His Most Brutal Non-Steel Cage Match: Mick Foley

[Tenta]

[YOUTUBE]1MwZBINfWNE[/YOUTUBE]​

Yes, yes..... We all know about this match. And we can all agree that this was probably the most brutal display of his wrestling career. Then, probably closely following that, would be his 2000 Hell in a Cell Match with Triple H. Thus, I think we can all concur that Mick Foley's most brutal matches have occurred in the confines of the Hell in a Cell. But really, just including those matches doesn't do Mick justice, by any stretch of the means. He didn't need a cage to have a brutal match, he was pretty damn capable of providing some without the help of Satan's Structure. But quite frankly, when people talk about his most brutal match, they all point to.... Well, what you just saw. But let's take away those two cage matches for a second. Let's only include the matches that didn't include inside The Hell in a Cell, and show how creative Mick Foley can truly be. What of his Non-cage matches were the most brutal in the history of Mick Foley's career.

Your choices are as follows:

Mick Foley VS. Terry Funk, Japanese Death Match- This is the one that pretty much introduced Mick Foley as the hardcore icon. It was as brutal, if not more so, than any match you'll find in the US. In fact, the fact that it's in Japan is probably the only reason this match was allowed. However, that also may be a killing factor, not because the match took place in Japan, but because for everything Foley and Funk were doing, names like Onita, Mike Awesome, Gedo, Hayabusa, and the likes would not only duplicate, but perhaps exceed. That isn't to say this match isn't great, but fails to stand out to be compared to its peers. Still, it definitely deserves a spot on this lineup.

Cactus Jack VS. Vader, Saturday Night Live- This will be the only match on this list that didn't include weapons, and I'd still include it. In fact, not having weapons made it all the more brutal, really. It's said that idf you rewind the tape at the point Vader's throwing punches in the corner to Mick, you can hear his nose break. This was as punishing a match as I've ever seen, and quite frankly, broke the "no blood" rule in WCW. It wasn't like they tried to bleed, Vader was just that stiff with Mick. I think this one stands out for me so much because of the fact that no weapons were used, yet I'd never seen Mick ever beaten so badly before in his career.

Mankind VS. The Rock, I Quit Match- Except perhaps this match. This was the infamous one were The Rock kept hitting a handcuffed Mick, for a reason Mick never understood. This was the one Foley was said to be royally pissed off about for quite some time, and even I admit Rock took quite a few liberties with this match. Still, for sheer violence with weapons, this may be the best match in the WWE. The ending was original, and at the time shocking, and was as close to a Death Match as we'd likely get in the states.

Cactus Jack VS. Triple H, Royal Rumble 2000- Except this match may have had it beat, just one year later. Look, this match had it all. Barbed wire, thumbtacks, steel steps. These guys made what was potentially the most horribly awesome one on one match I've seen in my life. This was the match to make Triple H into a star, and admittedly, it got the job done here. I'd actually argue this was more brutal than the Hell in a Cell a month later, and that kind of ruins that match for me. Still, these two just beat the everlasting shit out of each other. This clearly has to be somewhere on the list.

Mankind VS. The Undertaker, Boiler Room Brawl- Yeah, this one was a bit of a clusterfuck, but that was all it was meant to be, really. I have to admit, this one is probably only on, because it was my first "hardcore" match, really. This was where I learned just how bad ass Mick Foley could be. Seeing him take it to The Undertaker with weapons was probably the most shocking thing in the world to me. But nothing compares to how shocking the ending was, in seeing Paul betray his Undertaker after so long. Again, perhaps this one doesn't fit, but I always enjoyed it, and some of the bumps were pretty revolutionary for the time.

So, besides the obligatory "other", where you'd have to make the case yourself, what was the most brutal of Mick Foley's Non-Steel Cage Matches?

 

[The Brain]

There is no question that all the matches listed are brutal. I have a feeling the match with the Rock will win because it took place in the middle of the attitude era and was probably seen by more people than the other matches. Also I think it will win because it was the most brutal match. It got my vote. The reason is because Mick was literally defenseless. He was cuffed and couldn't do anything to protect himself against the Rock. Foley was planning on taking three or four chair shots. Rock decided it should be ten or eleven. There was nothing Foley could do about it. For as brutal as the other matches were Foley knew what was coming for the most part and at least had his hands free to protect and defend himself. The Rock pretty much had free reign on Foley and took advantage of it.

