With Hell in a Cell less than two days away, WWE has announced that the PPV’s main event Roman Reigns vs Rey Mysterio will now take place on Friday at Smackdown instead.
Roman Reigns was going to defend his WWE Universal Championship against Rey Mysterio this Sunday on June 20th inside a hell in a cell match. But now it has been moved up to take place on tomorrow’s June 18th episode of Smackdown. The company initiated this last-minute change through a tweet on Mysterio’s Twitter account.
Roman Reigns vs Rey Mysterio To Happen On Smackdown, Instead Of Hell in a Cell
Rey tweeted that he is not willing to wait for WWE Hell in a Cell. He wants Reigns tomorrow night on SmackDown. Reigns too wasted no time in playing along and accepted to the tweet within an hour. He also made a snide remark saying how it would just move up the timetable on disgracing what was left of Mysterio’s family name.
Sunday. Friday. Any day.
Makes no difference to me.It'll be my pleasure to disgrace what's left of your family name tomorrow night inside Hell in a Cell!
My Special Counsel @HeymanHustle will handle the paperwork.
I’ll PERSONALLY handle the warfare! @WWE #Smackdown https://t.co/DSzd33gluA
— Roman Reigns (@WWERomanReigns) June 18, 2021
Roman Reigns had been beating up Rey Mysterio’s son Dominik for a while. Thus, The Ultimate Underdog came to his son’s rescue and decided to stand up to The Big Dog. The narrative was running smooth as butter just in time for Fathers’ Day on 20th June. It was the same day both superstars were to collide. But with the blockbuster match now shifted to Smackdown, fans are left scratching their heads as to where this rivalry is going.
Why did WWE move Roman Reigns vs Rey Mysterio to Smackdown?
With a live event yet to take place before the PPV on Sunday, it’s possible that the match could come back on the cards but that does not sound right. It would then make no sense to have an extra match on Friday. According to Dave Meltzer, the decision was only preceded by a few creative discussions on Thursday which ended up with ‘Let’s do it on Smackdown.’
Apparently, WWE never wanted Mysterio to win the Universal title. He was only brought into action to build Roman Reigns further as a heel. “This match seems more about putting Reigns in with a great worker and allowing him to play bully heel, give Rey some hot spots and near falls, but in the end I don’t think anyone expects Reigns to lose,” Meltzer explained.
ALSO READ: WWE Hell in a Cell Updates 2021: Match Card, Predictions, Telecast, Date And Time
WWE now only has one match taking place within the hell in a cell structure on Sunday. It will take place between Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship. So hopefully, a match or two will be added to the Hell in a Cell card this week on Smackdown.