7 Classic WWE Moments That Haven't Aged Well

7. Mankind Takes Countless Unprotected Chair Shots To The Head

Mankind The Rock Royal Rumble 1999
WWE Network

"You'll have to kill me."

Those were the words of Mick Foley when The Rock asked him if he wanted to quit after sustained abuse at the 1999 Royal Rumble. Foley (as Mankind) gave an emphatic no, so Rocky thumped him over the head again with his steel chair. Meanwhile, Foley's wife and young kids looked on in horror from the crowd.

In '99, unprotected chair shots to the head were an everyday occurrence in pro wrestling. Few could take the pain like Foley, but it's harrowing to look back on this reckless display of brain-bashing brutality given what we know now about the long-term effects of concussions.

Seeing a lovable character like Mick bleeding heavily and mumbling to himself as he soaks up shot after shot to the top of his head is distressing, and that's even true as an adult in hindsight. This is the kind of thing WWE would never green light now.

Unprotected chair shots to the skull have been rightfully outlawed, and the sickening thud accompanying them has been replaced by (much safer) shots to the back.

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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.