When I think about it I'm surprised Rock doesn't get a lot of heat for this. This is a shocking betrayl of trust between wrestlers and nobody seems to care. It's just forgiven because of who the Rock is and because people assume Foley can take it. Maybe there's another thread topic here.

 

[Tenta]

When I think about it I'm surprised Rock doesn't get a lot of heat for this. This is a shocking betrayl of trust between wrestlers and nobody seems to care. It's just forgiven because of who the Rock is and because people assume Foley can take it. Maybe there's another thread topic here.

You know, Brain, you have a fantasitc point. I do velieve that Rock had a tiny bit of heat, and thus, it can't be confirmed, but he was booked to lose the title a week later because of the incident. It wasn't as though he didn't get heat from backstage, the fans just let him go from it. And even then, he was a heel, so he was going to get boo'ed anyway.

As for me, I'm going with Foley and Vader. Vader was always a stiff motherfucker, and never really cared for his opponents well being. This, however, was completely brutal. I'll bring up the match, for anyone who hasn't seen it.

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Now, they cut off Ventura's commentating, because he had some lawsuit or such with WWE. Still, do you see those punches from Vader? Those were more brutal than any chairshot I've seen Foley take. Vader's criminal neglectance for Foley's health was something I've yet to ever really see before. That, plus it was blood in WCW. That in and of itself was shocking, because there was never blood in WCW. This proved that you don't need weapons in order to be violent. And again, the fact that it had no weapons made it all the more brutal. It was complete destruction by bare hands, and that was even more cringeworthy to me. Anyone can make someone bleed by a chairshot, but just the amount of punches to the face were something that were just horrifying.

Yes, this one gets my vote for being so damn violent

 

[pepentorresHHH]

i picked the hhh cactus jack match.....ive seen all the other options and this one takes the cake....i mean this two completely destroyed each other....hhh even had his left leg hurt because a nail got stuck in his leg when he took a suplex into a piece of wood.... all tose chair shot...hhh even broke the steel chair on his back....and hhh continue to beat him with the chair even though he was handcuffed.... it came to a point where hhh didnt know what else to do and cactus just started to scream at hhh to continue to give him more and that he wasnt afraid of him....and the rock had to make the safe....the barbwire part was brutal.....and the end with back body drop on the thumbtacks and then the pedigree on them again.........his face with them pinched skin deep was shocking at the time.........for me that why this match was my choice

 

[-WRESTLING-GOD-]

I love how Mick Foley vs. Edge is not mentioned. I mean, come on. It must be pretty painful to get speared through a flaming table. This was my all time favorite match, but I also agree that The Rock vs Mankind was pretty brutal, too.

 

[Hacksaw Highway]

Cactus Jack VS. Vader, Saturday Night Live- This will be the only match on this list that didn't include weapons, and I'd still include it. In fact, not having weapons made it all the more brutal, really. It's said that idf you rewind the tape at the point Vader's throwing punches in the corner to Mick, you can hear his nose break. This was as punishing a match as I've ever seen, and quite frankly, broke the "no blood" rule in WCW. It wasn't like they tried to bleed, Vader was just that stiff with Mick. I think this one stands out for me so much because of the fact that no weapons were used, yet I'd never seen Mick ever beaten so badly before in his career.

I believe that on the intro to this match given by Mick himself on his DVD, he actually says that he told Vader to bust him open. Blood wasn't allowed in WCW, so the idea was to make it look accidental, but apparently Vader couldn't open him up the hard way so he just kept punching harder and harder until Foley's nose broke. Still, that was brutal. It gets my vote too.

 

[killswitch3:16]

I'm gonna say the Hardcore match btween Foley and Edge was freakin brutal. He got barbwired batted, burned and crashed ina table, and all the crazy shit that happened in that match

 

[#hamler]

Id have to go with the edge foley match at wm22. That match foley passed the torch to a new hardcore icon...edge. the match had it all. Things we never seen in a wwe ring. The match started the whole ecw storyline which was amazing.

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

For me, its between The Rock and HHH, both very brutal matches and i've seen them both enough times..2 Rumbles in a row, Foley gave us an I quit match and a street fight match..

What wins it for the I Quit match is just the amount of chair shots he took to the head...FUCK ME!!

Not to mention being pedigree'd on da tacks..thats gotta hurt, why does he keep smiling when something happens to him??

The I Quit match for me!!

