Relive the brutal history of one of WWE's most horrific matches.

Since 1997, the specter of Hell in a Cell has loomed over the heads of WWE’s greatest Superstars. The massive steel structure has made careers and ended them in the most brutal fashion. In the 17 years since, the terrifying cage has become appealing enough to spawn its own pay-per-view event every October.

As this year’s edition of the hellacious show draws near, WWE.com is looking at the 28 Hell in a Cell Matches that have taken place so far to see what kind of mind-blowing stats we could find. What did we discover? Click through and see for yourself.

20 feet tall, five tons – the size of Hell in a Cell

The Hell in a Cell can maim Superstars and alter the courses of their careers in the blink of an eye. However, the true scope of the Cell does not truly set in for the Superstars and the WWE Universe until the ominous structure lowers from the ceiling and engulfs the ring.

Standing more than 20 feet tall, Hell in a Cell makes monstrous Superstars like Big Show and Mark Henry look downright tiny. The destructive cage is comprised of five tons of steel chain link fence designed to rip at a competitor’s flesh and make them reconsider their life choices.

The unbelievably massive Hell in a Cell gives whoever dares step inside it plenty of square footage to smash, slam, climb, jump off and do whatever else they can think of. That’s what makes it perhaps the most dangerous match in all of WWE.

31 - Number of Superstars to battle in Hell in a Cell

The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels wage war in the first-ever Hell in a Cell Match at Badd Blood on October 5, 1997.

Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins will be the 32nd and 33rd unique competitors to enter the cage, respectively, when they compete at Hell in a Cell on Oct. 26 in Dallas. The 31 Superstars who have come before them are an impressive mix of Hall of Famers, legends and current top talent.

Watch every Hell in a Cell event on WWE Network

The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels were the very first Superstars to set foot in the treacherous cage. Over the next 16 years, grapplers from Triple H to Ted DiBiase and Mr. McMahon to The Big Boss Man have waged war inside the titanic cage. Few of them were ever the same after they took part in Hell in a Cell.

12 - Most Hell in a Cell appearances (The Undertaker)

The Undertaker has a litany of specialty matches that he’s made his own. The Casket Match and the Buried Alive Match are just a few of the macabre battles that The Phenom can hang his hat on. However, no Superstar has done as much for Hell in a Cell as The Undertaker.

Taking part in 12 Hell in a Cell Matches, The Deadman has been in more than any other Superstar in history. He clashed with Shawn Michaels and came face-to-face with his brother Kane in the inaugural match. The Undertaker infamously tossed Mick Foley off of and chokeslammed him through the cold steel at King of the Ring 1998.

Mick Foley relives his Hell in a Cell Match against The Undertaker

He was also the first Superstar to win a championship inside the Cell, defeating CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Title at Hell in a Cell 2009. To say The Undertaker is the most prolific Hell in a Cell competitor would be the ultimate understatement.

6 - Most Hell in a Cell Victories (Tie: The Undertaker & Triple H)

Though The Undertaker may have taken part in the most Hell in a Cell Matches, he is joined at the top of the mountain by another legendary Superstar who has claimed as many victories. Triple H and The Deadman each have six wins in the brutal bout.

The Game’s first victory came in 2000, when he defeated Mick Foley to retain his WWE Championship and send The Hardcore Legend into retirement. He’s also defeated Chris Jericho, Kevin Nash and Shawn Michaels in singles matches inside the Cell, and gained tag team wins alongside Shawn Michaels over the teams of Mr. McMahon, Shane McMahon and Big Show, and Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase.

Watch Triple H take on Chris Jericho in the Cell |  DX vs. Legacy

Triple H has a better winning percentage (67 percent) compared to Undertaker’s 50 percent, with The King of Kings taking six wins in nine bouts, while The Deadman’s six came in 12 Hell in a Cell Matches. However, The Phenom may have bragging rights over Triple H, considering he defeated The Game at WrestleMania XXVIII in an epic Hell in a Cell bout.

