If WWE has proven anything since going PG, it's that a specific gimmick doesn't have to be dangerous in of itself. For the most part WWE did a tremendous job over the Attitude Era of promoting the Hell in a Cell concept whilst the matches themselves were relatively safe. In fact, it's fair to say that much of the Cell's vaunted legacy comes purely from one match; that being Mick Foley's revered and borderline psychotic effort against The Undertaker at... King of the Ring 1998. It's a story told well and told long. The first spot- the tumble off the top through the table- was planned. The second spot- the chokeslam through the cell roof- was not. If you observe the 2000 No Way Out Cell match between Foley and Triple H, you'll notice the differences in the roof's design to this match, the extra struts and supports that were added. In its primitive design, the roof simply couldn't hold the weight of Foley and 'Taker, losing structural integrity and collapsing under Foley's falling weight. It's the only time Foley recalls being knocked unconscious in his spot-strewn career. The simple truth is the first two matches were dangerous due to the poor design of the Cell structure. The frailties were there to observe in the first bout between 'Taker and Michaels, a risk WWE obviously didn't think to resolve. It's thankful Foley didn't end up paying a severe price for this oversight.
Betting on being a brilliant brother to Bodhi since 2008 (-1 Asian Handicap). Find me @LiamJJohnson on Twitter where you might find some wonderful pearls of wisdom in a stout cocktail of profanity, football discussion and general musings. Or you might not. Depends how red my eyes are.
