10 Best WWE Hell In A Cell Matches EVER - According To Dave Meltzer

3. The Undertaker Vs Mankind (King Of The Ring 1998, ****1/2)

Batista Triple H Vegeance 2005 Hell in a Cell
WWE.com

As Shane McMahon crossed his heart and hoped not to die at WrestleMania 32, he did so looking to use his body to create a moment that would last a lifetime in the hearts and minds of wrestling fans the world over.

The reality of his situation was rather less romantic. The unforced plunge of a 45-year-old spoilt rich kid lacked the gravitas of the...gravity that dragged Mick Foley's battle-worn frame so beautifully back down to earth with a thud following an Undertaker throw that will rightfully be replayed ad infinitum.

It was a vile yet beautiful bump, with a million stories flickering through the fall like the flashbulbs that accompanied it. Mankind and The Undertaker despised one another after a 1996 angle that reinvigorated 'The Deadman' as much as it did make Foley. Though ostensibly a babyface, the involvement of brother Kane in his WWE life had brought an unpleasant and violent side out in 'Taker that manifested in the form of such wanton brutality.

Foley's perception had shifted in the opposite direction. A brief view into the man behind the mask in 1997 replaced his horrific veneer with something more human. Fans the world over now knew of his Dude Love dreams and Cactus Jack concessions, and felt physical pain alongside Mankind's emotional strife.

His second bump through the roof to the ring was even more sickening. But you don't need this article to tell you that - you've seen the match a hundred times and will see it a hundred more, such was the power of the legendary opening bump.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett