Somewhere between Hulkamania running rampant in the early years of Wrestlemania and Stone Cold Steve Austin leading the Attitude Era to unseen heights, WWEof New Generation is in a kind of pro wrestling limbo. Mocked by external sources and even belittled by the company itself when telling the story of the Monday Night Wars, it’s important to remember that it wasn’t all The Goon and King Mable. Some of the The greatest fighters of the 90s presented underrated classics throughout this eramatches that challenge the tarnished reputation of the much-maligned era.
As you would expect, this list is dominated by Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, but that’s bound to happen when you have two of the greatest artists of all time both performing classics with everyone they’ve worked with while working at their peak. What’s a little more surprising are some of the all-star matches that took place and ignored contests that add a vital layer of context to the overall 90s wrestling narrative.
10
Bret Hart vs the British Bulldog
In your house 5, December 17, 1995
Always in the conversation for the best SummerSlam Main Event of all time and also the best Intercontinental Championship match, Bret Hart vs ‘The British Bulldog’ Davey Boy Smith at Wembley Stadium in 1992 has earned its historic place in wrestling folklore. What is less known is that these two had another absolute banger in late 1995 for the WWE Championship in In Your House 5: Season Beatings. It’s an impressive match that some consider technically better than the SummerSlam classic.
The British Bulldog was working at the time, assisted by Jim Cornette. As Hart has revealed in recent years, Davey Boy was highly intoxicated for the 1992 match, but Bulldog and Hart have a much more energetic and intense exchange here. Hart is surprised by a Bulldog corner, but is able to win with an incredible technical pinfall. This may not have the prestige of Wembley Stadium, but this Hershey, PA war is vital.
9
Steve Austin x Vader
Monday Night Raw, December 16, 1996
1996 was a big year in Steve Austin’s career. It was the year he made his debut as The Ringmaster, he then found his way into the Stone Cold character that would define his legacy, and won King Of The Ring in June. As the year came to an end, and four months before their WrestleMania performance, Steve Austin and Bret Hart would begin a rivalry worthy of the Hall of Fame for the ages. With the Royal Rumble approaching and a number of potential contenders for The Hitman’s WWE Championship, Steve Austin went to war with Vader to prove himself to Bret Hartwho is participating in the comments.
As you’d expect from two of the toughest fighters of the ’90s, Vader vs. Stone Cold is a violent masterpiece from the vault. It’s not a PPV and there aren’t huge stakes, but this is a generational match that feels like something out of a video game. The fight outside and in the ring is as much a brawl as it is a contest, as Bret Hart becomes more agitated as the fight progresses.
The end of the match is an absolute free-for-all as Bret Hart ends the match by putting Austin in the Sharpshooter on the outside. Angry at having lost the match via disqualification, Vader and Hart clash before the referees intervene. A fascinating look at how Hart and Austin began to work magic through one of the best monsters of all time.
8
Shawn Michaels x Razor Ramon
Monday Night Raw, August 1, 1994
It’s amazing that people look down on this entire era when matches like this exist on a random episode of Monday Night Raw. Coming sandwiched between their legendary ladder matches at WrestleMania 10 and SummerSlam 1995this is a thrilling clinic that shows these two didn’t need any stipulations to make magic in the ring together. The match is also not for the title. It’s just a question of beef and a battle for supremacy.
The match took place just a few months after Diesel won the Intercontinental Championship from Razor, with Michaels and his friend bringing more pain to Razor in this match. After a back-and-forth match fueled by an intense feeling of desperation, the referee missed Diesel’s big boot, allowing Michaels to win with a sneaky throw. The post-game defeat and the cowardly victory are a great example of the relationship between Michaels and Kevin Nash before leaving for WCW.
7
Owen Hart vs. Shawn Michaels
In your house 6, February 18, 1996
Everyone knows the iconic WrestleMania Iron Man Match between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart. What is often forgotten is the match that paved the way for that classic to happen. Just two months before Showcase of the Immortals, the number one contender’s match between Shawn Michaels and Owen Hart to face Bret Hart at WrestleMania 12 for the WWE Championship is a big part of that story.
Shawn Michaels is at his babyface best here, working the crowd as much as he is his opponent. Owen Hart’s hard-hitting, technical style was the perfect foil for him at that moment. There is a lot of mat-based wrestling and it may be the weaker side of the grandstand superkick finals, but Shawn Michaels’ victory here created one of the most legendary moments in WrestleMania history.
