The Undertaker's 20 Best Matches Ever

19. Vs. Mankind (SummerSlam 1996)

Bearer Undertaker Mankind SummerSlam 1996
WWE.com

Jim Ross once said on his podcast that he hired Mick Foley specifically because he needed fresh opponents for The Undertaker. As the twisted Mankind, Foley was in his element and ended up being elevated by association with 'Taker and his portly manager Paul Bearer. Much like the previous entry, SummerSlam 1996 offered up something different.

To their credit, it didn't come across that the majority of this 'Boiler Room Brawl' had been pre-taped before SummerSlam. There was also an intensity to Mankind that prior Undertaker rivals lacked, and the ominous surroundings of the boiler room itself meant the match was dripping in atmosphere.

After getting a feel for one another at King of the Ring in their first pay-per-view match, Undertaker and Mankind produced a unique classic at SummerSlam, and there was still better to come from the pairing. No match in 1996 felt like this one. That goes a long way to securing its legacy as one of 'Taker's best.

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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.