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

When I saw Beyond The Mat and realized that The Rock was supposed to do 7 chair shots and did 21!!! I lost a lotta respect for him.

Forget the sheer negligence of a fellow top-superstar, and probably the nicest guy ever, he didn't even have the common sense to go to the back and atleast check on him!!

STUPIDF***!

And by Christ then there was his family in the 1st row
His children crying, well like babies, while their dad is having his head beaten inside is a very disturbing image.

So I think just for emotional distraught and ******ed actions by The Rock,
The I Quit Match has to be the most brutal non-cage Mick Foley match

 

[crimson_mask]

Funny, I read the topic title and my first thought was the WCW Vader and Foley match. The moment where Vader breaks Mick's nose still makes me cringe, those shots are just vicious. Shit, even Tony Schiavone was speechless.

Then I watched the I Quit match with Rock for the first time in years. I'd forgotten how brutal that match was. And what makes it all the more brutal is the fact Foley obviously wasn't expecting Rock to go that far. The series of chair shots is one of the hardest things to watch in wrestling, outside of a Jackie Gayda match. I'm a huge fan of the guy, but it's hard to defend how Rocky acted there. At a couple of points you can see Foley turn around to take the shot in the back, only for Rock to smack him in the head anyway.

At least with the Vader match Foley planned it to go the way it did. The I Quit match is an example of a performer going too far, so it gets my vote. It's kinda miraculous that Foley's not dead after that one.

 

[Tenta]

So, I've been called to the carpet, as to why I dislike two of the matches that have appeared as "other" votes. People would like to know what I dislike about Edge and Foley, and Foley and Orton.

Well, it's very simple; I don't like Edge and Foley, merely because there wasn't much psychology to the match. I happen to be a very big fan of ring psychology, something in which normally, Mick Foley is an expert to. He knows not only how to swing a weapon, but why he's swinging said weapon. Foley/Edge was hardcore match, so psychology isn't particularly needed. However, all of the other matches told better stories, to me, than Edge/Foley ever did. Thus, I just don't see it as a good match, like the others. Feel free to vote Edge/Foley

As for Orton/Foley.... I've never seen it. Honestly, I've just never watched the match. If you want to include that one, perfectly fine by me.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

So, I've been called to the carpet, as to why I dislike two of the matches that have appeared as "other" votes. People would like to know what I dislike about Edge and Foley, and Foley and Orton.

Well, it's very simple; I don't like Edge and Foley, merely because there wasn't much psychology to the match. I happen to be a very big fan of ring psychology, something in which normally, Mick Foley is an expert to. He knows not only how to swing a weapon, but why he's swinging said weapon. Foley/Edge was hardcore match, so psychology isn't particularly needed. However, all of the other matches told better stories, to me, than Edge/Foley ever did. Thus, I just don't see it as a good match, like the others. Feel free to vote Edge/Foley

As for Orton/Foley.... I've never seen it. Honestly, I've just never watched the match. If you want to include that one, perfectly fine by me.

Well in that case The Rock is ******ed in terms of ring-psychology going by the I Quit Match alone, because he was smacking Foley just for the sake of smacking him.

I believe Randy Orton does have a fair amount of ring psychology ( just like the 'snakes' before him-Steve Austin & Jake Roberts)
But I wouldn't put down the Edge vs Mick Foley match for 2 Reasons:

Reason #1

It was the one of the most barbaric matches post-attitude era, and finally gave Edge the push he needed to cement himself as the Rated R Superstar and a top-level badass heel

Reason #2

It was Wrestle-friggin'-Mania!!! You of all people Tenta should appreciate a match this graphic actually made it to the Granddaddy of them all.

 

[Tenta]

Well in that case The Rock is ******ed in terms of ring-psychology going by the I Quit Match alone, because he was smacking Foley just for the sake of smacking him.

Actually, no that did make sense. It was an I Quit Match, and The Rock knew he was going to have to pull out all the stops in order to win the match. Was it excessive? Yes. Did it make sense? Actually, yes it did.

I believe Randy Orton does have a fair amount of ring psychology ( just like the 'snakes' before him-Steve Austin & Jake Roberts)

Again, no disputing that. Orton has a fair amount of ring psychology. His selling isn't great, but it gets the job done.

