WWE Hell in a Cell 2015 was the violent, unsettling spectacle of sadism that it was supposed to be.
Brock Lesnar bashed Undertaker into the ground with a blood-splattered fist. Roman Reigns outlasted the monstrous Bray Wyatt on a battlefield dotted with steel chairs and broken Kendo sticks.
And WWE merged the past and the future by night's end when The Wyatt Family tore their way into Undertaker's realm.
Hell in a Cell certainly had its underwhelming moments and ho-hum contests, but it left the audience hungry for what's ahead. Alberto Del Rio is back. Reigns is soaring with momentum. And The Deadman now finds himself trapped in Wyatt's maw.
How did the night's title matches unfolded? How did the pay-per-view deliver in terms of action, story and intrigue?
The following is a look at those questions with a breakdown of every match.
Dolph Ziggler, Cesaro and Neville vs. King Barrett, Sheamus and Rusev
Rusev, King Barrett and Sheamus gained control early in this rematch from Monday's Raw. They grounded Neville and beat up on Dolph Ziggler. The Showoff took the worst of it, suffering on the canvas for a long time.
Rusev, King Barrett and Sheamus gained control early in this rematch from Monday's Raw. They grounded Neville and beat up on Dolph Ziggler. The Showoff took the worst of it, suffering on the canvas for a long time.
The heels utilized a methodical pace until Cesaro played the cavalry and wound up the crowd with foot-on-the-gas offense.
The King of Swing led the charge as the babyfaces took over. A Cesaro Swing dizzied Barrett. A Red Arrow did him in.
Result
Cesaro, Ziggler and Neville win via pinfall.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
Stardust and The Ascension sit in the crowd watching the action.
Neville springboards off Cesaro to hit a Red Arrow.
Barrett flips Ziggler over with a knee lift in the corner.
Cesaro flips off the ring apron onto Sheamus.
"Put the king down!"—John "Bradshaw" Layfield.
Grade
B-
Analysis
Cesaro was the clear star of a bit of fun, exciting action. The crowd clearly most appreciated his uppercut-heavy onslaught.
This was a good warm-up bout for the show, but it had no story to build on. The announcers briefly mentioned the feuds between some of these opponents, but this didn't do anything to advance any of those.
Stardust remains on the periphery of a narrative that needs to go somewhere in a hurry.
John Cena vs. Alberto Del Rio (United States Championship)
Once John Cena called out the next challenger, Zeb Colter rode on a scooter and called him a "divider." Colter introduced Alberto Del Rio who earned a positive reaction from the crowd.
Del Rio and Cena both hesitated early, the familiar foes sizing each other up. Mexico's Greatest Export then outwrestled Cena, keeping him on the mat for a good stretch.
A Backstabber and a kick to the jaw knocked out Cena. Del Rio earned the three-count and the U.S. title in a stunner
Result
Del Rio wins via pinfall.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
"I had a long and horribly boring dissertation planned, but I say we get down to business."—Cena.
Cena breaks up Del Rio's armbreaker attempt with a running clothesline.
Grade
B+
Analysis
After so much speculation about Cena's opponent, WWE hits the crowd with a major surprise. Those are rare in the age of the Internet and even more powerful when the company can keep things quiet.
He and Colter are an intriguing combination. It's not clear how that dynamic will work, but it's something that makes one want to keep watching and see what happens.
The match itself was not as good as the reveal of Del Rio, a shorter, less dramatic bout than many of Cena's best U.S. title defenses.
Still, this was a big moment that promises to have a major impact going forward. That's something too often missing in pay-per-view matches.
Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt (Hell in a Cell)
After the two foes encircling each other like animals, Roman Reigns charged in and punished Bray Wyatt with right hands. He stayed on top until Wyatt cracked a Kendo stick against his face.
The Eater of Worlds' offense then turned sadistic. He followed shots with the Kendo stick with ones with a steel chair and then collisions with cage wall. Reigns responded with his own weaponry after pulling a number of toys out from under the ring.
