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Hell in a Cell (2021)

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Hell in a Cell
PromotionWWE
Brand(s)Raw
SmackDown
DateJune 20, 2021
CityTampa, Florida
VenueYuengling Center
Attendance0 (behind closed doors)[Note 1]
WWE Network event chronology
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Money in the Bank
Hell in a Cell chronology
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Hell in a Cell is an upcoming professional wrestling pay-per-view and WWE Network event produced by WWE for their Raw and SmackDown brand divisions. It will take place on June 20, 2021, and will be broadcast from the WWE ThunderDome, hosted at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida—it will be WWE's final pay-per-view to be broadcast from the ThunderDome, and subsequently the final pay-per-view in WWE's residency at the Yuengling Center, as the company will resume live touring with fans in mid-July. It will be the 13th event under the Hell in a Cell chronology and the first to be held in June, as the event is generally held in October.

Production

Background

Hell in a Cell is an annual gimmick pay-per-view (PPV) and WWE Network event produced by WWE since 2009, generally held in October. The concept of the show comes from WWE's established Hell in a Cell match, in which competitors fight inside a 20-foot-high roofed cell structure surrounding the ring and ringside area. The main event match of the card is contested under the Hell in a Cell stipulation.[1][2][3] The 2021 event was moved from the October slot to June, which will only be the second time for the event to not be held in October; the first time was the 2018 event, which was held in September. The 2021 event will be the 13th event under the Hell in a Cell chronology. It is scheduled to be held on June 20, 2021—the previously scheduled date for Money in the Bank, which was moved to July 18—and feature wrestlers from the Raw and SmackDown brands.[4][5]

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Main article: WWE ThunderDome

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic that began affecting the industry in mid-March 2020, WWE had to present the majority of its programming from a behind closed doors set. Initially, Raw and SmackDown's television shows and PPVs were done at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.[6] A limited number of Performance Center trainees and friends and family members of the wrestlers were later utilized to serve as the live audience.[7][8] In late August, these programs were moved to a bio-secure bubble called the WWE ThunderDome. The select live audience was no longer utilized as the bubble allows fans to attend the events virtually for free and be seen on the nearly 1,000 LED boards within the arena. Additionally, the ThunderDome utilizes various special effects to further enhance wrestlers' entrances, and arena audio is mixed with that of the chants from the virtual fans.[9] After being hosted at Orlando's Amway Center[10] and Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida,[11][12] the ThunderDome was relocated to the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida in April 2021.[13][14] On May 21, WWE announced that they would be leaving the ThunderDome and returning to live touring in mid-July, thus Hell in a Cell will be the final pay-per-view to be presented from the ThunderDome, and subsequently the final pay-per-view in WWE's residency at the Yuengling Center.[15][16]

Storylines

The show will include matches that result from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portray heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches. Results are predetermined by WWE's writers on the Raw and SmackDown brands,[17][18] while storylines are produced on WWE's weekly television shows, Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown.[19]

At WrestleMania Backlash, Bobby Lashley defeated Drew McIntyre and Braun Strowman in a triple threat match to retain the WWE Championship.[20] The following night on Raw, MVP and Lashley issued an open challenge to anyone on the Raw roster except McIntyre and Strowman. Later in the main event, it was revealed that the open challenge was just to face Lashley rather than a title match. The New Day's Kofi Kingston answered the challenge and defeated Lashley thanks to McIntyre's distraction.[21] The following week, Adam Pearce scheduled a match between McIntyre and Kingston where the winner would face Lashley for the WWE Championship at Hell in a Cell, but it ended in a no-contest after interference from Lashley and MVP. A rematch was scheduled for the following week where if Lashley and/or MVP are at ringside or interfere in the match, Lashley will be suspended for 90 days without pay;[22] McIntyre defeated Kingston to earn another title match against Lashley at Hell in the Cell.[23]

At WrestleMania Backlash, Rhea Ripley defeated Asuka and Charlotte Flair in a triple threat match to retain the Raw Women's Championship.[20] The following night on Raw, Flair confronted WWE officials Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville, demanding another opportunity at Ripley for the championship as Flair did not take the pin in the triple threat match. Pearce and Deville stated that if Flair won her match against Asuka, they would consider it. However, Flair lost the match thanks to a distraction from Ripley, but defeated Asuka the following week.[21] A match between Ripley and Flair was then scheduled for Hell in a Cell.[22]

Matches

No.Matches*Stipulations
1Bobby Lashley (c) (with MVP) vs. Drew McIntyreHell in a Cell match for the WWE Championship[24]
2Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Charlotte FlairSingles match for the WWE Raw Women's Championship[25]
(c) – the champion(s) heading into the match
*Card subject to change

Notes

  1. ^ The event will be held without a paying audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, though it will feature a live crowd of virtual fans via WWE's ThunderDome viewing experience.

