Mick Foley's Best Match Ever!!

[Ruthless-RKO]

The series are back..
Most known for his hardcore wrestling style, he has been around for many many years!!! Has been involved in a lot of matches, hardcore and non-hardcore matches.. Worked in Japan, WWF/E, WCW and TNA..

Has wrestled under the names Mankind, Cactus Jack and Dude Love..

Let me just get to the question...

What would you say was his greatest match ever??
If you can, try picking a non-hardcore match aswell as a hardcore match, because I know the majority of the posts are going to be hardcore..

Mine would have to be his Street Fight Match vs. Triple H for the WWF Championship at Royal Rumble 2000... I watched this ppv live at home and this match was just chilling!! It was a great match from both wrestlers and they gave it their all and he put over Triple H big time in this match and made HHH show us all he can handle hardcore rules... I just loved the ending of this match, and is one of my all-time favourite matches of wrestling..

Honourable Mentions

• In Your House X: Mind Games vs Shawn Michaels
• King of the Ring 1998 vs The Undertaker (Hell in a Cell)
• In Your House 11: Buried Alive vs The Undertaker (Buried Alive Match)
• Royal Rumble 1999 vs The Rock (I Quit Match)
• No Way Out 2000 vs Triple H (Hell in a Cell)
• WrestleMania 22 vs Edge (Hardcore Match)
• Backlash 2004 vs Randy Orton (Hardcore Match)
• SummerSlam 2006 vs Ric Flair (I Quit Match)

What would you choose??

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I would personally go for the street fight with Triple H at Royal Rumble 2000...talk about brutal. This was the match that made me respect Triple H more than almost any wrestler in the business. He showed he could handle the hardcore aspect of wrestling, and in this match both Foley and The Game were at their finest. This was violent without having to resort to broken glass or pointless spots. Wonderful performance from both men and part of a brilliant storyline.

Also, you cannot list great Mick Foley matches without mentioning the HIAC with Undertaker. That was literally the most shocking thing I had ever seen, when Foley was thrown from the cell my mouth dropped open. I thought he was dead, and Undertaker had deliberately thrown him to injure him. I never expected anyone to go off the top of the cell, it was so dangerous, so shocking and could have gone so wrong.

The way Foley climbed back to the top again, only to go through the roof (which was not meant to happen) and STILL carry on to be thrown onto the thumbtacks...well that was insane. How one man can take that and still walk out of the arena is mind-blowing...it still has me in awe to this day. Mick Foley really is one of the toughest men I have ever seen.

Just awesome

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

I agree with the choice of Triple H vs Cactus Jack at Royal Rumble 2000 being Foley's best match ever. The feud leading upto this match was awesome and this is also widely regarded as the match that made Triple H. It showed that Triple H could hang in the ring with a hardcore legend. Foley is a crazy dude as we all know but the punishment that Triple H took in this match is also noteworthy. He lost a lot of blood and at one point his leg was a bloody mess, something that you don't often see in wrestling.

A match of Mick Foley that is a personal favorite of mine is Dude Love vs Steve Austin at Over the Edge 1998. Its a very underrated feud of the Attitude Era and it made Austin look very good. The pop that Austin recieved when he came out to face Foley is up their with any pop that Austin has ever recieved. Also this match is one of those rare occasions where the overbooking makes it better. I always mark out for the finish where Austin makes the count using Vince's hand.

 

[Brahma Bull]

I think his best match of all time was against the rock in the i quite match. this match was match of the year, and took place during one of the biggest fueds in the attitude era. Rock vs Foley. The ending was very original and the match was just plain brutal. His hell in a cell match with taker did set a standard for a hardcore match, but i think this match broke the standard. My personal favorite match of all time, and in my opinnion, the best foley match, and best rock match of all time.

nonehardcore:

best non-hardcore match for foley would be wrestlemania 2000. i really loved this match, and i thought it was set up great with a mcmahon in every corner, and all the guys were fueding with each other in some way.

 

[Chess]

I would have to go for the Hell in a Cell vs Undertaker. I can still watch this match today and be amazed by the high spots he took. Whether both were planned or not his testicular fortitude was immense.

I also loved his I quit match vs the Rock, I have never seen so many chair shots in my life, it was upsetting and disturbing but really kept you glued to the screen. I personally would have liked Foley to kick the shit out of the Rock after what happened here though as he went a bit far.

