5 championships that will not be defended at WWE Hell in a Cell 2022
One of WWE's most popular gimmicks is Hell in a Cell. It is one of the most iconic matches the company has pioneered, and has given fans countless memorable moments over the years. Everyone rated it high enough for them to make it a whole pay-per-view, which has been a regular feature on the calendar for years.
2022's edition of WWE Hell in a Cell will take place on June 5. It will air on pay-per-view across the world from the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois. Six matches have been confirmed for the event, and fans will see performers' bodies and titles on the line.
But that last bit isn't entirely true. Not every championship is being defended at the show. In fact, some of the exclusions are extremely surprising, with the company running out of time to book them for the event.
On that note, we take a look at five championships that are not being defended at WWE Hell in a Cell 2022.
(As of June 1, 2022, these titles are not booked for the show. However, there is one last SmackDown show before Hell in a Cell, and things could change by the time it wraps up).
#5. On our list of championships not up for grabs at WWE Hell in a Cell: Women's Tag Team Championships
This is perhaps a bit harsh on WWE given the situation surrounding the Women's Tag Team Championships. Sasha Banks and Naomi's walkout is yet to be resolved, but the company reacted by announcing a tournament to crown new champions.
However, the titles will not be defended at Hell in a Cell. We will probably see the final of the tournament and the first title later on. The fact, however, remains that it is a major championship missing from the Hell in a Cell card.
#4. Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships
At this moment in time, The Usos are not scheduled to have their first title defense as Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions at Hell in a Cell. On RAW, however, Riddle and Shinsuke Nakamura won a Championship Contenders match by pinning the champions, making them the next challengers for the titles.
SmackDown will surely see developments to this storyline and a possible title match added to Hell in a Cell. However, at the time of writing, only six matches are on the show card, and The Usos are nowhere to be seen on it.
#3. Intercontinental Championship
Who is the current Intercontinental Champion?
If you took a moment to answer that, we don't blame you at all. WWE crowned Ricochet Intercontinental Champion and then made him disappear from television. He has barely defended his title since winning the gold, and is not even scheduled to do so at Hell in a Cell.
Ricochet not defending his title at the premium live event is more confusing when you factor in the United States Championship match between Theory and Mustafa Ali being added to the show this past week on RAW. The company not caring enough about the Intercontinental title is worrying, more so given the champion's lack of TV time.
#2. SmackDown Women's Championship
While Bianca Belair is set to defend her RAW Women's Championship against Asuka and Becky Lynch in a triple threat match at Hell in a Cell, SmackDown Women's Champion Ronda Rousey will not be a part of the show. This is a bit surprising given how much she has been spotlighted in recent weeks.
While Rousey and her title could still be booked for Sunday on SmackDown, it is not on the card at the moment. We wouldn't mind seeing her defend her championship against Raquel Rodriguez again, simply because her addition would instantly make the show more interesting.
#1. Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
Roman Reigns is reportedly taking a leave of absence from WWE and will only make sporadic appearances for a while. He has been pulled from advertising for all TV shows. As such, Reigns is not scheduled to defend his titles at Hell in a Cell.
In fact, come to think of it, he hasn't had a championship defense since he defeated Brock Lesnar and unified the two world titles the company had on offer. The good news is The Tribal Chief is advertised for Money in the Bank, SummerSlam and Clash at the Castle, so we will see it happen at some point down the line.
The six-time world champion was initially on the poster for Hell in a Cell, but was replaced by Cody Rhodes. It seems Rhodes vs. Rollins will be the main event of the show since it is the only Hell in a Cell match on the card.