But I wouldn't put down the Edge vs Mick Foley match for 2 Reasons:

Reason #1

It was the one of the most barbaric matches post-attitude era, and finally gave Edge the push he needed to cement himself as the Rated R Superstar and a top-level badass heel

I'll give you this, it did cement Edge. But why? Foley at this point was out of shape, old, and just flat out didn't have it anymore. You're right, in that it looked good in an era of shit hardcore matches, but that doesn't make it great. It was just spot-to-spot-to-spot. There was never continuity, and while I rarely take off points for that, I do here, given what it's facing off against, in matches that told legitmate stories.

Reason #2

It was Wrestle-friggin'-Mania!!! You of all people Tenta should appreciate a match this graphic actually made it to the Granddaddy of them all.

Some of the worst matches have happened at Wrestlemania. Being at Wrestlemania means shit to me, frankly. A sub par match is a sub par match, no matter the setting.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

Actually, no that did make sense. It was an I Quit Match, and The Rock knew he was going to have to pull out all the stops in order to win the match. Was it excessive? Yes. Did it make sense? Actually, yes it did.

Ok Mankind was being booked as the sympathetic, close-to-the-people, warm, fuzzy champion and that explains why he got hit so many times so as to garner the people's 'care', but The Rock was bland and repetitive for smacking him 21 times.
If he had an astute ring presence he would have used various objects to torture his victim like a Jake Roberts, who was blessed with abundant amounts of ring-psychology, hence making us root for Mankind even more. But Rocky's actions were unimaginative and idiotic and just disturbing to watch.

Again, no disputing that. Orton has a fair amount of ring psychology. His selling isn't great, but it gets the job done.

Agreed, but he does a sell a move so much like a snake. Have you seen how he coils up after taking a back drop? Creepy Cool!

I'll give you this, it did cement Edge. But why? Foley at this point was out of shape, old, and just flat out didn't have it anymore. You're right, in that it looked good in an era of shit hardcore matches, but that doesn't make it great. It was just spot-to-spot-to-spot. There was never continuity, and while I rarely take off points for that, I do here, given what it's facing off against, in matches that told legitmate stories.

I'd just call it passing of the torch. I mean they did it the normal way:
*The management decided Edge was gonna be a top level heel
*He needed to go over a top level superstar in a dominating fashion and on the biggest stage.

I do agree it was one big spot after another but story wise it was good, however the buildup of the Orton-Foley feud was way better.

Some of the worst matches have happened at Wrestlemania. Being at Wrestlemania means shit to me, frankly. A sub par match is a sub par match, no matter the setting.

I disagree that this was sub-par. It was violent, barbaric and a typical hardcore quickie.
Now I do really hate it when people diss on WrestleMania, but I must grudgingly admit there have been some real poo-poos booked over the years.

Oh God! Kane-Khali
Damn you Tenta!! I had that memory supressed!!!!

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I would have to say the barbed wire rope exploding board c4 explosive death match with Terry Funk in Japan. IMO matches like that should not be allowed, its a friggin' C4 bomb FFS!

If anyone has Mankinds autobiography, looka t the pics in the middle and see Foleys bright pink arms, from the burns in that match, its just crazy! Why any human being would want to do that to themselves is beyond me, but yeah...that is his most brutal match, in the book Foley says he was cut in over 50 places and had tp push the meat in his fingers back into the finger itself as it was all hanging out...sick!

On the topic of The Rock...if he was only meant to do 7 shots and did 21....he technically should have been sacked shouldnt he? Endangering another performer like that? Daniel Bryan anyone?!

 

[The Mark of Zur-En-Arrh]

What about Flair/Foley at Summerslam '06? How many times did Foley run full pelt at Flair with that board of barbed wire? Enough to rip Flair's face to shreds at least. I remember thinking the Foley/Edge/Lita v Funk/Dreamer/Beulah match at ONS was brutal enough, but Foley smacking Flair full pelt in the face with the barbed wire made me cringe every time he did it, and still does.

Well in that case The Rock is ******ed in terms of ring-psychology going by the I Quit Match alone, because he was smacking Foley just for the sake of smacking him.

What people tend to forget about this match, was that there was a good 20 minutes of hardcore wrestling BEFORE those chair shots. Foley had even fallen off one of the stands into the electrical equipment, and the spot was designed to make it look like Foley had been electrocuted.

So you've beaten on this guy for 20 minutes, he's fallen 10 feet and been electrocuted already. You've now got him in handcuffs, hit him a couple of times and he's STILL not quitting, and he's even getting up for more!!! Plus only 6 months before he took 2 consecutive 10 foot + drops and wrestled 20 minutes after that as well. Wouldn't you beat the man as bad as possible to ensure he stays down?