I cannot really remember a non hardcore match I have seen foley in. Maybe one when he was first introduced as Mankind. I think I remember a good match vs Gangrel at some point.

 

[Normer]

My favourite Foley match was one not included on your list, but I thought I'd mention it. Breakdown 1998 a triple threat steel cage match with Rock and Shamrock, I remember the match being a great back and forth between all three guys, and a unique ending. Foley went for the 'classic' climb over the cage win after putting both guys down, but before he could land, Rock rolled over and arm drape pinned Shamrock. Making Foley once again the lovable loser.

 

[TheHitMark-SirJoseOle]

What I think was Mick Foley's best match ever was at WWF St.Valentine's Day Massacre in February of 1999 when he defended his title against The Rock in a Last Man Standing Match. It had action, it had brutality, drama and suspense. Plus it ending in both men beating rendered unconscious added something that was integral to the storyline's interest, and unlike the Rock and Austin feud many of Rock and Mankind's matches alternated between who would win and in this case neither man won that night but it was still an awesome match. It was such a brutal contest and it was a testament to the Rock and Foley's chemistry between both performers. I was never the biggest fan of Foley, no real hostilities but I just am not a devotee of his work. But I definitely appreciate and admire most of what he did in the ring even if at times it was reckless and detrimental to his own well being. But that was his decision and obviously not mine or any other fan's decision, and to his credit that style is what got him over and made him a legend in this business. However, I can still appreciate what few matches with him that I truly can say I enjoy. However, I feel that when answering the OP's post and the question he asked.

Now to step outside my own bias, I will give an honorable mention to King Of The Ring 1998 with the Hell In A Cell Match, it's the match that made him a star and it's the best representation of his legend I believe even if it's not my absolute favorite of his career. With that said, I wanted to two fold that answer for that very reason because in spite of what I might favor I definitely like to support the feelings of those fans who started to really gravitate to Foley after this iconic bout with Taker.

Great thread and I enjoyed reading this post! Looking forward to reading more from other fans!

 

[a0161613]

The man himself credits three matches with this accolade:

vs HBK, Mind Games
vs Randy Orton, Backlash
vs Edge, Wrestlemania

All three are incredible encounters and are great examples of his work. As good as his matches with Sting, Taker, Rock, Austin, Funk etc are and as good as they are to show his ability as the most well rounded worker in history, Foley himself says those matches are his best and I dont think anyone could argue.

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

The man himself credits three matches with this accolade:

vs HBK, Mind Games
vs Randy Orton, Backlash
vs Edge, Wrestlemania

All three are incredible encounters and are great examples of his work. As good as his matches with Sting, Taker, Rock, Austin, Funk etc are and as good as they are to show his ability as the most well rounded worker in history, Foley himself says those matches are his best and I dont think anyone could argue.

Yes, maybe no one can argue with his choices.. But we want to hear what you think?? and why?? Everyone has got their own opinion.. What's yours??

 

[shankit231]

I would have to say Cactus jack vs Triple H at Royal Rumble 2000 also. my favorite ppart if that match would be when Cactus suplex triple h into those wooden pallets Triple H had the big ass splinter in his leg. he didnt relieze it was there until the end when he was in the back and the adrenaline worne of. on the DVD he had he said he never felt it. I also liked there HIAC at No Way out

 

[Dzone]

All his matches were disgustingly brutal...

If I had to go for most iconic/best match he's had then yeh the HIAC match but that match again Triple H in the Royal Rumble was F***ing attrocious!

Meh if there is one guy that fits the name "Hardcore Legend" it's Foley, the guy's nuts.

 

[a0161613]

Yes, maybe no one can argue with his choices.. But we want to hear what you think?? and why?? Everyone has got their own opinion.. What's yours??

I gave my opinion, it's those matches. Between those and the Rumble 2000 Street Fight, I think that they are all pretty brilliant. He had an incredible career and was brilliant at what he did.

Until he came along, nody was able to tell a story with the violence and blood quite in the same way that he was able to.

 

[BuckshotBrian13]

Foley went to hell and back to entertain the fans. There's no lie in that but his top matches he has wrestled in the wwe are

Hardcore: It's a tie with 2 matches with Triple H. The Hell in a Cell match and the street fight. You could see it in their eyes...they both went to hell and back to tell you a story of hatred of 2 men for each other. Also it took Foley out the way he wanted to go out.

