4 recent WWE feuds that deserved a Hell in a Cell match at the PPV and 4 that did not
WWE Hell in a Cell is set to take place this Sunday, with three matches scheduled to happen inside the cage. Fortunately, all three matches are deserving of the Hell in a Cell stipulation. The issue with having gimmick-based pay-per-views is that WWE has to ensure that there are enough angles intense enough to warrant the stipulation in question.
The company has generally done a good job at building storylines so they peak in October, in time for Hell in a Cell. However, this has not always been the case. Over the years, WWE has given multiple feuds the Cell gimmick, despite it not organically fitting with the story. As a result, the ensuing matches felt forced.
Meanwhile, there have been several rivalries in September of previous years that were strong enough to feature inside Hell in a Cell at the namesake pay-per-view. WWE could have done with these organic Cell matches for the fall event, but they weren't to be.
Some of these matches happened at Hell in a Cell without the stipulation, had other Superstars added in the mix, or were simply scrapped from the show entirely. Here are four recent WWE feuds that deserved a Hell in a Cell match, and four that did not.
#8 AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe deserved a Cell match at WWE Hell in a Cell 2018
The WWE Championship rivalry between AJ Styles and Samoa Joe was spread across three pay-per-views, with the second one being Hell in a Cell. By then, they had reached an intensity in their program that warranted the Cell stipulation. Their SummerSlam match, while great, ended inconclusively when the Phenomenal One snapped at Joe, who cut a vicious mid-match promo on Styles' wife, Wendy.
This seemed to be the perfect set-up for a Hell in a Cell match between the pair. However, WWE opted to keep their hostilities out of the satanic structure. Styles and Joe still did well, although their match would have been even better with the Cell and some weapons being involved. The finish saw Styles pin his challenger and tap out at the same time, which would have still worked inside Hell in a Cell.
Perhaps, WWE was saving much of the brutality for their No DQ Match at Super ShowDown in Australia, but the Cell should have been used as a vehicle to get AJ Styles and Samoa Joe to that point, if not end the feud entirely.