10 Ultra-Rare Unreleased WWE Matches We’d Love To See

Unknown pleasures.

Kurt Angle Owen Hart
WWE

When WWE unveiled a three-disc DVD set simply entitled 'Unreleased' in 2017, the feature included early 1990s cult favourite broadcaster Sean Mooney and current Monday Night Raw reporter Charley Caruso providing the links and tidbits on a series of never-before-seen matches that were kept on camera by WWE's crack production staff.

"Tom Magee Vs Bret Hart" was scribbled on a prop they disregarded, hilariously enhancing the cult status of the famous lost classic. Debuting on May 14th 2019 as part of a documentary-come-overdue love letter to Bret Hart, it was finally gifted to the world.

Amidst much rejoicing, the "Holy Grail" had been found. Yet, brilliantly, other curios remain.

With tryouts and experiments held before and after television tapings as well as the occasional recorded house show surprise, the Network's lauded 'Hidden Gems' collection still has many more potential classics to unearth. Boasting developmental matches from Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar, The Shield and others, as well as featuring fascinating contests from the 50s, 60s and 70s, the Hart/Magee squash followed the fabled 'Last Battle of Atlanta' between Buzz Sawyer and Tommy Rich.

All the above have served as reminders of the virtually limitless intriguing footage that has, until recently, remained locked away in WWE's vault. The company has never been so accommodating of it's own past too - a expanding treasure chest of rare treats for generations of discerning followers are still waiting to be monetised...

10. Bret Hart & Razor Ramon Vs Owen Hart & Shawn Michaels (March 22nd, 1994)

Kurt Angle Owen Hart
WWE

Taped just two days after WrestleMania 10, WWE Champion Bret Hart paired up with Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon to take on Owen Hart and Shawn Michaels as the dark main event of a Superstars/Wrestling Challenge television taping.

Not only a doubles dance featuring four of the greatest in-ring performers in company history, the contest brought together the architects of two of the industry's finest ever tussles, with Bret and Owen's scintillating opener gamely battling the phenomenal Michaels/Razor ladder war for match-of-the-night honours at the organisation's biggest show of the year.

If the prospect of seeing the four do battle isn't enough, there are of course the fascinating interpersonal relationships on show, as Michaels and Ramon's real-life relationship was becoming as strong as the brotherly bond between the Harts.

Tensions had yet to majorly simmer between 'HBK' and 'The Hitman', but with the pair never wrestling once on pay-per-view in 1994, it would be yet another opportunity to see them clash during their prime years.

The combination perhaps best represented the 'New Generation' vision Vince McMahon was trying to promote as he watched Hulk Hogan and other stars gradually migrate over to WCW during barren times for his once-monolithic organisation.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett