Meet our Hell in a Cell 2018 Predictors:
Caleb Baldwin – Social Suplex’s Impact Wrestling reviewer.
Jeremy Donovan – Editor-in-Chief for Social Suplex and co-host of Keepin’ It Strong Style on the Social Suplex Podcast Network.
Rich Latta – Columnist for Lords of Pain and Social Suplex, and host of One Nation Radio on the Social Suplex Podcast Network.
Brian “Clive” Kinsella – Social Suplex’s 205 Live Reviewer and co-host of the Ricky & Clive Wrestling Show on the Social Suplex Podcast Network.
The Real “Perfect 10” Ricky – Co-host of the Ricky & Clive Wrestling Show on the Social Suplex Podcast Network.
SmackDown Tag Team Champions The New Day vs. Rusev & Aiden English
Ricky: As much as I love Rusev, Rusev Day are not a threat to The New Day although it should be a fun match and we can look forward to New Day matches with The Usos and The Bar. Pick: The New Day
Caleb: New Day retains. Who cares? Pick: The New Day
Clive: I can’t see Rusev Day winning this yet. Maybe next PPV. Pick: The New Day
Rich: The New Day vs Rusev Day is a goofy addition to the card. I think Rusev Day is close to running its course, and a split happens here. New Day retains. Pick: The New Day
Jeremy: Rusev Day is not quite as a hot as they were a few months ago. These guys should have been tag team champions a long time ago. I have a hard time seeing them beat New Day, especially since New Day is already advertised to defend against The Bar in Australia. Pick: The New Day
Raw Tag Team Champions Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntyre vs. Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose
Ricky: I’m a big fan of Drew and Dolph but this match is all about The Shield and whether they will hold all the Raw titles at this point at Hell In A Cell. I liked the Seth & Dolph feud which has now developed in a feud with these 4 men. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen these last few weeks and I think this match will more than deliver. Pick: Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose
Caleb: Ambrose & Rollins win, but by DQ. These aren’t the champs we’re looking for. Pick: Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose
Clive: The Hounds will pick up the win here for a Shield clean sweep on the night. Pick: Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose
Rich: The Raw tag team titles have been pulled from the ether of the B Team, however, those belts have been set on fire for 6 months, don’t tell me they mean anything now. Seth Rollins, the WWE main roster wrestler of the year thus far, and one of the few shining lights on PPV, has been thrown back into a tag team and had his IC championship put on ICE because he isn’t allowed to be #1. Dean Ambrose has become just another dude in record time. This feud and Roman vs Braun has been overshadowed with Police Involvement and that’s the height of lame. Roman’s lil homies capture the belts so all of The Shield will have the championship photo at the end of the night. Pick: Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose
Jeremy: WWE is claiming that the Shield is the “greatest” WWE faction of all time. What better way than to drive that point home with having the Shield hold all of the Raw titles? Pick: Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose
Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella vs. The Miz & Maryse
Ricky: The mixed tag match doesn’t do anything for me and I would have rather have seen Miz vs Bryan in a singles match. No vested interest in this match. Pick: Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella
Caleb: Maryse & Miz win here. Look for Bryan to beat Miz in a few weeks. Pick: The Miz and Maryse
Clive: Brie Mooooooo!! Pick: Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella
Rich: The addition of the wives has killed off just about all my interest in this feud. This reeks of trying to fill up time on a calendar and is the latest example of booking malpractice when it comes to Daniel Bryan (Big Cass, Team Hell No) He should have walked and been wrestling Okada in 3 months. Brie Bella submits Maryse and Miz escapes an actual fall. Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella
Jeremy: WWE has dumped a bucket of water on this red-hot feud by adding Brie Bella and Maryse to the mix. Hopefully, the feud will heat back up leading into the Australia match. I expect team Yes Mode to get the win here. Pick: Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella
SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch
Ricky: Simply put, I’m most excited for this match than I am for any other one on the card. Becky has been a big part of SmackDown for weeks now and has been getting more and more of the spotlight. Whether it happens at Hell In A Cell or later but she has to win the title because if she does not then where does she go with this character. I don’t think it happens just yet though, maybe at Evolution. Pick: Charlotte
Caleb: Becky Lynch will win here and finally get her second title run, no matter how short it may end up. Pick: Becky Lynch
Clive: Charlotte to retain, and the internet to revolt. Pick: Charlotte
