10 Things You Didn't Know About Pat Patterson
9. The Extreme Precursor
Many will be well aware of Chris Masters' Masterlock Challenge, but many will likely not be aware that this concept was actually utilised decades prior by Sgt. Slaughter. And for Pat Patterson, it was Sarge's Cobra Clutch Challenge that sparked a legendary rivalry between the pair.
Back in 1981, the villainous Slaughter was tormenting lower-card babyfaces on a regular basis, and he likewise began to poke the bear by referring to Patterson as yellow. Finally, Patterson snapped and took Slaughter's offer of trying to break the Cobra Cutch for a $10,000 reward.
Being the dirty heel that he was at the time, Sarge obviously broke the hold and beat down Patterson once the former Intercontinental Champion began to break his way out of the move - and that meant the pair were properly off to the races with their feud.
That feud would culminate in an Alley Fight that many cite as being the first time that WWE really took its in-ring action to extreme levels of violence, and the bout is a clear precursor to what would follow years later as a hardcore style became fully implemented in the industry.
After Patterson's old manager The Grand Wizard threw in the towel to protect his current client, Sgt. Slaughter was left defeated on that May 1981 night.