5 Best Wrestling Matches of 1996
Things were getting much more competitive and vicious in wrestling in 1996. WWE had lost two of its biggest stars to WCW (a recurring theme over the years), and WCW was taking full advantage of its relationship with other companies to showcase different wrestling styles that weren’t seen in WWE. Several now-famous wrestlers, especially from Mexico and Japan, became household names thanks to this approach that really helped WCW grow into – for a time – the #1 wrestling promotion in North America.
Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart were still the best in-ring workers WWE had at the time, but backstage issues and politics made more than one match between them impossible. Other stars like Mankind and Steve Austin rose up instead, taking part in great matches of their own.
In Japan, meanwhile, the rivalry between AJPW and NJPW continued, bitter as ever. All Japan kept its same core of top heavyweight wrestlers, while New Japan’s junior heavyweights continued to blow every other similar division out of the water.
Although many wrestlers tried to show the world how good they are, only a small handful succeeded. The ones that did are the ones that put on the following five legendary matches…
5. Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind - In Your House 10
When Shawn Michaels became WWF/E Champion, many people criticized him for being a ‘pretty boy’ who didn’t have the innate toughness needed to carry an entire company on his shoulders. But HBK proved those naysayers wrong with this unbelievable battle against Mankind.
The match is intense from the opening bell as both guys proceed to destroy each other with very interesting moves and spots. These include several spots involving exposed concrete, a suplex into steel steps, Mankind getting his head smashed into the ring-post, and a Mandible Claw being used while Mankind was being choked on the ropes.
If this match proved anything, it’s the following two points. First, Mankind/Mick Foley is absolutely crazy, as he got smashed into metal objects (and apparently onto concrete as well) several times and kept going. This was long before his famous cell match, but even at this point, Mankind was believable as the biggest damage sponge in WWE.
And second, Michaels is a genius in terms of ring psychology. Not only does he destroy Mankind’s legs to prevent Mankind from having and power or speed, but he spends a good amount of time attacking Mankind’s mandible hand, down to even ‘snapping’ Mankind’s fingers and biting the very hand that was allegedly in his mouth moments prior. He does these things to weaken Mankind’s finisher, thus giving Michaels a better chance of winning.
This is wrestling storytelling at its absolute best.