Rich: Everything in this feud has been backward from the jump, so why not continue to do what doesn’t make sense. They’ve taken their foot off the gas as far as Becky saying ridiculous things to fans that make no sense but have allowed Becky Lynch to show up in ALL BLACK every week to put Charlotte in the jump zone. I’ve loved every second of Becky dragging Charlotte. However, as I mentioned, they’ve been off base from the jump booking wise, and Charlotte will probably get a dominant victory to put Becky “in her place” Underneath Charlotte. Pick: Charlotte
Jeremy: With Charlotte just winning the title a month ago I can’t see WWE wanting to take the title off of her so fast. However, Becky can’t afford to lose right now either. If she does then she comes off as a dope. I expect a non-finish here that will lead to a stipulation match in Australia. Pick: No Contest
Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton (Hell in a Cell Match)
Ricky: I was all on board with the Orton heel turn but this feud already feels like it’s gone on too long and for some reason, it’s a Hell In A Cell match. One thing we can look forward to is RIP Jeff Hardy after he dives from the top of the cell. Pick: Randy Orton
Caleb: Jeff Hardy may die at this show. Orton wins after Jeff essentially beats himself. Pick: Randy Orton
Clive: Winner by Terminal Knockout: The Grim Reaper. Rest in pieces, Jeff. Pick: Randy Orton
Rich: A MAN MAY DIE ON THE WWE NETWORK TUNE IN! Now here is a list of songs dedicated to Jeff Hardy. Pick: Randy Orton
Jeremy: I’m not going to lie, I’ve always been a huge Jeff Hardy fan. Even though I’m a Jeff Hardy fan, I can clearly see he’s washed and probably shouldn’t be in a Hell in a Cell match. We all know Jeff is going to do something reckless which will probably cause him to lose. Pick: Randy Orton
Raw Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey vs. Alexa Bliss
Ricky: We better not see Ronda go life and death with Alexa! The match should be a carbon copy of the SummerSlam match. Pick: Ronda Rousey
Caleb: Ronda wins. Please God Ronda, win! Pick: Ronda Rousey
Clive: Bathroom break time!! Some shenanigans, but Ronda will win. Pick: Ronda Rousey
Rich: If Alexa wins play this rant.
Alexa is trash. Been trash. Rousey shouldn’t even sell. Pick: Ronda Rousey
Jeremy: This match needs to be shorter than the Summerslam match. Pick: Ronda Rousey
WWE Champion AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe
Ricky: This is the match that should be taken place inside the cell! The build, Joe, in particular, has been fantastic and it’s getting more and more personal. At some point, Joe needs to win a big feud but it won’t be this one. Pick: AJ Styles
Caleb: Samoa Joe fulfills his destiny as the most Samoan of them all and becomes WWE Champion. Pick: Samoa Joe
Clive: Joe’s lost more big matches than I’ve had hot dinners. AJ to retain. Pick: AJ Styles
Rich: The WWE Championship match that can’t even be inside a cell even though Samoa Joe is trying screw AJ Styles wife, and their last match ended with AJ Styles wielding a chair because WWE doesn’t even want you arguing it should main event over Roman Reigns & The Universal title. AJ Styles title reign has been marred with atrocious finishes and booking designed to get to the next match. Samoa Joe is a much larger hurdle for potential face challengers and the calendar makes a short-term run feasible. So naturally, I’ll pick the opposite of what makes sense and go with AJ Styles. They are fighting again in Austrailia. Pick: AJ Styles
Jeremy: I’m still trying to figure out why this feud wasn’t given the Cell. Samoa Joe has been tremendous week after week and truly deserves to be the WWE Champion. However, I get the feeling that WWE has no desire to make Joe champion. Pick: AJ Styles
Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman (Hell in a Cell Match with Mick Foley as Special Guest Referee)
Ricky: We know what these two can do when matched up against each other. For consecutive weeks, these two men attempted to legitimately murder one another (kayfabe world). The matches and segments were brutal, chaotic and exciting. If WWE ever felt Braun was the guy then they would have pulled the trigger with him a long time ago. I believe WWE want to put all the titles on The Shield and that will be the lasting image from Hell In A Cell 2018. Pick: Roman Reigns
Caleb: Reigns beats Strowman because fuck me, right? Pick: Roman Reigns
Clive: Roman Reigns to retain in a chaotic brawl. Pick: Roman Reigns
Rich: When Mick Foley got added it took me days to figure out why. About 10 minutes before I wrote this it hit me. Roman Reigns will be Foley’s protector from Strowman to convince the fans to cheer for him. Foley, like Strowman last month, is the 3rd party added to try to curb any type of hijacking. Strowman doesn’t feel like he once did. It’s not the same energy as last year of him organically kicking Reigns ass. I feel like the crowd sees this for what it is, WWE turning him because his momentum was bigger than their hand-picked champion and they feel dumb for believing in Strowman in the first place. Pick: Roman Reigns
Jeremy: Roman and Braun have great chemistry together, so I’m expecting this to be a really good match. As I mentioned earlier, I expect the Shield to end the night holding all the Raw titles, so WWE can have further “evidence” to prove that the Shield is the “greatest” WWE faction of all time. Pick: Roman Reigns
