10 Wrestling Matches Built Around Botches

Going into King of the Ring 1998, The Undertaker was dealing with a broken foot. While most mere mortals would deem that a good enough excuse to avoid physical activity, The Deadman was gearing up for a Hell in a Cell clash with Mankind.

Arguably the most dangerous WWE match of all time, it is infamous for the two death-defying drops Mankind takes early on in the bout. The first one, a fall from the top of the cell to the announcers' table below, was planned. The second one, a fall through part of the cell roof to the ring below, was not.

As Jim Ross suffered an out of body experience at ringside, Mick Foley lay in a bloodied, broken heap in the ring. One of his front teeth had relocated to his nose and there wasn't an ounce of his anatomy that wasn't injured in some way or other. Suddenly, The Phenom's broken foot didn't seem all that bad.

Whatever the original plans for their match were, 'Taker and Foley had to call an audible after the cell roof let them down. With Foley delirious with pain and anything else they had in mind for the top of the cell now out of the question, the two stumbled through a bloody, angry brawl for the next 10 minutes.

Along with leaving several years of his life behind in Pittsburgh that night, the change in story mid-match altered Foley's connection with audiences. Usually depicted as a dangerous eccentric across three differing personas, the match's eventual emphasis on his toughness moved him into more clearcut babyface territory. The scariest botch on this list, it was also one of the most creatively well-handled, ensuring an unforgettable classic was born.