On the same show that saw Marc Meros first WWF match, a completely different kind of wrestler made his debut. Unlike Mero, this man would help change the course of WWF, and ultimately would put a lot butts in seats. Mankind competed in the first match of the post-WrestleMania XII Raw in 1996, soundly defeating Bob Holly. But it was what he did in the main event that would turn heads. Undertaker had just defeated Justin Hawk Bradshaw when Mankind returned and beat up the Deadman. In a matter of minutes, Mankind put Undertaker down with the Mandible Claw, marking one of the first times that Taker really showed weakness like that. It was a major development for his character and put Mankind on the map as a serious player in WWF, not just some midcard goof. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg4v3GM4v3M A lot of credit has to go to Mick Foley for really making the character stick. Humanizing Mankind gave him credibility and staying power, and he would go on to become one of the most popular wrestlers of the Attitude Era.
Scott is a former journalist and longtime wrestling fan who was smart enough to abandon WCW during the Monday Night Wars the same time as the Radicalz. He fondly remembers watching WrestleMania III, IV, V and VI and Saturday Night's Main Event, came back to wrestling during the Attitude Era, and has been a consumer of sports entertainment since then. He's written for WhatCulture for more than a decade, establishing the Ups and Downs articles for WWE Raw and WWE PPVs/PLEs and composing pieces on a variety of topics.