These Are the Most Iconic WWE Hell in a Cell Matches Ever

At Bad Blood on Saturday, October 5, the match returned after a lengthy absence to settle the most heated and bitter rivalry seen on WWE television in years. The WWE Universe witnessed CM Punk and Drew McIntyre finally end their feud once and for all inside Hell in a Cell — they didn't have a match.

They had a war.

Fans expectations were already through the roof for the final showdown between Punk and McIntyre, and both Superstars took that as an excuse to throw everything they could at each other — including a metal toolbox that sliced open a massive gash in McIntyre's head. (In fact, this injury needed over a dozen staples to close after the match.) In the end, CM Punk emerged victorious — but at what cost? After such a violent match, neither man will be the same again. Both have barely been seen on television in the weeks since Bad Blood, and only time will tell when Punk or McIntyre return to Monday Night Raw — if they return at all.

Take a look at the highlights below, but be warned: they're about as bloody and graphic as they come, and they are not for the faint of heart.

A little over 50 Hell in a Cell matches have occurred throughout WWE's history, each with its own fascinating backstory and conclusion. But a few Hell in a Cell matches will live on forever for their historical significance, quality, and unforgettably brutal outcomes!

In honor of CM Punk and Drew McIntyre stepping inside Hell in a Cell at Bad Blood and reminding the WWE Universe how brutal the unforgiving match can be, we've compiled a list of the most iconic Hell in a Cell matches ever. The following matches are required viewing for any serious wrestling fan and will live on in professional wrestling history as some of the wildest bouts of all time.

Where does CM Punk and Drew McIntyre's epic Hell in a Cell battle rank alongside the following classic matches?

We wouldn't bat an eye if you want to call it the greatest Hell in a Cell match ever. 

Seth Rollins vs. Cody Rhodes — Hell in a Cell 2022

This particular match lives rent-free in our heads because, quite frankly, it shouldn't have even happened in the first place. Cody Rhodes, fresh off his shocking return to WWE at WrestleMania, found himself deadlocked in a vicious feud with Seth Rollins — and all paths eventually led to Hell in a Cell.

Unfortunately, Cody suffered an injury to his pectoral muscle while training for the match, putting his status for the bout in doubt. To say the WWE Universe was shocked when Cody walked to the ring that night for the match is an understatement — Cody's chest was blood-red, and his pectoral muscle looked like it was hanging by a thread! As he explained in his documentary, there was no way he was going to miss the match, gruesome injury be damned. And so the show went on.

And what a match it was — Cody's injury looked more like a bullseye to Seth Rollins, who targeted the injured body part with tenacity throughout the entire match. Unbelievably, despite wrestling with an injury that would cause him to miss nearly a year of action, Cody Rhodes fought through it — and ultimately walked out of Hell in a Cell victorious. It's a match that has to be seen to be believed —- fans still can't believe it actually happened!

Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker — In Your House: Badd Blood 1997

Two of the greatest WWE Superstars of all time competed in the first-ever Hell in a Cell match back in 1997, and many fans consider this to be the full-stop greatest Hell in a Cell match of all time — it's just that good, for many reasons.

The WWE Universe didn't know what to expect from this new match type before it first occurred, but Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker set the bar for brutality so high that the match became an instant classic. You have to wonder if CM Punk had this match in mind when he declared that he would make Drew McIntyre bleed on October 5 because The Undertaker busted open Shawn Michaels so badly in this match that the mat was stained red in many places!

Of course, this match is also notable for being the WWE debut of Kane, Undertaker's younger brother, who would go on to become one of the most iconic Superstars ever. It was a shocking moment in wrestling history that fans have never forgotten.

The match itself was vicious, and fans realized that Hell in the Cell was not just another match type to look forward to — it was the be-all, end-all match type. In the end, Shawn Michaels didn't just win the first-ever Hell in a Cell match — he barely survived it.

Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker — No Mercy 2002

In October 2002, the WWE Universe found out firsthand what happens when you put two larger-than-life Superstars — who are both firmly in their physical primes —- and trap them inside Hell in a Cell. At No Mercy 2002, Brock Lesnar and Undertaker didn't just do battle inside the hellacious cage — they waged war.

Even The Undertaker was surprised at the aggressiveness of Brock Lesnar, who managed to bust open the Dead Man and take control of most of the match. Although Undertaker valiantly fought back, the overwhelming physical power of Brock was too much to handle, and Lesnar retained the WWE Championship in a decisive, dominant fashion. At the time, many fans thought that the result would lead to the end of The Undertaker competing in WWE as a full-time competitor, but that couldn't be further from the truth — he went on to compete for well over a decade after this shocking loss! 

In fact, the two men met 13 years later in another Hell in a Cell match that was just as brutal. However, as we all know, nothing will top the very first meeting inside WWE's most vicious match type between two absolute beasts — Brock and Undertaker made history that fateful night in Little Rock, Arkansas. 

Triple H vs. The Undertaker — WrestleMania 2012

While the vast majority of Hell in a Cell matches are blood-filled brawls with nonstop action from beginning to end, Triple H and The Undertaker's battle at WrestleMania 28 had arguably the most dramatic moments of any WWE match ever.

With Shawn Michaels as the referee, the bout was billed as the "End of an Era," a subtle foreshadowing that no Superstar involved in the match would ever be the same again. This particular Cell match had it all — including one of the most astonishing near-fall sequences in wrestling history — and it happened on the Grandest Stage of Them All. Seeing two living legends like Triple H and Undertaker duke it out with the Undertaker's storied WrestleMania winning streak on the line was one of the matches no fan will forget.

This particular match is historic because — unlike most Hell in a Cell matches — both competitors were brought closer together by the night's end. By the time the final bell sounded, Triple H and Undertaker were bound for life — by mutual respect.

Triple H vs. Cactus Jack — No Way Out 2000

Some Hell in a Cell matches have higher stakes than others — at No Way Out 2000, Triple H and Cactus Jack (one of Mick Foley's three personas) battled in a match for the WWE Championship. However, winning the most prestigious title in professional wrestling was secondary to the true stakes of the match: Mick Foley's WWE career. If Foley failed to defeat Triple H, he would be effectively forced into an early retirement at the hands of his biggest archrival.

What followed was one of the most unpredictable and violent matches in WWE history. Parts of the Cell collapsed, foreign objects were used in abundance, and even parts of the ring itself caved in. It was a spectacle usually reserved for WrestleMania. Even if you're one of the most faithful members of the WWE Universe and know how this match ends, a re-watch will keep you on the edge of your seat — that's how good it is.

Triple H and Mick Foley put on one of the finest matches to ever take place in WWE. Many consider this match the best Hell in a Cell match ever due to the stakes involved, its historical significance, and the overall brutality of it all. There haven't been many Superstars more familiar with the Hell in a Cell structure than these two men, and at No Way Out 2000, they left their hearts in the ring that night. 

Catch Hell in a Cell and more WWE matches on Peacock.