WWE Classic of the Week: Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind from in Your House

Shawn Michaels was already the WWE champion when he arrived in Philadelphia for September 1996's In Your House: Mind Games pay-per-view event. As the face of the company and the most popular star on Vince McMahon's roster, he was the lone bright spot for WWE at a time when everyone was chasing the big-dollar contracts being offered by Eric Bischoff and WCW.

While he was arguably the best wrestler on the planet at that point, there was still something missing from The Heartbreak Kid's presentation that was preventing hardcore wrestling fans from throwing their support behind the pretty boy.

He needed an edge; he needed to show some sort of attitude and penchant for violence to win over the bloodthirsty fans who were closely associated with the City of Brotherly Love.

He would have his chance as he squared off with Mankind, a deranged and diabolical wrestler who had spent the majority of the year feuding with Undertaker and proving to be The Deadman's equal in every way.

The masked Superstar had picked up countless victories in the six months he had been with WWE, using a sickening finisher known as the Mandible Claw. Would he be able to apply it to Michaels and end his title reign?

That was the question fans were asking as they tuned in for the championship clash.

The Background

Michaels had been through his fair share of wars in the first few months of his heavyweight title reign.

Just weeks after capturing the WWE Championship in a grueling Iron Man match against Bret Hart at WrestleMania XII, he was faced with a No Holds Barred title defense against former friend-turned-bitter-rival Diesel.

The match was a definitive one for Michaels, who proved he could take a brutal beating and come back to successfully retain his title.

A rivalry with The British Bulldog tested Michaels mentally as he was faced with defending himself against allegations of improper conduct in regard to Bulldog's wife, Diana Smith. And at SummerSlam in August, he would battle Vader in an incredibly physical match that saw Michaels overcome the monstrous size and animal ferocity of the super heavyweight.

Mankind, on the other hand, was busy making life a living hell for The Undertaker.

On the first Raw following WrestleMania, he arrived on the scene, defeating Bob Holly and attacking The Phenom to set up what would become a historic rivalry. 

Unlike any Superstar to ever test The Deadman, Mankind enjoyed tremendous success.

At the King of the Ring in June, he capitalized on what appeared to be a miscommunication between Paul Bearer and Undertaker to pick up a win over The Deadman. Then, two months later at SummerSlam, the collusion between Mankind and Bearer was revealed when they worked together to not only beat the legendary Superstar but finish him for good.

The win earned Mankind a shot at the WWE Championship and a date with HBK.

The Match

The Analysis

This match forever changed the preconceptions that fans had about Michaels. When tested by a deranged and dangerous Superstar, he unleashed an inner fury that saw him brutalize the fingers of his opponent in an attempt to take away his finish and then work over his knee to further punish Mankind.

The challenger, on the other hand, proved that he could wrestle a match with the best worker the industry had to offer and keep up with him the entire way. He was a creative performer who dragged out of Michaels a match no one ever thought possible.

The finish, a disqualification following the interference of Vader, Sid and Undertaker, rubbed some fans the wrong way, but in this instance it made sense and added to the chaos that preceded it.

A legitimate five-star classic, this bout not only helped Mankind earn his spot at the top of the card but also earned Michaels the respect of the most hardcore fans.

The Aftermath

Michaels would go on to defend his WWE Championship against Sid at the Survivor Series, dropping the title to the 7-foot heavyweight in controversial fashion.

Mankind, on the other hand, would continue his rivalry with Undertaker throughout the remainder of 1996.

At In Your House: Buried Alive, they met in the first Buried Alive match. The object was to throw your opponent into the makeshift grave built inside the arena and cover him in tons of dirt. Though The Phenom won, he was buried by his opponent and countless other midcard heels to close out the show.

One month later, he returned at Survivor Series, defeating Mankind in a singles bout.