10 Most Important Matches In The History Of WWE

6. Bret Hart Vs. British Bulldog - SummerSlam 1992

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WWE.com

The company will not admit it - but the SummerSlam 1992 gate was the largest it had commanded at the time.

Reports of the WWF's demise in the 1990s have been exaggerated - even by the company itself, to portray it as the ultimate underdog in the historically revised Monday Night Wars - but it's no exaggeration to state that the company's popularity in the United Kingdom helped to sustain business during a crucial period. Without SummerSlam 1992, the WWF would have survived - but the mega success it generated cemented the UK as the company's home away from home, a distinction it still enjoys today, and set the blueprint for its later international expansion.

The main event match itself - the proverbial five star classic with a drug-addled broomstick - also signalled Hart's arrival into the main event bracket. Hart almost subverted the old Hogan formula. With Hogan, McMahon fed almost anybody to him and made a wad of cash.

With Hart, McMahon fed almost anybody to him, regardless of whether they perceived as credible or not, and provided his audience with an intelligent wrestling match for a maturing audience.

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!