10 Cult Wrestling Matches To See Before You Die

2. Bret Hart Vs. Tom Magee - WWF House Show 1986

Tom Magee Bret Hart Still
WWE Network

The cult classic - the lost match nobody could see that just so happened to get Vince McMahon drunk on water - the Holy Grail was discovered by photographer Mary Kate Indiana Anthony, who blessed us all in this bonkers, wonderful year of 2019.

Bret Hart is so outstanding in this match that he works not just the office but Magee himself into thinking he's the next big thing. Hart's best signature spot saw him propel himself chest-first into the turnbuckle with mortar blast sound effect. He adds extra impact to it in his pursuit of proving to both Vince and his perfectionist self that he could work a match with a musclebound performer as green and as soft as goose sh*t diarrhoea. As Hart recoils in agony, Magee fist-pumps the air in triumph, in a bid to rouse the crowd, before quietly allowing himself a moment of private celebration.

"Yes, I did that!" he seems to indicate.

The best wrestlers know how to engineer maximum drama from the space between moves, a space in which Bret more or less exclusively operates here. He treats Magee as a proximity mine, knowing d*mn well the whole thing will fall apart if he gets too close, and this approach allows Magee to showcase his athleticism and the illusion of smarts.

Hart came closer to anybody at actually carrying a broomstick, and this discovery is a lovely, well-earned epilogue to a hard life in wrestling.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!