The Unbelievable Debacle: The Kennel From Hell Match That WWE Wants You To Forget

There are wrestling moments that fans will, no doubt, hold dear to their hearts throughout eternity. And then there are those that promoters, wrestlers, and fans wish would completely disappear from memory. A 1999 Kennel from Hell match fits into the latter very nicely, a testament to how things can go so horribly wrong even in the wild world of sports entertainment.

The Build-up: A Feud Gone to the Dogs

The story behind this infamous match began with a rivalry between Al Snow and the Big Boss Man. In a shocking twist, the villainous Boss Man was accused of killing Snow’s beloved pet dog, Pepper. To add insult to injury, it was revealed that Boss Man had served the unfortunate canine to Snow as dinner, with the unsuspecting Snow consuming his furry friend before learning the horrifying truth.

This ghoulish storyline was an offspring of the WWE’s Attitude Era, an era that was all about breaking free and crossing over good taste lines. In their minds, the creative geniuses behind the WWE concocted a match they dubbed the Kennel from Hell. This exact battle was set for the Unforgiven pay-per-view on September 26, 1999. The stipulation? A Hell in a Cell structure would enclose the ring, which itself would be enclosed by a traditional steel cage. But that wasn’t enough; vicious dogs would patrol the area between the two cages to add an element of danger and unpredictability to the bout.

The Concept: A Match Design Doomed from the Start

On paper, the Kennel from Hell match may have been an excellent proposition for an intense, high-stakes affair. The stipulation was that either Al Snow or Big Boss Man was to escape both the inner steel cage and the outer Hell in a Cell structure to emerge victorious and win the WWF Hardcore Championship. The promise of this configuration was for a combination of established cage match cunning with the added danger of dodging the dog guards.

However, the premise was fundamentally flawed. The structure of the match heavily restricted the wrestlers’ mobility and options for action. With two cage structures to navigate and dogs to avoid, the potential for exciting in-ring action was dramatically reduced. This culminated in a match that lasted almost twelve minutes but felt much longer to the befuddled audience.

The Execution: When Reality Bites

By the time the bell rang to signal the start of the match, it was pretty clear that this was not going to be some blood-and-guts free-for-all. The “ferocious” Rottweilers that were intended to add an element of danger to the proceedings looked nothing like snarling guard dogs; instead, the audience watched with bemusement as disinterested canines seemed to prefer relieving themselves, socializing, or even attempting to mate at ringside. This unexpected twist converted what should have been a critical and dramatic engagement into a by-accident farce.

One of the participants, Al Snow, has come forward saying that the WWE just bought a list of dogs and owners from a local veterinary clinic. From all those animals, one alone had ever received any type of training. That lack of preparation was as apparent as daylight, and even Snow himself had to acknowledge that the performance had failed to reach any acceptable level since he had a great feeling coming into the show about the storyline building up for the match.

The Aftermath: A Legacy of Infamy

As the match limped to its end, Al Snow managed to knock out the Big Boss Man with his signature weapon, “Head,” and escaped both cages to win. The victory was met with near silence from a crowd still trying to process the bizarre spectacle they had just witnessed.

It is one of the most disastrous gimmick matches ever conceptualized, and for years since its occurrence, the Kennel from Hell match has become infamous in wrestling circles. This is a cautionary tale of what happens when ambitious concepts collide with poor execution and unforeseen variables.

The Lessons: What WWE Learned

The failure of the Kennel from Hell match taught WWE several valuable lessons:

Practicality is the key: While innovative match concepts can be exciting, they need to be practical in execution. The double-cage structure with dogs proved to be more of a hindrance than a help to the in-ring action.

Animal unpredictability: Live animals in a wrestling context are inherently unpredictable and can easily derail even the best-laid plans.

Preparation is the key: Proper training and preparation, especially for unique match stipulations, are essential for success.

Sometimes less is more: Overcomplicating a match structure can detract from the core elements that make professional wrestling entertaining.

The Legacy: A Cautionary Tale in Wrestling Lore

Although the Kennel from Hell match is more infamous than iconic, it has cemented its place in wrestling lore. The brazen scope of the concept, combined with its spectacular failure, ensures that it remains a topic of discussion among fans and industry professionals alike.

