4 times a WWE Superstar fell from the top of Hell in a Cell
WWE Hell in a Cell 2022 is set to stream on Peacock next Sunday. The event is based around the iconic Hell in a Cell match type, which has a dangerous history. Those who have entered the structure will never forget their experience. Some feel the lasting effects years or even decades later.
It was first introduced in 1997 in the pay-per-view In Your House: Badd Blood. The Undertaker battled Shawn Michaels in a historic match. Since then, the match has become a staple in WWE, known primarily for being barbaric.
Many Hell in a Cell matches are bloody or brutal. The cage is meant to keep the wrestlers inside, but some superstars have found their way out of the structure. A few brave souls even climbed to the top. Unfortunately, not all of them came down the same way they went up.
Below are 4 times a WWE Superstar fell from the top of Hell in a Cell.
#4. Shane O’Mac took a leap of faith while battling Kevin Owens
Shane McMahon is a daredevil. The son of a billionaire has taken risks most wouldn't dream of doing for millions of dollars, yet he doesn't need to take a single one. Two of his most dangerous stunts took part during a Hell in a Cell match.
The most recent took place at WWE Hell in a Cell 2017. Shane McMahon took on Kevin Owens inside the barbaric structure at the event. This time, however, Falls Count Anywhere rules were in effect. The two had a heated feud in part due to Owens viciously assaulting Mr. McMahon on an episode of SmackDown.
Shane, desperate for vengeance, attacked the Canadian star before the match even started but the two eventually got into the cage and had a wild brawl. Eventually, the former European Champion used bolt cutters to open the door to the cell and the two brawled around ringside, then up and down the structure.
At one point, Shane had Owens sprawled out on the commentary table and climbed to the top of the cage. He then took a leap of faith hoping to crush KO, but instead Owens' former best friend Sami Zayn pulled Kevin away from the table.
This led to McMahon crashing and burning through the table. Sami helped the former Universal Champion cover Shane for the win, but the incredible bump is what fans remembers most.
#3. Shane McMahon leapt off the top of the Hell in a Cell against The Undertaker
Best moment at @WWE #wrestlemania: Shane McMahon jumping off the top of the cage, but Undertaker gets out of the way https://t.co/Ztl1kFxmrX
As spectacular as Shane's bump with Kevin Owens was, it wasn't the first time the former European Champion flew off the Hell in a Cell structure. In 2016, Shane McMahon made his return to WWE after being away from the company for several years.
He was immediately in an angle with his father and Stephanie McMahon. This led to Mr. McMahon forcing his son into a cell with the legendary Undertaker at WrestleMania 32.
Both men had reason to fight, even if their issues weren't with one another. If Shane won, he'd be given control of the RAW brand. If The Undertaker lost, Vince declared he'd never be allowed to compete at WrestleMania again.
While Shane did get some offense against The Deadman, he was primarily outmatched for most of the fight. At one stage, The Undertaker slammed the former Hardcore Champion into the unforgiving steel so forcefully it broke the duo free of the confines of the cage.
This eventually allowed McMahon to get a few licks in. He used whatever he found to keep The Phenom down, including a toolbox and ringside monitors.
Once The Undertaker was sprawled out onto the announcer's table, Shane climbed to the top of the cell. He leapt off the top only for his foe to move. Shane violently crashed into the table. From there, The Undertaker hit the Tombstone Piledriver and won the bout.
#2. Rikishi was pushed off the top of the cell
While Shane McMahon fell from the top of the Hell in a Cell structure on two occasions, both of those examples were by his own choosing. Not every WWE Superstar who flew from the top of the cage did so as an offensive maneuver.
At Armageddon 2000, a six-man Hell in a Cell match took place. The lineup included is a who's-who of those in WWE at the time. The match featured Rikishi, The Undertaker, Kurt Angle, The Rock, Triple H, and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Then-WWF Commissioner Mick Foley made the match, but Mr. McMahon was doing everything he could to stop it from taking place.
As expected, a match with six stars involved was a chaotic brawl. While the men were fighting, Mr. McMahon came out with a truck in an attempt to tear down the cage. This misguided attempt to end the match backfired on the Chairman, as all he did was rip open the door before police escorted him away. The open door then allowed the superstars to battle all over.
At one point, The Undertaker and Rikishi were brawling on top of the cage. The audience was then shocked when the Undertaker pushed the superheavyweight and Rikishi went flying down into the bed of the truck which was filled with pine chips. Kurt Angle eventually picked up a fluke win over The Rock, but Rikishi's fall is is what left a lasting impression.
#1. Mankind was thrown off the structure by The Undertaker
years ago today when @undertaker threw @RealMickFoley OFF and THROUGH Hell in a Cell.“Will somebody stop the damn match!?”
Time stood still 2️⃣3️⃣ years ago today when @undertaker threw @RealMickFoley OFF and THROUGH Hell in a Cell. https://t.co/CGtwPNK4PU
The final entry is a match almost any professional wrestling fan knows. While the first ever Hell in a Cell bout between Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker put the match on the map, the most famous bout was between The Undertaker and Mankind.
The legendary match took place at the 1998 King of the Ring event. The two stars had battled frequently over the previous few years in various match types, including a Boiler Room Brawl and a Buried Alive Match. The duo were next set to compete in the most dangerous match of all time.
Before the match even began, the two superstars climbed to the top of the cage and fought. They traded blows until eventually they reached the edge of the structure. The Undertaker then threw Mankind off the Hell in a Cell and he crashed into a table below. Somehow, Foley recovered and climbed up the cage again only to be chokeslammed through the top. His body landed in the ring.
Despite the two huge falls, the legendary superstars wrestled for a little longer, even using thumbtacks before The Undertaker hit the Tombstone Piledriver for the win. That ended what may have been the most memorable match in pro wrestling history.
Three men have flown off the top of the Hell in a Cell structure on four occasions. While this is unlikely to happen again anytime soon, these incidents are a reminder that anything can happen in WWE.