While speaking with Forbes not too long ago, wrestling icon Mick Foley took a trip down memory lane to recall how his infamous 1998 Hell in a Cell match against The Undertaker categorically transformed his professional trajectory.
Reflecting on the game-changing match at King of the Ring that year, Foley is certain that his career would have taken a different, perhaps less exceptional turn if not for that defining clash.
One of the most glaring moments in the match was when Mankind was tossed off the towering steel cage and later driven through the roof of the cage. Foley opens up about this on the podcast and the highlights could be found below:
Speaking of the experience of watching the match again, Foley said, “Only a few weeks before embarking on the tour, I watched the match in its entirety. What I emphasized at every stop is that, if you haven’t witnessed it, you should go watch it as it delivers a substantial emotional punch. Even after these many years, its power hasn’t diluted. Viewing it completely, it stands out uniquely potent and varies dramatically from any other matches in history.”
When asked whether being thrown off the cell or through it was more hurtful, Foley replied, “I can’t express how painful it was because the moment I collided with the mat, I passed out and remained unconscious for 42 seconds.”
Commenting on his legacy and the match’s contribution to it, Foley stated, “Without the Hell in a Cell match, it wouldn’t be identical. That match inserted an emphatic period to my career. It’s really a boon that I get to travel around, participate in Comic-Cons and direct a one-man show and still have a pleasurable time. I doubt that would have been possible without that match. It propelled me to greater heights that I wouldn’t otherwise have achieved. Although I was definitely a valued and well-regarded professional, that match transformed me from a hardworking journeyman. I’m not certain that I would’ve emerged victorious over The Rock for the WWE Title had it not been for that match.”