WWE is holding its annual Hell in a Cell pay-per-view this weekend, and just like every year, fans are eagerly anticipating the return of the most demonic structure in sports entertainment. The Hell in a Cell is one of the most destructive matches in the business; it combines the brutality of both a cage and a no disqualification format. Some of the greatest bouts in wrestling history have taken place in the cell, and WWE is hoping for similar success this Sunday.
The only problem is that WWE hit the pinnacle of the Hell in a Cell match years ago. Fans of wrestling already know the match well; it was one of the defining matches of its time. For those who haven't seen the match yet, you're missing out on something special.
The match took place during the 1998 King of the Ring pay-per-view. Mick Foley (under the alias Mankind) took on the Undertaker in what would become one of the most famous matches in history for one reason:
Yes, that footage is 100% real. Mick Foley fell from the top of the cell, through the always-ill-fated Spanish announcers' table and to the floor. It was a 15-foot fall with nothing but the announcer's table to break the impact. Jim Ross, the announcer shouting "By God, he killed him!" in the footage, sincerely thought that Foley was dead. It's easily one of the most shocking and amazing stunts that has ever been attempted in the WWE.
What's even more impressive is that the match continued. Foley was nearly stretchered out of the arena before he stood up, climbed back to the top of the Cell and was promptly choke-slammed through the cage and down onto the ring. Foley was then hit with a chair, dropped onto a pile of thumbtacks and driven headfirst into the mat; only then did the superstar finally stay down. Foley may have lost the match, but it solidified him as a legend within the industry forever (not that he remembers the match - Foley only remembers waking up backstage).
Again, the main issue with the match was that it set the bar at an impossibly high level. It was an extremely dangerous series of stunts, but it was one of the WWE's defining moments. The 'Attitude Era' was known for pushing the boundaries of what could be done in professional wrestling, and it got to the point where the company simply couldn't compete with itself anymore.
On top of the ridiculous standards the match set, the stunt very nearly killed Mick Foley. WWE wants to push its athletes, not kill them, and the company would soon pull back on the risks it asked of its superstars from then on. The new policy was only reinforced by the tragic death of Owen Hart in 1999, and WWE focused more and more on the safety of the wrestlers. It was the right thing to do, but nothing like the King of the Ring 1998 match would ever be allowed to happen again.
That's not to say that there haven't been good Hell in a Cell matches since then. The Hell in a Cell match between Triple H and the Undertaker at WrestleMania XXVIII is one for the history books, but it simply can't compare. The match between Mick Foley and the Undertaker changed wrestling in a lot of ways that simply can't be repeated in today's industry. The match had such an impact on the company's legacy that it began producing an annual Hell in a Cell PPV event in 2009 in order to capitalize on the fans' desire to see more steel-laced carnage.
This year's Hell in a Cell airs this Sunday, and with any luck, the WWE will up the ante. There are two main events this year, and both take place inside the Cell. One features Dean Ambrose taking on Seth Rollins, while the other features Randy Orton against John Cena. In WWE's current PG format, the brutality that the Cell demands simply isn't possible. But somehow, if just for one night, the company could turn the clock back to 1998, Hell in a Cell might be worth the WWE Network's $9.99 price tag.
Hell in a Cell airs Sunday night at 8 p.m. EST on the WWE Network.