Regular(if this counts): Mankind vs. The Rock on Raw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA64kaQ_9Q4 Judge for yourself there. Nitro tried to ruin his night for him, but really they doomed themselves when they did that.

For complete not hardcore/no dq: Shawn Micheals v. Mankind. That match went all over the place and it came out of foley's mouth saying it was one of his greatest matches of all time.

 

[S.J. Maximus]

Mick Foley's matching are always exciting and are always memorable because they are always so crazy and violent and intense. I'm going to agree the with popular choice of Foley vs. HHH at the Rumble '00 but one match that I think people are letting slip under the radar is Foley vs. Orton at Backlash '04. This match did EXACTLY the same for Orton as it did for Triple H, making him look like a solid wrestler who can hang tough with the hardcore legend. It's a shame that Foley lost both of these contests, but he still managed to do what he has always done best: entertain the hell out of us.

 

[SickJames]

His Greatest Match is and will forever be HELL IN A CELL

It had to many great moments and set the standard for what a HIAC bout should be, and the only one that's come close though many have been great has been Edge/Taker and that was mainly what happened at the end, but at the time no one had ever seen anything like that, it was better than the first two that had occured previously to it

Also I agree with others ppl put out there, but I wanted to add to that list of honorable mentions, The Rock vs Mankind- Half-Time Heat!
That was fucking awesome, the greatest match in Heat History! Empty Arena Match! Very entertaining.

 

[Rockman]

I would say both hell in a cell vs taker and the hardcore match vs edge.

The HIAC match was just epic, and still to this day sends a huge chill down my spine when i see taker throw him off the cell (''OH MY GOD, HE'S KILLED HIM'').

The hardcore match made edge 'Hardcore' in my opinion. That spear through the flaming table was brilliant. Also kinda liked all the promo's building up to wm.

 

[The Eighties]

I'd have to agree with the Rumble Street fight with Triple H as his best, but I also loved the match with Sting at Beach Blast 92, it was a match that took Sting to another level and I always respected the fact he, as a top guy, was willing to go there with Foley when he didn't need to.

One match I want to mention is Mankind vs Taker at Mind Games, it was the In Your House PPV that followed Wrestlemania 13. The lead in was great with Mankind doing the old Sheik fireball trick on Taker on a Raw in the build up and he continued to go after the injury it caused in their match. the whole match was just a brutal battle with Foley taking a crazy head first bump through the table at one point.

One none hardcore match of Foley's I rate highly is his match with Ken Shamrock at Judgment Day 98, Mankind putting himself to sleep with the mandible claw rather than tap out was a great finish.

 

[pessimism101]

For non-hardcore match, my favorite Mankind match was the first (televised) match between Undertaker and Mankind at King of the Ring 1996. The match was nothing short of a brawl and was full of intensity. This was also one of the first (and rare) times that the Undertaker was beaten cleanly at a major Pay-Per-View and was defeated rather easily.

Honorable mention to Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind from In Your House: Mind Games. This match was spectacular and showed just how great a performer Shawn Michaels really was.

As for my favorite Mick Foley hardcore match? I easily go with Cactus Jack vs. Triple H in a Falls Count Anywhere match on Raw is War (September 22, 1997). The opening segment where all three Faces of Foley were on the TitanTron at the same time was EPIC and the match itself was pretty good as both Foley and Triple H put on a good, violent match (and with no blood either!).

Honorable mention for Mick Foley vs. Terry Funk in a Hardcore Match on the May 4th episode of Raw is War. This was a violent war between friends and had an ECW feel to it (something that was pretty much foreign to me in Canada).

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Another pick of mine to add to my earlier comments on the RRY 2000 Street Fight and the HIAC with Undertaker would have to be the match vs Randy Orton..I cannot remember the PPV name though.

It was insane, I never thought I would see Orton take a bump in thumb tacks. It was unbelievable and showed Orton is a tough son of a bitch, most other wrestlers would never have taken that bump. Foley was great in this match and he showed he could still turn it on when required. His ability to take a bump and withstand pain had not dimininshed over his few years retired, and he could still put on a show.

As he did with HHH, Foley was able to bring another wrestler to his level in the hardcore environment and get them over with the fans as a credible tough guy. He is extremely talented at what he does