A WWE main roster match has received a five star rating in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter for the first time in more than a decade.
WWE Hell In A Cell took place on June 5th at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illionois. The grudge match between Seth Freakin’ Rollins and Cody Rhodes topped the card, while the event hosted seven matches in total.
The show opened with Bianca Belair retaining her Raw Women’s Title over Asuka and Becky Lynch in a frantic Triple Threat Match, and interestingly featured only one match from SmackDown despite being a dual branded show.
In one of the most ridiculous displays of guts and determination WWE has seen in many years, Cody Rhodes overcame Seth Rollins inside Hell in a Cell in the main event.
Just hours before the match, it was revealed that Cody Rhodes had suffered an injury weight training. At the time the full nature of the injury was unknown, although it was expected that the American Nightmare would still be appearing as advertised.
However, WWE later offered an update on the situation, announcing that Rhodes suffered a partially torn right pectoral tendon during his brawl with Rollins on the most recent episode of Raw. Adding that Rhodes aggravated the injury while weight training, tearing the tendon “completely off the bone.”
Following an appearance a night later on Raw, Rhodes underwent surgery to repair the injury, and is expected to be out for around six months.
In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer awarded the heroic display five stars. This makes it the first main roster match to receive the rating in more than a decade. The last bout to be handed the rating was the clash between CM Punk and John Cena at Money In The Bank in 2011.
The last WWE match of any kind to receive the rating was the brutal encounter between WALTER (Gunther) and Ilja Dragunov at NXT TakeOver 36 in August 2021.