Hell In A Cell (2018)

The logo for Hell In A Cell 2018

**Hell In A Cell (2018)** was a professional wrestling pay per view event produced by War Hawks Entertainment Inc. for their Raw brand. It took place Monday, October 15, 2018 from the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. It was the first event in the WHEI Hell In A Cell Chronology. It was also be the 2nd Raw exclusive pay per view of season 3, and the 5th pay per view of season 3 overall.

Despite the Universe Mode being put on hiatus Ironman vowed to finish all currently scheduled pay per views in order to finish up storylines.

In the main event, Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Samoa Joe and Drew McIntyre in a triple threat Hell In A Cell Match to retain the WHEI Universal Championship.

Also at the event Asuka defeated Raw Co-General Manager Guardian to retain the WHEI Raw Women's Championship and Savage & Canadian ("Macho Man" Randy Savage & Kevin Owens) defeated The Club (Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson) to win the WHEI Raw Tag Team Championship in the nights other two Cell Matches.

## Background

The card consisted of matches resulting from scripted storylines that played out on WHEI's Raw brand. With the main attraction of the event being the eponymous Cell. Storylines played out on the War Hawks' weekly Twitch show *Monday Night Raw*. Wrestlers portrayed heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters as they built tension that lead to a match or series of matches heading into the event.

Following last month's Unforgiven pay per view Juggernaut announced that at the next pay per view, three matches would be contested inside the Cell. Those matches would be for the Universal, Tag Team, and Women's Championships.

The primary feud heading into the event was between Shinsuke Nakamura, Samoa Joe and Drew McIntyre. With the three of them feuding over the WHEI Universal Championship. After losing the championship to Joe at Unforgiven, Shinsuke Nakamura assumed he would be getting his rematch at Hell In A Cell, however he was informed that this would not be the case. Juggernaut informed him he would instead have to earn his rematch, and on the 8th episode of Season 3 of Raw, placed him in a Fatal 4 Way #1 Contenders Match also involving McIntyre, Roman Reigns, and The Undertaker ('00). After McIntyre won the match he was attacked by Nakamura who said no one was getting a match for the title before he got his rematch. Juggernaut told him he would get his rematch next week, and if he won, it would be a triple threat Hell In A Cell Match for the title at the pay per view. On the 9th episode of Raw Nakamura defeated Joe to win back the title, thus making it a Triple Threat.

A secondary feud heading into the event was between Shield member Dean Ambrose and Raw co-General Manager Juggernaut. With the two feuding over the WHEI Intercontinental Championship. On the eighth episode of season 3 of Raw, Ambrose won a triple threat match also involving The Miz and Undisputed Era member Roderick Strong to earn the right to face Juggernaut at the event. He then vowed to take one of Juggernaut's two championships away from him, one way or another. Juggernaut came out and wished him luck, saying he would need it.

Another secondary feud heading into the event also involved Raw co-General Manager Juggernaut, this time against with the two feuding over Juggernaut's WHEI European Championship. After weeks of holding open challenges to see who could take his title away from him, Juggernaut finally set up a #1 Contenders Match on the 9th episode of Raw. The match involved Adam Cole, John Cena ('06), Big Boss Man ('91), and Vader, which was won by Vader. After the match Vader promised to break Juggernaut in half at the pay per view and take his title. Juggernaut came out and told him he would regret those words.

Another feud heading into the event was between Savage & Canadian ("Macho Man" Randy Savage & Kevin Owens) and The Club (Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson) with the teams feuding over the WHEI Raw Tag Team Championship. At Unforgiven, Savage & Canadian challenged The Club for the title in a losing effort, but were attacked shortly there after. The next night on Raw Juggernaut put them in a #1 Contenders Match against The Guerillas Of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) to give them an opportunity at payback. They won the match and then proceeded to vow that the Club would not leave the Cell with the title.

Another feud heading into the event was between Raw co-General Manager and manager of the Raw women's division Guardian and Asuka. With the two feuding over the WHEI Raw Women's Championship. After Asuka seemingly went out of control following her loss to Sasha Banks at SummerSlam, she regularly butted heads with Guardian. This only increased after she regained the championship, as she taunted Guardian, who had yet to win a match in season 3. Guardian challenged Asuka to a match at Hell In A Cell but was denied, however Beth Phoenix agreed to face her in a #1 Contenders match that night. Guardian won the match and had a confrontation with the champion later in the night.

## Event

### Preliminary Matches

The pay per view opened with a Tornado Tag Team Hell In A Cell Match for the WHEI Raw Tag Team Championship with The Club (Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson) defending against Savage & Canadian ("Macho Man" Randy Savage & Kevin Owens). After a brief back and forth match Owens pinned Anderson following a Pop Up Powerbomb to win the match for his team and the title.

This was followed by a match between The Shield's Seth Rollins and The Undisputed Era's Adam Cole. After an awesome back and forth match Cole hit the Canadian Destroyer and pinned Rollins for the win.

Then was a match for the WHEI European Championship between champion and Raw Co-General Manager Juggernaut and Vader. After a long and hard fought match Juggernaut hit the Jackhammer and pinned Vader to win the match and retain the title.

After that was a Hell In A Cell Match for the WHEI Raw Women's Championship with Raw Co-General Manager Guardian challanging Asuka. In the end after being put in her own submission hold Asuka put Guardian in the Asuka Lock and forced her to submit to win the match and retain the title.

Next was a match between Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle ('06). After a back and forth match that has been expected of the two since they know each other so well Lesnar hit Angle with an F5 to win the match.

The penultimate match was for the WHEI Intercontinental Championship with Juggernaut defending against the Shield's Dean Ambrose. After a short squash match Juggernaut hit the Jackhammer to win the match and retain the title.

### Main Event

The main event was a Triple Threat Hell In A Cell Match for the WHEI Universal Championship with Shinsuke Nakamura defending against former champion Samoa Joe and Drew McIntyre. After a long, grueling, but very nice match Nakamura hit McIntyre with the Kinshasa twice, once while he was kneeling and once from a standing position and pinned him to win the match and retain the title.