Kane: 5 Awesome Matches And 5 That Sucked

4. Kane vs Matt Hardy - SummerSlam 2004

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeEC7r2RRoo The biggest problem with this match isn't necessarily the stipulation, which admittedly is pretty stupid. The winner would gain the right to marry Lita, regardless of who won. The issue lies with the fact that the match is just plain bad. Neither Matt Hardy nor Kane, two fantastic in-ring workers in their own right, seem to have their heart in it. These are two men who probably could have had a great match together under the right circumstances, but this just isn't one of them. It has a sluggish, bloated quality to it. The actual wrestling is sloppy and lacking any sense of depth. A bad wrestling match can often be saved by some good brawling, but even that isn't any fun to watch. Both men would clearly rather be anywhere else but this ring, and it shows in this match. Perhaps what may have saved the match, aside from a better story leading into it, would be removing the marriage aspect. Instead of it being 'winner gets Lita', would it not have been a better concept if Kane was simply terrorizing both of them? Kane is no stranger to that, having been involved in an epic feud with Shane McMahon over similar circumstances. By adding the marriage stipulation, and the baby drama that would follow between Kane and Gene Snitsky, it didn't give the match the weight WWE was expecting. Instead of Matt Hardy coming off as the heroic warrior who defends his girlfriend from a monster, he's simply a pushover who seems resigned to raise Kane's baby and let him take her away. A waste of both men.
Contributor
Contributor

Writer, game developer, intersectional feminist.