What we got from the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view was exactly what is expected these days: almost regular wrestling matches with a cage as a prop surrounding the ring. Nonetheless, the two main title matches featured good wrestling and psychology, with Mark Henry and Alberto Del Rio.

When watching the PPV, however, I had a hard time getting into the show. I would attribute that to a lack of crowd reaction from the New Orleans fans.

All of the matches we deem great are driven by crowd reactions. The most recent example of this was Money in the Bank. The crowd was so electric for the match that every move executed by CM Punk and John Cena was a huge deal. Even when the two combatants showcased chain wrestling for almost 10 minutes, the tension was still there.

Fast-forward to last night’s PPV, and it is a whole different story. In my opinion, the crowd was best for the opening contest and the world heavyweight championship match. Apart from the usual split in Cena chants and the chaotic ending to the night, there was nothing to get excited about.

If you were in the crowd last night, don’t get too offended. I won’t put all the blame on you. I’ll give some to the Sin Cara match. I don’t think the fans knew who to cheer for, nor did they really care.

Don’t get me wrong, there were some flashy moves in the contest, but that turned out to be a feud that was hard to get behind. As a result, the crowd deadened.

Beside those few parts I mentioned before, everything else fell flat. I noticed this especially towards the end of the WWE title match. Punk and Del Rio were desperately trying to get reactions with long two counts, but that still wouldn’t wake the crowd up.

The title matches were good, but with some more input from the fans, it could have been a much better night. Crowd reactions are such an integral part of the show. When these reactions don’t come across on television, it has an effect on the entire program.

All in all, I thought it was a good night that was hampered by a lack of excitement.

Hey, New Orleans. The next time WWE is in town, get excited!