[1996-09-22-WWF-Mind Games] Shawn Michaels vs Mankind

[JKWebb]

http://placetobenation.com/countdown-top-500-matches-of-the-90s-50-1/

#45

I believe this to be:
-Mick Foley's best match
-HBK's greatest offensive performance (and second best singles match - only behind HIAC)
-My personal favorite delivery of Sweet Chin Music

I didn't think Shawn's punches looked weak at all and I thought his attack on the claw hand looked prettty damn painful, so I guess I disagree with those comments. This match is brutal as shit. I agree with all the positive things said about this match. MOTYC and WWF MOTD candidate. I thought all the punches and elbows were worked super stiff. Awesome match ****3/4 to *****. DQ finish was not an issue.

 

I wanted to come back and note that Loss ranked this #2 for WWF in the 90's (only behind Hart/Austin WM XIII). The HIAC HBK/Taker was #3. I'd agree with those being in the top three to four, with Macho/Warrior added in for a total of top four. I'm not sure what order I'd have them in yet, other than Austin/Hart would be my #1 as well.

[Exposer]

Incredible match. Totally chaotic feel with Michaels going out of his comfort zone to survive & Mankind portraying his insane character to a tee. Mankind's entrance is awesome. Him sitting up out of the casket is a great visual. The worked shoot spot early on is awesome. Shawn just starts pummeling Foley with punches. They're the best punches of Shawn's career. All of the big spots are amazing & work really effectively as momentum shifts throughout the match. Mankind punching the chair resulting in Shawn realizing it hurt him & attacking is great. HBK doing finger manipulation! I'd never think he'd do something like that. The table bump is legendary & the follow up superkick is awesome. The finish is actually pretty great with tons of heat. Taker coming out of the casket is tremendous. Bearer's reaction to that is golden. Shawn gets kissed multiple times in his post-match celebration & Vince goes nuts putting him & the match over. Certainly a WWF MOTY candidate & probably a top 20 WWE match of all time.

[SmartMark15]

Rewatched this for the first time in years after listening to the Anatomy of a Match podcast with Edge and Christian where HBK and Foley go over this match. Oh boy does this one get ever better with time. Shawn looks amazing on offense in this match. There's an intense urgency to him because he needs to survive the maniac in the ring with him. Mankind's character work is just absolutely top notch. From the wildness of his offense to him always being outmaneuvered to lead to his demise. I'm even a big sucker for him stabbing his own leg to transition from selling it like death to starting to overcome the pain. Just an absolute belter of a match that never lets up even a little. A lot of creativity and thought clearly went into it and the result is just...fantastic.

 

****3/4 (pending future 5 star consideration)

[JKWebb]

For fans of this match, that podcast is a great listen!

[Boss Rock]

I love this match and I think it's often overlooked when discussing both men's best matches. I think it's Shawn's second best next to Badd Blood '97 and quite possibly Mick's best match. Just a wonderfully violent brawl.

[tim]

This is such an impressive match. This match is clearly very meticulously laid out, which might be a criticism sometimes, but it's totally not this time. Clearly a lot of thought and creativity went into putting this match together and they pulled it off spectacularly. Cool stuff is happening every single minute and there's a great flow and sense of escalation. Shawn has really never looked better. He looks like a true world beating champion here. Mankind's performance is incredible and he works his character so well, he looks like a guy who is outclassed by Shawn but his ability to withstand punishment and debilitation means he's always in the match and always a threat. The knee work was great and the chair-punching spot, followed by Shawn walloping both the hand and the knee with the chair was so awesome, made Mankind look like a freak who you just couldn't keep down no matter how hurt he was.

 

This is one match where I think a countout win actually would have been satisfying if Mankind just wasn't able to get back in the ring after that table spot. The superkick off the chair was cool though, and it's not hard to just consider that the end of the match. This enters the class of my very best matches of the year along with Samurai/Otani, Williams/Taue and Williams/Ace vs. Misawa/Akiyama from June. Sumrai/Otani still reigns supreme but I'm really thinking where to rank this relative to the other two.

[zep81]

Shawn Michaels vs Mankind (WWF Championship) (WWF In Your House: Mind Games)

So, I was going through my In Your House DVDs, deciding on a match to watch. Despite the IYH series getting some derision over the years, the events still produced some good/great matches in between some of the dross. This match is an obvious stand out and is one that I haven't seen in a while and my mind was made up as soon as I came across it, as this was the match I really wanted to watch again.

