Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind

[Guest Dazed]

The name of the show is "Mind Games", and that is essentially what this match is. Mankind attempts to confuse, frustrate and annoy HBK throughout, in an attempt to beat him psychologically. Even before the match has begun, Mankind comes to the ring contained in a coffin. This may seem small, but it shows he is comfortable in something linked so closely with death. Mankind goes on to attempt to lock Michaels into the casket later on, at which point Michaels freaks and attempts to get out as fast as possible, perhaps showing he is not as psychologically strong as Mankind.

 

Mankind works some simplistic brawling early on, but manages to put enough energy into each shot to make it seem believable. They quickly brawl around the ring (which seems something of a Foley trademark ? moves are apparently more brutal looking on the outside.) Some vicious shots from HBK, including stamping on Foley, who is between the protective mats and concrete floor. Shawn takes a risky splash from the top rope to the outside, showing off his cocky character. It does pay off, as Mankind hits the concrete with his head. He's soon back up though, coming back to his resilient nature. This seems to have the desired effect on Michaels, as he angrily returns the brawl with Mankind ? looking extremely pissed off.

 

Another moment of HBK arrogance shines through, as he attempts to end the match just minutes in, with his Sweet Chin Music. This is effective at showing not only his character, but also Mankind, who dives out of the ring and cradles the urn in his arms. This childlike state is another attempt to psych out Michaels ? how the hell do you deal with someone like that?

 

This is the point where Michaels very much snaps, and resorts to Mankind's own brawling offence, hammering away with anything he can. This leads to him losing any gameplan, and resorting to taking silly risks in any attempt to get at him. The effects of Mankind's mind games are shown through HBK pushing the referee away in an angry moment, and leaping recklessly over the announce table.

 

There's a period of leg work on Foley, after a snap-suplex onto the ring-steps injures his knee. The suplex was born of Michaels' anger and frustration towards Foley. He follows up on the suplex with an immediate series of moves onto the leg, including some submission holds ? a figure 4 leglock and a single leg crab. Existing moves are modified to capitalise on this injury, such as a dropkick direct to the knee. Mankind shows us more of his character as he attempts to stab the feeling back into his leg, which is a nice touch. Sadly the leg work is forgotten all too soon.

 

HBK shows his ring presence and ability to outspeed the sluggish Mankind several times, dodging several of his attacks, and causing the reckless Foley to cause himself injury. This is best shown when Foley attempts a suplex from the top rope through a table on the outside. Michaels is able to counter the attack mid-air, getting Mankind's body between himself and the table, absorbing none of the damage himself.

 

There's some further excellent psychology later on in the match. Mankind manages to lock the Mandible Claw onto Michaels, who immediately goes to work on disabling the fingers of Foley. Pulling on his hand, even biting and stamping on it show a logical series of moves to stop Mankind's finisher. This is especially effective as it's an area of the body that is often ignored, and the moves themselves looked vicious ? the close up camera angles show Michaels legitimately hitting Foley's hand, after jumping from the second rope. Repatedly.

 

Mankind shows an unpredictable edge, as he throws a tantrum outside the ring, and begins throwing chairs around. This is further excellent characterisation by Foley.

 

The ending to the match is the only real low point. Mankind stands on the top rope, helpfully holding a chair directly in front of his face for Michaels to superkick. At this point, Mankind is dead on the floor ? there's no way that he would kick out of anything. Sadly though, Vader runs down for the cop-out ending, and is soon followed by Sid. This ending greatly detracts from what occurred in the ring.

[Al]

The big problem with the ending is that Michaels hits the superkick, and then covers Foley as slowly as possible. And then the referee counts, as slowly as possible. All the while, Vader runs to the ring as quickly as possible, and Michaels has to get up before the referee counts in order to preserve the DQ ending. And even then Foley lifts his shoulder just in case. It is not that the ending is so bad, just that it is botched.

 

Otherwise, I love this match. Everything clicks, and you can enjoy the match even without appreciating the psychology involved.

[Guest Some Guy]

They sent Vader too late and it hurt the ending badly. I honestly don't see why Michaels didn't just win the match. It wouldn't have hurt Foley to job to the WWF Champion in that match. All the run ins killed it for me. If I paid for that PPV, I would have been pissed by the non-finish after sitting through the rest of the garbage on that show.

[Al]

They sent Vader too late and it hurt the ending badly.  I honestly don't see why Michaels didn't just win the match.  It wouldn't have hurt Foley to job to the WWF Champion in that match.  All the run ins killed it for me.  If I paid for that PPV, I would have been pissed by the non-finish after sitting through the rest of the garbage on that show.

It was fairly common at that point, with the two hour mini-PPVs. Heck, one In Your House event saw the Undertaker main eventing against Faarooq of all people. I think most fans expected a cop-out ending.

[Guest Some Guy]

Taker vs. Simmons was KotR 97.

 

That it was common, which I don't think it really was doesn't make it right. They put on a shitty show and then gave the fans a great ME that they refused to have a proper finish for, which started stupid rumors that Foley was going to get the title but Shawn pitched a bitch about it and got the finish changed.

 

There were some In Your Houses that had screw jobs and Dusty Finishes in 95 but for 1996: Bret beat Nash in a cage match after Taker interfered, HBK beat Nash clean, HBK and Davey had the double pin, Shawn jobbed to Vader in a six man, HBK and Mankind had the non-finish, Taker beat Mankind cleanly, and Sid beat Bret after HBK interfered.

 

1997 had Bret win the Final Four cleanly, Taker beat Mankind cleanly, Taker beat Austin after Hart Foundation interferance, Owen pinned Austin cleanly in a 10 man, Taker and HBK had a schmoz, HBK beat Taker in a HiaC match after Kane interfered, HBK beat Shamrock by DQ (or vice versa, I can't remember off the top of my head).

 

Those finishes seem pretty par for the course for any WWF PPV.