It reminds everyone that not every idea is going to be a home run in professional wrestling. It sits with other legendary gimmick matches, such as the Judy Bagwell on a Pole match or the Reverse Battle Royal, as simply creative ideas that just didn’t make it to execution.

In Context: Attitude Era Extremes

To fully grasp the Kennel from Hell match, one needs to understand the setting of the times. The late 1990s saw WWE (then WWF) involved in a heavy ratings battle with WCW promotion. This competition sparked an increase in shocking storylines and match ideas for each company’s attempt to surpass the other.

It consisted of edgy content and shock value, giving it the name Attitude Era. Other extreme match types included the Inferno Match, where the ring would be surrounded by flames, and wrestlers such as Kane and The Undertaker would attempt to set each other on fire in said match. These matches, although very spectacular to the eye, proved very dangerous to perform and were discontinued based on safety reasons and because they were not believable.

The Participants: Careers Beyond the Kennel

Although the Kennel from Hell match made them infamous, both Al Snow and the Big Boss Man had solid professional wrestling careers.

Al Snow, known for his eccentric character and his mannequin head prop, continued to be a popular mid-card performer in WWE for several years after the match. He later transitioned into a role as a trainer and producer, helping to shape the next generation of wrestling talent.

The Big Boss Man, whose real name was Ray Traylor, had a long and successful career in wrestling. He was known for his portrayal of a tough, no-nonsense corrections officer and had memorable feuds with many top stars of the era. Tragically, Traylor passed away in 2004, but he is remembered fondly by fans and colleagues for his contributions to the industry.

The Venue: A Night to Remember in Charlotte

The Kennel from Hell match occurred at the Unforgiven pay-per-view event, held on September 26, 1999, at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. The event was important as it marked the first Unforgiven not under the “In Your House” banner; WWE had already dropped the banner earlier that year.

The main event of the evening was a six-pack challenge for the vacant WWF Championship, featuring Triple H, The Rock, Mankind, Kane, Big Show, and the British Bulldog. Stone Cold Steve Austin served as the special outside enforcer. Triple H emerged victorious, pinning The Rock after delivering his signature Pedigree finisher.

While the big match was a good contest and brought about a good title change, it’s revealing that nearly twenty-three years later, the Kennel from Hell still remains the best from that long card.

Impact: Changing Perceptions of Gimmick Matches

The failure of the Kennel from Hell match had a lasting impact on how WWE approached gimmick matches. While the company didn’t abandon unique match concepts entirely, there was a noticeable shift towards gimmicks that enhanced rather than hindered in-ring action.

Then the years brought along new matches such as Elimination Chamber and Money in the Bank, as well as several versions of multi-person ladder matches. The ideas started to bring some spectacular moments with high-stakes drama without sacrificing the core wrestling action that fans craved.

The Fans: A Test of Loyalty

For the fans attending the Charlotte Coliseum that night, the Kennel from Hell match was probably surreal. What was hyped to be a brutal culmination of a heated feud instead became an unintentional comedy of errors. The audience’s reaction, or lack thereof, says a lot about the match failing to deliver on its promises.

It still finds itself on the discussion board over two decades later, so perhaps this really shows how passionate and forgiving wrestling fans are. And in its failure, the Kennel from Hell match has been immortalized into the lore of wrestling, a common experience that everyone can look back at with some measure of incredulity and chuckle.

Conclusion: A Reminiscent Failure in the World of Wrestling

The Kennel from Hell match is one of the most exemplary examples of the risks involved with innovation in professional wrestling. As creativity is a fundamental element in keeping the product fresh and exciting, this match exemplifies how even the most creative ideas fail without proper execution.

The Kennel from Hell was an unsuccessful storyline, or so one would be led to believe, but failure has certainly given the kennel a lasting place in the annals of wrestling history, as sometimes these things do indeed have to go wrong before they go right.

As WWE and other wrestling promotions continue to evolve and experiment with new match types and storytelling techniques, the lessons learned from the Kennel from Hell remain relevant. It’s a cautionary tale that underscores the importance of practicality, preparation, and understanding the core elements that make professional wrestling compelling to its audience.

And, in the final analysis, this Kennel from Hell match is a great embodiment of that kind of risk-taking that has led professional wrestling into the direction that it is in today. Sure, it might not be a classic for all the right reasons, but as one of the most infamous matches in WWE history, it’s not going to go away anytime soon.