Ahead of tonight's highly anticipated Three Stages of Hell match between Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre for the Undisputed WWE Championship in Berlin, Germany, here's everything you need to know about one of WWE's rarest and most brutal stipulations.
How It Works
A Three Stages of Hell match is a best-two-out-of-three falls contest where each fall features a different stipulation, with the first wrestler to win two falls claiming overall victory.
Core Rules:
- Best 2-out-of-3 falls format
- Each fall has its own unique stipulation
- First wrestler to win two falls wins the match
- If tied 1-1, the third stage determines the winner
- Wrestlers carry accumulated damage between stages
Typical Match Structure:
- Stage 1: Standard singles match (traditional rules apply)
- Stage 2: No-disqualification format (Falls Count Anywhere, Street Fight, etc.)
- Stage 3: Decisive gimmick match (Steel Cage, Ladder Match, Ambulance Match)
Tonight's Match Stipulations
For Rhodes vs. McIntyre, the stages are:
- Stage 1: Standard singles match
- Stage 2: Falls Count Anywhere
- Stage 3: Steel Cage Match
History & Rarity
The stipulation originated at WWE No Way Out 2001 when Triple H defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin. Since then, WWE has only used the format six times, with the most recent main roster match occurring in 2013 when John Cena defeated Ryback at Payback.
Tonight's match will be the seventh Three Stages of Hell match in WWE history and the first on the main roster in over a decade—reserved for WWE's most personal rivalries.