The Greatest Match From Every WWE SummerSlam Ever

The Hitman had to be patient in getting his WWE singles career off the ground, but this was the moment a rocket was strapped to him. In winning his first singles title, he proved himself to be capable of being a face of the company, and in Mr Perfect, he couldn’t have had more ideal an opponent.

The two crossed paths time and again throughout their career, and they were so well matched. Similar in style but disparate in temperament, Perfect’s cocky heel the, well, perfect figure to be taken down by Hart’s humble hard grafter.

As ever, the match is crisp and flowing throughout, with cagey mat grappling building up to high impact drama. While Bret’s parents watch on, Perfect’s hilariously annoying Coach blows his whistle on the outside, eventually inserting himself into the match and getting a stiff strike for his troubles.

Like with many of Hart’s best matches, the finish comes from a piece of ingenuity. He absorbs leg drops from Perfect before suddenly grabbing a leg, and locking in the Sharpshooter for the win, the belt, and the start of a meteoric rise.