10 Wrestling Moments That Literally Made You Jump

7. Mankind Is Thrown Off The Cell

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WWE Network

It's a great bump, which obviously isn't considered much when, even 22 years later, it must be asked whether he should have taken it to begin with.

Mick Foley measured his trajectory perfectly to absorb the unprecedented blow across the biggest possible surface area, rotating to make it seem that he was going to go through the f*cker head-first when in reality he was scouting the spot. This rotation also allowed for his legs to flail into the descent, making it all seem as helpless as it was brutal.

King Of The Ring 1998 seared itself into the memory of all those watched it. This bump disrupted everything you once thought of professional wrestling. It created a moral panic and an appetite for yet more insanity, though mercifully, every outrageous stunt thereafter was cushioned in some obscured way. Foley's bump was not.

The velocity of the descent, combined with his not inconsiderable frame, meant that the table fell apart quicker than a finger click.

Disturbing, controversial, unforgettable: when you watched it, you jumped out of fear, as much as anything else.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!