[1996-06-23-WWF-King of the Ring] The Undertaker vs Mankind

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Wow, did they push Mankind as a scary guy. Good Lord. We get the last few minutes of this match with Mankind getting a clean pin over Undertaker in their first meeting. I really love the post-match piano music he was using at this point, by the way.

[Johnny Sorrow]

I was watching this right now from this "The History Of Undertaker vs. Mankind" DVD set I bought about 4 years ago. I love this match. At the time, I was just starting to not hate Undertaker as much as I did for his first few years, mainly due to him starting to evolve the style he used. (Upon reflection, I like old Taker a lot more now than I did back then.) But I still fucking hated Paul Bearer at the time and thought he was just annoying and stupid. And even that changed a few months later when Bearer turned on Taker. And it's not exactly a clean win for Mankind here as Bearer "accidently" smacks Taker with the urn to set up the pinfall. It's a killer brawl here, and you see Taker's wrestling style evolve during the freaking match! It's so cool.

What I loved about the Taker/ Mankind feud, (and at first I hated Mankind as well because I was all, "Just have him be Cactus Jack...stupid Vince", but I warmed up to him fast because he was still the same guy and they had him kicking Taker's ass like no one else ever had done. I totally loved the fact that there was a guy who was Taker's Arch-enemy who was just as badass as he was and even creepier and totally crazy. To me, Undertaker's "#1 nemesis is and always will be Mankind.

 

Oh, and Goldust being a major part of the first feud is just extra great.

[PeteF3]

This was one of the first instances of the WWF allowing chairs and big garbage-style bumps in the opening match of a feud rather than a blow-off. It doesn't make for a great match, but it makes for a unique one at the time. Mankind shocks the world with a somewhat clean victory. Owen Hart immediately calls shenanigans--I don't know if they had the Bearer turn 100% planned yet but they were certainly testing the waters for it.

[soup23]

Fun finish and a decent looking match that really worked to put Mankind over as a serious threat.

[Exposer]

I really liked this match. Taker changing his style must have been a little eye popping at the time. Foley can't seem to work a match without taking at least one brutal looking spot & the irish whip into the ring apron at 100 mph takes the cake. He also takes two chair shots to the head. I loved Bearer getting the crowd riled up with the urn & chanting "Rest in Peace!" with them. Cool catch on camera. Mankind pinning The Undertaker clean, even if was set up by an accidental urn shot from Bearer, is a big moment. I've heard great things about this feud & am looking forward to seeing more of it. Based off Owen's commentary one can assume there were already plans or at least discussion of Bearer turning on Taker.

[NickH]

I'm going to watch every match of this feud which I haven't watched in years so I'm hoping it holds up.

 

I forgot they had that floating blimp in the arena lol, bring that back. This really was an underrated start to the feud and a different change for the undertaker where he is unsure of his opponent so he is going to throw everything at him.

 

I actually forgot who won here so I was shocked at the finish, kept both men strong going into their next match. ***1/2

 

Next, the Boiler Room Brawl.

[tim]

Big win for Mankind!

[Edwin]

This started out with a hot crowd and Taker flying off the top rope with a huge flying clothesline and some great looking rapid punches in the corner. After that it kinda shifts and the crowd cools down and doesn’t get that hot again. This was kinda long and it was fine, but not an all-time classic or anything. They had much better matches together than this, but this was a perfectly fine way to kick start the rivalry.

[dawho5]

Mankind getting a clean win over Taker is huge.  For all his faults, Vince was absolutely right in pushing Mankind as hard as he did.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Undertaker vs Mankind - WWF King of the Ring 1996

With Goldust feud put to bed it is time to start the iconic Mankind feud. This is actually a five match series if you include the RAW match I often forget about the Survivor Series match. Mankind is probably the first star Taker made.

I thought this was a step up from the Goldust feud but still in the very good camp. I like Taker enjoy his offense and his selling and I have watched a lot of this month but something keeps all his matches stuck on second gear. The beginning felt a little off to me. They were working a uptempo shine but Mankind isn’t a bump & run cowering heel like Goldust so it wasn’t as effective. I thought the transition to heat was lame. Like all of sudden Mankind took over but didn’t really earn his commanding position and Taker was overselling given Mankind’s offense. Lots of Cactus based offense like the Cactus elbow and the Discus lariat on the foot catch. It is a crutch but the chair work definitely woke me up. The Big Boot to the chair and the chair to back added some heat. Again a Swinging neck breaker as transition back to heat just doesn’t do it for me nor does a long nerve hold. Back on the outside, Cactus Elbow on to the Chair and Taker waffling him with an unprotected chair shot was sick. Taker comeback But then there was a lot of fucking around with the Urn. The whole match was predicated on how the Mandible Claw put down the Undertaker three times including the previous month in the Goldust casket match. We finally get it on and in the tussle Bearer strikes Undertaker “inadvertently” with the Urn and the Mandible Claw puts him down for a HUGE win for Mankind. 
 

All the years of Taker vanquishing the heel monster of the season really made this win by Mankind feel huge like Mankind was someone who was here to stay in the main event scene. To me this was basically the same level as Taker/Goldust except the Chair stuff and the Bearer finish notch it up. Did Bearer hit Taker by accident we will have to tune into Summerslam to find out? *** 1/2