Review: WWE “Mick Foley’s Greatest Hits and Misses” (2 Disc) DVD

Brett Mix’s- “Mick Foley’s Greatest Hits and Misses” 2 Disc Review:

 

 

 

“No matter how many teeth I lose…ears I lose….Pro-Wrestling will NEVER be respected….” –Mick Foley

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-Mick Foley’s Greatest Hits and Misses was put together as one of the first DVD releases the company put out. It was highly praised at the time due to it going more in-depth then most other releases around the time, expanding their tremendous video library.

-Foley hosts the DVD which is a nice touch as he reflects on the matches as he hosts the DVD. You’ve gotta love the shot he takes at the fans of his work at the beginning of the DVD.

-A lot of different promotions are shown from Ecw, wcw, wwf/e, and Smw giving this two disc DVD a nice variety. A lot of Bonus matches and some of the best promo`s you`ll ever see as extra`s on the set, paticularly Disc 1.

-They updated this DVD in later years adding a bonus disc labelling the DVD the “Hardcore Edition” feturing some of his newer matches against the likes of Orton and Funk for example.

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Disc 1 Matches:

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1) Cactus Jack vs Big Van Vader (with Harley Race) -WCW Saturday Night – 17/04/93

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Perhaps best remembered for the stiff shots from Big Van Vader to the man who is seemingly impervious to pain. Hey, Mick even denies that notion in a tale of blood and sweatsocks…

Cactus Jack by all means is HUMAN but the character tried to seperate from reality on this night.

Foley goes into great deal in the book Have a Nice day about his stiff meetings with Big Van Vader. I`ll refer to that book throughout this review as it is afterall what inspired me to do his review right now.

Not only does Mick put over Big Van Vader before the match but he goes into great detail explaining the story on the DVD.

Vader poses.

Cactus Jack ties up with him and small chants for Cactus can be heard. Foley fires away in vicious fashion driving him down. Cactus is backed off but is still one trash talking son of a gun. Foley again tied up with the big man but here comes the pain.

Vader unloads some very stiff shots on Foley. Vader viciously tears the flesh off Mick’s face. Insane.

That isn’t fake.

Vade crushed Mick’s face to the point where Foley continually looked for blood on his hands dripping from his face. Cactus begins the Cactus cry. Vader asks what’s up? Vader splashed Cactus in the corner. More shots are unleashed on Foley down on the mat. Vader gives Mick an amazing ass kicking here.

Somehow Cactus scooped up Vader charging toward him and then dropped a leg and a flying clothesline off the top rope. Cactus Jack runs into Vader and he falls to the floor. Cactus charged at Vader on the floor right into the steel barricade.

Back from a commercial break, Mick is headbutting Vader who crawls back in the ring. Foley bashed Vader’s head into the top turnbuckle before ripping at his face. Foley has a sleeper on Big Van Vader but he backdrops him to the mat.

Vader is unmasked.

Vader now bloodies Foley with extreme shots to the face. Vader asks who the man is which gains a couple of stars right there.

Vader with a left, right, left, right. Insane punishment that only a tough bastard like Mick could take.

Vader is instructed off by Nick Patrick while Race chokes out Cactus behind him on the bottom rope. This was all bonus footage as it was too graphic for wcw to air due to the blood.

Imagine that.

Vader dropped down on Mick.

Now Vader climbed to the top rope and comes off with a Vader Bomb. Vader drops another hard shot on Cactus gaining him more heel heat.

Vader hit vicious knee to the head of Cactus, Race roughs him up on the floor. vader goes to the outside, Cactus tries to crawl back in but is taken back. Mick’s face is full of blood.
Vader nails Race accidentally when Cactus ducks a charge but he still takes a beating on the ground.

Vader with a boot to the face of Foley. Vader knees him to the safety rail. Vader charged to the rail and hits it falling down. Cactus hits a full flip onto Vader off the ring apron and both men are on the floor.

Cactus gets back in the ring and the fans roar as he beats the Champion!

Foley was proud of this match, no doubt why…

In the end at a tv time of 13:33 by count-out.

This match was much more of a MATCH then initially remembered.

A back and forth war mostly known for Vader’s extreme PUNISHMENT breaking Foley’s nose in the process.

Possibly the most vicious tv match of all time.

****

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2) Cactus Jack and Maxx Payne vs The Nasty Boys in a Chicago Street Fight -WCW Spring Stampede 1994

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As Foley states in his book, they were sloppy wrestlers but they sure could brawl.

Get ready for the fight of their life.

By far the best match of there career’s here.

Cactus Jack begins the brawl on the ramp.
Cactus grounding the Nasty Boys in the ring.

There are weapons galore, two in the ring, two on the floor.

Chairshots heard on the mat. Nasty`s smacked against the steel. This gets rough. In a major way and doesen`t stop.

They have to splt the screens eventually because there is so much Mayhem going everywhere.

The brain is great on commentary.

Tables, chairs, biting, you name it.

Cactus scoop slammed a Nasty through a table full of items. Cactus showing his insanity continues to stuff paper down his throat.

You could literally feel Foley vent his frustrations by now. Repeatedly hearing the table`s bump into the head of Cactus.

Bodies are laying everywhere and this was a pretty wild, innovative move for the company back in 1994. Unheard of.

That`s another reason it`s so special.

Cactus continues to drag the table onto the ramp slamming one Nasty down, the other clobbered him in the head with a shovel!

Everything but the kitchen sink truely applies to this match. Cactus takes the shovel and hammers the Nasty`s then Payne goes through a table.

Tremendous.

Nasty`s try a pin on Cactus, Payne is thown off the ramp!

Cactus now thrown off the ramp and he gets a shot in the head with a shovel on the concrete floor.

In the end at 12:29 The Nasty`s win and then continue to rough up Foley afterwards.

Talk about a one hit wonder…

This classic match is loads of fun, and brutality.

****

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3) Cactus Jack vs Sabu -ECW Hostile City Showdown – 24/06/94

This is going to be a war. I`m noticing a theme here.
Two of the most dangerous men in the business going at it!

They show Cactus spitting on the OTHER promotion`s belt before this, Bang, Bang!
Cactus Jack was still wrestling in the other promotion and cemented he`d never have a place in Bischoff`s company again.

Foley had been the most extreme wrestler going against Sabu in the ultimate battle of Icon`s.

Foley says some might of been dissapointed with the match because they were expecting one of the two men to die given the hardcore hype but he still views it as a Great encounter.

Cactus Jack wrestling with an injured shoulder but that wont stop the Hardcore legend from competing.

Sabu begins with several high kick flips to the shoulder and then a front facelock. Sabu cutting off the oxygen to Foley from the opening bell. Sabu proceeded to stomp on Foley`s head a batter his shoulder then landing a side suplex down on Mick.

Sabu layed a shot to the head of Cactus then landed a spinning heel kick taking him out of the ring. A suicide dive would of surely followed but he moves out of the way. Sabu drops Cactus with chairshots.

This one went everywhere, around the ring as expected.

Sabu with Mick in hand sits him down on a chair. Heyman is pleading with Mick as Sabu nails a suicide dive onto Cactus onto the floor.
Good stuff.

Both men layed out on the concrete as that obviously takes some out of Cactus as well. Sabu brings a chair in ring and nails Cactus in the abdomen. From the other corner Sabu does the famous leap off the chair with a high kick into the corner hurting Cactus`s shoulders some more. Sabu tries it again but this time Cactus blocks with a reverse elbow.
Cactus rips on Sabu`s face. Cactus takes Sabu over the top rope with a clothesline. Cactus Jack with a hard chair shot to Sabu on the floor. Cactus poses on the apron, Bang, Bang!
Cactus Jack drops the elbow off the apron on the concrete floor. No protective mats in EC Dub. A running chairshot to Sabu. Now with a frying pan he smacks Sabu and then he smacks himself in the face with it.