Can HBK go toe to toe with the maniacal Mankind and retain his WWF Championship? Or will he not be able to compete with the toughness and madness that the deranged one brings? We shall see.

Paul Bearer is out first with some druids, who push along a coffin to ringside. Mankind already playing 'Mind Games'. I have a slight feeling this will come into play later on. :hmm: The casket pops open and Mankind rises up

The WWF Champion out next, with of course Jose Lothario. I sure hope he's ready for this.

Shawn quickly outs Mankind in a side headlock to start this one off. He whips him off the ropes, but Mankind catches him with a vicious elbow, sending HBK right down to the mat. Mankind starts kicking HBK and hits him with a chop to the throat. Mankind in control early as he whips HBK off the ropes and sends him straight into a back body drop. He follows this up with a big running clothesline, which sends them both over the top rope to the outside.

“ECW, ECW, ECW” chants can be heard from the crowd.

Mankind rips the outside mat up and exposes the concrete. Just as he lifts it up though, HBK catches him with a drop-kick and follows this up with two double foot stomps onto Mankind.

Shawn already knowing what he may have to do to win this thing.

HBK gets onto the turn-buckle and hits Mankind with a flying cross-body He runs straight back at Mankind and yanks his head straight onto the exposed concrete. He sends him back into the ring and hits him with a double axe handle off the top rope. HBK starts hitting Mankind with some big right hands before clotheslining him down onto the mat. He picks him up and slams him back down to the mat, before climbing onto the top turn-buckle

He hits him with a Savage like flying elbow. HBK seems to think this is it as he goes into the other corner and gets ready to tune up the band. Mankind quickly gets up and realises this and just runs and flies through the middle rope to the outside to avoid this.

Bearer hands him the infamous urn as it looks like Mankind is going to need some divine guidance here as HBK is really bringing it. Paul is screaming at Mankind with a pep talk and 'it's about the championship'. Back in the ring and Mankind/HBK start exchanging punches in the corner. Mankind sends HBK to the turn-buckle, but Shawn reverses this and seems to try a cross-body, but Mankind is too far away. So HBK goes off on one of his tantrums and start berating Mankind.

DID SOMEONE SAY WORKED SHOOT???

He kicks Mankind in the gut, who immediately responds with a slap to the face to HBK. Who in turn starts punching the shit out of Mankind. He tries to take HBK down to the mat, but HBK continues to hit some snarly right hands. THIS IS A GOD DAMN BRAWL.

HBK seems to try and hit Mankind with a bulldog, but it's reversed and Mankind takes him down into a submission hold. He's got HBK on the mat and is effectively choking him out. He's got HBK in a snap-mere takedown, but HBK starts fighting out of it with some punches to the face. Mankind still has both his legs wrapped around HBK's waist though as Shawn tries to hit him with some elbows to try and get out of it. He does finally break out of as he relentlessly punches the shit out of Mankind.

All of a sudden, Mankind turns around and fucking NAILS Shawn with one of his own right hands to the face.

GET THE FUCK DOWN INDEED

He sends HBK flying out the ring and onto the outside. Mankind grabs the Spanish announce table and starts dragging it into a position, but just as he does, HBK comes flying over it and hits Mankind with a flying elbow.

He wails Mankind's head off the casket. He then suplexes him off the steel steps and it catches Mankind's leg sweet as a nut, which the sound of comes across as loud as hell.

NASTY

Mankind gets back up and in the ring, but as soon as he does, HBK takes him straight out via that damaged knee and he slides out the ring again and lies on top of the casket. Shawn takes this ample opportunity to slam Mankind's knee hard off the casket. Shawn taking a leaf out of Bret's book here and continues to target the leg of Mankind with some kicks.

HBK realises what he has to do and how far within himself he has to search to take this new found aggressiveness to Mankind.

He stamps on the knee, which doesn;t please Earl Hebner and HBK really tries his luck here and slaps Earl.

Careful now Shawn.

