10 Brilliant Wrestling Matches With Seriously Disappointing Endings
4. Stone Cold Steve Austin Vs. Owen Hart - SummerSlam 1997
Steve Austin is about to go nuclear, and Owen Hart is one of the best hands ever to lace up a pair of boots. For a match between the two to go wrong, something would have to go seriously wrong.
Well, it does. Their SummerSlam 1997 clash is going swimmingly until Hart hits a piledriver on Austin that visibly does not go to plan. Austin’s exposed head hits the mat, temporarily paralysing him. He is forced to end the match quickly with a limp roll up, while the commentary team attempt to paper over the cracks.
There’s plenty of unfortunate history in the wake of the match. Hart and Austin had real heat, which wasn’t fully resolved by Owen’s tragic 1999 death; Austin’s neck issues ultimately led to his premature retirement.
It’s all the more disappointing because, up to that point, the match is superb, a great blend of ferocious brawling and snug, technical grappling. Owen is such an underrated heel, and Austin riding the wave of superstardom is always a joy. It’s still the best match on the card, which tells you all you need to know about the men involved.