100 Greatest WWE Matches Of All Time (Ranked)
14. Mr. Perfect vs. Bret Hart (SummerSlam 1991)
A 1993 King Of The Ring tournament match proved years later that Bret Hart and Curt Hennig could work tippy top matches on their worst day, but practically everybody points to SummerSlam 1991 as the high point of their time together inside the ring. That year's summerfest (those who know know!) was headlined by a clunky handicap mess pitting Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior vs. Sgt. Slaughter, General Adnan and Colonel Mustafa, but choice scraps on the undercard saved the day.
Ted DiBiase vs. Virgil was heated and fun, but it was Hart vs. Mr. Perfect that stole the match of the night honours. Nothing else was going to come close, and both workhorses made sure of it. 18 minutes of pure wrestling skill ensured that everybody was talking about Bret's glorious Intercontinental Title win all evening and for a long time afterwards.
It was clear to everyone that the 'Hitman' was the breakout star you needed to pay attention to, and he'd go on to work countless amazing matches right up until the infamous 'Montreal Screwjob' stopped him short in 1997. Hart was never the same after that, but he was at the peak of his powers as an excitable young hopeful at SummerSlam '91.
Like at KOTR '93, Perfect's back was yelling at him to take it easy. He needed immediate surgery, but put it off so he could put Bret over inside Madison Square Garden in front of a boisterous live crowd who'd been begging for a match of this high quality since doors opened.
Perfect's show of guts and respect went a long way with Hart.