Welcome to another edition of Triple Threat from Smark Out Moment, where three of us get together to discuss three questions based on one big topic going down in the week of professional wrestling.
This week, Dallas Allsopp, Tony Mango and Greg Coleman preview WWE Hell in a Cell 2022.
This Sunday marks the return of Hell in a Cell, but is this shaping up to be a hell of a show, or just simply a tortorous event?
Question 1: Who needs the WWE United States Championship more - Theory or Mustafa Ali?
ALLSOPP: If Mustafa Ali's return is to mean anything, he needs to win titles. The WWE United States Championship may not mean much these days, but a title win would give him a valid reason to have remained with WWE. Theory will be fine regardless of the result, but this is make or break for Ali.
MANGO: Theory. Easily. He's the person to hang your hat on and build for the future. Mustafa Ali shouldn't even be in WWE, where he'll likely never be able to get out of that midcard range. WWE doesn't value Ali highly enough to do anything with the belt if he were to win it. For the title's credibility and usefulness as well as Theory's future, it has to stay where it is.
COLEMAN: Mustafa Ali. The amount of stops and starts Ali has had on the main roster has been ridiculous and has really hurt his character. It’s no wonder that he asked for his release because seemingly they don’t know what they want to do with him. Ali finally doing something significant on the main roster, which winning the WWE United States Championship would qualify as, would go a long way for his character. Theory appears to be a guy who’s being groomed for the main event picture, so losing that title which is pretty meaningless at this point won’t hurt him at all.
Question 2: Who walks out of the pay-per-view as WWE Raw Women’s Champion?
MANGO: Bianca Belair. I don't think there's a chance it goes to Asuka or Becky Lynch. If that happens, WWE is insane for playing hot potato with Belair as champion.
COLEMAN: Bianca Belair is the only answer. If Belair loses, she should walk out just like Sasha Banks and Naomi did, and delete Vince McMahon’s phone number.
ALLSOPP: I am resigned to Becky Lynch regaining the title, as I am yet to be convinced that WWE even know how to present Bianca Belair as a strong champion. WWE ultimately goes back to the well far too many times.
Question 3: How excited are you for Seth Rollins vs. Cody Rhodes inside Hell in a Cell? Which previous Hell in a Cell match are they most likely to replicate?
COLEMAN: Not very excited. In the interest of full disclosure, I hate, hate the fact that Hell in a Cell is a themed event. It transitioned the Hell in a Cell match from being the ultimate way to end a feud, to a way to ensure that the Hell in a Cell is used every year. Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins is not a feud worthy of being inside Hell in a Cell at all. Rhodes already has two wins over Rollins, who hasn’t done anything that would necessitate Rhodes feeling that Hell in a Cell is the only way to end their rivalry. Their match will more than likely resemble Drew McIntyre and Randy Orton from a couple of years back.
ALLSOPP: I'm fairly excited as a fan of both wrestlers, but moreso because this feels like the final hurdle for Cody Rhodes to be taken seriously as a main eventer in WWE. If he wins, he is set for the rest of 2022. I'm preparing myself for a match in the style of Triple H vs Shawn Michaels at Bad Blood 2003, which isn't the worst possibility in the world.
MANGO: I'm a fan of both, but I'm not all that excited, to be honest. Hell in a Cell has lost almost all its value over the years. It should be saved for feuds that are much bigger and better than this, and it should be more hardcore. I don't care to see Seth Rollins vs Cody Rhodes in the same match we've seen twice but with kendo sticks, some chair shots to the back and stomach, them throwing each other into the cage and nothing else. As far as previous matches to replicate, they've all been so forgettable in the past decade plus that I don't even remember any details, but it better not be Rollins vs Bray Wyatt.
Those are our thoughts on the issue, but where do you stand?
Let us know your answers to these questions in the comments below!
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