#1
Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker
In Your House: Badd Blood ’97
The first Hell in a Cell match is also the best. The legacy set by Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker in 1997 has still not been dethroned over 17 years later, and it’s highly unlikely their masterpiece will ever be bested.
Nobody knew what to expect here. WCW had their War Games matches, but this was something different; something WWF fans were on the edges of their seats to witness. It was billed as the most demonic, brutal structure to ever surround a wrestling ring, and as a young boy growing up in Chicago, I was certain they were going to die. It was still real to me, damn it…
There are matches on this list that are more violent. There are some that may have a slightly better story to tell. Some may showcase the unbelievable character and will of a Hall of Fame icon. Others may just be absolute insanity. But this, the original Hell in a Cell match, was the perfect storm of all those elements. And on top of that, Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker brought to the gimmick something that really wasn’t mastered in the years after – pro wrestling.
On top of everything else, this was still a 5-star wrestling match. They used the Cell to enhance a classic in-ring story, and that’s incredibly difficult to do. Shawn and ‘Taker didn’t just rest on the legacy of this structure, because there WAS NO LEGACY at this point; it had only just begun, and they were setting the tone for 26 other matches in its kind to follow.
This isn’t just #1 on the list because it was first. This is #1 because it’s the best.
