The WWE Hall of Fame has recognized the greatest Superstars to grace the squared circle, but should they also induct individual matches? Dark Side Of The Ring‘s Evan Husney believes it’s a great idea, and he’s got one match that fits the bill.
Recently, Mick Foley was asked if he thinks WWE will ever induct specific matches into its Hall of Fame. This is something UFC already practices, beginning in 2013 with the first Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar fight. Foley said he wasn’t sure if his match would be the first one in, but does believe his 1998 Hell In A Cell match with The Undertaker would make the cut.
“I don’t know if it would be the first one in, but I think it would be… part of the first intake, I would like to think so at least,” Foley told CasinoBeats. “I think that Cell match is the only match in wrestling history that people celebrate the anniversary of. Like they remember where they were and they like to relive it. It’s got its legacy of its own, which not many matches can say to be fair.”
Mick Foley’s first Hell In A Cell encounter is infamous for several moments, including The Undertaker chokeslamming Foley through the roof of the cell and throwing him off the top of it and through an announcer’s table. The match is also the subject of the sixth season premiere of Dark Side of the Ring, which premieres on Tuesday, March 25 on VICE.
Evan Husney says there are only a few matches worthy of a WWE Hall of Fame induction
WrestleZone spoke with Dark Side of the Ring Executive Producer and Co-Creator Evan Husney ahead of the premiere and asked about potential Hall of Fame match inductions. Husney loved the idea, highlighting why Hell In A Cell is one of the few matches worthy of that distinction.
“I love that idea, just for the record,” Husney said. “I think it’s an awesome idea. And to me, there’s only a handful [of matches] that really rise to that cut above where they do transcend a regular wrestling program and become something more. And I think it is important to spotlight that. Because it is people coming together, technicians coming together. [It’s] the people that are filming it, people who booked it, produced it. The announcers are a huge part of it. And it’s like they are all coming together to create something that’s almost like a movie. They are coming together to create a performance. And I think with wrestling there is so much of it that X-Factor of improvisation and lightning in a bottle. You got to catch it and the audience have to react to it in the right way and create even another element.
“So, I think spotlighting the genius, for lack of a better term, of when all of that comes together and really like the performance of it, and the moment of it, it just fires on all cylinders. It should be recognized,” Husney continued.
Is Hell In A Cell the right match to induct?
“Hell In A Cell would be a good one. It is a dangerous one to spotlight because it is somewhat of a cautionary tale. But I think it is… Do you want to endorse that saying, ‘Well, because we are acknowledging it is a great thing, should more people do that?’ I don’t know. That is kind of the cautionary tale aspect of it. But then I would go to a match like Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin should 100% be in that. Because it is just, maybe one of the greatest of all time. And to spotlight not just their talent but everything else that also went into that. I think it is a great idea. I think it’d be a hell of an idea. And they should definitely do it.”
Check out our full interview with Dark Side of the Ring’s Evan Husney below:
