As we enter October and the WWE continues its build toward Crown Jewel in less than two weeks (Oct. 11 at 8 a.m. ET on ESPN Unlimited), let's stroll down memory lane. In the first of a monthly series, we're looking at some of the notable WWE PLE (premium live event) matches that occurred in October.
There's no shortage of WWE history in October. Combine that with intense rivalries and top-notch storytelling, and it's a recipe for must-view pro wrestling.
Badd Blood: In Your House -- Oct. 5, 1997
Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker
Our first match is one of the most important on this list or any other. Not only did this main event feature two all-time greats -- both are on my personal Mount Rushmore of pro wrestlers -- but it featured two important debuts.
First, the match itself -- this was the first Hell in a Cell match in WWE history, a concept that turned into its own PLE, often held in October. Hell in a Cell has been home to many classics over the years, this match included.
The second debut was WWE Hall of Famer Kane. As the match neared its conclusion, The Undertaker's storyline half-brother broke the door off the cell and the two stood face to face, a revelation following an extensive build around a childhood accident involving a fire that left Kane scarred.
Kane hit The Undertaker with his own finisher, the Tombstone, allowing Michaels to win.
Since this bout, there have been over 50 Hell in a Cell matches. No one has appeared in more of them than The Undertaker.
No Mercy -- Oct. 17, 1999
The Hardy Boyz vs. Edge & Christian
This match set the tone for the type of innovation we see in tag-team wrestling today. Simply put, The Hardy Boyz (called the New Brood at this time) and Edge & Christian changed the game with this tag-team ladder match, the first of its kind on a WWE PLE.
Over the years, fans have become accustomed to high-risk creativity in ladder matches -- the tag-team element adds to the possibilities, and that was evident in this one. One spot saw Jeff Hardy use a ladder to propel himself from the top turnbuckle over a ladder to deliver a leg drop to Christian -- one of the coolest moves of the match.
This led to many more tag-team ladder matches and escalated to the popular TLC match (Tables, Ladders & Chairs), which debuted the following year -- a great format in its own right, but this one laid the foundation.
No Mercy -- Oct. 5, 2008
Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels (world heavyweight championship match)
From one ladder match to another, though this was of the one-on-one variety and among the most physical versions to date.
In 2008, Michaels and Jericho put forth one of the most personal and emotional rivalries we'd seen in the WWE. Mind games, boiling blood and family emotion -- this match was the pinnacle and delivered on every level -- storytelling, innovation and psychology. Highlights included Michaels reversing a belly-to-back suplex off a ladder through the announce table, Michaels pushing Jericho off the top of the ladder from inside the ring all the way to the outside, and one of the more memorable ladder-match finishes ever.
As Jericho -- sporting a broken tooth -- and Michaels ascended both sides of the ladder, each held on to one side of the unhooked world championship and a tug-of-war ensued. A Jericho headbutt knocked Michaels off the ladder and secured him the win and the retention of his belt.
Hell in a Cell -- Oct. 6, 2019
Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks (RAW women's championship match)
This was the second-ever women's Hell in a Cell match and the first since 2016. Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks (who was also a part of the first women's Hell in a Cell match with Charlotte Flair and the third against Bayley in 2020) opened and stole the show.
Lynch and Banks had great chemistry as their history dated all the way back to their overlapping starts in NXT six years prior, their main roster debut together in July 2015 and their numerous matches.
This encounter started before the cell was fully lowered when the heel Banks gained the advantage with a prematch attack. Once the match officially started, the Sacramento crowd was treated to a compelling story. Lynch and Banks used every element at their disposal to help tell it including tables, kendo sticks, chairs, ladders and the cell itself. Lynch got the win on this night to retain her championship.
Since then, both have cemented their legacies as cornerstones of women's wrestling.
Bad Blood -- Oct. 5, 2024
CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre
Our final match on the list took place just last year and was one of the most highly anticipated events of 2024. This was another show that reached its peak in the opening match thanks to Punk and McIntyre.
We talked about heated and personal rivalries earlier, specifically the 2008 Shawn Michaels-Chris Jericho program. The rivalry between Punk and McIntyre belongs in the same conversation.
This was the final chapter of a trilogy of 2024 PLE matches between the two. McIntyre defeated Punk at SummerSlam and Punk evened the score at Bash in Berlin. As with two of the other matches on this list, this story was told inside Hell in a Cell, the most recent version to date.
It was a violent final installment featuring blood, tables, stairs and a wrench, among other things.
In the end, Punk won this rubber match and etched it into the history books as one of the company's premier Hell in a Cell encounters.
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