Wyatt stunned Reigns with a slam through a table and proceeded to chomp on him relentlessly.
The Big Dog recovered enough to powerbomb Wyatt through a table. He and Wyatt traded haymakers before Reigns broke a second table with Wyatt's body. Neither that or a Sister Abigail from Wyatt was enough to end the match, though.
Reigns avoided crashing into more Kendo sticks, toppling Wyatt with a spear.
Result
Reigns wins via pinfall.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
"I don't care who you are. You shudder in there."—John "Bradshaw" Layfield.
Wyatt slams Reigns through a propped-up Kendo stick.
Reigns flings Wyatt head-first into a steel chair sticking out of the cell wall.
Wyatt sends Reigns through a table with a uranage from the ring apron.
"You may need a chalk line around Roman Reigns."—JBL.
Reigns speared Wyatt through a table.
"Reigns conquers Wyatt; Reigns conquers the cell."—Michael Cole.
Grade
A
Analysis
This was slow, brutal, a display in sadism; just what it needed to be. It felt just a few beats away from being a true classic.
In an even, back-and-forth battle, Reigns and Wyatt did well to make the clash feel like a true climax. They effectively utilized the violent nature of the Hell in a Cell structure. The announcers deftly told a story of a warrior conquering his greatest threat.
Reigns now moves on with ample momentum, ready to climb up to the WWE title picture again. Wyatt's future is less clear. He continues to fail to devour his prey.
The New Day vs. The Dudley Boyz (Tag Team Championship)
With Xavier Woods at home nursing an injury, Kofi Kingston and Big E mocked the Los Angeles Lakers, lamented the absence of their partner and promised to take down The Dudley Boyz.
Bubba Ray and D-Von had little trouble with the champs early on. They slammed and punched Kingston, but Big E disrupted things with his power. He flipped the bout's dynamic, the heels then taking turns stomping D-Von into the mat.
Kingston pulled an Eddie Guerrero and tried to make it look as if Bubba Ray whacked with the champs' trombone. The ref didn't fall for it, though.
Big E used the trombone to stun Bubba Ray; Kingston finished him off with Trouble in Paradise.
Result
The New Day win via pinfall.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
Kingston refers to Bubba Ray as a "Caucasian Kamala."
The Dudley Boyz both a double-team move that John "Bradshaw" Layfield called "butt ugly."
Kingston dropkicks both Dudley Boyz.
Grade
C-
Analysis
The Dudley Boyz just haven't looked great since coming back. Aside from the awkward missed move, this lacked a spark throughout.
It didn't help that the challengers goofed around and danced a la New Day, either. Overall, this felt like a match in the middle of Raw.
Just put The Dudley Boyz in a TLC match where they belong already.
Charlotte vs. Nikki Bella (Divas Championship)
Champion and challenger brawled out of the ring and around the guardrail. Nikki came out of the scuffle on top. She tortured Charlotte with submission holds, making sure to focus on her aching back.
That injury had Charlotte struggle to make a comeback. Nikki hurting her knee balanced things out, though. The champ escaped by rolling out of the Rack Attack and hitting the Figure Eight.
Paige and Becky Lynch ran out to celebrate with Charlotte.
Result
Charlotte wins via submission.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
"If beauty was a brick, she'd be the Great Wall."—Jerry Lawler on Nikki.
Nikki hurls Charlotte into the guardrail.
Fans chant "We want Sasha!"
Nikki slingshots Charlotte into the ring ropes.
Charlotte issues a series of flesh-stinging chops.
Nikki hits an Alabama Slam onto the ring apron.
Grade
B+
Analysis
Nikki further proved how much she's grown as a performer. She was excellent here, outshining the champ.
Good selling and better strategy made for a strong match. The announcers could have certainly spent much less time talking about Charlotte being Ric Flair's daughter, though.
This was a lot more physical than we normally see from the women's division. Seeing these two go at it with such ferocity is a welcome sight.
Now if WWE can just get its babyface-heel roles straightened out. Paige came out to congratulate Charlotte as if all their past issues didn't exist.
