Hell in the Cell is almost upon us. WWE’s deadly event promises to deliver another night of brutal matches and horrifying spectacles as WWE’s biggest grudges and darkest stories are set to be contested, in and around Hell in a Cell. One of those matches is Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso, his own cousin for the Universal Title in an I Quit Hell in a Cell match. Ahead of this massacre of a match, Paul Heyman, Reigns’ advocate, talked to the press about all things Hell in a Cell. He discusses Roman’s match, Drew McIntyre, and the ThunderDome.
This pairing with Roman Reigns has seemingly been in the making for years. Can you talk a little about how this partnership came about and what feels right about it to you?
“What feels right about it to me is that Roman Reigns is the single biggest box office attraction in sports entertainment today. Not just limited to the SmackDown brand, nor the WWE brand. He is the single biggest box office attraction in all of sports entertainment. Now, if you review how Roman Reigns debuted on the main roster was just about eight years to the day, where Roman Reigns debuted as part of The Shield. The Shield was brought in by Paul Heyman to protect the title reign of the then champion CM Punk. So, this has been in the works since Roman Reigns debuted in the main roster, and would dare say this has been in the works since the day Roman Reigns was born. So, what do I like about it? Every single solitary thing about it, I like, and it’s been in the works since the beginning of time as Roman Reigns knows it to be.”
What are your personal thoughts going into Hell in a Cell this Sunday? What can we expect from an I Quit Hell in a Cell match?
“Well, what I think you can expect from a Hell in a Cell match featuring Roman Reigns and his first cousin Jey Uso is savagery that you are not used to seeing within WWE. Especially in an, I Quit match. This match is designed so that one man has to forfeit. One man has to forfeit his claim to being better than another. One man has to forfeit his goals of being the single biggest star in WWE, the Universal Champion, and one man has to forfeit his privilege at even attempting to claim to be the head of the family. So, there’s a lot on the line. It’s not just the Universal Champion, it’s the head of the family. It’s the pride, the generations, and generations beforehand, and the generations and generations to come that will look upon the winner of this match as the defined, definitive, authentic head of the family. It’s a family that I would say is the most star-driven family in the history of sports entertainment.”
Do you have a personal Hell in a Cell highlight from the history books?
“My two favourite Hell in a Cell matches both featured Brock Lesnar defeating the Undertaker in his own yard, that is Hell in a Cell. Based on the fact that my strategy was used in Brock Lesnar defeating Undertaker not once but twice inside the cell. That same strategy, that same mind, that same brilliance will be brought into the cell again when Roman Reigns takes care of his cousin Jay Uso in an I Quit match within Hell in a Cell.”
How do you think the WWE ThunderDome and the introduction of virtual fans back into each show has contributed to what we are currently seeing on screen from the WWE superstars?
“The entire world has changed in 2020. Anyone who denies that is a fool, so we are looking at an immersive experience that is as close to a live crowd as one can experience right now under the current conditions. If you look at it from a very straight perspective, we have two choices. We can either stop running shows, or we can keep providing the entertainment people turn to us for. So, I’m a big fan of ThunderDome. Do I miss the live crowds? Absolutely. Of course, I do. I’m someone who has 30+ years’ experience performing in front of a live crowd, so I very much miss the live crowds, but as the live crowds are not available right now, this is as good as we’re going to get it in 2020. In the meantime, it just forces and compels us and the performers to come up with new and innovative ways to present the WWE product. I’m a big fan of progression and finding new and innovative ways to present the product, so in some ways, this was quite necessary in the scheme of things, and I’m a big fan of every Friday walking into the ThunderDome.”
Do you agree that Drew McIntyre is living up to the pressures of being the first-ever British WWE Champion?
“I think Drew McIntyre is the second-best choice to be the biggest star in WWE that WWE can possibly pull the trigger on outside of the number one draft pick, the single biggest star in sports entertainment, Roman Reigns.”
Speaking of Drew, there is a rumour building that he wants to face Tyson Fury in a UK pay-per-view. Would that prospect excite you?
“I would say it exhilarates me. To see Drew McIntyre wipe the floor with Tyson Fury would be a sight to behold.”
Any final words on why people should be tuning in to Hell in a Cell this Sunday?
“It’s a very simple equation, you either tune into Hell in a Cell and witness the greatness of the most talked-about commodity in sports entertainment, Roman Reigns, or you will be left out of the conversation and left feeling like you missed out on something special because you will if you miss out on Hell in a Cell. It’s really that simple. It’s up to you. If you want to watch Hell in a Cell, by all means, please do it because Roman Reigns is in the main event in a first time ever. I Quit match in Hell in a Cell. I absolutely guarantee you won’t be disappointed. That’s not a prediction, that’s a spoiler. If you do miss it, I assure you will regret missing it. That’s also not a prediction, that’s a spoiler.
Hell in a Cell takes place on Sunday the 25th October at 11 pm for the Kick-off show, and 12 pm for the main card. It will also feature Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton, and Bayley vs. Sasha Banks Hell in a Cell matches too as well as a slew of other none cell-based matches. Tune into the WWE Network to watch it live, or on your local PPV service.
Special thanks to DS Communication for the interview, Images courtesy of WWE, Video courtesy of WWE YouTube