Watch the epic Hell in a Cell Match from WrestleMania XXVIII on WWE Network

3 - Most Hell in a Cell Matches in one night

D-Generation X turns the tables on The Legacy and makes Cody Rhodes pay after Triple H stops the ref from re-locking the door at Hell in a Cell on October 4, 2009.

Most members of the WWE Universe would consider themselves lucky to see one Hell in a Cell Match on a show. Two would be a treat. Three? You’re getting spoiled.

The crowd that flooded into Newark, N.J.’s Prudential Center for WWE Hell in a Cell 2009 got a once-in-a-lifetime event, when they witnessed three star-studded Hell in a Cell Matches with major implications. In a rare occurrence, The Undertaker opened the show by reclaiming the World Heavyweight Title from CM Punk inside the structure.

Also on the card, John Cena and Randy Orton clashed in an epic Hell in a Cell contest for the WWE Championship. And in the main event, Triple H and Shawn Michaels took on the young, brash team of Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase in a brawl that could barely be contained inside the Cell. 

Watch Hell in a Cell 2009 on WWE Network

47:26 - Longest Hell in a Cell Match

The classic rivalry between Shawn Michaels and Triple H comes to a head when these iconic Superstars collide inside Hell in a Cell.

The brutal nature of Hell in a Cell doesn’t lend itself to long matches. The vicious steel grating on Superstars’ skin and the malicious batterings that bitter rivals put on each other usually means that the final bell comes fairly soon.

However, the rivalry between Shawn Michaels and Triple H was so heated that a 20-minute brawl wouldn’t have been enough to settle the score. After all, it was The Game that drew HBK out of his four-year retirement.

The two friends battled back and forth for close to 48 minutes. In a war that saw tables, ladders and chairs come into play, Triple H emerged victorious after hitting Michaels with a devastating Pedigree.

1 - Number of untelevised Hell in a Cell Matches

Twenty-five out of the 26 Hell in a Cell Matches so far have been televised. The only one that hasn’t been on TV has remained shrouded in secrecy, until now.

After the Sept. 26, 2011, edition of Raw went off the air, then-WWE Champion John Cena stepped into the brutal structure to defend his title against four other Superstars. CM Punk, Alberto Del Rio, Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger were prepared to do anything to walk out of the Cell with the title in their hands.

Check out photos from the untelevised Hell in a Cell Match

In front of a raucous Kansas City crowd that stuck around for the special bout, John Cena slammed Swagger to the canvas with an Attitude Adjustment to retain the WWE Championship.

2 - Number of Hell in a Cell Matches on Raw

While the majority of Hell in a Cell Matches took place on pay-per-view, two were held on Monday Night Raw, a rare treat for the WWE Universe.

The first took place on the June 15, 1998, edition of Raw. Just two weeks before the most infamous Hell in a Cell Match in history, The Undertaker teamed with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin to take on Mankind and Kane. The match ended in a no contest, as the bout never really got started, with all four men brawling inside, outside and on top of the Cell.

Watch The Undertaker & Austin vs. Mankind & Kane

The other match, between Mankind and Kane, was later that summer, on the August 24, 1998 Raw. This Hell in a Cell Match also ended without a winner, as Austin ran to the ring and attacked Kane, while The Undertaker scaled the Cell, only for Mr. McMahon to raise the cage to the rafters, trapping The Deadman.

Watch Raw's second Hell in a Cell Match

12 - Years before the first title change inside Hell in a Cell

Surprisingly, champions have fared extremely well inside Hell in a Cell. Despite the vicious nature of the match, the titleholders who stepped into the massive structure to defend their championship usually walked out with their prize in hand.

The first title change inside Hell in a Cell didn’t take place until 2009, when The Undertaker vanquished CM Punk with a Tombstone to capture the World Heavyweight Championship. Randy Orton became the second Superstar to win a title in the Cell on the same night, defeating John Cena for the WWE Title.

Watch Hell in a Cell 2009 on WWE Network

Alberto Del Rio is the only other Superstar to win a title inside Hell in a Cell, defeating John Cena and CM Punk in a Triple Threat Hell in a Cell Match in 2011.