WWE Hell in a Cell 2017 airs this Sunday from the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. WWE Champion Jinder Mahal defends his title against “The Artist” Shinsuke Nakamura and Shane McMahon battles Kevin Owens inside the Hell in a Cell.
Kickoff Show:
Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin vs Hype Bros
WWE really hasn’t done anything with Gable and Benjamin since making them a team. Zack Ryder and Mojo Rawley haven’t been on the same page lately and that has cost them some matches. Gable and Benjamin will win this match and the Hype Bros will once again argue after the loss. Pick: Gable & Benjamin
Main Card:
Dolph Ziggler vs Bobby Roode
Ziggler has spent the past several weeks mocking various Superstars entrances. Bobby Roode finally confronted him and challenged him to a match at WWE Hell in a Cell 2017. Ziggler accepted and then on Tuesday night’s SmackDown, Dolph said that Roode was nothing more than an entrance. Roode picks up the victory on Sunday in a competitive match and proves that he is much more than a glorious entrance. Pick: Bobby Roode
Randy Orton vs Rusev
Orton defeated Rusev at SummerSlam in ten seconds. Rusev then defeated Orton on an episode of SmackDown very quickly, after Orton was distracted by Aiden English. Rusev and English celebrated the first ever “Rusev Day” a couple of weeks ago. It didn’t end well for Rusev as he was hit with an RKO out of nowhere. Orton defeated English on Tuesday night while Rusev was at ringside. Rusev gets the win with help from Aiden English on Sunday night and hopefully this boring feud comes to an end. Pick: Rusev
SmackDown Women’s Championship: Natalya (c) vs Charlotte
Natalya has gotten the better of Charlotte recently and made her tap out to the Sharpshooter on Tuesday night’s episode of SmackDown. Charlotte was distracted by Carmella hitting Becky Lynch with the MITB briefcase outside the ring and Natalya took advantage. Charlotte will eventually win the title, but I feel like this feud is going to continue after Sunday. Natalya cheats to win and holds onto her title for now. Pick: Natalya
SmackDown Tag Team Championship Hell in a Cell Match: New Day (c) vs The Usos
The Usos and New Day essentially are the entire SmackDown tag division right now. The two teams cut a promo on each other on Tuesday night. There hasn’t been a lot to this feud as of late, it is just the two best teams on SmackDown battling one more time. I think this match might wind up stealing the show and New Day will retain their titles. Pick: New Day
United States Championship: AJ Styles (c) vs Baron Corbin
Corbin has been embarrassing himself on a weekly basis since the final episode of SmackDown before SummerSlam where he lost his MITB cash in match. On Tuesday night, Corbin lost to Tye Dillinger via a roll-up. Styles then appeared on the jumbotron and said that Corbin always takes short cuts and that won’t work on Sunday. I think Corbin has been embarrassed enough and I also believe AJ Styles needs to be in the WWE Championship picture. Styles loses the title on Sunday but heads back to the main event where he belongs. Pick & New United States Champion: Baron Corbin
WWE Championship: Jinder Mahal (c) vs Shinsuke Nakamura
This entire feud has been Jinder Mahal and the Singh Brothers poking fun of Nakamura’s appearance and the way he talks. On Tuesday night, Mahal attacked Nakamura from beind and then planted him with the Khallas. Mahal defeated Nakamura at SummerSlam with the help of the Singh Brothers. I’m expecting something similar to happen on Sunday. I’d much rather see Shinsuke with the title, but I think Mahal is going to hold onto the WWE Championship for now. Pick: Jinder Mahal
Hell in a Cell Match: Kevin Owens vs Shane McMahon
Kevin Owens believes that Shane McMahon cost him his United States Championship match with AJ Styles at SummerSlam. McMahon was the special referee and Owens blamed him for the loss. Owens then got his rematch and made Baron Corbin the referee. Corbin wasn’t calling the match down the middle and SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon called him out on it. Corbin then took off the referee shirt and threw it at Shane McMahon.
Shane then made himself the referee for the match and Kevin Owens wound up losing yet again. Owens once again blamed Shane for the loss and things became personal when Owens brought up Shane’s children. Shane lost it and attacked Owens. SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan announced that Shane was suspended indefinitely. Vince McMahon then made a rare SmackDown appearance and confronted Kevin Owens. Vince stated that he didn’t suspend Shane because he attacked Owens, he suspended him because he didn’t finish the job.
This led to Sunday’s match between Owens and Shane being made. Owens then headbutted Vince McMahon and hit him with a Frog Splash. Owens has avoided Shane for a couple of weeks, but beat the hell out of him on Tuesday night. Owens Powerbombed Shane through a table in the concourse area of the Pepsi Center in Denver and then hit him with a Pop-Up Powerbomb in the ring.
Owens and Shane will definitely put on an exciting match this Sunday. It really is the only match on this card that has had an entertaining storyline leading up to the PPV. I think Vince McMahon inserting himself into this storyline and allowing Owens to beat the hell out of him says something. WWE clearly thinks a lot of Owens and wants him to be one of the top heels in the company going forward. I don’t think a loss to Shane McMahon would help that cause. It will be a back and forth match and Shane will do something crazy. However, Owens will prevail in the end and win the match. Pick: Kevin Owens
