5 WWE Hell in a Cell matches you probably forgot
On June 20, 2021, WWE will present the 13th Hell in a Cell pay-per-view, and this year will be the first time it takes place in June.
WWE has officially announced two Hell in a Cell matches: Roman Reigns vs. Rey Mysterio for the Universal Championship, and Bobby Lashley vs. Drew McIntyre for the WWE Title. These contests will likely be memorable like many others before them.
Most fans remember the hellacious steel cage match between Triple H and The Undertaker at WrestleMania 28. Jey Uso's emotional battle with Roman Reigns last year also remains a fresh memory. Yet, a handful of encounters inside the unforgiving steel structure have been forgotten.
Let's explore five Hell in a Cell matches that many members of the WWE Universe don't remember.
#5 CM Punk vs. The Undertaker for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship (2009)
The Phenom returned at SummerSlam 2009 after the TLC main event between CM Punk and Jeff Hardy. The Undertaker made his intentions clear: he wanted the World Heavyweight Championship.
The Hell in a Cell match between Punk and Taker was the first-ever at the inaugural pay-per-view. The Deadman and the Straight-Edge Superstar fought in an under-whelming, ten-minute encounter that failed to meet expectations. The challenger executed the Last Ride, a Chokeslam and Tombstone piledriver for the victory. Most fans didn't have a problem with Taker winning, but no memorable moment elicited a "This Is Awesome" chant from the live crowd.
Compared to The Phenom's list of fantastic Hell in a Cell matches, the battle with Punk is near the bottom of the list. Taker had a five-star match with Shawn Michaels in 1997, and a stellar "End of an Era" encounter with Triple H at WrestleMania 28, inside the unforgiving cage.
Three matches took place inside the cell that night in 2009, and the World Heavyweight Championship match was the least entertaining one. With nothing special about the in-ring combined with its short match time, it comes as no surprise that Taker vs. Punk has been forgotten.