Joey Styles asks what the hell is wrong with him, I love it. Jack drops the elbow and gets a two count only. Cactus Jack comes flying off the top rope but Sabu dodged the high flying attempt and flips in on Jack scoring a nearfall. Sabu dropped Jack with a big right and then a leg drop. Sabu went up for a moonsault and Jack in pretty good condition climbed up behind him attempting a suplex but Jack turns in mid-air and both man drop to the mat. Sabu hits a dropkick. Both men up and Sabu irishwhipped Foley, is flipped over and both men charged at one another at the same time resulting in them both falling to the floor.
Cactus charging at Sabu flipped over the guardrail. Sabu set up a table and then levelled Foley with a chair. Sabu using the chair and a guardrail as a springboard to legdrop Foley through a table to the delight of the crowd. Insane stuff.

Styles takes a shot at wcw on commentary saying that Ecw doesen`t give away tickets in Philly. Sabu gets him in and gets a two and 2-8th`s. Both men out of the ring again and a charging Sabu is thrown into the gaurdrail, nice resourceful move by the Hardcore Legend. Now a belly to back suplex onto the concrete floor by Sabu to regain momentum.
Sabu sets up a table outside the steel gaurdrail and 911 layed Cactus on the table.

Now Sabu hits a moonsault springboarding from the ropes, on the outside apron over the barricade onto Foley crashing him through a table.

Styles gives Sabu a verbal blowjob on commentary after the bump.

Cactus with pain firing him up throws Sabu in the ring and this thing is not over. Jack has a piece of the table ramming it face first into the table.

Cactus hit with an object and Sabu gets the three.

In the end at 22:28 Paul E Dangerously is the reason Sabu goes over.

This match is a lot of fun and very violent as expected, it`s only fault is it was rather anti-climatic. Still a tremendous match.

The violence continues on 911 by Cactus Jack after the match.

*** 3/4

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4) Cactus Jack vs Chris Candido in a Falls Count Anywhere Match (with Sunny) -Smoky Mountain Wrestling – 18/11/94

The Late Chris Candido going at it here with Jack from the promotion of Jim Cornette, Smoky Mountain wrestling.
Jim Ross doing commentary here.

Some shots exchanged by both and onto the floor both guys go at it. Foley begins to bite Candido and kicks him in the mid-section before hitting a running knee.

Cactus takes it to Candido most of the early start here. Foley hit a suplex on Candido then slows down the pace on the mat with a headlock.

You can just hear Ross is a big fan of Foley putting over how he lost his Fucking Ear to Vader in Germany, Bang, Bang! A have a nice day reference. Foley got into the Federation mainly because of Ross who saw potential in guys mainly like Austin and Foley.

A brilliant mind.

Candido comes back in this match with a suicide dive to Cactus taking him out, followed by shots to the kidney`s.

A hard shot to Cactus taking him to the floor. Candido fights back with a crutch, from a fan. An armbar slapped on Mick, then into an arm-ringer.

A solid blend of brawling and wrestling. Cactus in a crucial position on the mat but doesen`t give up.

Candido drops a heavy shot to Cactus and suplexed him to the mat. Candido is hit with a swinging neckbreaker next. Candido goes up top hitting a monkey flip on Cactus. Candido again on the other side missed a splash. Foley levels him with a righthand and chokes him out on the ropes.

Cactus Jack goes to the outside and drops a leg on Candido before connecting righthand shots and hitting a snapshot vertical suplex on the concrete.

Foley throws himback in the ring.

Candido irishwhipped into the ropes and an outsider got in the way forcing Candido into Foley`s ddt finisher at the time as Cactus.

In the end at 11:04 Jack picked up the win to a chorus of cheers.

This match is pretty great, back and forth and time well spent for its length.

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*** 1/4

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5) Cactus Jack vs The Sandman (with woman) in a Texas Death Match -ECW – 04/02/95

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Another barbaric match upcoming…

You would know just like the Sabu-Cactus matches this is going to be violent.
Foley said he had great matches with Sandman but this wasn`t one of them (Even though it is) as he is piledrived onto a steel chair that hurt his neck.

Foley said Sandman was knocked out most of the match.

Foley said to look close to see his frustration.

Cactus Jack comes running from behind nailing Sandman with a crutch and a chair before rolling him into the ring. Cactus smacks Sandman witha chair until he falls down. Jack drops the leg.

Foley pins him but the Sandman has a ten count to get to his feet, he gets up but is met with a chair shot, a leg-drop and another three. Bang, Bang! says Cactus but Sandman got up and was flipped upside down and Foley hit a baseball slide knocking Sandman out.
Cactus hits an out of it Sandman in the head with a frying pan. Foley is reversed in an irishwhip into the steel barricade by Sandman. Sandman back into the ring hitting a slingshot on Cactus hard to both turnbuckles re-gaining some lost momentum.

Sandman gets flipped to the concrete floor once more, a snapmare then leg-drop, Foley sells knee limping around on the floor.

Both men seem to be out of it but are knocking the hell out of each other. Foley kicks at Sandman and places him by the barricade, Foley went for a dropkick but Sandman moved and he crashed and burned into the barricade. Foley has the sense to roll back in the ring.
Sandman hit a suplex.

This has been a great match despite both men taking brutal bumps.

Sandman drops Foley`s bad leg onto a chair in the middle of the ring. Sandman hit a reverse elbow on Foley out of the corner as the pace slows. Sandman with Foley where he wants him. Sandman choked out Foley and is stomped on, going for woman`s crutch.
Sandman with a chair is jumped from behind and when it looks like Cactus is going to piledrive Sandman on a chair he is backdropped.

There is a reason this match is being shown. Foley must of been modest during the intro.

The fans sucked but it`s a great match.

Cactus hit a ddt on the chair onto Sandman who kicked out of the cover out of no where. Sandman off the ropes piledrived Foley onto the chair.

Mick kicked out even though he was in a ton of pain.
Sandman punished him with more blows then he drove the knee into his head before he ddt`s him onto the chair. Sandman covered Jack and now he hd to answer the ten count.

Jack up and Sndman broke the count choking him out in the corner. Sandman stomped on Foley in the corner until Foley kicked Sandman in the mid-section. He got the Singapore Cane and broke it over Sandman`s head. Foley takes him out of the ring.

Both men brawl on the outside. Sandman getting the better of the slugfest. Foley met Sandman with a chair shot from his knees entering the ring.

Jack throws Sandman to the concrete and drops an elbow but a pin still doesen`t keep Sandman down after three. Cactus hits a ddt on the concrete and scored another three. Sandman is up again!

Crazy stuff.

Foley again with a ddt on the concrete, Foley is mad. Cactus wants to make sure he`s down for the three, but he`s up again! DDT for the third time on the concrete will that do him in.

In the end at 17:08 Cactus Jack won as Sandman couldn`t answer the ten count.

This match is special. Foley was modest in presenting it, great, great stuff here.

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*** 1/2

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6) Cactus Jack & Raven vs Terry Funk & Tommy Dreamer -ECW November 2 Remember 1995

This is going to be good.
Mick talks about breaking character in this match when he spots his idol Terry Funk on fire. Foley admits to wanting to quit the business around this time.

Cactus and Funk begin to brawl and the fans are chanting for fire already.
Tommy and Funk have words. Fans chant for Cactus to make a shirt, that`s pretty good. Funk drove Foley to the floor. Foley slapped by Funk. Funk with a chair to the skull of Mick.

Funk outside the ring threw a chair directly into Raven`s head in the ring to a good pop.
Impressive.

Raven thrown outside. Funk unloads a garbage can full of weapons and nails everyone with road signs.

Stevie Richards runs down but Dreamer and Funk place him in a shopping cart driving him into the ring post. Foley stomped on Funk and Dreamer both.

A VCR and a Shovel are now used.

Absolute chaos all over.

Raven is bloodied all over, cleaning the ring and poses. Fans chant “EC F`n w“!