Mankind starts fighting back and hits Shawn with a short flurry of punches. Mankind tries to kick HBK, but gets taken down with a leg drag to the mat. Shawn then goes for the leg again and puts Mankind into a figure four leg-lock

Mankind quickly gets out of this though by nailing HBK with a punch to the face. He whips Shawn off the ropes, but HBK hits a drop-kick straight to the heavily damaged leg of Mankind. HBK now seemingly tying to break his damn leg and is not letting up as he locks Mankind's leg up and stamps hard on it. He then puts him into a sort of one legged sharpshooter to further target the bad leg. Mankind manages to grab the ropes but it takes nearly up until the full count of 5 for HBK to finally release the hold.

HBK really is learning what he has to do and how far down he has to dig to win this thing.

Mankind though catches him with a chop to the throat, He goes towards HBK, but Shawn quickly jumps on his back and flings him over for a pinfall attempt, and gets a close 2 count. The first of the match insidently.

HBK comes off the ropes towards Mankind but gets flung over and dropped face first off the opposite top rope

Some rest bite for Mankind here and his chance for some revenge maybe.

Bearer hands Mankind some kind of instrument as Mankind starts stabbing his own leg multiple times, seemingly to try and get the feeling back and help him to turn this match around, now he knows HBK is hurt. He goes straight after HBK and starts choking him out on the ropes. He whacks Shawn's head off the casket and sends him to the outside.

This has been a war of attrition and is still far from finished.

Back in the ring and Mankind immediately starts hammering away at Shawn with some stiff shots in the corner before running at him and delivering a vicious knee to HBK;s face with all his weight. Mankind now fully in control as he plants HBK face first onto the mat, not once, but twice. BK manages to gets some adrenaline from somewhere though as he hits Mankind with a back suplex. Both men slowly get back to their feet and Shawn lands a couple of punches before being taken down with a boot to the gut and a headbutt by Mankind.

Mankind whips Shawn off the ropes, but HBK slides under his legs and takes him down via his legs. He then goes straight for Mankind with some more slugfest type right hands. Mankind though sends HBK into the corner and Shawn takes his big flying back bump and is now hanging upside down as Mankind comes flying over and nails him with an elbow.

Mankind follows this up with another flying elbow to Shawn, whilst he's still tied in the corner. HBK is now lying face first on the mat as Mankind hits him with a legdrop right onto the back of his head. He's still on offense as he gives HBK a big boot, sending HBK over he top rope and narrowly avoiding hitting the casket.

Those damn caskets.

He follows Shawn to the outside and runs at him, but HBK moves and it sends Mankind flying into and over the top of the steel steps. Both of them make their way to their feet and HBK quickly goes to Mankind and drop toe hold's him face first back onto the steps. Shawn now back in the ring as is probably thankful of the rest at this stage, however brief it may be.

Mankind gets back on the ring apron and they both take it in turns trying to suplex one another. Mankind wins this battle, but HBK manages to land on his feet. Mankind then runs at him on the apron, but Shawn moves and Mankind goes head first into the ring post.

Steel steps, ring posts; Mankind is taking a fucking battering, here.

Both on their feet again and Mankind gives HBK and elbow before running at him, but Shawn catches him and plants him down with a powerslam and gets a nearfall 2 count.

Jim Ross - “WHAT MATCH. WHAT A WWF CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH WE ARE SEEING RIGHT HERE” - You are bang on there, J.R.

HBK sends Mankind into the ropes, then throws him over the opposite ropes and Mankind ends up getting stuck in the ropes

Careful now, you don't want to lose another ear, here/

Mankind and the ref try and get his free, but as Shawn comes over, Mankind quickly puts on the

MANDABLE CLAW

Luckily for HBK, he kicks Mankind free of the ropes and out of the ring. Both men are now down.

Shawn then goes to the outside, but just as he gets near, Mankind again puts on the

MANDABLE CLAW

But HBK quickly pulls Mankind right into the guardrail, knocking over a Spanish announcer at the same time.

HBK then picks up a chair, as Mankind throws a punch, he instead hits the chair with his hand. Shawn follows this up with a chair strike to the legs and a shot to the hand of Mankind.

HBK. Stop the hand that could claw you to death.

HBK drags Mankind back in the ring and starts

BITING MANKIND'S DAMN FINGERS!!!!!!

He takes Mankind down and goes about trying to destroy his hand by slamming it against the mat. He starts stomping on them and twisting them. Shawn jumps off the ropes multiple times straight landing on the fingers of Mankind.

Really excellent psychology and work here by HBK I have to say.