Seth Rollins vs. Kane (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
Rollins evaded the big man, using his speed and agility to floor him.
Kane withstood a bevy of punishment. He fought back with a choke slam and failed to hit the Tombstone Piledriver.
The fight moved to the announce tables where Kane took a nasty bump against the Spanish announce table. Rollins attacked Kane with a succession of kick, a Frog Splash and finally a Pedigree to fell the monster.
Result
Rollins wins via pinfall.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
"I'm not afraid of you."—Rollins to Kane.
Kane delivers a superplex.
Kane suplexes Rollins onto the announce table.
Rollins powerbombs Kane into the announce table, but it doesn't break.
Grade
C
Analysis
Not that there were high expectations for this, but it was a disappointment regardless. It lacked energy from the get-go.
Rollins and Kane clearly tried to make this a vicious, violent affair to go with the Hell in a Cell theme, but the tables not breaking took away from that.
And the announcers failed to play up what was at stake here. Too infrequently did audiences hear about the fact that Corporate Kane's job was on the line.
Kevin Owens vs. Ryback (Intercontinental Championship)
Kevin Owens tried to retreat, but Ryback caught him and used his strength advantage to have the champ reeling.
Ryback dominated the slugfest. When his punches and power moves didn't do the trick, though, he tried to go to the top rope. The move cost him as Owens superkicked off him the ring apron.
Owens raked Ryback's eyes, just as he did at Night of Champions, to set up The Big Guy for the pop-up powerbomb.
Result
Owens wins via pinfall.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
"Owens is billed at 266, but I can guarantee you he's heavier than that."—Michael Cole.
Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar
Undertaker stalked Lesnar, issuing a methodical beatdown. He drove The Beast Incarnate into the ring post, who began to bleed profusely from his forehead.
Lesnar responded with some nasty chair shots. Undertaker came up bleeding afterward.
Officials tried to get in The Beast's way, but he tossed them aside. A pair of F-5s couldn't keep Undertaker down. Neither could a shot with the ring steps.
Frustrated, Lesnar tore the canvas off the ring. Undertaker choke slammed Lesnar on the exposed wood and hit a Tombstone Piledriver, but couldn't get the three-count.
Lesnar hit a low blow, just as Undertaker did to him throughout this feud, and followed up with an F-5.
Once the cage lifted, Undertaker struggled to sit up. He wobbled as he pulled himself up with the ropes.
The Wyatt Family soon emerged, closing in on Undertaker, beating him down and then carrying him off into the darkness.
Result
Lesnar wins via pinfall.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
Undertaker blocks a German suplex and flips Lesnar out of the ring.
"He knows he has Undertaker dead to rights here."—Michael Cole.
Lesnar stands above Undertaker and pounds him with punches.
"This is the desecration of a legend."—John "Bradshaw" Layfield on The Wyatt Family's attack.
Grade
A+
Analysis
Neither man held back in an absolutely brutal match. The rare use of blood shocked. The intensity was turned up to 10 the entire time.
The story was simple: Lesnar conquered a titan, but it took a hellacious ass-whooping to do it.
A few awkward spots and slip-ups in execution held it back from being even better and Match of the Year-worthy. WWE's cameras repeatedly showed Lesnar's head missing the pole that was supposed to cause him to bleed. Undertaker missed the boards when piledriving Lesnar.
No matter, those were minor stumbles in a great drama.
WWE fans leave this bout looking ahead with interest. Undertaker now finds himself in a war with The Wyatt Family. Lesnar is the unstoppable beast, and it will be compelling to see who can finally stop him.
Grade
D
Analysis
How do the announcers not pick up on this being the same outcome as last time, eye rake and all? There was a huge missed opportunity to lament Owens' tactics and connect the past to the present.
Overall, the highlight-lacking match failed to engage.
It didn't have the energy or chemistry that their Night of Champions contest did. Ryback's intensity failed to translate. Owens' brawling skills didn't shine through.
This feud is going
