10 Things You Learn From Watching 1996 On WWE Network
7. WrestleMania XII's Iron Man Match Is Utterly Essential
Ask a select group of pro wrestling fans what they think of the WrestleMania XII main event and prepare to be met with rolling eyes. Running 60 minutes in length, the 'Iron Man' clash between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels remains one of the most polarising headliners in 'Mania folklore. Some people love it, others think it was a colossal failure.
The most prominent complaint is with the lack of pinfalls or submissions to help break up the action. Hart and Michaels went the full one-hour duration without a single decision, interspersing bursts of speed with long, drawn out rest holds and stalling.
Yet, there's something captivating about the experiment. This is the kind of match that every wrestling enthusiast simply must see, even if they've been warned to bring a pillow and blanket lest they fall asleep halfway through.
It took guts for Vince McMahon to book two workhorse wrestlers in an hour-long bout, headlining his biggest show of the year. Regardless of personal opinion, the WrestleMania XII main event has to be considered an essential piece of viewing at least once.