101 Shocking Wrestling Plans You Won't Believe Almost Happened

101. King Of The Deathmatch At ‘Mania

1998 was a pain-filled year for Mick Foley, but a lucrative and creatively satisfying one. Between January-December, Mickster got to work as all 3 of his alter egos in the Royal Rumble, team with his hero Terry Funk at WrestleMania, work the most thrilling Hell In A Cell match of all time, and develop the burgeoning Hardcore Title division in between main-eventing pay-per-views with Steve Austin and The Rock.

Typically for someone with such a passion for this stuff, Foley wanted more, and he knew just how to get it. Sadly for him, Vince McMahon was having none of it. Heading into 'Mania XIV, Mick fancied working as Cactus Jack against the Funker...in a 'King Of The Deathmatch' blowoff. Like, a literal blowoff.

There would've been pyrotechnics involved, because Mick/Cactus/Mankind/Dude Love wanted barbed wire ropes, explosions and all of the various bells and whistles he'd deployed with Terry and others over in Japan a few years prior. The WWF didn't want to book something so violent, but they did let Foley push the envelope at King Of The Ring a few months later.

That scratched an itch and helped further Mick's stardom for sure. He badly wanted some KOTD fun on the grandest stage though, and that's likely true whether Funk was under his Chainsaw Charlie gimmick or not. Despite pleading and pitching as best he could, Mick couldn't sell Vince on the necessity of such a grand spectacle.

It's probably just as well. They'd have been mopping up blood before that Austin vs. Shawn Michaels main event.