References

  1. ^ Caldwell, James (June 27, 2009). "WWE News: WWE changes the names of two more PPVs; Report on WWE fan input leading to changes". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved August 3, 2010.
  2. ^ "Specialty Matches: Hell in a Cell". World Wrestling Entertainment. Retrieved August 3, 2010.
  3. ^ "WWE seeking feedback on PPVs". WrestleView. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
  4. ^ Guzzo, Gisberto (May 16, 2021). "WWE Announces Date For Hell In A Cell 2021, MITB Reportedly Scheduled With Fans". Fightful. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  5. ^ Alvarez, Bryan (May 16, 2021). "B&V: WRESTLEMANIA BACKLASH 2021!". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  6. ^ Johnson, Mike (March 21, 2020). "WWE TAPING UPDATES". PWInsider. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  7. ^ Casey, Connor (May 25, 2020). "WWE Fans Are Thrilled to See Crowds Back on WWE Raw". ComicBook.com. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  8. ^ Oestriecher, Blake (June 17, 2020). "WWE Live Events With Fans Could Reportedly Return Very Soon". Forbes. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  9. ^ "WWE introducing new state-of-the-art viewing experience with WWE ThunderDome". WWE. August 17, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  10. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (August 17, 2020). "WWE Announces ThunderDome Arena; Enhanced Fan Experience, Residency At Amway Center; First Look Video Shown". Fightful. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  11. ^ "WWE ThunderDome will head to Tampa Bay's Tropicana Field beginning Friday, Dec. 11". WWE. November 19, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  12. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (November 19, 2020). "WWE ThunderDome Moving To Tropicana Field On December 11". Fightful. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  13. ^ Williams, Randall (March 24, 2021). "WWE Moves ThunderDome to USF's Yuengling Center". Sportico.com. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  14. ^ "WWE ThunderDome takes over Yuengling Center". WWE. March 24, 2021. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  15. ^ Otterson, Joe (May 21, 2021). "WWE to Return to Live Touring in July". Variety. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  16. ^ Currier, Joseph (May 21, 2021). "WWE RETURNING TO TOURING THIS JULY, FIRST THREE EVENTS ANNOUNCED". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  17. ^ Grabianowski, Ed. "How Pro Wrestling Works". HowStuffWorks. Discovery Communications. Archived from the original on November 18, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  18. ^ "Live & Televised Entertainment". WWE. Archived from the original on February 26, 2009. Retrieved March 21, 2012.
  19. ^ Steinberg, Brian (May 25, 2016). "WWE's 'Smackdown' Will Move To Live Broadcast On USA (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on May 26, 2016. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
  20. ^ a b Powell, Jason (May 16, 2021). "WWE WrestleMania Backlash results: Powell's live review of Roman Reigns vs. Cesaro for the WWE Universal Championship, Bobby Lashley vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Braun Strowman for the WWE Championship, Rhea Ripley vs. Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair for the Raw Women's Championship, Bianca Belair vs. Bayley for the Smackdown Women's Championship". Pro Wreslting Dot Net. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  21. ^ a b Powell, Jason (May 17, 2021). "5/17 WWE Raw Results: Powell's live review of the WrestleMania Backlash fallout edition, WWE Women's Tag Champions Natalya and Tamina appear on Alexa Bliss's Playground". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  22. ^ a b Powell, Jason (May 24, 2021). "5/24 WWE Raw Results: Powell's live review of Drew McIntyre vs. Kofi Kingston for a WWE Championship match at WWE Hell in a Cell, Natalya and Tamina vs. Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax for the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles, Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka, Riddle vs. Xavier Woods". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  23. ^ Powell, Jason (May 31, 2021). "5/31 WWE Raw Results: Powell's live review of Drew McIntyre vs. Kofi Kingston for a WWE Championship shot at Hell in a Cell, AJ Styles and Omos vs. Jaxson Ryker and Elias for the Raw Tag Titles, Reginald vs. Shayna Baszler, Randy Orton vs. Xavier Woods". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  24. ^ "WWE Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Drew McIntyre". WWE. May 31, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  25. ^ Zak, Brad (May 24, 2021). "Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair (Raw Women's Championship Match)". WWE. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
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