10 Worst Wrestling Matches With The BEST Builds
WWE and AEW penned one HELL of a first chapter, but then couldn't follow through.
Every pro wrestling story is a series of carefully-constructed acts, but it's fair to say that a hot match blows all the cobwebs away. Basically, if the resultant in-ring showdown smashes it, then fans are more forgiving of a tepid story leading up to the pay-per-view.
What if it's the other way round though?
There are countless examples of hot feuds that just couldn't cut it come crunch time inside the ring, and the best (worst?!) of them are here. You'll enjoy reliving epic, well-thought out story beats, then cringe when remembering what happened next (when it arguably counted most!).
The list isn't littered with lower card scrubs you've barely heard of either - some of the industry's biggest names shoulder blame for stinking up the place and totally failing to do their hype justice. Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho, Randy Savage, Becky Lynch, Sting and Brock Lesnar are all included.
Nobody's saying these bouts are the worst wrestling matches in history, or anything, but they couldn't follow through on excellent build that had fans tripping over one another to see what might happen next.
Let's dig in!
10. Bret Hart Vs. Vince McMahon
When: WWE WrestleMania XXVI
Bret Hart's unlikely WWE return in 2010 remains one of wrestling's most obvious "too late, guys" moments. The 'Hitman' wasn't physically the same as he'd been 13 years earlier during the 'Montreal Screwjob' days, and wasn't even cleared to bump, but Vince McMahon was determined to put a bow on that story once and for all.
So, he and Bret tussled in an awkward calamity of a match at WrestleMania XXVI. Before getting there though, the pair worked in some wonderful duelling promos that whisked people back to the late-1990s. At times, Hart seemed legitimately fired up at Vince, and things looked promising if significant bells and whistles were used to help them brawl.
Bret patched things up with old enemy Shawn Michaels, then received a swift boot in the balls from McMahon for daring to expect the same apology. It was dramatic, it was over-the-top, and it was...deserving of better than the Hart clan almost turning Vince babyface by accident come 'Mania.
Oh what might've been.