10 Wrestling Matches Better Than They Had Any Right To Be

4. Jerry Lawler Vs. Bret Hart - WWF SummerSlam 1993

Big Show Mayweather II
WWE

Lawler, a man whose reputation wasn't built on technical prowess, was already past his prime by the time he, against all odds, entered the doors of Titan Towers.

Accordingly, his bout with Bret Hart had little chance of approaching the standards the 'Hitman' had set in his seminal early nineties WWF run, during which time he had restored a level of workrate not seen since Randy Savage was in his pomp.

Ingeniously booked, this match - when it eventually started - made enterprising use of Lawler' limitations. Feigning injury, he instead dispatched Doink The Clown to the ring - an intentionally irritating bait and switch which riled the crowd into an anticipatory frenzy. When Jack Tunney threatened Lawler with expulsion from the WWF in the event of his non-participation, the heroic Hart, weakened as a result of his earlier impromptu outing, laid waste to Lawler with the aid of his crutch.

At just 06:32, this frenzied match degenerated into a sickening brawl as Lawler regained control of the crutch and jabbed it into Hart's throat - a brutal update of the anodyne WWF norm. With Bobby Heenan in impervious form - describing Hart's elderly parents as "ghouls" and insisting that his "twenty brothers" were waiting in the wings, ready to attack Lawler - the entire presentation was an ergonomic masterclass.

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!