Hell in a Cell

The Hell In A Cell is a type of professional wrestling match sometimes seen in World Wrestling Entertainment where the ring and ringside area are surrounded by a roofed steel cage. The cell differs from the cage used in a cage match, having a roof (cages in traditional cage matches have no roof) and a wide space between the ring apron and the cell (cage match cages hug the ring closely). Hell in a Cell matches are rare; there have been only 13 such matches in the WWE since the first in 1997. Due to the logistical difficulty in setting them up and their dangerous nature, Hell in a Cell matches are generally seen only at pay per view events.

Despite the "locked in" theme of the match, many Cell matches have featured wrestlers fighting outwith and even atop the Cell:

• In the first Cell match, the door was unlocked to allow the removal of an injured cameraman.
• In the Mankind / Undertaker Cell match, the competitors began the match on top of the cage, and entered through a hole in the roof rather than through the door.
• In the Triple H / Cactus Jack Cell match, Cactus Jack charged the Cell wall until it broke.
• In the six man Cell match, Vince McMahon used a truck to pull off the door of the Cell while attempting to destroy the Cell and stop the match.
• In the Triple H / Chris Jericho Cell match, the door was opened with bolt cutters to allow the removal of the injured referee Tim White.

The Undertaker v. Shawn Michaels

The Hell in a Cell was first introduced in this match at the Bad Blood pay-per-view event on October 5, 1997, as a means to prevent Shawn Michaels' D-Generation X allies from disrupting or interfering with the match. The Undertaker lost to Michaels by pinfall after interference.

This match also featured the first appearance of The Undertaker's on-screen brother, Kane. The house lights went out and the sound of a church organ was heard, and The Undertaker's former manager Paul Bearer came out to the ring with Kane, who until that point had been thought to be dead. Kane performed his own version of the Tombstone Piledriver on The Undertaker. Michaels then crawled over The Undertaker for the pin. After the match, a feud started between The Undertaker and Kane. Template:Sect-stub

The Undertaker v. Mankind

One of the most famous professional wrestling incidents occurred during a Hell in a Cell match at WWE King of the Ring in 1998 between The Undertaker (Mark Calaway) and Mankind (Mick Foley). The match was supposed to start inside the ring as per a standard match. However, both men climbed on top of the cage before the bell had even rung. After a brutal battle on top of the cage, in one of the most viewed moments in professional wrestling history, the Undertaker threw Mankind off the top of the cage through the Spanish language announcers' table, narrowly avoiding monitors and other A/V equipment. Emergency medical technicians and other staff quickly rushed to his aid, while announcer Jim Ross screamed "As God is my witness, he is broken in half!". Foley was strapped to a gurney, and the technicians started to carry him up the entrance ramp. Meanwhile, Undertaker remained atop the Hell in a Cell, which had begun to rise back towards the ceiling. Fans began to realize that this turn of events was real (rather than worked) when Terry Funk—in reality a good friend of Foley, but at the time involved in a feud with Mankind—came out to his side to check on his condition.

However, Mankind fought off help, got off of the gurney, and walked back towards the ring. The cage was lowered back down to the ground and, despite a separated shoulder among other injuries, he managed to climb back on top the Cell. During the ensuing fight, both wrestlers were standing on the roof of the steel cage, which was buckling under their weight, when Undertaker chokeslammed Mankind; unfortunately (and unscripted) the cage roof gave way and Mankind fell through and into the ring where he suffered a concussion. The Undertaker jumped down and improvised some delaying actions with the assistance of Funk to give Mankind a few minutes to recover. Despite suffering from a head injury, Mankind was able to continue and finish the match, which ended when The Undertaker chokeslammed Mankind onto a pile of thumbtacks and followed up with a Tombstone Piledriver, winning by pinfall.

A famous picture of that event depicts Mick Foley apparently smiling and licking his lips while one of his broken teeth, which he had aspirated into his sinus cavity, protrudes from his nostril. For his part, Foley claims that he was using his tongue to check and see how many teeth he had broken, and that he was in a stupor from the immense pain that was inflicted upon him. Foley has also claimed that he had introduced the idea of the throw from the top of the cage earlier in the day; Calaway at first resisted, asking him, "Mick, do you want to die?", but eventually agreed.

Many elements of this match, including the fall through the roof of the cage, were reused in Mick Foley's retirement match against Triple H at No Way Out.

Hell in a Cell history

• WWE Bad Blood (5 October 1997): The Undertaker v Shawn Michaels
• WWE Monday Night RAW (15 June 1998): The Undertaker and Stone Cold Steve Austin v Mankind and Kane
• WWE King Of The Ring (28 June 1998): The Undertaker v Mankind
• WWE Monday Night RAW (24 August 1998): Mankind v Kane
• WWE WrestleMania XV (28 March 1999): The Undertaker v The Big Boss Man
• WWE Unforgiven (26 September 1999): Al Snow v The Big Boss Man (Kennel From Hell match)
• WWE No Way Out (27 February 2000): Triple H v Cactus Jack
• WWE Armageddon (10 December 2000): The Undertaker v Triple H v Stone Cold Steve Austin v The Rock v Kurt Angle v Rikishi Phatu
• WWE Judgment Day (19 May 2002): Triple H v Chris Jericho
• WWE No Mercy (20 October 2002): Brock Lesnar v The Undertaker
• WWE Bad Blood (15 June 2003): Triple H v Kevin Nash with special guest referee Mick Foley
• WWE Bad Blood (13 June 2004): Triple H v Shawn Michaels
• WWE Vengeance (26 June 2005): Triple H v Batista

• The Cell itself was used during the First Blood match between Steve Austin and Kane in June 1998 but was not a Hell in a Cell match.