Rasslin’ Roundtable for WWE Hell in a Cell 2016 PPV

Features, Top Story

Tonight is the Raw branded PPV Hell in a Cell 2016! Here is our full preview and predictions.

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for the WWE Universal Championship
Kevin Owens (c) vs. Seth Rollins

Spain: I’ve been keeping an eye on this rivalry, and I just have this feeling that there won’t be a title switch here. It feels like the kind of thing they’ll want to swerve folks on, so I see Kevin Owens retaining here, against seemingly all the odds.
Winner (and still WWE Universal Champion): Kevin Owens

Brittney – This match will definitely be an edge of your seat match. Rollins and Owens put on a great show together and now, with the added element of being inside the cell we can safely expect a lot here from these guys. As for who will win a lot depends on how WWE wants to handle all the moving pieces of this feud (i.e. how long they want Owens as champ, Chris Jericho’s involvement, etc). I’m torn on which way it will go but either way we all will get a great show.
Winner- Seth Rollins

Michael – I don’t see any reason why they would take the belt off Owens at this point. My guess is Rollins makes a mistake and Owens gets a cheap rollup or something. That way both men maintain some strength as they hopefully move on to something else, because this feud just isn’t doing it for me.
Winner: Kevin Owens

Widro – There will probably be some inteference by Chris Jericho in some way and I don’t see a title change.
Winner: Owens

20161005_hiac_match_sasha-db732d9daef5ab45184204c9bc65546fHell in a Cell match Hell in a Cell match for the WWE Raw Women’s Championship
Sasha Banks (c) vs. Charlotte

Spain: I can’t overstate how psyched I am for this match. Don’t even give a damn who wins, although my money is on Sasha Banks: no reason at all except it seems more likely.
Winner (and still WWE Raw Women’s Champion): Sasha Banks

Brittney – Let’s state the obvious right away – This match is history making. That being said I’m both excited and concerned for what that could mean for these two women. WWE may not want them to go too far down the brutality path because of their gender, the risk they are taking with having this match and, honestly because they need to make it possible for future female wrestlers to “top” this one. I hope they aren’t limited too much this time around but we won’t know until Sunday.
Winner- Sasha Banks

Michael – It appears to me that the focus of this match has been, “Hey, look. We have two women fighting in a Hell in a Cell match!” instead of focusing on the competitors. That is a shame, as Sasha and Charlotte have the potential to steal the show here. In fact, I think this has the potential to be the best match on the card. But I think the championship hot potato continues here.
Winner: Charlotte

Widro – Could be great or a trainwreck.
Winner: Banks

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WWE Cruiserweight Championship
T.J. Perkins (c) vs. Brian Kendrick

Spain: I know next to nothing about this division, so I’m going to say Brian Kendrick because he lost last time.
Winner (and new WWE Cruiserweight Champion): Brian Kendrick

Brittney – Who else is excited to see the cruiserweight division featured not only once but twice this ppv? I know the six man match will be on the pre-show but hey, it still counts. As for this match I’m unsure how it will turn out. WWE has to keep the title scene interesting and believable. Out of all the divisions they really need to b careful with this one until it is more established in new fans minds. The timing of title changes could completely alter how fans see this division so let’s hope this is handled correctly, no matter who wins. As for t competitors we have a great juxtaposition between TJ Perkins and Brian Kendrick. The match will be like a CWC match so therefore we can reasonably expect a good level of show stealing here. It may not steal the entire show but I feel like this is a match everyone will talk about on Monday.
Winner- Brian Kendrick

Michael – To someone who hasn’t been paying much attention to Raw recently, the buildup for this match seems to have mainly focused on the challenger. I think the WWE sees the Cruiserweights floundering a bit and they think they have a known commodity in Brian Kendrick to fall back on, which is not really too far off. Let’s get a heel champion and let the crowd cheer for the plucky underdogs, since that seems to be how they want to promote everyone in the division.
Winner: Brian Kendrick

Widro – Based on booking I think we will see a title change here.
Winner: Kendrick

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WWE Raw Tag Team Championship
The New Day (Big E, Kofi Kingston and/or Xavier Woods) (c) vs. Cesaro and Sheamus

Spain: I think to make this whole “odd couple” thing work, Sheamus and Cesaro need the gold. The New Day has earned all of the praise they can get, and it’s time to switch the belts onto someone who can do something more with them: that’s these two.
Winners (and new WWE Raw Tag Team Champions): Cesaro and Sheamus

Brittney – First things first. I love The New Day. They are entertaining and having met t earlier this year I can safely say they are very nice people motivated and loyal to their fans. Now, with that being said they have held the titles way too long, at the expense of many established tag teams. So, what does it say if they held them against well known teams but drop them to a strange bedfellows pairing of Sheamus and Cesaro? I’m not sure if it’s the best move or not but I still feel like either way this match will be interesting to see.
Winner- Sheamus and Cesaro