Shawn then runs at Mankind, but instead gets thrown over the top rope and takes a big bump onto the outside. Mankind gets onto the ring apron and flies at Shawn with a flying elbow. Mankind then baseball slides out the ring and hits Shawn with his patented neck-breaker HBK starts to get back into the ring, but just as he has his head through the middle ropes, Mankind plants him back down with a leg drop.

He follows this up with a double arm DDT onto the champion.

He goes for the cover and gets a 1,2......................2.9 HBK KICKS OUT.

Mankind doesn't let up though as he nails HBK with a Piledriver

Remember those?

Again he goes for a cover and gets a close 2 count. He tries again by hooking the leg, but again, HBK kicks out at a close 2.

Mankind is frustrated now and is having a fit in the corner, pulling his own hair out and going ballistic. He goes over to the announcers area and starts grabbing and throwing chairs into the ring. He opens up the casket and tries to put HBK in it for some reason, but Shawn fights his way out. Both back in the ring and HBK hits Mankind with a flying elbow.

HULK..............OH FUCK I MEAN KIP UP

by Shawn.

He gets Mankind into the corner and starts wailing at him with stomps. He slams him sown to the mat and climbs up onto the top turn-buckle He hits Mankind with a flying cross-body and goes for a pin, but can only get a close 2 count. HBK again goes up top, but Mankind is back to his feet and hits the ropes, sending HBK onto the turn-buckle via his crown jewels.

Mankind gets up on the apron, grabs HBK and tries to

BACK BODY DROP HIM THROUGH A TABLE

'HOLY SHIT, HOLY SHIT, HOLY SHIT'

HBK though seems to reverse it mid air with a cross-body Bearer has the ref distracted on the outside as Mankind gets inside the ring with a steel chair. He gets on the turn-buckle, but as soon as he does, HBK runs at him, off another standing chair that is also in the ring, and kicks the chair straight off his face

SWEET CHIN MUSIC!! SWEET CHIN MUSIC!!

Awesome spot.

HBK then goes for the pin, but gets a 2 before he gets up as here comes

VADER

And of course the bell rings. Vader must have been slow to do the run in here, as when Shawn pinned Mankind, Earl had to count very slowly to wait for the run in to happen lol.

Shawn ends up hitting Vader with a flying elbow, sending him over the top rope. Just as HBK is standing in the ring, Paul Bearer comes up behind and nails with with the urn.

J.R - “The referee didn't see it”

Well Jim, doesn't matter now does it as he's already rung the bell for the DQ before this happened

Just as Vader is about to get back into the ring

SYCHO SID arrives and goes straight for him. They both start wailing on each other down the isle as multiple referees starts running towards the ring. HBK is dead on the floor as Mankind slowly starts to make his way to his feet. Shawn gets up and is immediately hits with the

MANDABLE CLAW

He asks Bearer to lift the casket lid up, Just as he does,

THE FUCKING UNDERTAKER IS IN THERE!!!!

And goes straight after Mankind.

He sends him over the top rope and follows and stalks him and Bearer down the isle. Finally, back in the ring, HBK is declared the winner via DQ and retains his WWF Championship.

----------------------------------------------------

Well, until I rewatch Bret/Austin from Survivor Series, as of this writing, this is the WWF MOTY and the probable MOTY for the whole of the US. It's a perfect mix of this style as you can get out of a wrestling match, DQ finish excluded of course. This is also one match that the finish doesn't hurt the match IMO. Vader/HBK/Sid/Taker/Mankind were all involved in storylines with each other, so it was not a surprise.

Both Mankind and HBK came out of this looking like a million dollars each too. Shawn showed a real aggressive side pretty much straight from the off and this match showed how far down he had to delve to not only match Mankind for his physicality, but also how to actually beat him. He does some really great leg work during the first half and then even getter in the second once he starts going after Mankind's fingers so he can't put on the claw. Shawn's main offense was also spot on here, esp his punches, which I thought looked really good. I loved how they both mixed up both traditional wrestling, brawling and well placed, but not overdone, high spots. Foley took his obvious fair share of bumps, but they both worked hard in getting intensity and nastiness of the match over.

This match didn't happen on a Wrestlemania, or a Summerslam.......it happened on a freaking In Your House PPV. It's as good, if not better, than anything else that year. We know HBK had a pretty consistent year in '96 and this match is just the crowning glory of it all.