Trashcan`s and every other kind of weapon involved here. Cactus mke the cover with no official, so the carnage continues with all four men bloodied.

Funk who was seemingly out of it broke up a three count from out of no where.
Dreamer with momentum off the ropes planted a bloodied Raven, his nemesis twice to the mat hard before landing a piledriver onto the chair.

Funk finally rolls over to cover Raven. Cactus comes in and hits him with a boot.

In the end at 17:55, Tommy and the Funker won.

This match is just like the Nasty Boys match but more physical and bloody. An excellent way of constructing a match with four of the best this promotion had to offer.

****

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7) Cactus Jack vs Mikey Whipwreck -ECW Big Extreme Bash – 09/03/96

Mikey Whipwreck an underdog like always, this gets a lot of time and just before Cactus would leave Heyman’s promotion for Vince McMahon’s wwf to appear as Mankind.
Here in this one, the bell rings.

Cactus Jack said he`ll be damned if Mikey can beat Cactus before he leaves.
The crowd are all for Mikey as always. Cactus taped up tied up with Mikey simply tossing him down.

Like most matches here, he covered this in Have a Nice Day and it made for some interesting reading. Foley with shots to Mikey and more kicks. Cactus drives him into the buckle.

Mikey thrown to the outide and Cactus misses with shots before finally clobbering him with an uppercut. Foley grabbed a weapon from the crowd and tossed it down to some laughs.
Mikey taking all the punishment as usual.

Basically a giant squash until Mikey throws him into the steel and hit a side russian legsweep onto the chair in the ring.

Foley regained lost momentum and did a side russian to Mikey through a table on the floor. Cactus leaps off the top dropping an elbow.

Mikey fights back through the crowd and springboards off the ropes onto Foley taking him over the barricade. Foley backdrops Mikey on the concrete.

Mick chokes him out on the canvas floor before hitting a ddt and Mikey kicked out. Cactus drops a leg then an elbow. Cactus goes for a piledriver on the concrete but is backdropped. Off the ropes Cactus flie into the concrete.

Mikey with momentum and chair in hand hit Mick. He kicks out. Mikey with another chairshot.

Mikey is having a career match here.

Cactus Jack suplexed on the concrete by Mikey.

Back and forth war, a theme for this entire DVD.

Unbelievable stuff. Mikey leaps off the stage onto Cactus with double axehandle. Unreal.
Cactus nails Mikey back in the ring falling in. Jack with a chair drops a hard shot on Mikey. Cactus kept up with chairshots.
Cactus hits a pilediver onto the chair.

In the end at 23:03 he gets the win, and off to the Federation Mick goes.
The fans applaud this hardcore contest.

A standing ovation for Foley and Mikey.

Touching stuff.

A way to go out on a high note. A big Cactus chant breaks out.

This match is a CLASSIC.

It started out as a squash then had some of the best back and forth I`ve seen, a great story indeed.

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**** 1/4

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Disc 1 Extra’s:

-Post-Vader match interview (from WCW Saturday Night, 4/24/95)

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Cactus Jack vs Sting (c) in a falls count anywhere match for the WCW World Championship (from WCW Beach Blast, 6/20/92) with alternate commentary track from Mick Foley and Jonathan Coachman

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For years Mick said this is his best effort of his career. Up until Mindgames that is.

Cactus Jack and Sting meet on the ramp. Cactus looks in good condition and Sting hit a backslide on Cactus early.

Sting on top of Jack!

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Sting back on the ramp hit a backdrop onto the ramp twice by the Stinger.

Cactus throws Sting to the floor, and now Cactus worked over Sting`s ribs with a flying elbow drop off the pron onto the concrete floor. Foley bad knees and all hits a side russian legsweep.

Cactus with a sunset flip off the apron but Sting battles back hammering Cactus into the barricade. Foley is slammed head first into the guardrail. Cactus back-dropped by Sting over the barricade and now Sting is thrown into the steel.

Non-stop action!

Sting with a vertical suplex to Cactus onto the concrete. Obviously it doesen`t feel good.
Foley is a bumping machine here.

Cactus is tossed over the barricade to the floor but hitting the fence in the process. Cactus clotheslined Sting to the mat. Cactus off the ropes dropped an elbow.
In the ring (a rare aspect to this war) Cactus chokes Sting. Cactus choked out Sting and sent him to the buckle hard. Cactus hit a snapmare into a bodyscissors.

This is tremendous action, full-throttle for the time it`s getting.

Cactus does his trademark clothesline to the Stinger taking both of them to the floor. Cactus working over the rib area with a chair on the Stinger. Cactus does a Bang, Bang!
Cactus rips open Sting but he back suplexed Foley onto the concrete landing which hurt Foley. Sting charged at Foley and he makes them hit the guardrail.
Cactus with an amazing pace ddt`d Sting on the concrete.

Back then pace like this was unheard of almost. Cactus goes off the top and misses an elbow as the Stinger moves out of the way.

Sting threw Cactus onto the ramp and chopped him. Sting scoop slams Foley onto the ramp. Sting with a chair smacks Foley several times. Sting taken off the ramp and thrown back on and he hits a ddt.

Foley covered Sting, he kicks out on the entrance ramp. Sting clotheslines Foley and then a springboard clothesline off the top gets the three.

In the end at 11:34

I never felt the same level of love Foley does for it but it all comes down to personal preference. This is by all means fantastic.

A ton of quality between two great performers, the match is awesome obviously. Simply put…

**** 1/4

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-Cactus Jack spits on WCW Tag Team Championship belt (from ECW Hostile City Showdown, 6/24/94)

-The “Cane Dewey” Promo – Mick’s all time favorite promo

-“Anti-Hardcore” promo – Cactus denounces ECW Fans (The best promo in wrestling history, quoted above in the main quote)

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Extra Match – Cactus Jack vs Sabu (from Hamburg, PA; 9/30/94) with alternate commentary track from Mick Foley and Jonathan Coachman

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A nice addition to this DVD set.

After there brutal outing they just needed a re-match and here we are.

Two of the most extreme stars going at it.

A near four star bout the first time out. Foley in a leather jacket drove his kneeinto the back. On the floor, Sabu goes for a moonsault and he hits his abdomen on the guardrail.
Foley on commentary says he feels as if he shouldn`t feel responsible. Heyman is again out watching these two hardcore legends going at it.

911 delivered shots to Cactus outside the ring.

Cactus flipped him over. Bang, Bang! A suplex onto the floor to Sabu.

Cactus set up a table but Sabu was legitimately hurt. Hurt or not came in and levelled

Mick with a chair and leaped off of it driving his knees into Cactus.
Using a chair Sabu drops onto Foley but only got a two. Cactus fought back in the ring then tookhim back to the floor driving him through a table.

Mick and Sabu by this time go at it on a different entrance stage and he piledrives Sabu on the staging and drops an elbow. Cactus is backdropped onto the ramp.

Both guys go to what looks like a boiler room and destroy one another outside the ring.
Finally back to ringside Sabu is driven through a table by Cactus.

Cactus back in the ring gets a shot in the abdomen and Sabu with a split-leg moonsault using a Van Dam move, Foley points out there friendship and now Foley is pinned but he kicks out.

Sabu set up a chair and drove into Foly and he catches him. A bottle smacked over Mick`s head and Sabu with sickening thud`s as Ross would say. Mick gets another head shot.

Sabu flips over using the ropes for leverage and pins Foley.

In the end at 14:53 Sabu wins. Foley jokes he can`t believe he put on two extra matches with Sting and Sabu where he was the loser of both.

Most of Foley`s greatest matches he lost.

Fans chant Cactus after the match.

This match was pretty great, another brutal tilt between the two.

It went all over and both guys took an amazing amount of punishment. A very solid brawl.

