A Match in Time: Mind Games

 Hello one and all, I am back and this time I have a match to rewatch and review for the blog.  I will be doing things a little bit different from the casual reviewer as my meter goes to 11 and I am not going to use stars since everyone uses those as a rating system.  I like to go above and beyond and I think you will see matches that are not quite talked about in the same shades of Taker vs. Michaels WM 25, but still deserve to be watched and re-experienced for all watchers and wrestling lovers.  The other thing to explain is the format.  I will "Set the Stage", "Re:View the Match" and then "Break It Down".  But you can probably guess how that all works as we go, so let's jump into the first review for the blog.

THE MATCH - SHAWN MICHAELS VS. MANKIND (IN YOUR HOUSE 10: MIND GAMES)

SETTING THE STAGE - On September 22th, 1996 WWF presented their 10th version of the In Your House series, entitled Mind Games.  The event emanated from the new built Core State Center, in Philadelphia PA.  A.K.A. Prime ECW country at the time, and it would show right off the bat.  During the first contest, ECW's Sandman along Paul Heyman, and Tommy Dreamer, would "intervene" in a match between Savio Vega and Justin "Hawk" Bradshaw.  Beer would be spit, Sandman would bust himself open and offcials would escort the Hardcore Boy'z out the door.  This was not a simple "invasion" but more of a scripted event that only the boys in the ring did not know was coming.
One thing to note on the landscape of wrestling at the time is that it was teased on this night, but one day later, Jim Ross would introduce "Diesel" and "Razor Ramon" or as I like to call them Rah-Zor and Die-Zel.  These would of course be Glen Jacobs (future Kane and former Issac Yankem), alongside Rick Bogner, taking the names but not the talent of the original Diesel and Ramon.  This night also included the 'messiah of burgers and wrasslin'" Jim Cornette losing to Jose Lothario in less than a minute.  The Tag titles would change hands from Billy and Bart Gunn over to Owen Hart and the British Bulldog.  This night also offered the first in ring match in the Federation for the soon to be "World's Strongest Man" Mark Henry as he would easily defeat the man who was helping him learn wrestling down in Memphis, Jerry "The King" Lawler.  With the semi-main event being The Undertaker defeating Goldust.  All being commented on by Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, and the Perfect One, Mr. Perfect (SOOOO underrated as a commentator).
Now onto the match we are here to review.  The main even consisted of the WWF Champion Shawn Michaels defending the belt against raising lunatic Mankind.  Mankind had only debuted for the company a few months back on the RAW after Wrestlemania, by attacking the Undertaker and starting a fued that would last most of the year of 1996.  Things had taken a massive turn at the previous month's Summerslam, in the first ever Boiler Room match, that saw longtime manager of the Deadman, Paul Bearer switch sides and double-cross The Undertaker and siding with Mankind.  This would be the first title shot for Mick Foley in the WWF and certainly not last.
Shawn Michaels had achieved the boyhood dream at WrestleMania 12, by besting Bret Hart in a grueling Iron Man Match.  The title was his and the company was his to lead, but things weren't going the greatest for the Heart-Break Kid.  Sub-par rivalries against Diesel (as he was getting ready to jump ship), British Bulldog, and the ill-fated abortion of a rivalry with the Man They Call VADER.  But Michaels was still a heart throb to the ladies in the crowd, and to one in particular in the back, but Shawn was still the man.  Shawn was looking for someone to bring out a different side of himself, and he would seemingly find that man in the Foley persona known as Mankind.  Well, the stage is set, now it's time to dive back into the match at Mind Games.

