Hell in a Cell (2009)

Background

The professional wrestling matches at Hell in a Cell featured professional wrestlers performing as characters in scripted events pre-determined by the hosting promotion, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Storylines between the characters were produced on WWE's weekly television shows Raw, SmackDown, and ECW with the Raw, SmackDown, and ECW brands—storyline divisions in which WWE assigned its employees to different programs.

Triple H and Shawn Michaels reformed their tag team unit D-Generation X at SummerSlam in a winning effort against The Legacy (Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes). Their confrontations continued in the coming weeks before leading to a falls count anywhere match that can only be won by submission, where The Legacy won. After one last major brawl between both teams the next night on Raw, it was announced later that night they would face one more time at the event inside Hell in a Cell.

At Breaking Point, World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk faced The Undertaker in a submission match. Despite Undertaker successfully forcing Punk to submit with his Hell's Gate submission hold, SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long restarted the match, declaring that Vickie Guerrero had banned the hold "a long time ago". Reminiscent of the Montreal Screwjob, Punk later locked in his Anaconda vise hold and despite Undertaker never submitting, Punk was declared the winner when referee Scott Armstrong called for the bell to be rang. On the September 18 episode of SmackDown, Undertaker kidnapped Long inside his limousine. Released from a casket a week later, a startled Long announced a reversal on the Hell's Gate ban and that a rematch between the two will take place at the event in a Hell in a Cell match.

At SummerSlam, Randy Orton had retained the WWE Championship in a controversial fashion as he intentionally got disqualified before ultimately retaining the title; WWE Chairman, Vince McMahon, announced a rematch at Breaking Point; an "I Quit" match which John Cena won. The next night on Raw, Orton received a rematch for the title from the night's guest matchmaker Trish Stratus at Hell in a Cell inside Hell in a Cell.

Dolph Ziggler continued his pursuit for the WWE Intercontinental Championship that he started in July when he won a triple threat match on the August 27 episode of WWE Superstars against Mike Knox and Finlay to become the number-one contender. A week later on SmackDown, John Morrison defeated Rey Mysterio to become the new Intercontinental Champion. The match between Ziggler and Morrison was originally set to take place at Breaking Point. However, the match was later postponed and subsequently announced to take place at Hell in a Cell instead.

Batista made his return to the company following a torn biceps brachii muscle and joined SmackDown, where he came into immediate conflict with Unified WWE Tag Team Champions Chris Jericho and The Big Show. After several confrontations with the team, Batista announced his contention for the titles at Hell in a Cell with partner Rey Mysterio.

Preliminary matches

The first match was a Hell in a Cell match between CM Punk and The Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Championship. Punk focused on Undertaker's leg in the early going. Punk hit Undertaker with a steel chair to score a near-fall. After Punk performed a Step-Up High Knee, Undertaker executed a Last Ride to score a near-fall. Punk then attempted to hit Undertaker with the chair again but Undertaker countered with a big boot. Undertaker executed a chokeslam followed by a Tombstone Piledriver to win the title.

The next match featured John Morrison defending the Intercontinental Championship against Dolph Ziggler. Control of the match shifted between both superstars. Morrison missed the Starship Pain in the early part of the match, after which Ziggler dominated until Morrison countered a powerslam attempt into a DDT. Morrison then missed a Flying Chuck, after which Ziggler executed a German suplex. Ziggler attempted to delivered a Zig-Zag but Morrison held onto the ropes and delivered Starship Pain to retain the title.

Next was the Divas Championship match between defending champion Mickie James and Alicia Fox. James dominated most of the match before countering a bridge attempt by Fox into a Mickie-DDT to score the pinfall and retain the title.

The next match was between Jeri-Show (Chris Jericho and Big Show) and Batista and Rey Mysterio for the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship. The challengers dominated the early part of the match, isolating Jericho from his partner. Batista executed a spinebuster on Jericho to score a near-fall, after which Jericho executed a Codebreaker on Batista to score a near-fall. Big Show then performed a chokeslam on Batista but Mysterio broke the pinfall. Batista speared both Jericho and Show on the outside. Rey then executed a 619 on Show but was struck with a knockout punch while attempting a West Coast Pop. Show then pinned Rey to retain the titles.

