The year 1996 may not have been kind to WWE from a fiscal standpoint but it did produce one of the greatest rivalries of the decade in Mankind vs. The Undertaker. The October pay-per-view, In Your House: Buried Alive, should have been the culmination of the first chapter of their feud as they met in the first ever Buried Alive match. That contest was a tremendous selling point for the show, and made for a suitable main event. It was a violent, brutal affair that saw the Deadman defeat Mankind, only to be attacked and buried by some of the most recognizable midcard heels of the time. Still, despite appearing as though he had been finished off once and for all, Undertaker's hand emerged from dirt, proving the immortality of the Phenom. The undercard was an assortment of solid matches featuring the company's talented undercard. Steve Austin battled Hunter Hearst Helmsley in a rare heel vs. heel match, Marc Mero defended the intercontinental championship against Goldust and the Smoking Gunns looked to regain the Tag Titles from Owen Hart and British Bulldog. All three matches were, at the very least, pretty good and really highlighted just how solid a foundation the company had built for itself.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
