10 Money Matches WWE Rushed To Give Away For Free

3. Shawn Michaels Vs. Owen Hart (29 December 1997, Raw)

Owen Hart Shawn Michaels
WWE Network

Owen Hart's late-1997 run is a real case of what might've been.

After watching his brother get screwed over at Survivor Series (mandatory Montreal mention right there), Owen looked on as his other friends were phased out or left the promotion. That made him the 'Sole Survivor', a real 'Black Hart' who would be free to seek revenge on those who had wronged his family. What a story that is, eh?

It would surely have sold pay-per-view buys like nobody's business. As '97 came to a close, the screwjob was wrestling's hottest topic, and there were fans lining up to see the villainous Shawn Michaels get what was coming to him. It wasn't to be, because apparently an exhibition-level title shot for Ken Shamrock and another match with The Undertaker was more important.

This writer firmly believes that the WWF should've called an audible and installed Owen as Michaels' Royal Rumble opponent instead of 'Taker, or at least built towards something at No Way Out in February. Rushing it out on free TV neutered what should have been a super-intense issue that aped real life drama.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.