Randy Orton Defeats Jeff Hardy in Brutal Hell In A Cell Match

WWE’s Hell In A Cell PPV event on Sunday evening opened up with a bout in the famed cell. The match, pitting Randy Orton against Jeff Hardy, was the first match in the cell since it received a new paint job.

Hardy and Orton exchanged position early on inside the brand new red cell, taking turns throwing each other face first into the cell wall looking to gain an advantage. Hardy took out a table early, as well as a ladder. When he went to use the ladder as a weapon on Orton, he was taken out by a chairshot from Orton.

Orton went for an RKO on to the chair outside the ring, but Hardy pushed him off into the cell. Hardy then spring-boarded off the chair with a running leg lariat. He followed that up back inside the ring some more offense and a near fall.

Orton took back the advantage when Hardy went up top, crotching Jeff on the top turnbuckle. Orton followed that up with a big super-plex back into the ring for a near fall. After both men were laid out in the ring following the big move, Hardy fought back with a Whisper in the Wind for a near fall.

Hardy went outside the ring to pull out another ladder from underneath. He set it up upside down between the ring and cell. Jeff then tried to suplex Orton into the the middle of the exposed ladder, but Orton reversed it and tossed Jeff abdomen first into the middle of the ladder. This lead to a near fall back in the ring.

Orton then brought a steel chair into the ring and gave Hardy two big shots to the back. Hardy then ripped Hardy’s shirt and gave him some more shots to the back, this time with his skin exposed. Orton then took Hardy’s belt (which the announcers noted had steel studs) and began whipping Hardy in the back with it. Orton then brought a ladder into the ring and crammed Hardy inside the middle of it and stomped him repeatedly. Orotn then synched on a headlock, which lead to Hardy fighting out and hitting some offense.

Hardy went for a Twist of Fate but was pushed off into a big power slam from Orton for a couple of near falls. At this point, Orton became visibly frustrated. He went under the ring and took out a toolbox and a screw driver. Back in the ring, he grabbed Hardy and began tearing at his gauged ear piercing. He jammed his finger and screw driver through the whole at the same time, then began pulling the screw driver, twisting Hardy’s earlobe around in a brutal looking spot. Hardy kicked Orton with a low blow to break this up.

Hardy then fought back with the belt and some chair shots. Hardy slowly climbed up top but Orton crotched him, sending him back into the ring. Orton, who’s back was bleeding from the belt shots, then gave Hardy the DDT from the second rope. He set up the RKO, but Hardy pushed off and hit the Twist of Fate. Jeff then set a chair on top of the fallen Orton and went up top for the Swanton. He nailed it and covered Orton for a near fall, shocking the crowd that this wasn’t the finish.

Jeff brought a table and two ladders into the ring. He hit a Twist of Fate to send Orton on to the table. Jeff then climbed on top of the smaller ladder, then the taller one, and hung from the top of the cage. He swung his body and dropped through the table but Orton moved.

The referee said Jeff was hurt and was refusing to count the pinfall for Orton. Eventually, he reluctantly counted the pinfall as Orton won the match.

EMTs came out afterward and began to haul Hardy off as Orton stood victorious on the second rope.