*** 1/4

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-Mick Foley’s ECW Farewell Speech following match with Mikey Whipwreck (3/9/96)

“Jack” Foley & Les Thornton vs The British Bulldogs (with Captain Lou Albano) (Mick’s WWF debut, Superstars 9/13/86)
Mick Foley in “Have a Nice Day” talks about this in great detail obviously.

He talks about The Bulldogs slamming him hard to the canvas and back then just like now, Rookies had to pay there dues.

Foley says there is no footage of his actual first match but this was his second in the company, first televised.

Foley felt the adrenaline he says.

He got that rush. The Bulldog`s were the tag champ at the time.

The match began with Les Thornton flips around but Dynamite stuck with him catching a forearm. A nice bridge but Thornton goes for the ride.

Unique pinning combinations.

Les Thornton held Dynamite up but he got a pinfall out of it.

Foley tagged in. Right away Dynamite suplexes him hard to the canvas. Foley`s first televised bump in the Federation. Another suplex and a snapmare.

A tag into Davey Boy and Foleyin the air gets dropped to the mat. Foley who looks in good shape here is set up high and suplexed back down to the canvas. Bulldog holds a front facelock.

A reverse elbow by Foley but Davey doesen`t sell it not giving the rookie any credit. Dynamite with a superplex backwards off the top and they get the three.

In the end Dynamite beat Foley at 3:37.

A nice quick match to put over the Bulldog`s some more.

This was placed here as a debut match mainly just because it was a DEBUT match, you get the deal…

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3/4*

-WWE Confidential feature – This HERE Explains Mick’s long absence…

The quality of matches and promo`s on Disc 1 are incredible.

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Disc 2 Matches:

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8 ) Mankind (with Paul Bearer) vs Shawn Michaels (with Jose Lothario) (c) for the WWF Championship -WWF In Your House: Mind Games 1996
Foley considers this his greatest match of all time. As far as individual performances go and his personal favourite.
Philly had smarks going for Foley here due to the ECW background so I heard he cut a heel promo on Philly before the match to help Shawn`s reaction.

Shawn Michaels at the time was having a hard enough time gaining a positive response, most nights during his 96 reign he had about 75% on his side which is better then say a John Cena in present day.

This match is full of workrate and is just tremendous. Even the name “Mindgames“ is just so fitting considering the psychology in this match, up there with the greatest ever.
So lets get ready to re-live the Championship match that blew everyone away.

The bell rings, and Michaels`s Championship defense against the demented Mankind was underway. Foley was said to be in the best shape of his entire career here which is why the pace was incredible.

McMahon, Ross and Perfect on commentary.

Mankind drives an elbow into Michaels. A back body drop to Michaels then a tremendous clothesline taking him out to the floor. Fans chant Ecw.

Mankind kicks Michaels to the fence and exposing the concrete Shawn stomped on Mankind on the mat. Michaels hit a cross-body off the top to the floor on the concrete with the padding removed.

Mankind in trouble and Shawn leaping off the steps sent Mankind into the concrete floor. Mankind sent back in the ring recieved a double axehandle. Off the ropes Mankind goes for a clothesline but Michaels ducks landing jabs and then a thunderous clothesline to Foley. A scoop slam from Shawn. Michaels off the top with a big elbow.

Shawn tuned up the band and Manind saw the kick coming and leaped out of the ring, having it scouted he rocked on the floor needing the Urn in hand.
Bearer reminds him it`s for the Championship.
Shawn Michaels unloads on Mick Foley inide the ring in the corner with all sorts of aggression. Michaels angry unload more rights, Mankind took him down for a brawl but Michaels kept up with it. Mankind with a side russian legsweep backwards then going for a Mandible Claw. A bodyscissors in a waistlock formation by Mankind but Michaels angry throws out shots at Foley getting out of it.

Mankind comes back firing at Michaels. A tremendous righthand. Mankind tossed Michaels out of the ring. Mankind removed the table by the ring, Michaels leaped over it onto Mankind. Shawn hit a vertical suplex and Mankind’s legs hit the steps. Mankind hit with a chop block and Michaels drives Foley’s injured knee into the casket. Mankind stomped down to the mat in the corner as Michaels focus’s on the injured leg of Mankind.

Foley fights back going back to basics with brawling. Mankind with his good leg goes for a kick but Shawn with a spinning leg drag. Michaels twisting Foley`s legs and slaps on a figure four.

Michaels showing his range adapting to any environment.

Michaels dropkicked Mankind into the injured knee and now he torked the leg as he slammed Mankind to the mat.

Now a half crab, Michaels in complete control. Mankind inches his way over to the ropes and broke the count at four. Foley scores with aright and then Michaels with a crucifix into a sunset flip.

Michaels charging at Mankind got caught with a Stun Gun! Unbelievable action, unbelievable pace.

Mankind jabs his own knee. Great character development. Mankind chokes out Michaels on the bottom rope. Mankind slams Michaels into the casket head first to try and get back in the match. Michaels caught some righthands and Ross questions how Foley can even stand.

After Mankind drove his knee into Michaels he remembers to sell it going down. HBK chants fill the home of the Flyers while Mankind bites Shawn on the mat. Mankind drives Michaels`s face to the mat. Mankind repeats that.

Michaels hits a side suplex to Mankind buying himself some time, he fights back and a boot to the mid-section of Michaels turns the match back around. A kick to the sternum. Micheals ducks under Mankind and a slugfest developed in the middle of the ring. Mankind irishwhipped Michaels into the corner and he`s tied upside down.
Mankind drops elbows onto Michaels.

Michaels misses an elbow in an attempt to get back in it but Mankind kicks Michaels to the outside, left foot straight to the jaw.

A drop toehold and Mankind goes face first into the steel steps. Michaels with a front facelock on Mankind but he blocked it attempting one of his own. Shawn lands on the apron and avoids Mankind`s charge levelling his head into the top ring post.
Michaels hits a powerslam out of no where.

Perfect is spot on saying he`s seen it all in this one. Michaels HANG MAN`s Mankind in the ropes but the Mandible Claw is locked on Michaels nearing by. Mankind drops to the floor. Both men need to recover.

Amazing match.

Mankind puts on the claw again but is thrown into the barricade by Michaels. Shawn with a chair smacked Mankind repeatedly while the official was talking to Bearer. Michaels bites Mankind`s Mandible Claw hand, he knees it and stomps on the fingers to try and take out his opponent`s finisher.

Michaels kicking the bad knee, meanwhile attempting to break his fingers. Mankind being disected here. Michaels continuing to stomp on the hands of Foley using, the top rope for leverage as more weight presses down on Foley.

Michaels charged to Mankind but he hit a backdrop and Michaels landed violently on the floor. Mankind buys himself some time. Mankind off the apron drives his elbow into the throat of Michaels.
Mankind hits a swinging neckbreaker on the outside to Michaels on the concrete floor. Hebner wants them back inside the ring. Mankind drops a leg onto the back of his head and plants Michaels down with a double armed ddt. Michaels kicked out. Mankind sets up Shawn for a Piledriver on Michaels and a nearfall.

They really put over Mankind using everything in the book. A unique bridge by Foley rolling Michaels over. Mankind beats on his own self driving his head into the corner and pulling out his hair. Foley throws chairs into the ring. Mankind opens up the Casket. Mankind rolls Michaels into the Casket but he fired back with a flying forearm. Michaels nips up and Perfect hates it on commentary.

Michaels slams Mankind down. Michaels up from the top with a crossbody and a two. Shawn again up top this time gets caught by a charging Mankind into the ropes dropping Michaels on his groin. Foley picked up Michaels and both guys crash through a table on the outside.

Bumps like that didn`t happen very often in the Federation back then.

Mankind back up, steel chair in hand and as Bearer had the official distracted Michaels fired back.

HBK hit the superkick!

Michaels dragged Mankind into the ring butFoley kicked out and Vader came in for the DQ ending.

