25 Best WWE Raw Matches Ever
1. Bret Hart Vs The 1-2-3 Kid (July 7th, 1994)
Early editions of Monday Night Raw were far from the wild west formula popularised during the late-1990s, nor the bloated marathons filling time today. A refinement of the Superstars/Challenge taping philosophy, the new flagship housed similar squashes in a more intimate setting as much to do with the downturn of the industry as creating an edgy aesthetic.
But there was no greater reward for the 1600 WWE diehards that trundled in to the Fernwood Resort in Bushkill Pennsylvania in July than the WWE Championship classic between Bret Hart and The 1-2-3 Kid.
With Jim Ross back on commentary whilst Vince McMahon remained otherwise engaged fending off steroid charges, two of his intentionally smaller selections tore up the already-broken down venue in perhaps the finest ever exhibition of the company not always being the land of the giants on top. Paradoxically, it opened the show.
Starting as beloved babyfaces, both men took turns heeling up their offence without compromising the core values of their respective characters. Bret's acts were borne of frustration at his own over-confidence, the Kid's from a place of unexpected control. Technically perfect from bell-to-bell, the match took on greater gravitas when Bret rejected an earlier victory after spotting Kid's foot on the ropes.
With the Kid reading (perhaps not incorrectly) Bret's contrition as cockiness, the barrage of kicks and high flying moves that followed had the Champion reeling, before the 'Excellence Of Execution' literally caught Kid mid-assault in the match-winning Sharpshooter. Equal parts beauty and brutality but all contextualised by the quest for Title supremacy, it's the quintessential wrestling match and remains the greatest contest to grace McMahon's Monday wrestling renegade.