[1996-04-01-WWF-Raw] The Undertaker vs Justin Bradshaw

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Just the last few minutes. Mankind attacks the Undertaker for a DQ finish, setting up an on-and-off program for the next few years.

[Victator]

I remember thinking this was a good match at the time and Bradshaw looked like a monster beating down Taker most of the match.

[RWOOD]

Just watched the match in full today. Really good stuff. Bradshaw got a lot of good looking shots in. It was right around this time Taker stopped wrestling like a zombie all together and his matches started getting better. I guess it probably started at the Rumble earlier in this year.

 

The chokeslam Taker delivers in this match looks wonderful.

 

And of course, the patented elbow from the apron from Foley that was featured in vingettes and promo stuff for years to come.

 

Good match, good stuff.

[PeteF3]

This is a pretty good closing stretch, but the post-match is what makes this, of course. Mankind drops an elbow from the apron, with the WWF getting a picture-perfect camera angle, then several false finishes as officials drag Mankind away and Mankind repeatedly jumps back on Undertaker when it looks like the beatdown is finished. No sit-ups, no zombie comebacks...this is about as effectively as UT had ever put somebody over one-on-one to this point.

[soup23]

Mankind makes an impressive debut here attacking Taker and putting a beating on him. I thought Lawler and Vince did a good job on commentary getting over the viciousness of the attack.

[tim]

Mankind is off to a good start -- good vignettes followed by an impactful debut. Really good beatdown sold well by the commentators and Undetaker. 1996 example of a major figure debuting on post-WM RAW. Are there older examples of this?

[dawho5]

Good debut for Bradshaw and Taker puts Mankind over huge.  Technically Mankind had beaten Bob Holly convincingly earlier in the show as his debut.  I wouldn't say that had the kind of impact this did though.