10 Most Shocking Things That Happened On Post-WrestleMania WWE Raws
9. Mankind Debuts (1 April 1996)
The post-'Mania Raw has always been a great place to debut new wrestlers and gimmicks, and spoiler alert: this won't be the last on our list.
Mankind's grand arrival was one of the most troubling in WWE history. Introduced by the announcers, this deranged, shambling husk of a man came down the ramp for a bout with Bob Holly, whom he promptly battered in just over three minutes. A solid start, and so far, so straightforward, as it showed glimpses of Mick Foley's new character while spotlighting what he could do between the ropes.
This may have been an effective enough introduction on its own, but things got more intense later in the evening. Mankind ambushed the fearsome Undertaker following a win over Justin 'Hawk' Bradshaw, battering, abusing, and bludgeoning 'The Phenom' in ways the fans weren't used to. Having been built up as an icon of invincibility, seeing 'Taker picked apart by a brand new character was a galling sight, and in doing this, WWE laid the groundwork for what would eventually become a legendary feud.
A character unlike anything else the fans knew was born, and his debut was so effective that Mankind looked credible against ‘Taker from day one.