Main event matches

The first main event match was a Hell in a Cell match for the WWE Championship between champion John Cena and Randy Orton. Both competitors had control at different points of the match. Cena used the cage to his advantage when he slammed Orton twice into the cage wall. When Cena attempted to slam Orton a third time the challenger pushed him into the wall instead. Orton then attempted to drive Cena onto the steel steps but Cena bodyslammed the challenger to the outside. Orton then executed his middle-rope DDT for a near-fall. Cena followed with an Attitude Adjustment but Orton kicked out. Orton hit Cena on the neck with a steel chair, followed by a pin attempt which Cena kicked out. Cena applied the STF to Orton but Orton managed to get to the ropes. When Cena attempted another STF Orton pushed him off, knocking the referee out in the process. Cena applied another STF and Orton tapped out, but the referee was unconscious at the time. After Cena checked on the referee, Orton executed an RKO but Cena kicked out. Orton then delivered a punt kick to win the title.

The next match featured R-Truth against Drew McIntyre. R-Truth executed a dropkick and leg lariat in the early going before McIntyre executed a big boot and a clothesline. McIntyre attempted twice to executed the Future Shock but Truth countered each one until McIntyre threw him from the top rope. McIntyre followed with the Future Shock to score the pinfall.

Next was a Triple Threat match for the United States Championship between champion Kofi Kingston, The Miz and Jack Swagger. Miz and Swagger worked together to deliver a double clothesline and double Irish whip to Kingston. Miz however attacked Swagger and executed his signature moves. Swagger hoisted Miz on his shoulders for an electric chair and Kingston executed Miz with a crossbody at the same time. Swagger delivered a belly-to-belly suplex on Kingston and covered him but Miz broke the pin. Kingston afterwards performed a Boom Drop on Swagger but Miz broke that pin too. Swagger attempted a German suplex on Miz but Kingston hit him with the Trouble in Paradise. Miz the delivered a Skull-Crushing Finale to Kingston but Swagger put Kingston's foot on the rope. Swagger executed a Gutwrench Powerbomb on Miz after which Kingston executed another Trouble in Paradise on Swagger. Kingston then pinned Miz to retain his title.

The final match was a Hell in a Cell tag team match between D-Generation-X (Triple H and Shawn Michaels) and The Legacy (Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase). Rhodes and DiBiase attacked DX during their entrance which led to a brawl outside the cage before the match even started. Rhodes delivered a Cross Rhodes on the entrance ramp to Triple H. Legacy then put Michaels inside the cage and locked the door with HHH outside. Rhodes and DiBiase focused on Michaels' knee, performing knee breakers ramming it into the steel post. HBK fought back, delivering an atomic drop, chops and a Sweet Chin Music to DiBiase. However, Legacy continued to dominate Michaels as Triple H tried to break the lock with a chair. Triple H then left, seemingly abandoning HBK, but returned with pliers and opened the door, attacking Rhodes and DiBiase. Triple H then punched DiBiase using a chain and delivered a Pedigree on him, then left him outside the cage and locked the door. HHH and HBK finished Rhodes off with a sledgehammer/Sweet Chin Music to win the match. After the match, DiBiase entered the ring but was struck with a Sweet Chin Music, thus ending the show.

Reception

Hell In A Cell received generally mixed reviews. The Sun gave the event a mixed review. The newspaper praised the quality of the wrestling, but criticized the usage of the cell, claiming it pointless for the first two cell matches, and only marginally utilized in the third. They noted, "[The] current PG rating is polluting the quality of the matches, allowing for no Blood." Overall they awarded the event a 6.5/10.

In a more positive review, Chris and Bryan Sokol of SLAM! Wrestling awarded the World Championship match a 6 out of 10, the WWE Championship match an 8 out of 10, and the main event tag team match a 7 out of 10. Overall, they awarded the event a 7 out of 10.