one matches with each other at this point. But creative’s hand was likely forced with Naomi and Sasha Banks walking out. (Still, they could have avoided it and still booked this match.) I don’t think there were any plans for Bianca to lose her belt prior, and I don’t think that’s changed. Pick: Bianca Belair
Claire-Elizabeth: I can’t help but think that Asuka and Becky cancel each other out and the EST stands tall here. Pick: Bianca Belair
Cain A.Knight: I think the idea is to get to another singles match between Belair and Lynch at a stadium show, which means Belair retains the title until then. Pick: Bianca Belair
Stella Cheeks: If I was a terrible WWE writer a random trios match would seem like the perfect opportunity to take the belt from Bianca. Pick: Becky Lynch
Marcus Benjamin: WWE wants another singles match between Becky and Bianca. Possibly at SummerSlam. While I prefer Asuka x Bianca one-on-one, that’s not what we have. At this point, Asuka is probably here to take a pin. Pick: Bianca Belair
Hell in a Cell: Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins
Geno Mrosko: It’s hard to imagine they do this match again and Cody wins again. It’s just so unusual for WWE to book its feuds where one star gets every major match victory, especially when it’s up against one of the few legitimate main event level talents they have. Pick: Seth Rollins
Sean Rueter: Last time I was sure Seth would get a win in this program. Now I don’t think he will, so should I pick him? pro wrestling Sports entertainment’s broken my brain. Actually, it was always that way. What are we talking about again? Oh yeah… Pick: Cody Rhodes
Kyle Decker: It’s weird for a guy towards the top of the card like Rollins to lose three matches in a row, but it would not make any sense for Cody to lose the blow off match when the whole entire point of this feud is to show everyone that Cody is the real deal now. Does WWE do things that don’t make sense? All the time. But I don’t think they will here. Pick: Cody Rhodes
Claire-Elizabeth: I’m kinda blown away that Cody won two in a row, but clearly part of his contract was being presented a certain way and getting a certain arc, so I can’t help but feel like he’s gonna go 3-0 and force Seth to move on. Pick: Cody Rhodes
Cain A.Knight: WWE is generally bad at booking babyfaces, but it should be obvious to keep Cody protected until he faces Roman Reigns. This is a trilogy sweep for the American Nightmare. Pick: Cody Rhodes
Stella Cheeks: This match, like the first two, exists to bolster Cody Rhodes in WWE. That way when he eventually takes the belt off Roman he has the numbers behind him. I mean, I’m still gonna complain, but as they say, the math don’t lie. Pick Cody Rhodes
Marcus Benjamin: While Cody didn’t go over “clean” in the first two matches with Seth, he still those wins. And Seth isn’t the complaining type since he’s a bad guy. But he’s obviously an important piece of this Cody puzzle, and Cody’s stepping stone to something greater. Pick: Cody Rhodes
United States Championship: Theory (c) vs. Mustafa Ali
Geno Mrosko: I really enjoy Mustafa Ali’s work, but he’s up against the wall here. Pick: Theory
Sean Rueter: Who does Ali think he is, Pat McAfee? Pick: Theory
Kyle Decker: Vince’s golden boy vs. the guy who desperately tried to leave the company? Yeah, c’mon now. Pick: Theory
Claire-Elizabeth: All I know is I’m gonna get real sad and the rest of the liveblog’s gonna be in lowercase with no formatting or line breaks if Theory wins. I just can’t, y’all. Pick: Mustafa Ali
Cain A.Knight: Mustafa Ali has been booked like a loser this entire feud. I don’t see why that would change here, especially with how poorly WWE typically books hometown heroes. Pick: Theory
Stella Cheeks: NO NO NO NO. I REFUSE TO PICK THEORY. NO! I WILL NOT MANIFEST THAT FUTURE. Pick: Mustafa Ali
Marcus Benjamin: Sig. Pick: Theory
2-on-1 Handicap: Omos & MVP vs. Bobby Lashley
Geno Mrosko: Can we talk about how utterly lame it is that they spent so much time getting Omos over as a big monster just to book him like this against Lashley? Omos needs a handicap match to win now? It’s not a good look. And I’m not even sure they’re going to win! Pick: Omos & MVP
Sean Rueter: Pretty sure this isn’t over either way, so… Eat Arby’s. Pick: Omos & MVP
Kyle Decker: This is booked so the two guys they need to protect can be protected. Lashley shouldn’t take another loss but neither should Omos. (Well, at least that they surely think Omos needs to be protected. I don’t care either way.) MVP allows them to have their cake and eat it too. Lashley pins him and Omos could look dominant before not getting pinned. Pick: Bobby Lashley