Don't need to say recommended as OF COURSE IT FUCKING IS

A stunning piece of work and one of the great title matches in the company history.

[brockobama]

Watched this again recently for the first time in a long time since I'm reviewing Austin era stuff for my blog. Classic match, best thing in either man's career up to this point, huge highlight in a bad time for the company, huge spots still hold up, etc etc. You've heard it all before.

 

The thing that stood out to me this time around was how believably you could buy Shawn as an actual heel in this match, depending on your frame of view. After all the shit he pulls at SummerSlam and how Vader is treated in general, Shawn coming into this match hot and applying some notably aggressive knee work (including a figure four that I've worked myself into believing was a dig at Foley by way of Flair) and eventually going as far as just whacking the dude in the knee with a steel chair, it really reads to me like he's supposed to be the bad guy. But at the same time you can see it as a mere human being backed into the corner after weeks of psychological warfare by a pair of real freaks and trying to survive by any means he can. Fun twist in a match that I already thought very highly of.

 

By the by, where's this "worked botch" talk come from, Foley's book? With the way it segues almost directly into the Mandible Claw tease it's easy to see it as a work, I guess, but I sort of don't buy Shawn as that convincing of an actor.

[soup23]

Have a Nice Day is what really forwarded the worked botch narrative.

[Superstar Sleeze]

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Shawn Michaels vs Mankind - WWF Mind Games

It is such a shame this match has such a lame finish. It would probably be the greatest WWF match of all time if it just had a half-way decent finish.

First 15 minutes: What separates this match from the usual WWF fare is how much of this match feels raw and organic. It is chippy and everything is earned. Shawn earns his shine after being dumped on his ass by the Cactus clothesline. It is only because Cactus was indulging his sadistic tendencies by removing the mat that Shawn had an opening. The mat blocked Cactus' vision and Shawn was able to hit a dropkick. Vince must love this match because there are so many iconic moments. Shawn jumping up and down on Mankind was great. Again it was only because Mankind was emerging from the mat and his vision was obscured that Shawn was able to hit the reverse crossbody. Then Foley indulges his masochistic tendencies when Michaels forces him to take the Nestea Plunge. It really was a great violent babyface shine. Shawn got to throw some incredibly stiff punches. He even threw some stiff elbows in the corner. I am such a mark for finisher teases early in a match it really makes you feel like both men are trying to win and that anything can happen. Top rope elbow connects in this first five minutes when does that ever happen, but Foley bails on the impending Sweet Chin Music.  When they do a worked shoot Shawn Michaels temper tantrum I thought that was the best two minute stretch in a WWF match. It was so heated. Some really stiff shots. The way Mankind really yanked Shawn down into the claw was intense and uncomfortable. Not to be outdone, those back elbows by Shawn to Foley's head were fucking brutal. It felt like a real fight in these moments. Shawn really hauled off and punched the hell out of Foley. Was he able to throw live rounds because of the mask? Even Foley is not known for stiff offense, throws a stiff elbow that makes you pop out of your seat.  I loved Shawn jumping over the table to tackle Mankind. This is a great example of a "Think shoot, but work" match. then we get the classic Foley hits his leg on the steps on a suplex spot. Has Shawn ever looked this good on top? Shawn absolutely knocked this control segment out of the park. It was logical and compelling. Shawn Michaels even throws in a dragon leg screw. The Figure-4 complete with Wooos was classic. I love when Shawn had Mankind in the half crab that Bearer positioned the Urn at the rope to give Mankind that extra incentive to make the ropes. Great little character touch. The transition out of this segment was so good with Michaels going for a reverse victory roll, but Mankind falls back (knee gives out???) and Michaels gets clothesline on the the top rope. The next classic moment when Paul Bearer gives Mankind that pen to punch his own knee. Great deranged, psycho moment. Mankind works a great heel heat segment most it is targeted at Shawn's head as one of the announcers points out that Michaels has a history of concussion. The running knee into the head in the corner and diving onto Michaels into the Tree of Woe are great examples of this. Shawn never dies in this heat segment he gets in his hope spots, but is too foggy to ever fully capitalize. The first half is just as terrific as I remember and I know that the second half will totally rule too. 