In the end at 34:31 the match unfortunately ended in a DQ as Vader ran in and he was still upset over Summerslam. An unfortunate end to an otherwise flawless encounter. Sid even eventually comes in.

The second best match of 96 next to Austin-Hart at Survivor Series.

This match had everything but a clean finish or it could of been five stars. One of the best match in both men`s career and the psychology was above and beyond top notch, all the way throughout the captivating thirty plus minutes of action!

It’s a top 30 match ever from WHERE I sit, the 2nd greatest In Your House match of all time next to Davey-Boy and Bret from December 1995.

**** 3/4

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9) Cactus Jack vs Hunter Hearst-Helmsley (with Chyna) in a Falls Count Anywhere Match -WWF Raw is War:MSG – 22/09/97

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From MSG where these two would battle a couple of years later in the most barbaric Street Fight ever. A lot of memorable bouts have gone down here.

Triple H was still the blue blood here emerging out of that gimmick shotly into DX but Foley was his alter-ego as Cactus Jack for the first time in the Federation and everyone ate it up in NYC.

This took place the same night as Austin’s first Stunner on McMahon.

A memorable night to say the least.

Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Mankind had so many wars but this opened up a new chapter as he makes his Cactus Jack debut in the Federation.

Cactus Jack introduces himself as the Dude says it isn`t his bag. Mankind and Dude Love`s exchange on the titan-tron intorudcing Cactus Jack is epic.

Cactus Jack levelled Hunter in the head with a trashcan. EC Dub is chanted over and over. Cactus drives Hunter around the ring and hits a swinging neckbreaker onto the concrete on the Garden.

Cactus takes it in the ring and clotheslines him over the top to the floor.

Bang, Bang! Huge pop.

Hunter ran from Foley but Chyna clotheslined Cactus twice. Both men brawl towads one of the entrancs in MSG. Hunter slammed Foley to the floor. Savage and Crush had there ending right there!

Foley comes back with a Fire Extinguisher. Foley slammed Helmsley, kidneys first into the security rail. Foley placed HHH back in the ring and irishwhipped Helmsley over the top rope to the floor. Cactus threw a trashcan onto Helmsley and Jack threw his own elbow onto Hunter.

Chyna slammed Foley into the steps.

Hunter with a mop back from a commercial break dropped it in top of Foley. Helmsley snapped Cactus Jack`s neck over top of the ring rope. Hunter with chair drops it by bringing Cactus into the ring driving a steel chair to the ribs.

Cactus Jack pushed sternum first into the ring post. A lowblow by Cactus anda sunset flip off the apron to the concrete and a nearfall.

Hunter slams him into the barricade.

Helmsley backdropped onto the ramp.

An amazing physical match. Chyna hit Cactus with a chair. Helmsley drove Cactus into Chyna into the ring steps. Foley fires at Hunter and he kicked out barely on the end of the ramp.

The two brawl up it and Hunter hit a side suplex.

These guys have crazy chemistry.

Hunter in pain climbs up the top and a trash canto the head twice on Cactus Jack. Only a two count, Keota having to slam the steel at the top of the ramp for the pin. A shovel by Triple H to Cactus and now Cactus Jack piledrives Helmsley through a table on the top of the ramp.

In the end at a tv time of 15:08 Cactus Jack wins!

This match is brilliant.

The battle remains a classic in the saga between the two, and an excellent TV match and it`d remain a Classic even if it was on PPV.

 

****

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10) Mick Foley vs Terry Funk in a No Holds Barred Match-Falls Count Anywhere with Special Guest Referee Pat Patterson -Raw May 1998

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The only match he appears as MICK FOLEY on the first release of the 2 disc DVD set. He would do it later but by this point it was the only occasion.
Austin on commentary when he was red-hot in 1998 helped matters here. Austin gets a god-like ovation, but hey, it`s 98…it`s Austin. He drinks some beer.
As if it needed help, this match was a real treat in the hardcore variety between two all time rivals in that division. Perhaps the greatest two legends in that area, a strong argument could be made.

 

Terry and Mick had a legendary feud across continents and now they got to show what they could do on Raw in the Federation.

53 year old Terry Funk comes out and Austin gives him his due.

Patterson comes out as the official and Austin thinks it`s a rib Ross is behind.
Funk takes it to Foley down onto the ground. Foley gets chairshots to the head twice.

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Austin grabs a headset from King when his own beaks. Hilarious. Austin nails the King.

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Austin gets in Ross`s face. DTA.

Foley and Funk continue to tear each other up. Funk drives Foley headfirst into the steps.

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Funk drops a chair on Mick Foley.

Funk and Foley continue to brawl into the crowd. Foley and Funk take a stage dive.

Amazing stuff for there age. The audience loves it. Austin`s commentary makes it better. Both men go underneath the seats and go to the backstage area. Foley threw Funk into the table and aftr a cover Funk kicked out.

Foley and Funk fight there way everywhere in the crowd.

Mick tears apart Funk next to Austin`s beer. Foley goes off the apron with a chair onto Funk. Foley gets in Austin`s face and Austin says he`ll give Mick his due in time.
Jim Ross said he`s never seen a more physical Raw match in his life. Foley hits a piledriver onto Funk. Foley picks up Funk and piledrove him on the chair.

In the end at a tv time of 21:44 Foley finally wins.

This match is impressive proving he was still the number one contender for Over the Edge.
Great war. Vince and Foley transforming himself into the Dude dance at the top of the titan-tron. Hilarious.

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****

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11) Dude Love vs Stone Cold Steve Austin (c) with Vince McMahon the special referee for the WWF Championship -Over the Edge 1998

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The only time Dude Love ever appears near Foley’s favourite performances.
For good reason here.

A red hot crowd in Milwaukee (The Birth place of Austin 3:16) helped a top notch attitude era brawl where both injured bodies bumped like hell all match to produce a classic.

Steve Austin and Mick Foley bump like crazy in this wild war.

Here we go.

Fans chant Austin, Austin, Austin, every chance they get.

Dude Love and Austin circle one another and McMahon tells Austin to back off, he flips him off to a huge ovation.

Austin in great shape here. Austin into a side headlock hit with a shoulder block by Foley. A quick count by McMahon and Austin questions it.

Major Austin chants now as Undertaker who was a tweener at this point stands outside the ring. Dude Love buries his knee to the abdomen of Austin and then off the ropes hits a side headlock takedown.

Austin begins to fight back with a reverse elbow and a side headlock takeover of his own.
Some technical wrestling with brawling to ensure this is a Classic.

Crowd chant `Vince is Gay`, but Ross covers it up or has horrible ears saying the crowd are saying Vince is dead. Austin flipped Dude over and stomped on Dude`s teeth.
Austin kicked at by Dude. Dude headbutts Austin in the corner.

Love irishwhipped Austin and he ducked a clothesline hitting the Thesz Press. Austin clotheslines Dude to the floor to a major ovation. Austin rammed Mick into the barricade. Austin then got tossed into the steel steps. Dude Love slams Austin into the barricade then the steps, McMahon trashtalks him.

Dude Love with a side Russian Legsweep. Austin kicked on Dude in the corner, a reverse irishwhip and a Mandible Claw but Austin hangs the Dude inthe ropes.

An awesome attitude era brawl.

Foley lost an ear that way.

Undertaker makes sure McMahon is being an appropriate official. Dude Love stomps on Austin as Patterson makes the match a NO DQ match as of now.

Lawler and King are great on commentary in 1998 and 99, just tremendous.

Dude Love choked the Rattlesnake with cords. Austin fought back beating the hell out of

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Dude Love flipping him off and then dropping him with a clothesline. Austin brought Mick in with a huge clothesline.

Austin rolls Dude back into the ring and choked him out on the middle rope before getting caught on a charge. Dude avoided it, as Stone Cold crashed and burned. Foley hit a baseball slide into Austin onto the floor. Dude Love slides out of the ring and hits a swinging neckbreaker onto the concrete floor.