Claire-Elizabeth: Omos has all the articulation of a 1987 LJN WWF action figure. I love MVP dearly but he ain’t here to win. This is Lashley’s show and it always has been. Pick: Bobby Lashley
Cain A.Knight: MVP is in there to take the pin and help Omos save face in defeat. Or maybe Omos wins and we get more Omos/Lashley matches during the summer. That would sure be something. Pick: Bobby Lashley
Stella Cheeks: I mean, MVP has a new diss track out. Bobby has to be heated about it. A win here could get him back some streetcred. Pick: Bobby Lashley
Marcus Benjamin: Lashley needs this W. He cannot cannot lose this match to Omos. Pick: Bobby Lashley
No Holds Barred: Madcap Moss vs. Happy Corbin
Geno Mrosko: Please be the end of this. Pick: Madcap Moss
Sean Rueter: They wouldn’t end an impressive four match win streak on a C-level PLE, would they? Pick: Madcap Moss
Claire-Elizabeth: All I want is for Madcap to get renamed something colossally silly like Mean Moss. Corbin’ll bounce back, Moss gets to move on to be a midcard babyface who challenges GUNTHER after he wins the IC or something, everybody goes home neutral. Pick: Madcap Moss
Cain A.Knight: WWE would be cutting Madcap’s legs out from under him if he loses this match fresh off a gimmick change. But the stipulation does mean Happy can easily introduce a new henchman to help him win. Corbin always has a henchman, it’s in the rules. Pick: Happy Corbin
Stella Cheeks: Happy Corbin ain’t gonna be so happy come Sunday. His friendship is permanently being thrown in the trash right alongside Madcap’s suspenders. Pick: Madcap Moss
Marcus Benjamin: This feud needs an ending sometime, right? Pick: Madcap Moss
Ezekiel vs. Kevin Owens
Geno Mrosko: I’ve really enjoyed everything about this, and I just hope the match is equally as fun as everything leading up to it. Pick: Ezekiel
Sean Rueter: Now that we all understand that Ezekiel has always been Ezekiel, it’s just that he pretended to be Elias for a while, KO is focused. He’s got this one. Pick: Kevin Owens
Kyle Decker: This has been wildly entertaining, but I have no idea how it translates to a match. Kevin Owens isn’t too far off from main eventing WrestleMania with Stone Cold Steve Austin, so he should probably pick up the dub here. Meanwhile, Ezekiel can lose and still continue his act without issue. Pick: Kevin Owens
Claire-Elizabeth: Ezekiel wins by distraction when his brother Elias shows up, obviously. C’mon. Pick: Ezekiel
Cain A.Knight: Kevin Owens is so consumed and distracted with the narrative he’s built up in his head about Elias and Ezekiel being the same guy that he won’t be able to deliver the required level of wrestling proficiency needed to win this match. Pick: Ezekiel
Stella Cheeks: Kevin Owens is going to lose due to spontaneous combustion. One man can only take so much! Pick: Ezekiel
Marcus Benjamin: IF Elias shows, this might be the greatest match in the history of our sport. Kevin Owens is doing the Lord’s work with every segment, and I’m not sure where this goes once it’s all over. Hopefully we don’t meet that ending any time soon. Pick: Ezekiel.
The Judgment Day vs. Finn Balor & AJ Styles & Liv Morgan
Geno Mrosko: This is definitely where we get the new member and it’s absolutely one of the three on the babyface side, right? Pick: The Judgment Day
Sean Rueter: It won’t be clean, and will probably involve debuting a new member of Evil Edge’s squad (possibly someone on the other side of this match… dun dun DUUUN), but one of these teams is getting a push, and the other is AJ Styles & two people WWE loves to not have win big matches. Pick: The Judgment Day
Kyle Decker: AJ Styles really needs to pick up a win in this feud after dropping two Premium Live Event matches. But it’s difficult to pick against the established stable in favor of the more rag tag group. I’m going to lean towards AJ picking up his win by pinning Priest because he’s going to need to win eventually to get his one on one rematch. Pick: AJ Styles, Finn Balor, & Liv Morgan
Claire-Elizabeth: Team Legally Distinct From Bullet Club over, heels regroup and grab a member or members to complete their stable with a tag team after, boom. Pick: AJ Styles, Finn Balor, & Liv Morgan
Cain A.Knight: Damian Priest joined Edge at WrestleMania 38. Rhea Ripley joined Edge at WrestleMania Backlash. Finn Balor will join Edge at hell in a cell. Pick: The Judgment Day
Stella Cheeks: Liv Morgan is going to be too busy in Hollywood to team up with AJ Styles & Finn Bálor for long. She’s big time now! Pick: The Judgment Day
Marcus Benjamin: The heels gotta win this. The new stable can’t lose their first big match together. Look for a new member tonight for something newsworthy from the show. Pick: The Judgment Day
That’s how we see the card playing out.
You?