On WWE RAW, the feud between Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins reaches a boiling point before Hell in a Cell – along the way there is a reunion with old acquaintances.
The hottest feud in WWE at the moment is heading for its climax – with a clash in which there was plenty for long-time fans to discover.
On the current edition of the TV show Monday Night RAW, WrestleMania returnee Cody Rhodes and arch-rival Seth Rollins had one last confrontation before their showdown at Hell in a Cell on Sunday.
It came down to a talking duel with insider innuendo that escalated into fisticuffs – in the course of which some old familiar faces appeared on camera, keeping a section of wrestling fans more engaged than the actual storyline.
Ex-WWE star Curtis Axel as arbitrator
Among the things that jumped out was that among the WWE officials trying to separate Rhodes and Rollins was a former Intercontinental Champion of the League, Curtis Axel (Joe Hennig), son of the legendary and too-early deceased “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig.
Axel, still the 2018 Tag Team Champion alongside Bray Wyatt’s brother Bo Dallas, was fired two years ago, but as of last month he’s back working at WWE: the 42-year-old is now a producer, co-responsible for putting together matches and segments – and it’s been common for decades for ex-wrestlers in that position to also appear on camera as the show’s fictional enforcers of order.
Names: Also featured were “The Hurricane” Gregory Helms, Shawn Daivari and also his younger brother Ariya as well as also Petey Williams – ex-rival of AJ Styles in TNA (Impact Wrestling), famer of the spectacular Canadian Destroyer somersault move and as a former sidekick of Scott Steiner also immortalised in the latter’s legendarily bizarre “Math Promo”.
Seth Rollins alludes to WWE side kick of Cody Rhodes at AEW
There were also a few “Easter Eggs” in the verbal exchange between Rhodes and Rollins for fans thinking outside the box.
For example, Rollins referenced Rhodes’ time at the competitor he co-founded, AEW, and a jibe against WWE that had raised dust at the time.
“You left six years ago because you weren’t good enough and every day you and your little friends tried to tear down what I built here,” Rollins held. Cody pretends that it is now his destiny to complete the legacy of his late father Dusty Rhodes in WWE, but he will not allow that to happen. “In my kingdom, you can’t just take a sledgehammer and destroy my throne. “
Rollins was alluding to Rhodes’ entrance at the first AEW Pay-Per-View Double or Nothing 2019, where Rhodes symbolically smashed a throne, a sideswipe at longtime WWE top star Triple H, under whose stewardship as league executive Rhodes didn’t quite make it big in his first WWE tenure.
Rhodes’ and Rollins’ reference to the “King of Kings” was a recurring motif in the feud, including quotes from Triple H’s special promotion Pedigree, which Rollins had picked up in WWE from his old mentor in the grouping “The Authority.”
New matches for Hell in a Cell
At RAW, two new matches for Hell in a Cell also made their way onto the card: Hall of Famer Edge’s Judgment Day alliance – featuring Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley – will face AJ Styles, Finn Balor and Ripley’s ex-partner Liv Morgan, who got her back with a win over Ripley, in a mixed match.
In addition, young star Theory will have to put his United States title on the line against Mustafa Ali. The feud was propelled when Theory provoked Ali to immediately cash in a title match earned by a disqualification win over Ciampa.
Theory quickly defeated Ali, however Authority figure Adam Pearce announced afterwards that Ali would be given another fair shot at Hell in a Cell.
Another title match coming up should be between The Usos and the duo of Riddle and Shinsuke Nakamura. Riddle and Nakamura teamed up on SmackDown against the reigning Tag Team Champions on both shows – who stripped Riddle and his actual partner Randy Orton of the RAW belts and then injured Orton. On RAW, Nakamura and Riddle earned a title match when they defeated The Usos via disqualification.