Second half: Shawn wrestled out of his mind. He made every right decision. He was selling great. The way he falls ass first into the ropes at one point is Kawada-esque. I am a mark for really good transitions and I think thats why I love this match so much. Shawn moves out of the way of a Mankind knee (remember hit one earlier in the corner) and Foley rams his bad knee into the steps and goes ass over tea kettle. What I really love is that this does not immediately give Shawn the advantage. He needs a drop toehold into the steps and another duck & dodge on the apron with Foley nailing the steel post with his head. Shawn needed big three moves involving hard metal objects to even start working in some offense. It really puts over the challenge that Shawn is facing. Back to iconic moments, Foley gets his head caught in the ropes that is such a great spot. I cant believe i forgot it. That goes to show how many iconic spots are in this match. MANIDBLE CLAW WITH HIS HEAD STUCK IN THE ROPES! Foley is God.  That spot is unbelievably great. Mankind feels like the World's Most Dangerous Man even when you have him trapped he can still hurt you. As Michaels tries to escape on the outside, Mankind tenaciously pursues him and tries to apply again so Michaels just throws him off into the Spanish announce team. I love how chaotic this match is. I didnt notice before but the metal chair Michaels grabs is mangled and he actually has to hold it together to hit Foley in the MANIDBLE CLAW HAND! I LOVE THIS MATCH! Hand psychology! Yeah I would be totally pissed if some dude kept putting his hand down my gullet. Shawn goes to town on Foley's hand rendering it useless for the rest of match. Even late in the match, Michaels takes a hellacious bump from the ring to the outside and a couple hard bumps on the concrete. Mankind gets his big nearfalls in the form of a Double Arm DDT and a piledriver since his hand is busted. Mankind has the best mid-match freak out when he cant win. Pulling out his hair and just ramming his head into the turnbuckle. He decides he will shove Michaels into a casket. Hey he is a psychopath it kinda makes sense. Michaels starts throwing haymakers and that Flying Burrito man he just clobbers him! Foley crotches him on the top rope to avoid the Elbow Drop, you cant hit the same move twice in a match, Shawn!   This leads to the crazy table bump again iconic. I love how quickly it is done. No teetering. JUST EXPLOSION! They do a great job milking it. Foley grabs a chair and heads to the top. Shawn Van Dam hits a Sweet Chin Daminator! 1-2-3! Shawn Michaels retains the WWF Championship in a barnburner of a brawl and the greatest WWF match of all time. Wait! What do you mean Vader came out then Sid then Undertaker. Can we just pretend like that didnt happen?

The finish did happen, but that just means instead of being the greatest WWF match of all time, it is like tenth, it is still an amazing way to spend 30 minutes. I think what this match does really well is mix brawling and psychology exceedingly well. Everything is smart & logical without feeling planned. Everything feels intense & chaotic without feeling aimless. It never drags, but it never throws too much at you. It is a very sticky match in that everything sticks with you. To me that is a sign of great pro wrestling storytelling. ****3/4 (The best ****3/4 match. To me this is the dividing line match).

 

 

 

[Makai Club #1]

A match that wasn’t even scheduled to happen apparently. I heard that Vader was supposed to get a rematch for this show but Shawn throwing a fit at Summerslam scrapped those plans so they put Mankind in this match. Neat. The match reputation speaks for itself. Almost everyone considers this to be a great match. Some go as far as to claim it's one of the best matches WWF has ever done. I won’t go as far as that but this was an incredible match, for sure. 

This was very unconventional and out of the box. A different match from what you’ll usually see from a WWF title match or a Shawn Michaels match. It was one of the few times where Shawn Michaels came across as wrestling rather than performing. He lays in his strikes, his aerial attacks have more malice than flash in them. He is very aggressive and totally game in this match. The first third of the match is so great. Mankind stiffs Shawn with a back elbow to kick it all off and what came after was a very rough and unpredictable scramble. Michaels dropkicks Mankind, who’s holding the outside mats and then jumps on him. It looks super dangerous as does the subsequent back bumps on the concrete he takes. One of my favourite moments of the match was Mankind, after the little worked shoot incident in the corner where Shawn shouts at Mankind for not running at him in the corner, baiting Michaels in and grapevining his legs around Michaels before trying locking in the mandible claw. It felt very off the cuff and raw. It worked perfectly into the tone of the match. The match is next spent with Michaels first working over Mankind’s knee after a sickening bump into the steeps after a suplex on the outside and then the hand after the chair gets brought into play. Michaels throws out a dainty dragon screw and the figure four on the wrong leg (Flair does it as well so I’ll forgive Shawn) but Mankind sells the work excellently. The match has tons of little moments but works great as a highlight reel as well. The table bump is awesome and was worked in seemingless both into the spot and afterwards to the finish. Mankind gets caught in the ropes in horrific fashion. Michaels hitting a running, chair assisted superkick looked incredible. Just so many things you can list off.  The finish kinda sucks with Vader running in a tad too late making the planned false finish seem awkward and wasted since Mankind had to kick out of the aforementioned superkick to no fanfare. But Undertaker showing up out of the casket was pretty cool, admittedly. 

