How Will You Be Remembered? 5: Mankind

[Chicago1989]

What's up guys?!....back with another edition of "How Will You Be Remembered?".

These "How Will You Be Remembered" threads are about looking back at the careers of legendary wrestlers and giving you guys the opportunity to say what will you remember the most about someone, sort of like a testimonial. Was it their contributions to the wrestling business?, The great matches they delivered?, Their legacy in wrestling?....that's all on you. I'll also give a short review of the career of that certain wrestler as well.

In this fifth edition of HWYBR?, we're gonna cover one of my most favorite gimmicks, Mankind.

Mankind first debuted in the WWF as another of one of Mick Foley's outlandish gimmicks back in 1996 after WrestleMania XII. He was a sadistic tortured soul who would mutilate himself for attention. He later became a legitimate threat to The Undertaker, who he had a long, intense feud with. At King Of The Ring '96, Mankind defeated The Undertaker, who got struck by his urn by Paul Bearer. Then at Summerslam 1996, Mankind once again defeated The Undertaker in a Boiler Room Brawl when Paul Bearer turned on him and gave Mankind the urn. Mankind was then being managed by Paul Bearer. Mankind then pursued then WWF Champion, Shawn Michaels and challenged him for the belt at In Your House: Mind Games. Mankind lost the match by DQ. Undertaker and Mankind kept going at it, to the point where they had their first Buried Alive match together at In Your House: Buried Alive. Undertaker won, but got buried alive by Mankind and other heels after the match. They continued their bitter feud to Survivor Series, and then to In Your House: Revenge of the Taker with Undertaker defeating Mankind and ending their feud for the time being. Mankind then returned with a white shirt and necktie in 1998. He feuded with The Undertaker once again, reviving their classic feud. They both then competed in a Hell in a Cell match, where Mankind was tossed off from the top of the cage. He then became more comedic, debuting "Mr. Socko". Mankind was then the first-ever Hardcore Champion and lost a match against The Rock at Survivor Series '98 for the WWF title. Mankind then became a fan favorite and won his first WWF title by defeating The Rock on a live episode of Raw. He then lost the title back to The Rock at the 1999 Royal Rumble in a "I Quit" match. They continued their feud for the title until they started to become tag team partners. They were known as the "Rock 'n' Sock Connection" and won the WWF Tag Team titles on a few occasions. He won the WWF title again for the third time in a Triple Threat match against Triple H and Stone Cold. Mankind recently made a one-time appearance at Taboo Tuesday 2005 against Carlito, making it Mick Foley's last appearance as the Mankind character.

With Mankind adding alot more to Mick Foley's legacy and becoming an infamous character, what will you remember the most about Mankind?

 

[wushady]

I'll remember him for being a very unique character there was no one anything like him at the time. Not to mention his first major was with Undertaker, and he dominated the dead man for a good part of their feud no one has beaten him as much as Mankind did.

Of course he'll also be remembered for all the hardcore things he did over the years. The fall from off the top of the Hell in a Cell is usually the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Mankind.

 

[Find'er Woo'er Ryder]

one of the most twisted characters the wwe has ever seen i still enjoy his matches on youtube. he made the hell in the cell famous with taker and even got busted open in every other match he had. he was probly the reason the hardcore title was made. bravo mankind on the best gimmicks ever

 

[streicher187]

being at the ppv match with him and taker in the hell in a cell it was insane when he got tossed off, everyone thought he was hurt then when he got up and went at it again people started to cheer and by the time he was thrown through the cage he had gone from a twisted character who was semi over with the crowd to a standing ovation as he was being taken out.. I think that match more then anything changed how people thought about foley...

I would say him winning the championship is probably one of the key turning points that helped vault the WWF into the lead over wcw and the fact that they gave away the ending on WCW was probably the biggest mistake Eric ever made (I know for one I turned over to see him win the belt because he was one of the hardest workers in the business and deserved it at the time)..

I would say
1. Hell in a Cell w/ Taker
2. Championship win over Rock that started the wars swing in WWF favor

 

[1_2_3 Kid]

mankind will ALWAYS be remembered by me as just one sick freak!!

