Top 15 WWE SummerSlam undercard matches

1996: Mankind vs. The Undertaker

1996 was a pivotal year for professional wrestling. We saw the inception of the New World Order, the Monday Night Wars, and WWE saw a host of new Superstars who would eventually turn into legendary names. One of those names was Mick Foley. The night after WrestleMania, Foley debuted in WWE under the name of Mankind, and spent most of the spring and summer terrorizing everyone on the roster.

He would turn his focus to The Undertaker, which would lead to a brutal match at SummerSlam 1996 in Cleveland. It would be the first-ever Boiler Room Brawl match, where the two would start the match in the arena’s boiler room and fight their way to the ring. Both men used every piece of equipment they could possibly find throughout the arena as a weapon as they battled back and forth.

Once they got to the ring, the winner would have been determined by who could reach Paul Bearer in the middle of the ring. Bearer, who spent six of the previous five years managing The Undertaker, stood in the ring with the signature urn he always held close. While The Undertaker was indeed the first to reach his longtime associate, Bearer shocked the world when he turned his back on the phenom.

Fans sat in shock as he delivered the urn to Mankind. As confusing as it was, it made Mankind even more dangerous, having someone in his corner to give him direction. And having Paul Bearer gave him a clear advantage, as he would hold more victories over The Undertaker.

It was a mild roadblock for The Undertaker, who would go on several months later to capture another WWF Championship and continue on with his historic career. Paul Bearer and Mankind continued a reign of terror that would last years.