Epic Matches: Volume 1

1998 King of the Ring Pay Per View

This series of my blog will be dedicated to "Epic Matches."  Selecting the first match to dissect was a toss-up for me.  The decision stood between Wrestlemania X Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match Shawn Michaels versus Razor Ramon OR 1998 KOTR PPV Undertaker versus Mankind Hell in a Cell...  The swaying factor was the reminder of Mick Foley from my boys yesterday at a friend's house in Baltimore, MD.  I want to talk about what led up to Mick's heroic death defying stunt that night in addition to the aftermath that proceeded all of these events.  I want to show you by example Mick's courage and devotion to the sport he loves most.  I have to applaud Mick for never giving up that night because he in fact stole the show - despite The Rock and Steve Austin being on the card as well that evening.

This was the 6th King of the Ring installment to the series when The World Wrestling Federation was still known as the WWF.  The sponsor of this particular Pay-Per-View was Super Soaker... talk about the 90's?  There were nine matches scheduled on the event's card that summer evening on June 28, 1998 at Pittburgh Civic Arena in PA.  There were 17,087 excited, drunk and enthusiastic fans of all sorts to see the annual King of the Ring PPV Live!

Featured matches on the undercard included the 2 King of the Ring Semifinal matches (The Rock defeated Dan Severn by pin, and Ken Shamrock defeated Jeff Jarrett by submission).  The card also included the tournament final between The Rock and Ken Shamrock.  I just had to reference this match to set the scene for you all.  Not only had Triple H lost to The Rock in the quarterfinals of the tournament but he was the special guest commentator for this particular match (accompanied by his girl at the time, Chyna).  This was a special time in the attitude era - Triple H making his way to the ring and signaling "suck it" gestures to women, kids and male fans.  His cool entrance is finalized by 4 dramatic suck it pelvic thrusts to the cameraman - he used fireworks to show us how he really felt that night.   He walks to the announce table and is teamed with Jim Ross and Jerry "The King" Lawler.  This match was high-octane action packed electrifying sports entertainment!  Ken Shamrock really didn't have an interesting gimmick personality to me but was such a phenomenal athlete.  The Rock carries him through the match in my opinion.  This was a dramatic battle of every slam and suplex in the book.  Near fall after near fall, and hard clotheslines given and taken by both superstars leaves Shamrock on his back.  Nearing the final moments of the match The Rock makes a mistake to stand over Shamrock for one second too long talking shit to Ken's face.  Shamrock sneak manipulates the Rock's left leg into his signature Ankle Lock submission.  The Rock taps out and the crowd seems unimpressed by Shamrock.  However, watching that match makes me feel that was a big moment for Ken's Pro Wresting career provided by the Rock.  This is one of the many things about Pro Wrestling that amazes me; how each opponent works as team to put on a great show for the crowd.   

The event is "King of the Ring" and Ken Shamrock won the tournament but there are still two main event matches.  Even though, The Rock electrified the crowd as he always does, and thousands of fans arguably came just to see him - I don't believe anyone had ever seen anything like the show Mick Foley and The Undertaker were about to put on...

Hell in a Cell featuring The Undertaker versus Mankind 

This currently is arguably the most famous Hell in a Cell match of all time: The Undertaker against Mankind. Less than two minutes into the match, The Undertaker throws Mankind from the top of the 16-foot (5 m) high cell through the Spanish announcers' table. The footage of that fall has since become one of the most used and viewed videos in professional wrestling history.  It's eerie to watch Mick in the first couple minutes right around the time he tells Taker to toss him over.  You can't see any of his facial expressions.  The camera angle is on their backs and Mankind sports a pseudo leather face mask - its terribly shocking to see him drop - bang! onto the sturdy wooden announce table with TV monitors and other electronic equipment breaking his fall.  The only thing somewhat comical about this gruesome display is one of the spanish announcers falling backwards on his chair in slow motion away from Mick.  Vince McMahon, Slaughter, Funk and the medical crew approach Mick and tell him that the match is over after taking off his mask and checking his consciousness.  The 17,087 fans stand screaming, cheering, clapping with eyes glued to the cage as it rises with The Undertaker still on top of it!  As Mick is being stretchered out of the arena all you can hear is the crowd chanting "UN-DER-TAKE-HER!!!"  That must have been all Mick needed to hear to get up?  