The programs he put on with Taker are obvious as the best times of that gimmick. That screeching sound he used to make and pulling his hair out, Foley really took that character to a whole new level and was really revolutionary @ establishing the "deranged" character.

He was wild, unconventional, and just a mess to watch. But he also gets the nod for taking HUGE bumps. I swear, Taker almost killed him @ least like 4 times, and when Hunter back dropped him thru the HIAC @ no way out, I thought he was. The way his body would just contort like a ragdoll after a big bump was just sick. I also loved the way he cut his promos. It was cutting edge stuff the time and easily had me shook many nights as a kid. Those boiler room segments were the best and I always had to watch cartoons before I went to bed just so I wasn't dreaming about some guy in a mask sticking his dirty ass fingers in my mouth. And it used to freak me out when he 1st unveiled the mandible claw, because if you remember, he had Taker foaming @ the mouth. I never quite understood that. But none the less, it was entertaining shit.

I'm 24, so when he debued I was young and impressionable, and let me tell you, he scared the shit out of me. He was just something else, truly an epic persona and easily my favorite of all the faces of foley.

So here's to you mankind ... you are remembered!

 

[BooCocky]

Mankind is truly a legion. He helped establish so many stars. He helped create the Undertaker, Edge and helped establish Orton as the Legion Killer. He helped put over so many stars, he lost so much, yet he was still a main event threat. Mankind is truly a wrestling god. He had so many great feuds with the likes of Taker, HHH, Edge and even Orton. Mankind put his body on the line to please the fans. He should be remembered as an all time great but I don't think he gets the respect of the IWC. I'll remember him as a great character, and excellent performer and a great entertainer.

Foley never tarnished his legacy, yes he does have the occasional match but nothing to destroy him. He'll be remembered as a hardcore legion. He's done some sick and twisted shit in his life that is memorable. Like falling off the top of the HIAC. So yeah, he'll be remembered as a great wrestler, or at least he should be.

 

[CyDeez]

I'll remember him the most for his bumps and also being HARDCORE... A true innovator of Hardcore Style wrestling... The bumps he has taken are endless... Being thrown off the Hell In A Cell was one of the CRAZIEST moments ever in WWE or any other federation or company!

More than his different Mankind "gimmicks", whether he was the deranged maniac or the funny sock toting cheap popper, he was ALWAYS hardcore and made the guys he feuded with look great and get WAAAAAAAY over!!!

 

[mayankeagle]

Mankind will be remembered as the toughest SOB there ever was. You heard that right, it wasn't Stone Cold who was the toughest SOB but it was Mankind. Nobody else could've survived the Hell in a Cell match after the beating that Undertaker gave him, and walked out on his own two feet.

 

[LongLiveTheStreak]

I will remember the great Mankind for two matches.

1. I Quit match vs. The Rock at Royal Rumble 99. Just a disturbingly brutal match, and thats what made it so great.
2. Hell in a Cell vs. Undertaker at King of Ring 98. Foley's moments in that match-the falls off the cage and through it plus the thumbtacks-are unforgetable. Many forget how much of a squash match this was. Seriously go back and watch it again, Taker wins it rather easliy. He took nothing in this match compared to what Mankind took.

And too bad Mankind's 3 WWF Title reings were too short. I don't think he ever successfully defended the belt while he was champ. And Mick Foley deserved better than that.

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

Mankind is truly a legion. He helped establish so many stars. He helped create the Undertaker, Edge and helped establish Orton as the Legion Killer. He helped put over so many stars, he lost so much, yet he was still a main event threat. Mankind is truly a wrestling god. He had so many great feuds with the likes of Taker, HHH, Edge and even Orton. Mankind put his body on the line to please the fans. He should be remembered as an all time great but I don't think he gets the respect of the IWC. I'll remember him as a great character, and excellent performer and a great entertainer.