So what we were left with was an unbelievable match with a great mix of brawling and highspots and some brilliant selling from both wrestlers (+ some great character work by Mankind with his squealing). They were given tons of time and they used it well to combine different components to make one very compelling and gripping match. The match probably needs a more tight finish to make it a top tier match but I haven’t got many complaints for this match. If you’re a Shawn Michaels critic, you'll probably like this. It has pretty much none of his bad attributes and some of his best. ****1/2
 

[cactus]

I'm starting to feel like Mick Foley might be a better worker than Shawn Michaels. Shawn beats on Mankind's leg for a solid ten minutes and never once do I feel like that I'm meant to be rooting for the psychotic Mankind. He puts himself through hell and only he could make it work because of his gimmick. I'd find any other wrestler getting up from the damage that Mankind takes here would take me out of the match. That table bump might be one of the best ever as it felt organic and not forced. 

Even the run-in finish couldn't sour this for me. I remember this being great, but I shocked by how brilliant this was. A serious contender for best WWE match ever. 

★★★★★

[DMJ]

Not much to add to the conversation, but I go a full 5 stars on this.

- Is the "botch" worked? If so, it is even a botch? I think the psychology is actually super sound in that moment. Shawn had pulled that same move on just about everyone and Mankind outsmarts him by not following him into the corner, which is why, in kayfabe, Shawn has that sourpuss face and gets pissed. Michaels thought Mankind was a reckless animal that would instinctively follow him into the corner the way his other opponents did but...nope. Instead, Mankind stays in his corner and Michaels now has to go back to brawling, which leads to a tremendous exchange with Michaels' punches and Mankind's near-Mandible Claw application being even more believable and hard fought. I love moments like this when wrestling doesn't look like overly choreographed ballet but also plays into the characters of both guys. Shawn was the babyface and the babyface usually doesn't get outsmarted. Mankind was an unhinged maniac but revealed that he was actually dangerously intelligent. 

- As someone else said, the twists and turns of this match are breathtaking. The pacing of this match is breakneck, but its not a sprint and all the major spots are sold well. There is escalation of violence, but also there's actual wrestling too. Even the knock of Mankind not selling the knee for the latter half can be explained away as Foley does actually "stab" himself in the knee to get the feeling back into it. Its "wrestling logic" that this would somehow make one's leg feel better and not worse, but its also Mankind, whose masochism was part of his gimmick, especially at that time. I also love that Shawn losing his cool and getting into it with Hebner, multiple times, pretty much always leads to a shift in momentum. This match isn't "your turn/my turn" because the shifts in control are organic and, again, based on the characters' weaknesses and remarkable toughness/resiliency. 

- For a match this brutal, with such hard-hitting spots, it actually works completely without any blood. 

- I think the finish works. Does this match deserve a clean finish? Definitely. But I don't think the finish really detracts too, too much. The crowd certainly doesn't shit on it either. The Undertaker's surprise appearance from the casket is a great moment, too, completely unexpected by the live crowd and, honestly, they produced it really well with the casket being open (without Undertaker inside) just minutes before. I also like that Mankind does actually apply the Mandible Claw towards the end too, further cementing that even if Shawn had it won, there's always the question mark of whether Mankind would've somehow applied his finisher even after eating that chair shot. The saddest thing about this is not that it didn't lead to a Vader/HBK rematch, but rather than it didn't lead to a Shawn/Mankind rematch...though maybe even they knew they couldn't top this.
 

[TheDuke]

I think I remember from either Raw Magazine or WWF Magazine, the explanation for Mankind's knee was something like it was dislocated and he was setting it back in place. I dont have my magazines from this time period anymore or I would try to confirm.