13 Wrestling Matches That Cost Wrestlers Their Custom Belts
9. Mankind’s Hardcore Championship
On the 2 November 1998 edition of Raw, Vince McMahon offered Mankind a mystery gift if he stayed away from an upcoming match between The Rock and Ken Shamrock. Mankind agreed and was awarded the Hardcore Championship. However, Vince revealed his true intentions, screwing Mankind at Survivor Series 1998, in a direct repeat of the previous year’s Montreal Screwjob. Vince’s sustained victimisation of Mankind built heat for the heel Mr. McMahon and heightened Mankind’s crowd appeal as a lovable misfit.
Mankind (c) vs. Big Boss Man - Ladder Match
Monday Night Raw (30 November 1998)
Boss Man was accompanied by then commissioner Shawn Michaels, who used his power to send Mankind’s allies the J.O.B. Squad to the back. Michaels joined commentary as “the king of ladder matches” to give his critique, which added humour to the match. Both competitors were odd choices for a ladder match, but it worked. A high point of the match was Mankind using Mr. Socko to knock Boss Man from the ladder. However, with help from The Rock, Boss Man claimed the championship. In defeat Mankind was over as a lovable misfit, which would lead to his famous first WWF Championship win on the 29 December 1998 edition of Monday Night Raw.