This is one of those rare months when two “special events” occur on the WWE Network. The last was WWE’s stop at Madison Square Garden on Brock Lesnar’s “Go to Hell” tour. Sunday, October 25th, 2015 will be the FINAL stop on that tour as ‘The Beast Incarnate’ must face his greatest nemesis in The Undertaker within the confines of WWE’s most fabled structure – the ominous Hell in a Cell – which also lends its name to Sunday night’s event at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Now before I continue with the odds for Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar, arguably the marquee match of this show, I must offer the standard disclaimer for any newcomers. Because this is not mixed martial arts, college football, rugby or any other unscripted full contact sport, the betting lines you see don’t have any bearing on who is actually more physically dominant or athletically skilled. Essentially what you are betting on is WWE’s ability to plan long term. The odds reflect the likelihood that WWE has a plan for their superstars that they’ve mapped out via wins and losses at major event. The lower a line is for a favorite, the more likely it is they’ll stick to the plan. Underdogs generally have huge lines when it would make no sense for them to win right now. That’s the inherent risk though – when Vince McMahon thinks his shows have become TOO predictable, that’s when he pulls the ol’ SWERVE and changes up the results. As of right now the latest odds show that Brock Lesnar is the favorite at -230, with The Undertaker an underdog at +170, but that line is much closer than one can feel 100% comfortable with. There’s really no reason for Undertaker to win to prove a point – he already beat Lesnar at SummerSlam albeit in a contested finish – it’s Lesnar who has something to prove here. The reason the line is this close though is simply because of Undertaker’s mystique and the fact that the “Hell in a Cell” is his signature match stipulation – an enclosed cage which you can’t climb out of to escape your foe. We shall see on Sunday night. Most of the other lines for Hell in a Cell are far more spread out. Roman Reigns is a sizable favorite at -750 against Bray Wyatt (+450) in a feud that just never seems to end. Any time we get close to a conclusion the Wyatt Family beats Reigns down and we start the whole thing over again. Charlotte (-600) should retain her recently won Divas Title over Nikki Bella (+400). Kevin Owens (-750) has done fairly well for himself since being called up from WWE NXT, and those odds mean somebody in power (most likely Paul Levesque) REALLY likes him, so he should retain the Intercontinental Title over Ryback (+450). Your sleeper pick here has to be Seth Rollins (-300) vs. Kane (+220). In theory if Kane loses he’s “fired” as the Director of Operations. That makes perfect sense, it’s a storyline that needs to progress on TV, and yet that’s exactly why Vince McMahon might throw us a curveball if he thinks it’s way too obvious. As always please remember these previews are for entertainment purposes only and if you do wager to only bet what you can afford. Enjoy Hell in a Cell!
