10 Wrestling Matches Fans Can’t Agree On
1. Bret Hart Vs. Shawn Michaels - WWF WrestleMania XII
In terms of pure content, Bret Hart Vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XII is the most divisive match of them all.
A one hour Iron Match between two of the most technically gifted WWF wrestlers ever, it promised so much - and, to some, delivered very little. One thing it did get right was its logical thread. Unlike so many of its successors, it didn't go for a cheap early pop - one commanded at the detriment of coherence. The Iron Man match so often suffers from an incongruous early pinfall, the likes of which is never effective in a singles match. Obviously, preservation is a core concept, and kicking out uses up more energy than is often communicated to the audience - but it rarely rings true.
Hart and Michaels circumvented that by tying the first hour zero falls apiece. Was that a sign of understated and cerebral storytelling - or a result of the two infamous egotists refusing to show one another some ass?
In any event, even if you perceive the excruciating pace as more methodical than boring, the so-called science behind it was compromised by Hart's suspicious selling - something he was otherwise a master at. His opponent on the night may have contributed to his slight unprofessionalism.
On re-watch, the potato shots render it a curio - but it's nowhere near the best match these two had, let alone one of the best ever held.