The Complete A-Z Of The Undertaker
21. F - Foley
Undertaker's battles with Mankind between 1996 and 1998 remain the most important and integral of his career.
By the time Mick Foley arrived the day after WrestleMania 12, The Undertaker had legitimised a flagging act with strong efforts against Diesel and Bret Hart, but needed a longer programme to continue his rebuilding act after a particularly dreadful 1995 slaying the most useless WWE monsters he'd encountered in his five year spell.
His wars with Mankind exposed a new intensity within his act, especially during the heartbreaking 'Boiler Room Brawl' at Summerslam in August, when Paul Bearer abandoned their long relationship to side with 'the deranged one'.
Crucially, Mankind was allowed to defeat him in a variety of settings, which elevated Foley to his level within months and added real stakes to all their bouts.
They feuded again over the WWE Title in 1997, and fought most famously at the 1998 King of the Ring. The sight of Undertaker hurling Foley from the top of the Hell in a Cell structure at the beginning of their match will be embedded in the fabric of the organisation for generations to come.