Patterson now says Falls Count Anywhere. Dude Love with a backslide on the concrete and McMahon only gets a two count.

Austin comes back charging at Foley taking him down with a clothesline. Austin ran at Dude and he got backdropped onto a carhood from the entrance stage and the windshield crashed open from Stone Cold`s boot.

McMahon made a two count on a car.

Everything about this match is Classic.

Great environment, great battle, great story. Austin battled back with rights but Dude rakes the eyes. Austin with a hotshot, stungun onto a car and Dude Love kicked out at two. Undertaker there to make sure McMahon counts properly.

Austin on top of a car goes for a Stunner but Dude shoved him to the concrete. Dude on top of a car hit a sunset flip onto the concrete from the hood of a car and got a close two.

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Amazing.

Steve rammed into the steel barricade by Mrs. Foley`s baby boy. Hey, I`ve always wanted to say that.

Dude with a lead pipe holds it in the air. Austin struggling to his feet is hit with it is a bloody mess. A suplex onto the concrete but Dude elects not to cover a bloody Austin. Dude Love takes his time driving the elbow onto Austin off of a car hood but Steve moves. Austin covered Dude Love but Austin got a long two from McMahon. Austin kicked at Dude Love some more and rams him into the steps. Dude is bloodied and has Austin in a claw, grabs a chai and smacked Stone Cold down.
Dude Love with a double armed ddt to Austin onto a chair, and he just kicks out. McMahon is pissed. Austin kicked a chair into the face of Dude Love. Austin smacks Dude in the face, McMahon doesen`t count. Fans boo.

Austin goes after McMahon, Dude hits McMahon with a chair as Austin ducks.
Stunner! Keota counts a two as Patterson dragged him out of the ring. The claw on Austin. Taker grabbed Patterson, chokeslam through the table. Brisco goes to count and now Taker chokeslams him through the other.

Austin hit a Stunner on Foley again!

In the end at 24:45 Steve Austin got the three after counting his own pin that ended by McMahon`s hand only as said before the match.

Austin simply just followed the rules.

Memorable moments in the match include:

King saying Foley lost his smile once he loses his teeth! Jr’s reaction to that in a sarcastic tone. That commentary duo was legendary in 1998.
Also who could forget Austin stomping on Foley’s teeth on the canvas. Absolute Gold.

The ending is incredibally memorable with help from the Undertaker and bumping by the Stooges. This is the attitude era at its finest in the Austin Era.

This match is an absolute clinic and a top match in both men’s career. Far and away the best match they ever had together.

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**** 1/2

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12) Mankind vs The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell Match -King of the Ring 1998

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No doubt the most famous HIAC ever.

When you just say the name “King of the Ring” a lot of people think of this match here and it`s not even apart of the annual tournament.

Mankind comes out as a tweener in a sense and climbs the cell right away which is interesting.

His biggest concern was how the hell could he possibly top the original Michaels vs Taker match.

He also brings a chair with him. Foley says in his book “Have a nice day” which is the best wrestling book of all time by the way, that he had a very bad ankle heading into this match and was worried about how that would come into effect during this violent match with The Deadman. Undertaker also had his share of injuries which make this paticular peformance from both men that much more memorable.

Mick was so worried about his performance here, he probably should of been more concerned with his life and his family.

Undertaker came out to a HUGE POP and met Mick on top of the Cell and this rivalry had been going on for more then two years.

The hatred was evident from both men without this meeting on top of the cell, but I thought this was a unique and ENTERTAINING way to start this type of match.

Everyone in attendance felt the same way as most people in the crowd stood up knowing they were witnessing something special.

Foley and Taker exchanged blows on top and the Cell actually broke open because of there weight up there which combined for well over 600 pounds.

Both men were shocked as was the crowd. They tried to work around it and did a good job all things considered to say the least.

JR: “They’re right above us folks! And I don’t like it a damn bit.”

You all know this memorable spot. It doesen`t get old, not ever. You can rewind it a hundred times consecutively and it`ll be just as amazing every single time.

The Undertaker throws Mankind off the top of the Cell and he crashes down sixteen feet through the announce table. Yeah…

Jim Ross screams his ass off and everyone jumps up in shock as they witnessed the biggest spot in Wrestling history. Biggest spot, biggest bump, biggest moment, biggest shock, everyone of them candidates.

JR: “Good God Almighty! Good God Almighty! They killed him! As god as my witness, he is broken in half!”

I still get goosebumps. I don’t get them once, I get them each time it is replayed. The sound of the crowd and picturing what it would be like to be Mick Foley. I can’t even imagine.

The King’s…”Oh my god” wasn’t his usual “Oh My God” it was a “Oh My God” as if someone has just been killed in front of his very eyes.

There was a delay in the action but no one cared as they just witnessed something no one ever thought would be possible.

A concerned “Have I gone too far“ McMahon comes out breaking kayfabe to check on Mick. Terry Funk among others help Mick to the back as everyone cheers and chant for The Undertaker.

JR apologizes and The King questions how on earth anyone could apologize after seeing something like that!

But it`s not over yet.

Foley is coming back! Foley is coming back!

No one could believe it. Not only is he coming back but he CLIMBS to the top of the Cell again displaying tremendous guts.

Everyone loves it.

The Undertaker seems to like this idea meeting Mick up there once more.
Taker this time doesen`t waste any time sending Mick straight back to hell.

It`s rumored this spot wasn`t meant to happen but either way it`s irrelevant, it`s beyond violent and actually temporarily knocks Mankind out.

Undertaker chokeslams Mankind on the top of the Cell, THROUGH THE CELL! To the mat! Where a chair hit him in the face on the way down knocking him out as well as some of his teeth. Absolutely brutal.

King: “That’s it…he’s dead.”

This is still incredible watching today.

Taker looks down at a knocked out Mick Foley.

Ross screams “Will somebody stop the damn match!“ If chills don`t flow through your body then you`re simply not human.

Another little break happens in the match as everything thinks it has stopped again but they were wrong once more.

Taker jumps down with his injured leg and all, and limps around before going back to work on Mankind as no one can believe this thing is continuing.

Mankind was layed out.

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Undertaker hits Old School.

Mick gets back to his feet and actually cameback with an offensive charge sending Taker off the apron.

Mankind is smiling but eventually drops the steps because he couldn’t support the weight after all this punishment.

Undertaker beats the hell out of Mick who looks like he just got hit by 10 trucks. There’s that shot of him sitting in the corner of the ring with his tooth in his nose and his body all bloodied with a smile from earlier on which was memorable.

He actually took a right hand by the Undertaker but since he was semi-concussed he fell before Taker even hit him. Foley said “The lights were on but nobody was home.” on his DVD “Greatest hits and Misses.” Which is a great DVD by the way…(Cheap plug for Foley’s DVD as he’d like that sort of thing.

As if that wasn`t enough, Taker hit Foley in the side with steel steps and he crashed into the side of the Cell.

Undertaker takes Mick into the ring and drops him with more shots and then grabs a bag.
Thumbtacks!

Jim Ross feels sick by this point as the Deadman spreads thousands around the canvas floor.

Foley`s battered and broken down body was then slammed hard back first through thousands of tacks!

Not once, but twice!

He got chokeslammed hard on them next as the crowd exploded once more. A bloodied and broken Foley rolls around and screams on in agony as it became a bit disturbing by this point.

I could literally FEEL his pain while I watch it and that’s another reason most guys in the back and fans all over the wrestling world couldn’t believe what they had seen.
Everyone took note of a sight like this, the casual fan and even the average person.

The Undertaker pinned Mankind in the end after a Tombstone Piledriver at 17:38 to win the Hell in a Cell war.

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People can say what they want about this being just a “Two-bump” match. In REALITY this was the toughest performance by two men ever in one Wrestling match and it was a series of events that went above and beyond what most people could physically handle.
A historic bloodbath that got the whole world talking. It got a lot of WCW fans interested in the WWF as well. DDP said it best “If they weren’t going to show it, we would have.” It was good for professional wrestling and it was the defining moment in the career of Mick Foley.