A few moments later Mick is seen marching towards the cage with EMT's pleading with him to not get in that ring.  The crowd is going insane.  A few minutes later in the match is another memorable moment, The Undertaker chokeslammed Mankind through the top of the cell onto the mat.  This actually was not scripted as stated by The Undertaker in a Wrestlemania 18 interview.  The panel was not meant to break, but it did and Mick falls hard yet again.  The crowd pops again too.  Jim Ross refers to The Undertaker as a "Mad Man" and King Lawler insists that Mick Foley or "Mankind's" shoulder must be separated.  I believe him after thoroughly researching this footage.  By the way at this moment you can notice Mick's tooth protruding through his lip as he shines a friendly smile to the crowd.  Mick goes on to pile drive Taker onto a steal chair on the mat and now Taker is too bleeding profusely.  Another crowd pop.  Mick gets out of the ring and reaches under the apron to get a bag.  He gets back into the ring and begins shaking numerous thumb tacks onto the mat.  The crowd emphatically pops again.  Mick becomes Mankind and puts his signature "Mandible Claw" on Taker.  Taker gets down on one knee and as I see the referee check Taker's consciousness now I am reminded about RAW.  This is the same referee that repeatedly attempted to commit suicide on RAW many seasons ago.  He is known as referee Tim White.  Ironic, I think not... 

Taker is apparently unfazed by the mandible claw and gets up with Mick piggy backing on him.  Taker walks backwards with Mick still piggy backing and free fall drops backwards.  Mick is sandwiched between hundreds of thumb tacks and The Undertaker's massive frame.  The Undertaker is billed at 6'10 and 300 pounds.  Taker picks up Mick and choke slams him onto the tacks, the crowd explodes as Mick implodes.  The Undertaker finishes Mankind off with the Tombstone onto the mat. 1-2-3!

"This was the most unbelievable... these two men gave you everything in their body, they gave you everything in their soul here tonight." - Jim Ross, commentator

The crowd is on their feet - they are screaming, chanting, cheering, and clapping as The Undertaker's haunting theme echoes throughout the entire arena.  To me, this truly sets another astounding thing in Pro Wrestling.  You don't have to be the biggest, baddest, most athletic or even expected to ever steal the show.  Even though Mick Foley lost this match - he stole the show that night... 

This is the attitude era, and Stone Cold is The WWE Champion.  The Main Event is a "First Blood" match: Kane versus Stone Cold Steve Austin.  There are about three containers of gasoline next to the ring steps - how can anyone top what we have just witnessed!  The WWE has come so far from the Golden Age Era and the New Generation Era at this point.  

Kane's entrance is just as epic as The Undertaker's.  During this period Stone Cold is the face of the WWE, and truly is the main icon on the roster.  The match ferociously ensues, and the "Hell in a Cell" cage we just witnessed in the previous match starts lowering.  This wasn't what the crowd expected.  The cage toys with the two performers by closing on them at one point, and then rising just enough to be used as a weapon on one another.  At around mid way through the match Kane takes out referee Earl Hebner by choke throwing Stone Cold into the steel fence that blocks the first row.  Hebner is unconscious by being caught in SCSA and Kane's crossfire.   

Is that Mick Foley coming down the ramp/runway AGAIN?!  The crowd pops!  He has a chair in his hand!  Stone Cold dodges the chair and hits Foley with a stunner.  Stone Cold then hits Kane with the stunner!  The Undertaker makes his way to the ring with a chair!  While Foley is getting up, Stone Cold get's a chair to defend himself - Foley then ducks Undertaker's swing and Stone Cold get's split open by The Undertaker hitting his steel chair into Stone Cold's face.  SCSA is bleeding profusely.  The Undertaker drags Referee Earl Hebner into the ring and pours gasoline on him to wake him up.  As soon as Hebner comes to Stone Cold cracks Kane with a chair and Hebner sees the bright red blood pouring down SCSA's face.  Kane Wins the WWE Championship!

My point is this - despite the Pay Per View as a whole being a huge success during the attitude era with numerous exciting matches.  The most unlikeliest of Superstars stole the show that night.  Hindsight is 20/20 and although The Rock, Stone Cold, and The Undertaker are in my top 12 list - they didn't win my blog on Epic Matches: Volume 1.  This title is given to the great Mick Foley.

Stay tuned for ERP's Top 12 Greatest Wrestling Manager's of all time blog coming soon!