Hell in a Cell is, along with the Ladder match, the most enduring gimmick in the modern era of WWEs sports entertainment brand. Created in 1997 to be the definitive end to a heated, personal rivalry, it became so popular that WWE felt it worthy of its own pay-per-view of the same name. Fans have justifiably questioned that decision, as the stipulation is best suited for organic situations. The decision to continue using it in the PG era has also been met with scrutiny. Violence with an often heavy dose of blood - was a hallmark of Hell in a Cell for the first eleven years of its existence. Since Edge vs. Undertaker at Summerslam 2008, things have changed. Nevertheless, we are not too far away from the 20th anniversary of the first Hell in a Cell. Great, good, bad, and ugly, there have been 27 versions (28 if you count Kennel in a Cell). Lets celebrate the history and see how each one stacks up against the others.
28. Big Bossman Vs. Al Snow (Unforgiven 1999)
The Kennel from Hell match was definitely an interesting concept. You take two of the top gimmicks in WWE history Cage and Hell in a Cell - and combine them into one. It looked cool. On the outside of the cage were a pack of guard dogs, who strongly contributed to the utter failure of the match. They were pretty nice dogs, frankly, doing usual dog things (relieving themselves, playing, mating). Big Bossman and Al Snows Hardcore Championship match paled in comparison to the show that the dogs were putting on. Honestly, the less said about this debacle the better, but it was noteworthy.
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
