11 Misconceptions About WWE You Probably Believe

9. Bret Hart Vs Shawn Michaels Was A Classic WWE Rivalry

Vince McMahon Netflix
WWE.com

WWE like to keep their narratives neat whenever possible, and the idea that two professional and personal enemies were able to translate the turmoil into an on-screen series is a good one, not last considering how head-and-shoulders Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels were above their peers at their peaks.

What's not to love about the traversing trajectories? Both started under-sized for the era, surviving as super-workers in tag teams but with aspirations of breaking glass ceilings as the years passed. Then they did just that, scoring Intercontinental and World Heavyweight gold when the straps were anything but trinkets or participation trophies. Then, as well you know, they clashed repeatedly, a breaking point was reached, a screwjob changed everything, and wounds took a decade and change to heal. 

The one thing - glaring as it is - missing from all of this? A truly great match between the true greats.

"Divisive" would be a kind way to describe the WrestleMania XII Iron Man disappointment, though the company's collected take on it remains that it was an all-timer. The 1997 Survivor Series brawl has all the right energy before it's swallowed up by the abrupt and controversial ending, and every other singles battle on record feels as though one or both man is holding just a little bit back for another day, or worse, reaching so hard to make a match a classic that they inadvertently stop it becoming one.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 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. Within the podcasting space, he also co-hosts Benno & Hamflett, In Your House! and Podcast Horseman: The BoJack Horseman Podcast. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, Fightful, POST Wrestling, 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