Every great, no matter what field they find themselves in, turns in a hot steaming turd of a finished product from time to time. That was the case for Bret "Hitman" Hart in February 1996 as he defended the WWE Championship against Big Daddy Cool, Diesel. The main event of the last pay-per-view before his WrestleMania XII foregone conclusion, The Hitman was hardly motivated as he entered the squared for his title defense. He even eluded to such in his autobiography, "Hitman." It did not help that the match was basely and elongated setup for The Undertaker raise from the dead/abyss/depths of hell (definitely not under the ring) and pull Diesel back down among the announcer's beverages, steel chairs and tables that rest just beneath the canvas. Even before the match descended into that of an horror flick the likes of which Netflix wouldn't touch, it was a boring bout that never really shifted out of neutral. Both guys sleepwalked their ways through it, realizing the bigger and more important matches were still to come. Failing miserably to create any real drama or excitement despite being two of the most popular stars on the roster, Hart and Diesel got past their worst match together and moved onto WrestleMania XII. Where they both lost. Sheesh.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
