Rewatching/Reacting to Mankind and Undertaker’s Hell in a Cell Match

If you’re a wrestling fan, you know this match well. If you’re not, I can pretty much guarantee you’d find Mankind and Undertaker’s Hell in a Cell match entertaining. If not entertaining, impressive at the very least. I hadn’t seen it in a long time, but after listening to Bruce Prichard shoot on the events that transpired, I was inspired. I threw it on WWE Network (still only $9.99/mo) and took notes as the infamous battle at King of the Ring 1998 played out. Here’s what I took away from the match, plus some background info I’ve gathered from numerous interviews. It’s kind of like a live-tweet situation but without actual tweets. Notes are timestamped.

*I kind of use Mick and Mankind interchangeably — they’re one and the same.

Live Reactions to Undertaker-Mankind Hell in a Cell Rewatch

(1:47:12)

Jim Ross: “[The cage] may be the last structure The Undertaker or Mankind stand in before arriving at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh.” — got that one right, JR.

(1:47:41)

Literally zero reaction when Mankind walks out. He has acknowledged he had no heat at this point.

(1:49:06)

He’s climbing the cage. The idea to start the match on top of the cage was genius, and also something The Undertaker was unsure about. Oh yeah, Mankind (real name Mick Foley) also threw a chair up there.

(1:49:24)

JR: “He needs therapy!” — LOL

(1:49:35)

The Undertaker gets the exact opposite crowd reaction. Death, taxes, and Undertaker owning the wrestling biz.

(1:51:29)

Lights up. Taker follows Mankind up the cage.

(1:52:05)

First chair shot — Mick on Taker.

(1:52:15)

Second — same.

(1:52:34)

They almost fall through the top of the cage. You can see broken zip-ties by their feet. Bruce Prichard said the cage was “gimmicked” for the spot later in the match.

(1:52:50)

LOL Mankind goes for a suplex…Undertaker shoots it down hard. He didn’t want that smoke.

(1:53:04)

Dear lord. That first fall never gets old. And how underrated is Jim Ross’ call? “Good God Almighty! Good God Almighty! They killed him! As God as my witness, he is broken in half!”

(1:54:18)

First Terry Funk sighting. I really enjoyed the Chainsaw Charlie gimmick…just sayin’. Remember the dumpster? Not Duke.

(1:55:38)

Random WWE employee: “We need some towels, guys!”

(1:55:47) 

Is Terry Funk wearing a John Deere hat?

(1:56:17)

Raising the cage with Undertaker still on top.

(1:57:06)

Vince McMahon is out there…and he has something (maybe a pimple) by his nose that looks like it came off the lady from Uncle Buck.

(1:57:12)

Someone is holding the Mankind mask — it’s not on Mick anymore.

(1:57:27)

Mick getting carted off…but fans are chanting for Undertaker

(1:58:40)

The stretcher is now empty.

(1:58:49)

Mankind is going back up. Monster crowd pop.

(1:59:22)

That chokeslam came quick. I don’t know which bump was worse, but Mankind just went through the cage onto the mat.

(1:59:30)

Zip-ties all over the ring. This spot was planned. Oh yeah, the chair fell with him and landed on his face.

(2:00:17)

Undertaker is giving Terry Funk the business now. Definitely buying some time to see if Mick/Mankind is OK.

(2:00:27)

Chokeslam on Terry Funk…his shoes came off. Funk doing his famous oversell, flail-job after the slam.

(2:00:58)

Mick was on his feet. It didn’t last long. He was literally unconscious just a few seconds ago.

(2:01:08)

Mick’s head is resting on Terry Funk’s sneaker.

(2:01:30)

Oh shit, a little old-school Undertaker — walking the top rope.

(2:01:45)

Yup. The famous tooth in the nose camera shot.

(2:02:40)

Mankind’s shoulder is all fucked up. Couldn’t pick up the stairs. Undertaker had a lot less trouble.

(2:03:52)

Some color on Undertaker’s forehead. Not sure if it was the easy way or the hard way.

(2:05:49)

Mankind has some adrenaline going. Starting to come back to life. Tooth still in his nose.

(2:06:18)

Oh shit. Here come the thumbtacks. He said during his one-man show that he brought 7 or 8,000.

(2:07:14)

Mandible Claw locked in.

(2:08:10)

Undertaker reverses, backdrops Mankind…on the tacks.

(2:08:43)

And…now he got choke-slammed on the tacks. They’re definitely going home now.

(2:09:09)

Tombstone. Undertaker wins. Mick flung his leg in the air a little bit during the three-count, a nice, subtle touch to show he’s got an ounce of fight left.

(2:10:00)

Standing O from the crowd.

(2:11:08)

Mick talking to like seven or eight WWE employees as he’s getting strapped to the gurney. This may be where he tells them he can’t be on two stretchers in one night.

(2:13:07)

Finally, a “FOLEY!” chant from the crowd.

(post-match notes)

According to Prichard, Mick apologized for not getting to the thumbtack spot during the match. He must have been in a complete fog after those two bumps. A separated shoulder, teeth knocked out, stitches in his mouth…the injuries from this match go on and on.

I remember hearing Mick say he first met Stephanie McMahon after he came back through the curtain. He also said Vince McMahon was happy with what he did for the WWE but he’d have to tone things down moving forward.

This wasn’t even the main event for King of the Ring 1998. That said, despite everything that happened, Mick did a run-in during the main event, helping Kane defeat Stone Cold for his first and only WWE Championship. Mick is a legend.

Dave Meltzer gave the match 4.5 stars.

“The single most shocking event in WWE history.” – WWE Network on the first fall.

There’s also an episode of Untold on WWE Network that features Taker, Mick, and others talking about the match.