This isn’t THE BEST Hell in a Cell of all time (It’d go in my top 5 for brutality alone) but it is definitely the most historic and will NEVER be forgotten. It’s still talked about on a daily basis.

Words don`t do this type of Spectacle justice. It is though, a Classic by all means…

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**** 1/4

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13) Mankind vs The Rock (c) in a Street Fight for the WWF Championship – Raw Jan 4th 1999

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This match for the Rock’s Corporate title.

Rock and Foley had a lot of battle`s. This is rather forgettable as Mick says he and Rock didn`t have the best match here but the fact he won the title remains important.
Rock and Foley brawl all over the ring, typical attitude era tv match.

The Corporate Team stand outside as does DX.

Austin had been off tv for a couple of weeks. Rock does some trash talking on the announce booth before spitting it into Rock`s face. Mankind battled back with a series of right`s.

Mankind gets hit with a ring bell.

Rock choked him out with a cable cord. Mankind takes a bump through the table. Rock has some fans.

Rock with Mankind back in the ring brawls with Mick some more. Rock eventually gets caught into Mr. Socko. Shamrock hit Mick with a chair, Gunn takes him out.

The Rock and Mankind both layed out.

The glass broke and the loudest single POP in the history of wrestling as Austin who had only been gone two weeks comes out to raise some hell.

Austin smacks Rock in the head with a chair and McMahon is irate. Austin covers Mick on top of Rock…1…2…3.

In the end at a tv time of 15:39 Mankind defeated The Rock to become Champion for the first time to one of the loudest ovation’s you’ll ever hear.

The aftermath is tremendous. Foley in his book states he wishes Jim Ross would of called this moment but Michael Cole still did a good enough job.

This match is memorable for those reasons.

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* 3/4

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14) “The Game” Triple H (c) (W-Stephanie McMahon Helmsley) vs Cactus Jack in a Street Fight for the World Wrestling Federation Championship -Royal Rumble 2000

Jim Ross says were moments away from what could be the most memorable WWF Title match in history.

He wasn`t very far off.

Few matches out there have this one`s appeal. I can`t think of a person who doesen`t absolutely love this match.
There are few times out there when the company can have a villain go over a babyface and make it work. If you put on a match that can only be defined as a CLASSIC then that is one of the instances where it can work.

This was in the middle of an emotional program between Foley and Triple H.
From the great build up to the drama here at The Garden to the Barbaric brutality in the Street Fight, it`s all awesome here.

Foley was Cactus Jack, the insane, psychotic sympathetic face while Triple H was the Champion who was the hated, Cerebral Assassin who would do absolutely anything to retain his gold. He didn`t just want to retain but he wanted to survive and he wanted to end Foley`s career. He was close here.

Mick Foley wrestled Triple H in the Garden as Cactus Jack before in a very popular Raw from September of 1997 in a forgotten match which I rate four stars.

The build up was amazing so the atmosphere was electric all match long and this match really made time stand still, you can put it on and it can go by in a flash although it probably felt like an eternity for both individuals given the brutal nature of there actions.
Read some of Foley`s dialogue that I quoted at the top of the review for some of Foley`s words in the build up package to this match.

Cactus Jack`s theme song was editted at this event but not at Royal Rumble 1998 on the Anthology, I have no idea why.

HHH`s theme owned back in 99-2000, and he looked very different at this time, he was starting to bulk up though and come into his own in one of the most dominant years for any wrestler. Triple H in 2000 is a thing of greatness and what a way to kick it off then with this match!

HHH came out with Steph and JR wondered if this was the greatest environment to have your wife at.

Stephanie left though and HHH posed with the title a bit before getting in the ring with Foley to begin the Street Fight. He also tells the Fink a few things.

The way Foley and Trips stare at each other you can just feel it. You can feel the intensity, the emotion, the passion.

This is one of the best feuds ever and this might very well be the defining moment in this feud. It had a long history but this was the peak. This was unbelievable, a perfect setting.
Foley, 16 years ago hitchhiked to this very arena and saw a big Cage match, now he was the main attraction in the title match here.

Both men trash talked a bit.

This match was put on both HHH`s DVD and Foley`s as well here for good reason.

The trash talking didn`t last long as both men got it on with a slugfest to start and the bell rang!

Cactus Jack hit the Game with solid rights and Trips hit back.
The talking has stopped, the action has begun, the Streetfight for the WWF title was underway. Triple H cornered Foley and hit him with rights until Cactus came off the corner and hit a clothesline.

Now Foley cornered Helmsley and hit him with hard right`s, and JR called him MANKIND twice. Probably the only flaw of the match. Foley slid out of the ring when HHH took a breather and hit a swinging neckbreaker outside on the floor to HHH.
Cactus Jack got back in the ring and the fans chanted his name but Foley hit a legdrop on the back of HHH`s head as he put his head over the bottom rope and into the ring momentarily.

Cactus Jack went back to the outside and kicked at Hunter and began to show his sadisitic side as he bounced HHH`s head off the steel steps. Cactus Jack then went over to Helmsley but HHH hit him with a ringbell right between the eyes. HHH got back in the ring and tossed a steel chair in the ring. Foley could stand a ton of pain though so he was waiting to get in the ring.

HHH invited Cactus Jack back in the ring as he stood there with a chair and Foley came back in.

One of the things I loved here most was the fact Foley stared at HHH with the chair as if to say “I`ve been here before.“ To further prove my point Jim Ross states right at this moment “No one will ever forget last year at the Rumble when Foley took all those shots to the head with a chair.“ It`s as if Foley hesitated and wondered if he wanted to endure that in another WWF title match at a Rumble event.

However Foley knew he was under the persona of Cactus Jack and he feared nothing, so I just loved how he came into the ring and said “Bring it on!“

Awesome.

HHH though with a devistating blow to the skull! HHH threw the chair down to the canvas hard and posed while MSG booed. HHH took off the top buckle pad but Cactus Jack got back up and came back with a clothesline and viciously hit Hunter with right`s! Cactus Jack took the chair and put it on top of Helmsley and then dropped a leg on top of the chair ontop of the face of the Champion! The Challenger Cactus Jack for the title had a cover but got a nearfall. Cactus Jack then dropped a right hand to HHH and then another only like Foley could, I always loved his forearm shots or solid right hands mixed with the noise he`d yell while doing it.

Foley kicked at Hunter and he rolled out of the ring and then Cactus Jack on the outside walked around half the ring which bought The Game some time and he hit him with a desperation clothesline. This was Cactus Jack`s rules, Cactus Jack`s arena and then HHH charged towards Cactus Jack by the barricade but Foley backdropped him out to the floor. Both men battled in the crowd area.

Foley with right hands in the crowd to HHH! I laughed pretty hard when King questioned the humanity of New York City.

The Street Fight was coming to the name, fitting the bill. All legal here as both men were near the entrance way which was surrounded by bricks and weapons.
Foley sent HHH into the cement wall and bricks. HHH then got suplexed onto the wood by Foley who then used his mankind squeal.

Foley grabbed a trashcan and rammed it into the head of HHH who went down slow and he hit him with a hard right hand. Foley choked out HHH and raked the face before irish whipping him into the fence gate of the Rumble entrance twice. Helmsley hit the doorway twice and Cactus bounced HHH`s head off the steel more then a few times. HHH then sadistically knocking out HHH one step at a time and then HHH resourcefully suplexed Cactus Jack right through a trashcan.

Hunter needed this time to buy himself a moment to get back in the match. HHH almost went for a cover but decided to pick up Cactus since he had him at this moment and delivered a hard right hand shot but Cactus battled back. Cactus Jack was on his game. Cactus Jack threw HHH into the steps and gave him more hard rights to a head of Triple H that had already been well hurt from earlier. Foley charged towards HHH who sat by the steps and he connected with a knee to the Game sitting by the steps! Foley said “BANG BANG!“

Cactus Jack walked around the ring and looked under the ring for something else while HHH breathed hard in the ring. Cactus Jack picked up a barbedwire 2×4 to a loud pop by MSG.

