Shawn Michaels vs Mankind (WWF - 9/22/1996)

Second

If someone where a huge Foley fan and really thought of him as kind of a model for what they think of as great wrestling, this would be a top contender. Foley was in rare form here and I think he forced Shawn into top form too. Great urgency this. It feels a little out of control at times. There is a real mix of fight and match feel here. Its probably a long shot for my list personally, but I think its a top 2-3 Foley match and I have a TON of time for peak Foley.

This is a fantastic match and one of my all time favourites. The match has an unbelievable tempo, but at no time does it feel rushed or without selling. It's a match where you get to see a totally different side of Michaels, where he is taken out of his comfort zone and has to go to places and use moves that he's never had to before. You get a really sense in HBK's approach of a guy having to throw everything at his opponent to survive. The table spot is brutal but organic without endless time spent setting it up and I love the psychology of him trying to break the hand to eliminate the Mandible Claw. Foley is brilliant in this match as well, and for a really good breakdown of the match and all the ideas/elements that Foley brought to the story of the match listen to the really great podcast that Edge and Christian do with them both breaking everything down. I think it will definitely make my list.

This is arguably the best match of both Mick and Shawn's careers. A match that didn't need to rely on a bunch of big spots and weapons to get over as something incredibly violent and physical. Even with the non-finish, a strong contender for the best WWE matches ever.

The finish is so lame. It is such a shame. Best match to combine brawling and psychology into such an amazing package. This is a lock for my list.

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).

Not a match I have really considered since the project started. I watched it around the start of the project and LOVE it, but it ranks a touch below the elite level. However, and I am not going to give away too much, Its strong performance two years in a row has inspired me to move this up the rewatch list. Definitely going to give this strong consideration before the next ballot.

In my memory this match was simply about Foley’s bumps. And they were a huge part of the match that made it great. But when Foley ended up in the hangman and applied the mandible claw this pole-vaulted into the epic territory. Then Shawn worked over the fingers and I couldn’t take my eyes off it. The pace kept getting more intense and the finish came at the right time even if it was a DQ. I think it speaks to the greatness of the match that it overcomes that. Possibly the best match for either guy.