The Real Winners and Losers From 2022 WWE Hell in a Cell Match Card

WWE Hell in a Cell 2022 had a card that did not feel worthy of a hot Chicago crowd, but the talent often outworks the build. And that was certainly true on Sunday.

Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch and Asuka stole the show early. In an incredible 19-minute battle, the three women put on one of the best performances of the year. The EST of WWE barely pulled out the win.

Bobby Lashley got a timely assist from Cedric Alexander and managed to defeat Omos and MVP. He then called his shot for the WWE Championship.

The Judgment Day picked up a big win over AJ Styles, Finn Balor and Liv Morgan thanks to impressive cohesion as a group. And Rhea Ripley and Morgan, in particular, made the most of a greater spotlight.

Mustafa Ali fought with all he had in front of his home crowd at Allstate Arena, hoping to win his first WWE title. However, Theory potentially ended his championship dreams.

These Superstars did everything they could to stand out, but some were real winners while others were losers by the end of the show.

This year's Hell in a Cell may have had a seven-match card, but Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch and Asuka stole the show in the opener. Nothing got close the rest of the way.

The crowd was all behind the action, proving the impact and power of women's wrestling, especially from three of the absolute best. While Belair won in the end, all three showcased themselves.

This match was followed by a promo package for Roman Reigns, who has not defended either of his world titles in two months. It only further highlighted how the women are carrying WWE at the moment.

This is a battle that needs to be run back at some point. Belair vs. Asuka or Lynch are both main event-level matches as well as the combination of all three Superstars.

They were put in the opener to pop the crowd, but they made the rest of Sunday's PPV look irrelevant in comparison.

Bobby Lashley has been stuck in this rivalry with Omos since WrestleMania 38. He lost a key match and his manager, MVP. It felt like he had been thrown down the card for the younger and larger star.

Instead, Hell in a Cell proved that WWE is still focused on The All Mighty. He not only managed to defeat Omos and MVP but he also called his shot at Roman Reigns.

Given his history and pure power, Lashley is one of the rare men who could genuinely dethrone the Undisputed WWE Universal champion. He just needed to get past a feud that was in many ways beneath him.

The future looks bright for The All Mighty. Not that long ago, he held the WWE title for the first time, but he could soon be a three-time world champion.

Ezekiel may well be the younger brother of Elias, but he did look a lot like his brother at Hell in a Cell: fighting hard but not seriously competing with one of WWE's best.

The point of repackaging him was to give him a fresh perspective. However, after losing cleanly to Kevin Owens on Sunday, nothing felt different from before.

While Ezekiel did not need to win, he needed more than this. This was a chance to prove himself as an exciting talent on a bigger stage.

Hopefully, the story to come will explain further why Ezekiel is in WWE. There are only so many more ways for Owens to say his rival is Elias.

The Judgment Day have been a breath of fresh air on WWE Raw. The stable is the rare character angle on a show that is without serious gimmicks, and it has already done great work in elevating Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest.

Another woman who has benefited from this spotlight is Liv Morgan. She has always said she just needs an opportunity to shine, and she made the most of it at Hell in a Cell.

In a match that included great veterans such as Edge, AJ Styles and Finn Balor, the women seemed the most motivated. It is rare that either gets so much time in the ring, and they did not waste it.

Even when Morgan and Ripley were on the apron, they were the most animated.

After the loss to The Judgment Day, hopefully Morgan will continue to keep a position on Raw that allows her moments like this.

And Ripley will certainly continue to benefit from the group.

Mustafa Ali walked into his hometown with quiet momentum. Everyone was behind him in his pursuit of the United States Championship, but WWE rarely lets hometown talent shine.

At least Ali and Theory got the time to put on a good match that went back-and-forth to the end, with the Chicago native pushing the titleholder into one of his best performances.

However, this did feel like Ali's one-and-only opportunity. After failing to win on Sunday, it's hard to believe he will ever capture WWE gold.

While he has the talent to challenge anyone—even Roman Reigns with the right build—Ali's size has often held him back. He is surrounded by bigger men who seem to be much clearer WWE favorites.

The next few weeks will indicate if this was merely a setback or the end of Ali's second run with the company.