5 Superstars rumored to be in a Hell in a Cell match that never had one
Hell in a cell is now a staple fixture for WWE It was once reserved for main event stars blowing off blood feuds. The advent of an annual PPV dedicated to the concept opened the door for more performers to get in on these amped-up cage matches.
In particular, guys WWE tries out in main event roles, or books into hot feuds during the relatively dead period between SummerSlam and Survivor Series, have a tendency to make their way into these matches. That’s how guys like Ryback, Cody Rhodes, and Ted Dibase Jr. all wound up working bouts in the Cell.
There are, however, those WWE Superstars who once looked headed for a Hell in a Cell collision who never did actually make between the Cell walls. This article takes a look back at five wrestlers rumoured at one time or another to partake in a Hell in a Cell match who never actually had one.
#5 Jinder Mahal
In the summer of 2017, WWE took a big chance in booking Jinder Mahal as WWE Champion. It was a questionable choice given that Mahal wasn’t proven as a draw, a worker, or a talker.
Many expected him to drop the title before long, and in particular when he defended it against rising star Shinsuke Nakamura at SummerSlam. When Mahal retained, the thinking shifted—that, regardless of who won, he and Nakamura might blow off their issue at the Hell in a Cell PPV, in a Hell in a Cell match.
While Mahal and Nakamura did have their rematch at that show, they stayed out of the Cell. Traditionally, a world championship has been defended inside the Devil’s Playground.
Instead, 2017 saw the SmackDown Tag Team Championships on the line there, and a grudge match between Kevin Owens and Shane McMahon get the main event spot in the event’s signature match.