Michael – Wow, I feel like I could just copy and paste my thoughts on the last few New Day PPV matches. The New Day doesn’t need the belts at this point. In fact, they have gotten a bit stale as champs. But then we have Sheamus and Cesaro. Does the WWE throw a bone to the Cesaro section and give him a run with the tag titles? Are we supposed to cheer or boo the wacky tag team that dislikes each other? Or boo one and cheer the other? Or do you turn one of them? Sheamus was lousy as a face and Cesaro is too well liked to be an effective heel. Is this all just a prelude to more Cesaro vs. Sheamus matches once they fail to capture the titles? I really just don’t know where they are going with all this, so I will guess they keep it status quo.
Winner: The New Day

Widro – The Sheamus/Cesaro team isn’t clicking too well and although WWE loves mismatched tag champs, I don’t think now is the time.
Winner: New Day

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Enzo Amore and Big Cass vs. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson

Spain: As far as I can tell, Gallows and Anderson have been made to look like bitches, so it seems likely that Enzo and Cass will take this one pretty easily.
Winners: Enzo and Cass

Brittney – Speaking of tag teams who have lost to the New Day, both of these teams deserve some credibility and a shot at the titles so I feel that whoever wins this match will have the chance to face whoever walks out with the titles on Sunday. The teams balance each other out personality wise so it’ll be fun to see the hard hitting Gallows and Anderson v. Enzo and Cass and their comedic style. Let’s be clear that Enzo and Cass, despite being comedic relief, should be taken seriously.
Winner- Enzo & Cass

Michael – Gallows and Anderson have been made to look like complete losers so far in their WWE run. Like bad losers. Donald Trump-level losers. So what does creative do about it? Have them go after one of the more popular teams in the division and kick their asses. Maybe the beatings on Amore and Cass can resurrect any idea that Gallows and Anderson are formidable. But this is the WWE, and you know how that goes.
Winner: Enzo Amore and Big Cass

Widro – Great to see two layers of feuds in the tag division.
Winner: Anderson & Gallows

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Bayley vs. Dana Brooke

Spain: One of these women has a future. The other is Dana Brooke.
Winner: Bayley

Brittney – Another good moment for the women’s division as they also get two matches on this ppv. Bayley and Dana have been slowly building heat to this rivalry while letting Sasha and Charlotte fight for the title. Just as it is with the Gallows & Anderson v. Enzo and Cass match, whoever wins this one should be in line for a title shot in the future. These women have good chemistry and the ability to put on a good match so I think this one will be fun.
Winner- Bayley

Michael – WWE, you give Bayley the victory here and you make it impressive. Give Dana Brooke some offense, but have Bayley go over big. If you want, have Nia Jax attack after the match and beat her down, but give her the win.
Winner: Bayley

Widro – This has been dragging down Bayley, I hope she wins and moves on.
Winner: Bayley

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Hell in a Cell match for the WWE United States Championship
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Rusev (with Lana)

Spain: I really don’t see Rusev being able to get the job done, least of all inside the Cell. Call it a win for Roman and an end to the rivalry.
Winner: Roman Reigns

Brittney – I’m going to be honest here. I don’t know who will win or even my own best guess as to who will win. The fans are slowly starting to get behind Roman again and Rusev is gaining some of his threatening disposition back too. With these men in the cell a lot can happen. So, what does it mean for the title? Who knows, I’m flipping a coin on this one.
Winner – Rusev

Michael – No one cares. No one cares. No one cares. No one cares. (Maybe if I say it often enough the WWE will get the idea.)
Winner: Roman Reigns (and the feud will continue because what else are these shlubs going to do)

Widro – This should not be in Hell in a Cell, and Roman should be on the short list to be released.
Winner: Reigns

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Cedric Alexander, Lince Dorado and Sin Cara vs. Tony Nese, Drew Gulak and Ariya Daivari

Spain: No idea who most of these guys are at all.
Winners: The team with Sin Cara on it

Brittney – For me this match means one thing – I’ll actually be interested and excited for the pre-show! While the matches on the pre-show haven’t been bad I haven’t always been exicted for them. However, now that we have the cruiserweight division featured I think it’s safe to say this may be the most viewers WWE has gotten for a pre-show match to date.
Winner: Cedric Alexander, Lince Dorado and Sin Cara

Michael – Complete and total honesty here – I don’t care about 5 of these guys. Maybe I will grow to care about them, but for now, they are just fodder for Cedric Alexander to destroy in his climb to championship glory.
Winner: Cedric Alexander. And maybe his teammates.

Widro – Should be a great in ring match if given any time.
Winner: Cedric Alexander, Lince Dorado and Sin Cara

Jonathan Widro is the owner and founder of Inside Pulse. Over a decade ago he burst onto the scene with a pro-WCW reporting style that earned him the nickname WCWidro. Check him out on Twitter for mostly inane non sequiturs