Backstage Notes on the Finish to the WWE Hell In a Cell Main Event, Sasha Banks’ Status, More

Regarding Charlotte Flair vs. Sasha Banks for the RAW Women’s Title at WWE Hell In a Cell, Vince McMahon had been against the match closing the show but may have given in the night before the show. Triple H and almost all of the creative team had been pushing for the match to go on last.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that plans had Sasha retaining the title as late as a production meeting the night before the pay-per-view. The plan was to end the Banks vs. Flair feud, for now at least, with the Cell match and have Charlotte move on to Bayley.

However, Vince reportedly changed his mind and had Charlotte win the title. At least one person in Vince’s inner circle says Vince changed his mind on the finish the day before, not the day of, and that just a few people close to him were aware of it. To add to that, top officials told everyone else a different finish at the Saturday night production meeting. Dave Meltzer noted in the Observer that there is an explanation for the change but it wasn’t the company swerving the producers, like they did with Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker, as everyone was told on Sunday that Charlotte would be winning.

Meltzer was told that there is a reason for the change but it had nothing to do with heat on Sasha, Sasha being hurt or anything like that. It was also said that Charlotte winning had nothing to do with WWE keeping her 13-0 pay-per-view streak intact. Charlotte’s streak is just something that happened and is not something that has been part of a long-term plan.

WWE officials also took two major spots out of the match because of concern that Sasha would suffer an injury. One spot was apparently a moonsault from the top of the Cell by Charlotte. Ric Flair appeared on Busted Open Radio this week and commented:

“They took two huge spots out of the match, during the match, because they were afraid Sasha [Banks] was going to get hurt. If the original plan had been, there were two things and I don’t want to say what they were, but you can only imagine. One of them involved a moonsault.”

For those wondering, Sasha is not injured as she worked last night’s WWE live event in Germany and lost to Charlotte.

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