Behind The Secret Classic WWE PPV Nobody Ever Talks About

1. A Perfect Showcase Of Professional Wrestling

Bret Hart Bam Bam Bigelow King of the Ring 1993
WWE

For the longest time, the Intercontinental Championship was famously known as the workhouse title of WWE. And on that front, there were no finer workhorses than Mr. Perfect and Bret Hart. So, when the two clashed for the Perfect One's IC Title at SummerSlam '91, they put on an all-time classic - with the Hitman emerging victorious to secure his first slice of singles gold.

While that match is forever praised by the masses, Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect at King of the Ring '93 is a contest that often goes a little under the radar. In reality, though, this is a far superior bout to the duo's excellent SummerSlam offering.

The KOTR contest is one of those matches where, if someone asked you to define what professional wrestling is all about, you'd show them Hart vs. Perfect from 1993. From the pre-match backstage promo, to the post-match pat on the back from Perfect to Bret, this all holds up to this very day as exemplary.

In terms of that promo, a 'my dad's harder than your dad' back and forth escalates to Curt Hennig proclaiming how he still owes Hart for SummerSlam '91. When these two technical wizards get to the ring, it's a magical Babyface vs. Babyface battle, with Perfect occasionally leaning on his old heel ways, much like Roddy Piper brilliantly did against Bret at WrestleMania VIII the year prior.

Most prevalent in this match, is the sheer desperation to win. It's etched on the two combatants' faces, as they exchange holds, lay in snug strikes, and try a wide variety of pinning combinations. A victory in this bout felt like a huge deal to both Perfect and Hart, with Bam Bam Bigelow awaiting the winner in the tournament final. And with a win feeling so monumental to a former World Champion in Bret, and an iconic former Intercontinental Champion in Perfect, by default that made the King of the Ring itself feel like a huge deal.

Also, it would be remiss to talk about Hart vs. Hennig and not talk about the exquisite psychology on display. In particular, Mr. P works over the Excellence of Execution's fingers in a brilliant call-back to Razor Ramon having stamped on them in Bret's first round KOTR match.

By the time Bret Hart counters a small package into an inside cradle for the 1-2-3 at around the 19-minute mark, you know you've witnessed something special. Throw in Mr. Perfect maintaining his fighting babyface spirit with a handshake, pat on the back, and a 'now go and win this thing', and this is a prime of example of why professional wrestling is such a beautiful, emotion-stirring sport.

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Senior Writer
Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is co-host of the Fearless in Devotion podcast, which won the Club Podcast of the Year gong at the 2024 FSA Awards.