Mick Foley recalls one of the most iconic "Hell In A Cell" matches in WWE history.
On June 28th, 1998 inside of the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, PA, former three-time WWF Champion Mick Foley and "The Phenom" The Undertaker put on one of the most talked about and historic "Hell In A Cell" matches in the history of WWE. Clips from the brutal bout are constantly shown in WWE video packages and network specials.
While on the road for his "20 Years Of Hell" tour in which he dives into stories in front of a live audience about his career in the pro wrestling industry, Mick Foley spoke with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated and opened up about that historic night during the summer of 1998.
“I told Mr. McMahon two of the biggest lies of my life that day,” said Foley. “I told him I had been on top of the cell earlier that afternoon, and I told him that I felt completely comfortable up there. Had I gone up there for a walk-through, there would be no twentieth anniversary because I would have realized that getting thrown off was a terrible idea. It’s literally the match that changed my life, physically and emotionally,” said Foley. “I realized I could not continue to do the things I had been doing to connect with audiences, I had to find a different way.”
The WWE Hall Of Famer credits the match with The Undertaker for being the bout that propelled the 'Mankind' character to new heights. Foley also shared that he'd normally make a phone call to his family after his matches but after the hell that he endured on that night, he forgot to call his wife and she was not pleased with her husband falling off of a massive structure numerous times throughout the match.
“I was really so caught up in preparation that I didn’t call home before matches, I always called home after matches,” said Foley. “I did that on every occasion except for this one, but I thought I had a legitimate excuse for not calling home because I was unconscious. I later heard from WWE agent Dave Hebner who said my family was very upset. When I did call, I got an earful from my wife who wasn’t thrilled with my decision-making. I could have used a sympathetic ear, but what I really needed was someone to tell me that I couldn’t continue to do the things I was doing if I wanted to see my children grow.”
Although Mick Foley has retired from in-ring competition the man who he did battle with at 'King Of The Ring' in '98 is still going strong as The Undertaker will meet Rusev in Saudi Arabia at the 'Greatest Royal Rumble' event in a 'Casket Match' next Friday.
