10 Most Death-Defying Matches In Wrestling History
1. Mankind Vs. The Undertaker (Hell In A Cell, WWE King Of The Ring 1998)
The Undertaker vs. Mankind might be the most famous Hell In A Cell match, but it’s not the best. The spots are incredible, and it produced one of the most memorable moments in WWE history, but as a match, it doesn’t quite stand-up to Cactus Jack vs. Triple H or Taker vs. Shawn Michaels.
Regardless, in 1998, this was comfortably the most dangerous thing that WWE fans had ever seen. Foley almost killed himself at several points throughout this match, and all for the fans’ entertainment. It started-out on the top of the cell, and Foley’s famous fall soon became an iconic pro-wrestling moment, and one that’ll be replayed for decades to come.
Had Foley fallen an extra foot to the right, he’d have broken his back on the guardrail. Mankind was immediately loaded onto a stretcher, but he fought back, and a few minutes later, Taker had Chokeslammed him through the cell roof.
Mick Foley cheated death twice in this match, and it cemented him as one of the most reckless performers in wrestling history. He was left a bloody mess by the end of it, and unsurprisingly, neither man walked out with a clean bill of health. Foley bore the brunt of it, with the second spot proving particularly damaging: the cell’s roof wasn’t supposed to collapse, and Mick’s second fall came as a huge surprise to both men.