It's a pretty safe bet that the match that Mick Foley will always be remembered for is the iconic and game changing Hell in a Cell match with The Undertaker in 1998. Foley, then known as Mankind, took several iconic bumps (some intentional, some not) and gritted his way into wrestling history.
Foley sat down with one of his contemporaries, D-Von Dudley, on his YouTube channel, to speak about the lasting impact of that match, including a fascinating discourse regarding if that match took place in 2025.
"No one saw this one coming, right? Nobody saw it coming. I think for a few years after this, there was a sense that people were trying to top this, but you could tell that they're trying to top it. Whereas this was, not only was it completely unexpected, but it grew organically in fans' minds. There was no social media at that time. I think if it had been on social media, it would have been a big deal for three or four days and then been largely forgotten. So I was lucky that people talked about it."
"The Hardcore Legend" notes that today's viral culture consists of micro moments that are talked about today and forgotten tomorrow. However, it's hard to believe this match would not be remembered no matter what generation it took place in.
A parting thought Bret Hart and Steve Austin's WrestleMania 13 classic was recently memorialized by being the first match to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. The Hell in a Cell match between Mankind and The Undertaker should follow soon after.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit D-Von Dudley's YouTube channel and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for transcription.
