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Hell in a Cell started off rough from the start as a result of some very late booking on the card. As of Friday before SmackDown’s debut on the Fox Network, only one women’s match was on the schedule out of three total. After SmackDown went off the air, the SmackDown Women’s Championship match of Bayley vs. Charlotte Flair was confirmed.
Two additional matches were announced just hours before Hell in a Cell would start as reported earlier. Natalya would take on her recent rival – Lacey Evans – on the Kickoff show. The second – Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross would defend their tag titles against The Kabuki Warriors.
Hell in a Cell ended in a huge controversy for the men’s division, but as a whole, the women’s division provided great matches. The outcome of every match isn’t going to be what everyone can agree upon, but the matches themselves proved better than the men’s.
Nattie would go over Lacey Evans on the Kickoff show. It was a solid outing by both women. Nattie seems to be working well with Evans and guiding her to improvement. Nattie would win the match with her Sharpshooter and then deliver a Women’s Right of her own to Evans.
It was later announced that these two will compete in a Last Woman Standing match on RAW tomorrow night.
The longest match on the entire card was the RAW Women’s Championship match inside Hell in a Cell. For over 21 minutes, Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks would tear each other apart inside the red structure. At the end after a Dis-arm-her locked in on a sea full of steel chairs, Lynch would retain her title. This finish shocked many as Banks was the obvious choice to win.
Banks returned after a four-month hiatus and after her match with Lynch at Clash of Champions ended in a disqualification, a win happening now was inevitable. Lynch was also clearly SmackDown bound as of her huge appearance at the debut of Friday Night SmackDown just a couple days prior. Now, that choice is up in the air as having the RAW Women’s Champion drafted to the blue brand wouldn’t make any sense.
In a thrown together Women’s Tag Team Championship match, The Kabuki Warriors shockingly defeated the now-former champs – Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross. Asuka and Kairi Sane had a heel feel to the match which commentary would hint at. Asuka would win the titles for her team after spraying the green mist to the face of Cross.
The last match ended what many predicted and that was Charlotte Flair going over Bayley to become a 10-time women’s champion. Bayley would rely on some heelish techniques throughout the match, but that wasn’t enough to stop the Queen. She would cause Bayley to tap with the Figure Eight. The aftermath saw Bayley upset on the floor at ringside asking why this always happens to her.
The night wouldn’t be over without the mention of a nearly 10-year veteran finally winning a title. Tamina became the 24/7 Champion as she rolled up Carmella backstage. She would go on to lose the title shortly by the International commentary tables. She would use Funaki as a shield, but R-Truth would be able to thwart that and become champion once again.
WINNER: Becky Lynch
Whether you like it or not, Becky is still on top! Many people might think this is just Sasha “being buried again,” and only time will tell. I doubt that is the case though. This may just be the end of her feud with Becky if they move her to SmackDown. To be fully honest, both these women win tonight as I believe it was the match of the night.
WINNER: Tamina
She may have only been champion for minutes, but Tamina WAS a champion. For someone who has been with the company for nearly a decade, she finally won something. Regardless of the fact that it is a “joke” title or not, it IS a title nonetheless. Whether you like her or hate her, she deserved this moment.
Hopefully, it will get back on the women again. Maybe Tamina could break some records and become a 24-time 7-11/365 European Television Global Divas Champion?
WINNERS: The Kabuki Warriors
Shockingly Alexa and Nikki drop the titles. I don’t think anyone was expecting this to happen. This, of course, puts them on the winner’s list which is great as they have been on the losers list moreso than most. My only fear is they will get The IIconics treatment. Alexa and Nikki were at least on weekly and on pay-per-views since being champs.
I was also liking the heelish actions they were portraying. Although it seemed a little awkward, I am for it. Hopefully, Asuka and Kairi stay on tv now. But for the love of everything that is WWE can we change their music?
LOSER: Bayley
Out of the losers of each match this week, Bayley is probably the biggest. It is really confusing where they will go with her next. Will she actually become fully heel? Will she fall back into obscurity like she was prior to WrestleMania? Just sad.
What were your thoughts of Hell in a Cell? Who were your Winners & Losers?
Check back with Diva Dirt tomorrow for Live Coverage for RAW. Hopefully, it works this time. Fingers Crossed!
