10 Things You Didn't Know About Beyond The Mat

by Jamie Kennedy

1. Why McMahon Was P*ssed About Mick Foley's Role

Beyond the Mat Foley
Imagine Entertainment/Lionsgate Entertainment

It'd be remiss to finish off with anything other than some insight behind Mick Foley's role in the film. Blaustein told Indie Wire why Vince was so upset at some of the footage captured at ringside during Mick's memorable 'I Quit' match against The Rock at Royal Rumble 1999, and why the WWF wanted those scenes cut.

McMahon pinned Barry down and said kids would be "put off coming to see the WWF" after watching Dewey and Noelle crying their eyes out as their father took serious abuse. Blaustein fired back that Vince had previously told him the company wasn't aimed at kids anymore anyway (during the Attitude era).

It was quite the stand off.

Had Vince seized control of the feature, he would've deleted any and all talk of Foley's children being scarred by what was being presented. This shows that McMahon, despite leaping head first into a raunchy new direction, still wanted to retain some pretence that the WWF was 'wholesome family entertainment'.

What else do you know about the controversial 'Beyond The Mat'? For more wrestling, check out WWE WrestleMania Mixtape: Booking The Perfect ’Mania and 10 Wrestling Spots Nobody Does Anymore!

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Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.