See, this was a REAL barbedwire 2×4, the fake one would come out later by the announce table. Cactus Jack went to hit HHH with it but Hunter hit a low blow. HHH with a hard gut shot and then one to the spine. HHH hit him on the back and it pulled off pieces of Foley`s shirt and skin (according to Lawler) on the wood. This was a good way to utilize the real barbedwire to show fans it did at least exist once. Foley with a low blow and then a double armed DDT to buy HIMSELF some time. Hebner put the 2×4 by the Spanish announcers where the other artificial one would be planted as well. I don`t know where I read this, maybe one of Foley`s books since I own all three.

Foley then couldn`t find the barbed wire and punched out Hugo and the announcer gave him the artificial barbedwire bat. HHH charged into the reg and then Foley hit HHH in the face. He held the wood high in the air which wasn`t good due to you clearly being able to see it wasn`t barbedwire.

He dropped it though right on top of HHH`s face and HHH bladed, Hebner counted a slow two count.

Fantastic stuff this far, real barbedwire or not this was still brutal, awesome and enthralling, perfectly booked.

Cactus Jack with another shot to the face of the bloodied game who was down and out.

Cactus Jack ripped at Helmsley`s skin and face some more with the wood as he layed there down on the outside in his own blood!

Cactus Jack grabbed a bloody Game and dropped his right hand into the open wound of Hunter. HHH tried to crawl out of this environment but Foley showed no sympathy and slammed Hunter on top of the table, removed monitor`s.

Helmsley would by himself some time by blocking a piledriver and hitting a backdrop to Foley through the announce table.

A bloodied HHH backdropped Foley onto the concrete through a table.

This would buy HIMSELF some time now.

Good pacing to have such spots in the middle of a match, after a very solid beginning.

Fans in MSG chanted for Foley as he got to his feet despite being in pain. Hunter grabbed Mick and threw him inside the ring. Hunter then layed a right hand on Cactus`s head and got him in the corner and levelled away at him. The camera wisely zoomed in on a cut on Hunter`s ankle.

Cactus Jack countered a move by Helmsley and catapolted him into the corner and then he mashed his face into the barbedwire once again!

1…2…and my god JR can`t believe HHH kicked out.

HHH is dripping with blood, just dripping, and the scary thing is Foley has taken just as much of a beating it just isn`t shown due to how he can handle it.
I love the spot where Cactus Jack hits a running clothesline to HHH that took him out to the floor. Good stuff.

I also love the spot where Cactus Jack charged towards Helmsley but he used his own momentum fro a hiptoss right away and slammed Foley landing back first on the steps.
Foley then thrown into the steel steps hard, and nobody bumps into the steps better then Mick Foley. Foley`s left knee was severly hurt. HHH chop blocked it right after following up since he was a student of the Game. Scratch that, he WAS The Game.
Cactus Jack down on the outside and HHH got back in the ring. Cactus Jack slowly followed him inside but HHH was all bloodied, Cactus Jack had a hard time standing. HHH took the leg right out of Cactus Jack with another chop block upon entering the ring. Cactus Jack down on the mat.

HHH grabbed the barbedwire and slammed it on the bad leg of Cactus Jack! HHH with another hard shot. Fans applauded in MSG to try and support Cactus Jack and get him back in the match. HHH grabbed a bag but it had handcuffs in it.
HHH put Foley in handcuff`s and for the second straight Rumble Foley has been handcuffed. Cactus Jack blocked the second hand from being locked and he used the cuffs as a weapon to take Hunter down but HHH reversed the punishment and then handcuffed Foley.

Foley can`t dish out anything and now can`t defend himself.

HHH with a right hand to Foley over and over with Cactus on his knees, helpless. This is where the Champion wanted the challenger all along.

HHH to the outside pulls steel steps from the outside into the ring.
Foley is helpless and when HHH went to hit Foley with steel steps, Cactus Jack found a way to deliver offense. Out of desperation he hit a drop toehold. HHH charged towards Foley and he got his boot up. Excellent improvising by Foley to utilize the only thing he could control, his legs.

Cactus Jack dropped his body weight onto the game, the mid-section and then he bit his ear. HHH got up mad and slammed Foley down. They then zoom in on Foley`s ear which was half gone of course.

HHH with a hard shot to a handcuffed Mick Foley.
A piece of the chair went flying into the entrance way, that`s how hard HHH was hitting Foley`s back with the chair. Foley rolled out of the ring and he was still handcuffed.
HHH with another hard shot this time with a chair that was in one piece to Foley in the entrance way. The braincells scrambled by HHH to Foley. A bloodied Cactus Jack said if he had anything more hit him.

All of the sudden The Rock ran out from no where and hit HHH in the head with a chair. The place popped. Someone from the back (a cop) came out and unhooked the cuffs of Foley.

Cactus Jack was back in it!

Cactus Jack then to his feet with his hands free went after HHH and, Hunter looking like a bloodied Flair from the 80`s in a Funk-Flair war asking for mercy, begging Foley and trying to go away further.

Cactus Jack threw HHH on the Spanish Announce Table!

What else, Foley then piledrived him through the table and it didn`t give, HHH`s head bounced off the wood!

Cactus Jack then unloaded hundreds and thousands of tacks on the canvas! Hunter got up and Steph came out which distracted Foley but Cactus Jack still landed a right hand to HHH!

Everyone standing as HHH was dangerously close to the tacks but HHH backdropped Cactus Jack onto the tacks.
Thousands of tacks sticking into Foley! A human pin cushion!
HHH hits the pedigree to Cactus Jack!

Cactus kicked out! Cactus kicked out!

Stephanie shook her head!

The place popped, one of the loudest ovations for a kickout I`ve ever heard.

A Foley chant broke out and then ONCE AGAIN! Second pedigree to the tacks,

1…2…and that would be all. The three count!

For the 2nd straight Rumble event, I say “Thank you Foley.“

In the end Triple H retained the WWF title with a second pedigree onto thumb tacks at 26:51!

JR said he had never seen anything like this in 25 years, he`s used that line a lot but he really meant it here, he had to of.

Epic wouldn`t describe the kind of match I just talked about. Perhaps seeing two men bloodied, beaten and a shot of Foley with tacks in his own face would be good enough but it`s only good enough to watch the masterpiece over and over to fully appreciate it.

I not only consider this to be a classic, I not only consider it to be a high match near 5 stars, I consider it one of my all time favourites in the top 20 ever.

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**** 3/4

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Disc 2 Extra’s:

-Mankind teasers – First look at Mankind
-Music To My Ear – Mankind talks about his symphony of destruction
-Mind Games – J.R., Mankind and Paul Bearer prior to the Shawn Michaels match
-Jim Ross interviews Mankind (from RAW, 6/9/97)
-The Birth of Mr. Socko (10/5/98)
-Mick and Al Snow in Vegas – stalked by a fan
-More Mick and Al in Vegas – Mick and Al ride the rides, join a lounge band and visit a gentleman’s club
-Commissioner Foley & Kurt Angle – The Commish books a match

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Final Rating for Mick Foley’s Greatest Hits and Misses = 9/10

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This set is a real gem to say the very least. WAY better then I remembered. I imagine it’s even better for obvious reasons if you have the third bonus disc. One of the better DVD’s they’ve put out for an individual performer as they show Mick’s range from a ton of different territories.
The Promo’s slapped on as extra’s are a real treat as well. Picking this one up is highly suggested. Hands down one of the greatest sets ever released, even the two disc version….A must own with so many matches four stars and above. One of the best WWE DVD Releases that if nothing else proves, FOLEY…is GOOD.