[WNS Column] The Hydden View: 5 Questions Going into Ambrose vs. Rollins HIAC

We are a little over 24 hours from the payoff we have all been waiting for! Tomorrow evening it is Ambrose vs. Rollins in “Hell in a Cell”. When this feud started every fan was anticipating the match that would end it, but I like many never thought we would get it in the violent structure it will take place in. No one can describe what a match in that cell means better than Mick Foley did on Monday’s Raw. Going in we do not know if Ambrose vs. Rollins will be the main event, or if it will be Cena vs. Orton. I do know this, going in the most talked about match is Ambrose/Rollins, and after HIAC, it will most likely still be Ambrose/ Rollins. While thinking about this match I believe there are five very important questions going in.

1. Can they top Orton vs. Cena? I know what you’re thinking of course they can. Let’s look at this from another perspective. Only counting pay-per view events Randy Orton has been in five HIAC matches. Cena has been in two, but three if you count a RAW dark match. They know what to expect from the structure. They have learned from their many matches inside it. The question is, can Ambrose/Rollins overcome the awe factor of the cell before their time inside it is up?

2. Can Ambrose bring his “Lunatic Fringe” character to another level in the cell? I think it’s safe to say if you’re going into a match like this, you have to make the personal choice to lose a piece of your sanity. Ambrose has clearly shown he has done that before entering the cell. The thing I want to know is what can he do inside the ring at HIAC that other performers have yet to do? How does he, himself, push the envelope of his own character? In today’s WWE where characters are so closely tied to each wrestler’s own personality, I wonder if the moral and personal feelings of Dean Ambrose the man will hinder the progression of his character.

3. Can Rollins give us a high spot we haven’t seen? Seth Rollins has become known for the high spot in his matches, sometimes 3-4 of them. The question is can he do something so innovative in that cell that we haven’t seen before that makes us go “Holy S#!T”. I would not normally ask this question of Rollin but think of what we have seen others do in and out of that cell. Have we seen it all? Or can the innovative Rollins pull us out of our seats once again?

4. Will the payoff be worth it? Simple answer here is yes it will be worth it. But, could the drama of the cell, the expectations that are now being put on both wrestlers, be too much. We have seen this before; two wrestlers not live up to the hype. Wyatt vs. Jericho the first time around did not meet expectations. The other part is at the end, will we be able to say, YES, this feud is over because the end of the match was that decisive.

5. Finally, who goes over? Is it Rollins? Is it Ambrose? Sometimes I wonder if this match is too predictable. I mean, can you really have the wrestler who has a contract for the championship and is being painted as the future of the company, lose? Then I wonder, may that be why he loses? For me personally, Ambrose should go over, he has shined thru this whole thing. Rollins has been great, but Ambrose a bit better.

No matter what the answer to all of these questions is, tomorrow night could be one of the greatest matches we have ever seen. Both are capable of taking our breath away. Like many of you, I will be glued to my TV waiting for what comes next.