The date is June 28, 1998. It's Mankind vs. The Undertaker in a "Hell in a Cell" match at WWE's King of the Ring pay-per-view.
So, what exactly is a "Hell in a Cell" match? Well, it's like an ordinary wrestling match but the ring is enclosed in a FUCKING STEEL CAGE with a lovely roof on top.
Without further ado, HELL:
1. From the very beginning, Mankind climbs his way up to the roof of the cage.
2. Upon seeing Mankind up on the roof, Undertaker's like, "Aight. Let's do this" and also climbs to the roof of the cage.
3. So the match "commences" up on the roof. The two are battling it out with punches and chairshots. Normal wrestling stuff.
4. Two minutes go by when this unforgettable moment happens:
"DID UNDERTAKER JUST THROW MANKIND OFF THE CAGE?!"
Yes.
Yes he did.
5. There was a loud, collective "HOLY SHIT!" followed by long suspenseful silence. People legit thought he was dead.
6. So, the EMTs are carrying out Foley on a stretcher. Everyone thinks the match has officially come to an end...
Oh, but it doesn't. Foley gets up out of the stretcher and makes his way toward the ring...
7. AND CLIMBS THE CAGE AGAIN!
8. And Undertaker is like, "Aight. Let's do this, again."
9. As soon as they get to the top, Undertaker chokeslams Foley to the depths of hell.
Now, the second fall might not look as bad as the first but keep this in mind: The padding in a wrestling ring is equivalent to a wooden floor with a rug on it.
Also, after being slammed through the cage, the leg of a steel chair unintentionally slams onto his face.
10. WWE officials run into the ring, probably thinking, "If he wasn't dead before, he's definitely dead now."
11. But the SHOW MUST GO ON! So Undertaker clears the WWE officials out of the ring and continues the match.
12. Foley is so out of it, he doesn't even bother "selling" Undertaker's punches.
13. But, like a goddamn professional, Foley continues with the match.
14. Here's a wonderful shot where Foley appears to be "smiling."
15. And just when you thought this match couldn't get any more vicious, Foley dumps a bag of thumbtacks in the ring.
16. "There's no way they're going to use– Wait–"
"NO WAY!"
"NOOOOOOOOO!"
17. If that wasn't enough, this happens:
18. Now, for those who say, "those are aren't real thumbtacks," I give you this:
19. And just for good measure, Undertaker chokeslams Foley onto the thumbtacks.
20. But, this match still needs a finish! So, Undertaker delivers his signature maneuver – The Tombstone – where he drops his opponent straight on his head.
21. Finally, after all this mayhem, Undertaker wins the match.
22. To everyone's surprise, Foley refuses to go out on a stretcher. With some assistance, he walks to the back. The Pittsburgh crowd in attendance gives him a standing ovation.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is, without a doubt, one of the greatest matches ever.
Thanks, dudes!
