5 Reasons Why The Steel Cage Is Better Than Hell In A Cell (& 5 Reasons Why It Is Not)

A lot of steel can be found in WWE. It can be found includes but is not limited to chairs, ladders, pipes, ring stairs, and street signs. Of course, an abundance of steel can be found surrounding the ring in Steel Cage and Hell In A Cell matches.

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The Hell In A Cell is more or less the steel cage "on steroids." The cage is larger, has a roof and encloses the ring area as opposed to just the ring itself. Both structures have their pros and cons. Here are five the steel cage is better than Hell In A Cell and five reasons why it is not.

10 Steel Cage: MMA/Cagefighting Feel

The concept of the wrestling ring being enclosed by walls of steel is very similar to that of its MMA competition. Although the fighting styles significantly differ, it is hard not to think of the UFC or Bellator when you see the squared circle framed by an open-roofed cage that does not come with the cell.

This is not to say that professional wrestling inside a cage automatically becomes mixed martial arts, but it does give a similar visual. Although in MMA you cannot win by escaping the cage, some cage matches have had the stipulation of win by pin or submission only.

9 HIAC: Full Enclosure

We have seen in numerous cage matches interference running in during the match and entering the ring by climbing up and over the cage wall. Outside interference isn't as easy to pull inside Hell In A Cell, with the full enclosure of the structure providing protection from outside forces, but it was still a danger to whoever's flesh met the steel.

Although the cell door's lock has been broken for entry, the cage door has also been ripped off its hinges, the likeliness for interference in Hell In A Cell matches is drastically lower than that of a cage match. Interference can be a good addition to a match but in WWE's case as seen many times, interference can annoy fans and ruin matches.

8 Steel Cage: Less Killing Of Time

It is good for wrestlers to get breathers and take some time to sell the damage of moves. Sometimes this is overdone and it becomes obvious that time is being bought. In Hell In A Cell matches, wrestlers can leave the ring to space themselves from their opponent.

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In a cage match the wrestlers have no where to go. Although they still take time on the edge of the ring/cage for breathers, there is less room for "ducking" away from your opponent. It keeps the fighting going and prevents the numerous times wrestlers leave and enter the ring.

7 HIAC: More Room For Storytelling

Although the prior entries points out the benefit of less breathers and time-buying in a cage match, for the sake of the wrestlers and the product, the breathers are good to have. For a wrestler in a cell match to be able to leave the ring after receiving a big move allows proper storytelling of the devastation of the attack.

The first Hell In A Cell match saw Shawn Michaels run around the ring trying to escape The Undertaker but the cell left him no where to go. This allowed for excellent storytelling that you do not get in cage matches. When the wrestlers end up on the roof, that speaks for itself.

6 Steel Cage: High Dives

Although there have been numerous occasions of a dive off Hell In A Cell, it is way more likely to see a dive off the steel cage. Although cage dives are becoming a little more common due in part to NXT, the cage dives always get a pop from the audience.

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The dives that have happened off the cell have gotten more groans of concern than cheers of excitement; for the cage it is reversed. Dives that have been performed by Jeff Hardy, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio, Kurt Angle, Kane and Rikishi were all loved. Kevin Owens being thrown off the cage at Extreme Rules 2018 was another big cage dive.

5 HIAC: Roof Action

It may be more likely to see a dive off the top in a cage match than a cell match but a dive off the top of Hell In A Cell is incredibly more memorable than that off the cage. The fall is a lot higher off the cell which makes the stunt very uncommon, for good reason. Even with a crash pad "disguised," the fall and impact off the cell is more dangerous than off a cage.

Although the steel cage providing more memories of dives than the cell, the cell dive memories are greater. Mick Foley's three falls from the top of the cell, Shane McMahon's two and Rikishi's one still drop jaws and give goosebumps years after they happened. Any fighting that takes place on the roof, even without a fall, gets gasps and worries from fans.

4 Steel Cage: Not A Watered-Down Gimmick In WWE

The words "Hell In A Cell" were once a draw for major excitement and reactions. Between 1997-2008, it was unpredictable as to when the cell would be used and when it was, it was a nice surprise in order to settle a heated rivalry once and for all. Some of the announcements for a Hell In A Cell match made for great television.

In 2009, Hell In A Cell became an annual event which took away the uniqueness of the cell. During the first PPV, multiple cell matches would occur on the same show. The steel cage has yet to experience this overexposure and over-saturation in WWE. The steel cage has also been lucky to not receive a color makeover like the cell did going red.

3 HIAC: Greater Brutality

The Steel Cage match has given fans many bloodbaths, especially outside the WWE and if it was a Ric Flair match, but Hell In A Cell matches typically see greater brutality and violence. The extra intensity and violence benefits professional wrestling in both tangible and intangible ways; cell matches increase viewership.

In cell matches, the ability to access the ringside area is an advantage for the accessibility of weapons. The addition of weapons in cell matches has greatly increased its brutality, enhancing its storytelling positively. In recent years, Hell In A Cell matches have been more likely to draw blood and provide greater brutality than Steel Cage matches.

2 Steel Cage: History In The Cage

Steel Cage matches have been around far longer than the Hell In A Cell matches. Even though Mick Foley's fall from off the cell was of greater height than any fall off the cage, Foley's inspiration was seeing Jimmy Snuka dive off the steel cage in 1983.

Hulk Hogan had numerous Steel Cage matches in the 1980s viewed by many as well as classics. In the early 90s, two cage matches that stood out the most were Rick Rude vs Ultimate Warrior in 1990 and Owen vs Bret Hart in 1994. The Big Show also made his WWE debut during a cage match between Mr. McMahon and Stone Cold Steve Austin at St. Valentine's Day Massacre in 1999. The 2000s featured Edge vs Kurt Angle in 2002 and Chris Jericho vs Batista in 2008. We also cannot forget Brock Lesnar vs HHH in 2013.

1 HIAC: History In The Cell

Despite being over-saturated, the history inside Hell In A Cell is incredible. The inaugural cell match between Shawn Michaels and Undertaker/Kane's debut in 1997 was legendary as was the second installment featuring Taker and Mankind in 1998. The 2000s saw HHH go to "hell" with Cactus Jack, Chris Jericho, Kevin Nash, Shawn Michaels and Batista.

Undertaker also took Randy Orton, Edge, and CM Punk to "hell" in the 2000s. Sasha Banks and Charlotte Flair were the first women to main event a main roster pay-per-view and fight in the cell in 2016. The Usos vs The New Day tag war in 2017 is in a must-see league of its own.

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