Opening any show with a Steel Cage match is a bold move. Still regarded as a major attraction, the cage gimmick arguably gives any feud more heat, but the match can fall flat if the wrestlers involved don't use the structure wisely. In 1997, Triple H and Mankind were locked in a bitter feud, stemming from the former beating Mick Foley's deranged character to become the King Of The Ring. At Summerslam, both men would open the show with caged fury, putting on a spectacle for the fans which gave them both a figurative leg up on the ladder in the promotion, showing Vince McMahon - who was sitting at ringside calling the action - that they could be relied upon to deliver the goods in huge matches. The story throughout this one is expertly told - the narcissistic Helmsley feels Mankind is beneath him, and displays his arrogance when telling the referee to close the cage door, even when he has the chance to leave and win the match. Of course, that comes back to bite him, and whereas the tale isn't the most intricate, it's in the execution of it where this piece of work really shines. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3ut0d_triple-h-vs-mankind_sport Besides, what a moment for Mick Foley, leaping off the same structure he had witnessed Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka doing just over a decade previously.
Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.
