Mick Foley On Resenting Being Known For HIAC Match With Undertaker, Why Terry Funk Was Chokeslammed

During an interview with Inside The Ropes, Mick Foley talked about his legendary Hell in a Cell match as Mankind with The Undertaker at King of the Ring 1998. Throughout the conversation, Foley mentioned how he was labeled for years, and still to this day, as the guy who was just known for that one match.

"I resented being the guy who did the Cell match," Foley said. "For about 15 years someone would and will come up to me at least once a day and ask 'Did it hurt?' I disliked being the guy known for that one match because there's other things I wanted to be known for.

"What I took from [the match] was it's incredible dedication to get over the finish line by whatever means it took. Obviously things went wrong but human beings kind of pick up the pieces."

The most memorable moments from the match included Mankind being thrown off and through the Hell in a Cell in the same night. Foley discussed the memories he had from the match and explained how scary the top of the cell was because of the way it was invented.

"It's funny the things you remember vividly," Foley recalled. "What Undertaker remembers vividly is the sound the twist ties were making as they were springing off the structure. We should've noticed it was a harbinger of things to come. When you go back and watch me get chokeslammed through the cell, I land on twist ties. I tried to suplex Undertaker on top of the cell and he shot that s— down in a hurry."

After Mankind was chokeslammed through the cell, Terry Funk appeared and was eventually chokeslammed by Taker. Foley revealed that Funk was there to check on him and make sure he was alive by checking his pulse. He explained that Funk was inserted in the match to make sure Foley had enough time to get up.

"In WWE at that time, we didn't stop matches," Foley stated. "Now, it would be no question it would be the move to make or be made. But at that time we didn't stop matches, we bought time. That's what Terry [Funk] and The Undertaker attempted to do."

Foley described a conversation he had with Undertaker throughout the match after all the big spots were over. The match continued on for about 10 minutes after Foley had taken that much damage. Foley said Undertaker was ready for the match to end after being chokeslammed through the cage, but Mick's ego wouldn't let it finish so soon.

"He just said two words 'Go home'," Foley said. "My ego took offense to anyone, even The Undertaker, telling me when it's time to go home. That's what got me up. We pulled it together, the thumbtacks emerged and by God, we got across that finish line."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Inside The Ropes with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.