Foley never tarnished his legacy, yes he does have the occasional match but nothing to destroy him. He'll be remembered as a hardcore legion. He's done some sick and twisted shit in his life that is memorable. Like falling off the top of the HIAC. So yeah, he'll be remembered as a great wrestler, or at least he should be.

He helped create the Undertaker? GET DA FUCK OUT'A HERE WITH THAT NOISE! If anything the Undertaker made Mick Foley.

Anyway,I think Mick Foley is the most overrated "legend" in the history of the business. I'm sorry,but getting thrown off of a cage does not make you a legend

 

[streicher187]

No but putting everything you have into what you are doing and loving every minute makes you a legend. I would take foley over ego driven guys like Randy orton any day of the week.

He didn't cry when he was told to lose to a lesser talent, didn't take his ball and go home when he didn't like the outcome he went out and gave his all and left the fans happy. He was there for the fans and happy to see them and sign autographs for them even after taking a beating and never thought he was to good for them.


He wasn't respected by the fans and other wrestlers for his in ring work but for all he gave to the business he loved, he didn't leave it for the movies like the Rock and didn't walk out when things didn't go his way like Austin to me that's a legend or keep the young guys down like HHH, Hogan, HBK..

If you want to go overrated then he has to get in line behind a LOT of guys..

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

No but putting everything you have into what you are doing and loving every minute makes you a legend. I would take foley over ego driven guys like Randy orton any day of the week.

He didn't cry when he was told to lose to a lesser talent, didn't take his ball and go home when he didn't like the outcome he went out and gave his all and left the fans happy. He was there for the fans and happy to see them and sign autographs for them even after taking a beating and never thought he was to good for them.


He wasn't respected by the fans and other wrestlers for his in ring work but for all he gave to the business he loved, he didn't leave it for the movies like the Rock and didn't walk out when things didn't go his way like Austin to me that's a legend or keep the young guys down like HHH, Hogan, HBK..

If you want to go overrated then he has to get in line behind a LOT of guys..

So,you just proved he's a good company man. Being a good company man doesn't make you a legend.

And maybe he does need to get in line behind others in the overrated category. Still doesn't change the fact that he's overrated

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

Foley was one of the best workers I've ever seen. He cut some of the greatest promos in this business and put tons of people over. The Undertaker was just a slow plodding mess before Foley showed up and helped Taker wrestle a more faster pace. Their matches were awesome, bloody, and brutal. HHH's hottest period of his career started when he faced Foley in 2000. HHH has not reached that quality since. Foley got Rock over as a heel in 1999 with their series of matches. Foley put over Randy Orton at Wrestlemania and Backlash which skyrocketed Orton's career. He gave Edge arguably one of his best singles matches at WM 22. I don't care if Foley had to put his body on the line and be classified a "glorified stuntman" to get over. Wrestlers get over in many different ways whether it be their mic work, charisma, or their in-ring work. Foley may not have had the greatest in-ring skills but his other abilities more than make up for it.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I'll always remember Mankind for a lot of different reasons. He was a unique character that definitely stood out from the crowd. During the initial phase of the Mankind character, Foley was really able to suck people in with his promos. He was intimidating because everything about Mankind simply worked. He gave emotionally charged, chilling interviews, his scarred body didn't have the chiseled appearance common among wrestlers, he put his body on the line with most of his signature moves that looked to hurt him as much or more than his opponent. His feuds with The Undertaker have become the stuff of legend and he also had great feuds with the likes of HBK, Triple H, The Rock & Stone Cold Steve Austin. Even after Mankind became "friendlier" and less overall menacing, the quality of Foley's promo work was still able to get the character over. To top it off, there were times in which Mankind was really genuinely funny.

I think one thing that made Foley stand out is that he was always willing to put other wrestlers over. It was about putting on a good match and everyone coming out to look good instead of it being all about him. If you look back over most of Foley's most memorable matches in the WWE, he lost most of them but they still made him a legend and only futhured the careers of those he lost to.

I haven't been overly impressed with Foley in TNA. His body is simply too worn out, but he hasn't done anything that's tarnished his legacy so I can't fault him too much.