Hell in a Cell 2010 Hell in a Cell 2010 was a professional wrestling pay - per - view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment ( WWE ) that took place on October 3 , 2010 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas , Texas . It was the second annual Hell in a Cell event . Like the 2009 event , the event featured the Hell in a Cell match . Six matches took place at the event . Background . Hell in a Cell featured professional wrestling matches which involved different wrestlers from pre - existing scripted feuds , plots , and storylines that were played out on World Wrestling Entertainment ' s ( WWE ) television programs . Wrestlers portrayed villains or heroes as they followed a series of events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match . The main rivalry from the Raw brand featured the new champion Randy Orton against former champion Sheamus in a Hell in a Cell match for the WWE Championship . At Night of Champions , Orton won a six - pack challenge against Chris Jericho , Edge , John Cena , Wade Barrett and Sheamus to win the championship , following a winning streak leading up to the pay - per - view . The following night on " Raw " , Sheamus invoked his rematch clause for the championship . The Raw General Manager agreed to the match , allowing it to be contested as a Hell in a Cell match . The main rivalry from the SmackDown brand featured champion Kane against The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell match for the World Heavyweight Championship . The storyline saw Kane attack The Undertaker to put him in a vegetative state and steal his powers , which led to Kane dominating The Undertaker upon The Undertaker ' s return . At Night of Champions , Kane faced The Undertaker in a No Holds Barred match for the championship , which he won . In an attempt to get rid of The Undertaker for good , Kane challenged him to a Hell in a Cell match , a match originally conceived by The Undertaker . A returning Paul Bearer reunited with The Undertaker on " SmackDown " , however , restoring his powers . Another rivalry from " Raw " involved John Cena and Wade Barrett , the leader of a group of former " NXT " rookies known as The Nexus . Since their creation , The Nexus had assaulted several wrestlers on " Raw " , but focused mainly on Cena causing him to lose several championship matches . At Night of Champions , The Nexus attacked Cena which allowed Barrett to eliminate him from the six - pack challenge . The next day on " Raw " , both Cena and Barrett agreed to a match with the stipulation that if Barrett was to win , then Cena would join The Nexus . If Cena won , however , The Nexus would be forced to disband . Reception . Hell in a Cell was attended by an audience of 7 , 500 in the American Airlines Center in Dallas , Texas . The pay - per - view drew 210 , 000 buys , a decrease on the 2009 event buyrate of 283 , 000 . Writer Rob McNichol reviewed the pay - per - view for " The Sun " , rating it a six out of ten . He heavily criticized the match between Kane and The Undertaker , describing it variously as " embarrassing " , " infantile " , and a " debacle " . In contrast , he praised the opening match and the Hell in a Cell match between Randy Orton and Sheamus , stating that the latter was " easily the best match of the night . "