And considering the fact that they used a recording to cost Foley the match, Rock had to make it look like he'd legitimately knocked Foley out, otherwise why wouldn't Foley just get on the mic immediately afterward and say 'that was a recording'?

And Foley trying to take a few chair shots to the back is no good if he needs to appear knocked out is it?

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

I would have to say the barbed wire rope exploding board c4 explosive death match with Terry Funk in Japan. IMO matches like that should not be allowed, its a friggin' C4 bomb FFS!

I must now see this match!!!

On the topic of The Rock...if he was only meant to do 7 shots and did 21....he technically should have been sacked shouldnt he? Endangering another performer like that? Daniel Bryan anyone?!

He was THE TOP HEEL at the time and WWF couldn't afford to lose him in any shape or way and besides Austin was gone also off TV.
However Tenta did make a point where The Rock did drop the title to him in a week's time on Raw, so maybe that was the punishment; if it was, it was a lame one.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

What about Flair/Foley at Summerslam '06? How many times did Foley run full pelt at Flair with that board of barbed wire? Enough to rip Flair's face to shreds at least. I remember thinking the Foley/Edge/Lita v Funk/Dreamer/Beulah match at ONS was brutal enough, but Foley smacking Flair full pelt in the face with the barbed wire made me cringe every time he did it, and still does.

I really did wanna mention the ONS match, but seeing as we were going for singles matches.
And yes that SummerSlam match was brutal and Flair bled like a pig!!!

What people tend to forget about this match, was that there was a good 20 minutes of hardcore wrestling BEFORE those chair shots. Foley had even fallen off one of the stands into the electrical equipment, and the spot was designed to make it look like Foley had been electrocuted.

So you've beaten on this guy for 20 minutes, he's fallen 10 feet and been electrocuted already. You've now got him in handcuffs, hit him a couple of times and he's STILL not quitting, and he's even getting up for more!!! Plus only 6 months before he took 2 consecutive 10 foot + drops and wrestled 20 minutes after that as well. Wouldn't you beat the man as bad as possible to ensure he stays down?

And considering the fact that they used a recording to cost Foley the match, Rock had to make it look like he'd legitimately knocked Foley out, otherwise why wouldn't Foley just get on the mic immediately afterward and say 'that was a recording'?

And Foley trying to take a few chair shots to the back is no good if he needs to appear knocked out is it?

Good points sir, but what I was referring to was The Rock's careless actions and the fact that he was very unimaginative with his use of the steel chair.
Tenta raised the point of ring psychology and in my opinion Rocky showed very little of it.
After repeated shots it became as uncomfortable as Bret Hart's brutal assault on Mr. McMahon at WM 26.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

I know it's popular choice, but that Rock/Foley match was downright nasty. He took countless chair shots – over a dozen if I recall correctly. I remember cringing watching it, because after the first few he just got up and took another.

While all the matches on this list are brutal, to me, that was the nastiest, despite the fact he didn't tear a body part off during it.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

For me his Japanese Death Match with Terry Funk was his most brutal. Like you said Tenta, others have exceeded that match throughout the years in Japan, and even though I haven't seen that match in a number of years, it always stood out to me for its brutality.
With that said, his best match on the list was definitely his match with the Rock at the Royal Rumble '99. To this day I think it was a miracle he was even able to walk out of that match with some of the bumps he took (from falling onto the electrical equipment to the Rock teeing off on his head with a chair seemingly forever), this match was extremely brutal, but also extremely good and probably was one of the most brutal matches the WWE has ever produced.

 

[jmt225]

I had to go with his match against Vader.

The Terry Funk match was definitely the most graphic, and The Rock match probably hurt Foley more in the long run than any match he's ever been in, but regardless... neither compare to Foley's match against Vader in my eyes.

There's just something so brutal about watching somebody get literally beaten up, let alone by a man Vader's size. Seeing Vader legitimately punch Foley over and over again... it's fucking makes you cringe. It felt like Foley was getting bashed over the head repeatedly with a baseball bat. That's how real it felt to me watching that.

Look, I know the Funk/Rock matches were unbelievably horrific in terms of brutality, but still... gimmicks take away from it in a sense, whereas seeing someone just get beat to a pulp with fist... I mean, fuck, it's just beyond brutal. There's nothing to describe it. And that's the type of match Vader vs. Foley was in my eyes.