10 Disturbing Wrestling Bumps That Nearly Went Badly Wrong
1. Mankind Narrowly Avoids Death
Much has been made of Mick Foley's infamous, iconic, first Hell In A Cell bump at King Of The Ring '98.
The discourse is forked: this was either an affront to the very core of the industry, or a deeply admirable commitment to getting it over in a more lawless era. Not enough is made of the bump as a technical accomplishment. He could not have timed the bump nor positioned himself more perfectly. But then, that he still badly injured himself is likely why it was considered such a transgression.
In contrast, Foley knew nothing about the second bump until he landed on that old, concrete pavement of a WWF ring. He wasn't meant to crash through the mesh roof so suddenly; it was gimmicked to facilitate a spot in which Foley would cling to it, driving the suspense, before enduring a more mitigated fall. This obviously didn't happen; Foley crashed through it, in his own double whammy Springfield Gorge moment, as a steel chair landed in dangerous proximity to his head.
"I thought you were dead," was Undertaker's chilling response to Foley in the aftermath.