10 Relatively Unheralded Matches Worth A WWE Network Revisit

9. Steve Austin Vs. Bret Hart - WWF Survivor Series 1996

Sabu Rey Mysterio ECW one Night Stand 2006
WWE Network

An absolute stunner in its own right, this match may not be entirely suited to this list, given that it exceeds the others on it in every conceivable department.

That said, it definitely merits the categorisation of 'relatively unheralded' purely as a result of it being comprehensively overshadowed by its five star-rated sequel, which not only improved upon it but altered the very course of wrestling history.

The pre-match hype for the original was famous for the all-time-classic, epoch-defining Austin line “If you put an ‘S’ in front of Hitman, you have my exact opinion of Bret Hart’. This intensity was matched between the ropes but, crucially, it was built towards slowly; Hart knew that escalation was the key to maximum emotional resonance.

Hart, having been goaded and thrown around the outside and onto the ring ropes mercilessly by a possessed Austin, responds in kind by launching himself over the barricade towards ‘Stone Cold’ in the match’s turning point - and its hottest sequence outside of the finish.

The finish itself, which saw Hart reverse Austin’s soon-to-be-retired Million Dollar Dream submission hold, may have contributed to the evolution of Austin’s ‘Stone Cold’ persona. Their next singles match did so unequivocally.

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!