RE:VIEWING THE MATCH - Our WWF Title match for the night begins with some druids dragging a casket down to the match, probably one off Paul Bearer's showroom. Inside would hole the challenger, Mankind.  Now don't forget about the casket, as it will come back into the story later.  The Champion, would make his entrance as well, with a swell of kids and young ladies crying out for HBK.  The action starts off fast and furious, with Mankind getting the early advantage.  After a huge clothesline over the rope, Foley try's to rip up the floor mat, and gets stuck underneath as Shawn beats him down under the mat.  Michaels would follow that up with a 2nd rope twisting cross-body, and then slamming Mankind's head down upon the exposed concrete.  Action would resume in the ring with the Champion now with the advantage after his usual elbow drop.  With every elbow drop, comes with setting up the band.  But Mankind quickly exited the ring, trying to get things back together.  The match would almost turn into the brawl as stiff strikes and a slap gets exchanged.  The two men would tussle to the ground with an early attempt at Mankind's Mandible Claw.  Yet again the action would go to the outside, with Michaels' mean streak showing as he would suplex Mankind on the outside with Mick's leg hitting the steel steps.  Michaels would target the knee, with a dragon twist, followed up with the Figure-4 Leg Lock.  Now one of the best parts of the psychology of Mankind comes after Shawn tries to go to the well one too many times and is dropped throat first on the top rope.  Mankind would call for Paul Bearer as he sat on the outer apron and ask for a pen, which he would stab into his abused leg, that HBK was working on.  This would be an act to get the feeling back into his injured limb.  Mankind would take the offense to HBK with the fists, knees, and occasional biting.  Every time Michaels would try and get back into the match, Foley would counter.  Most of Michaels' offense for a bit would be him getting out of the way as Mankind would be come barrelling down upon him, until Michaels would throw Mankind into the ropes, getting his neck caught between two ropes.   But that wouldn't stop Mankind from locking in a Mandible Claw while stuck in the ropes.  Michaels now enraged and desperate, he would grab a chair and hit the same knee from earlier and the hand used for the dangerous Mandible claw (with Hebner dealing with Bearer elsewhere).  At this point I noticed that not a lot of actual moves have been used in this match, but it works beautifully in this match.  Mankind would do Mankind things, with his patented apron elbow to the outside, followed up by a swinging neckbreaker.  Seemingly Mankind would now try everything except the kitchen sink to put away Michaels, with no luck.  Michaels would kick out of the double-arm DDT, and the piledriver, causing Mankind to pull out some hair, and go to his Cactus Jack hardcore roots, by grabbing a few chairs. and getting desperate enough to try and force HBK into the casket from earlier.  But this got Shawn hulked up to the point he starting hitting his signature moves.  Foley would crotch Michaels on the top turnbuckle, but after a reversal Michaels would fall atop Mankind as they flew backwards out towards the Spanish Announce Table.  (Its always the damn Spanish table)  Both men would get back into the ring, as Bearer once again distracting the ref, as Foley grabbed another chair and climbed to the top.  Michaels would take one of the earlier chairs as a step up Sweet Chin Music to the chair into the face of Mankind.  This would signal the end of the match as that stinky hyena Vader came down to try and salvage his push, but Sid would also run down to tell him "Nuh uh bitch I get your title shot!" This would cause a DQ finish, but things weren't done, as Bearer blasted HBK in the back of the head with the urn, and Mankind locking the mandible claw in.  Foley would call for the casket, but The Undertaker would be inside (SOMEHOW! No clue how!...), and would chase off Mankind and Bearer.  Good ole' Fink would announce the winner...AND STILL WWF CHAMPION, Shawn Michaels!...even if it was a DQ.

BREAKING IT DOWN - Well the match was very different to say a Michaels/Hart technical shootout, but it was great to see Mankind bring a new side of Michaels that he was not used to doing, the Brawler.  I do hate the DQ finish, but it had to go that way.  You have a guy in Foley, who is trying to be a huge heel that was still fighting Undertaker.  But you also had the smallest champion at the time in Michaels who had to look bigger than Andre.  It made sense trying not to hurt either of these two moving onto the future.  It does suck to see Vader crash so fast as well but oh well, his fall was Sid's gain, as he would be the one to beat Michaels in New York for the title at Survivor Series.  I remember obtaining the WWE Inside the Vault DVD (I think thats what it was called)  It was the only one they made and it chronicled the best matches they had in the vault of Shawn Michaels, and this match was on it.  I skipped over it many times to get to the Hell in a Cell match with Taker, or go back to the now snooze-fest of the Iron Man match with Hart. (50 mins of rest holds? Come on!)  But when I did watch this match, it soon became a favorite, and thus a great match for me to start off in the blog.  With that I will give it a solid 7 out of 11.  I docked it for the DQ finish, but beyond that, it was a great meshing of styles.  I highly recommend you watch and leave a comment on what match should be next.  

RATING - 7 out of 11

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