6
Steve Austin x Sávio Vega
King Of The Ring, Quarterfinals, Monday Night Raw, June 17, 1996
90s Puerto Rican superstar Savio Vega was Steve Austin’s only WrestleMania match while he was still in the Ring Master gimmick. Fast forward to July of the same year, Steve Austin was finding his feet with his new Stone Cold character and on his way to the 1996 King Of The Ring, where he would deliver his famous 3:16 promo. Savio Vega and Austin would face each other in the quarterfinals of the tournament in a fight that altered the wrestling landscape forever.
After a barbaric match that was largely focused on pain and throwing bombs at each other Stone Cold won this match using The Stunner for the first time. The move did not have a knee to the stomach before the move and did not have the devastating visual effect that would come to define the move, but this is the first time that Steve would win with his signature submission maneuver. The rest is history.
5
Bret Hart and Owen Hart vs. The Steiners
Wrestling Challenge, January 11, 1994
It’s a match that seems to have been lost to the sliding doors of time, but on the way to the 1994 Royal Rumble, these two teams of brothers met for the only time on a random episode of Wrestling Challenge. Owen Hart and Bret Hart were on track for a title shot at the next PPV, while the Steiners were three months away from leaving WWE to return to WCW. This match has only happened once, but it’s only as good as its earnings.
Bret and Owen Hart are no longer known for their tag team prowess, which makes this match feel like even more of a dream match. The work inside the ring exceeds all expectations and is PPV-worthy in its qualityand even an unsatisfactory double DQ/count finish does not detract from the quality displayed. Bret and Owen Hart teamed up until they lost to the Quebecers at the Royal Rumble a few weeks later, after which Owen would turn on Bret.
4
Shawn Michaels vs. Marty Jannetty
Monday Night Raw, July 1, 1996
Since this list chronicles things that are considered terrible but hides some classic moments, this match takes place during Marty Jannetty’s run with Leif Cassidy on The New Rockers. It was obviously a pale comparison to his original run with Shawn Michaels, the neon colors and tights were out of step with the times and this was at a time when the NWO was running rampant in WCW. The disparity in their life trajectories made Jannetty seem to legitimately have something to provethe jilted former partner taking out his resentment on the WWE Champion.
What’s particularly interesting about this match is how it portrays Marty as something of a loser in this situation, bitter that he can’t live in Shawn Michaels’ shadow. He’s not a sympathetic figure, instead it’s just WWE pointedly stating the difference between their talents, but the believable streak of the hatred and animosity between the two ex-partners resulted in a big match.
3
Bret Hart x Hakushi
Monday Night Raw, July 24, 1994
Furthering his reputation as one of WWE’s best workhorses, Bret Hart would take part in two matches at the inaugural In Your House event. His match with Jerry Lawler may have gotten top billing that night, but it was Bret Hart’s match against undefeated Japanese star Hakushi that stood the test of time. Two months later, The Hitman and Hakushi would create a wrestling showcase on many connoisseurs’ list of favorite fights.
Hakushi came from Michinoku Wrestling and is one of the most underrated talents of this era. Bret Hart’s technical ability in this period of his career was so great that he often carried matches. Hakushi was one of the few wrestlers who managed to keep up with the Canadian Wrestling God and this fight is a classic for those who like technically perfect professional wrestling.
2
Jeff Jarrett vs. Shawn Michaels
In your house 2, July 25, 1995
The Intercontinental Championship grew its reputation during the Golden Age of Wrestling, but the New Generation had a natural fit to continue that superstar-heavy division in Double J, Jeff Jarrett. Before the guitar tenure that would define him for a generation, Jarrett was a flamboyant cavalcade of top hats, straps and flashy rings that made him someone fans loved to hate. Jeff Jarrett was just like Shawn Michaels in every way hereon a night that produced a legitimate classic.
Full of gravity-defying reversals and thrilling spots, this match is probably the best fight of Jeff Jarrett’s career in the ring. Double J is in spectacular form, raising the bar in a way that Michaels is happy to raise. This isn’t just one of the best matches of this season, it’s one of the best Intercontinental Championship matches of all time.
1
Bret Hart vs 1-2-3 Kid
Monday Night Raw, July 11, 1994
It’s a match that is loved by fans all over the world and chances are it’s one of your favorite fighter’s favorite fights. Both men were hot babyfaces at the time, with Bret Hart touring the United States as WWE Champion and Sean Waltman’s 1-2-3 Kid riding the crest of a wave early in his in-ring career. It’s one of the first classic matches on Monday Night Raw and it will never get old.
From the opening handshake and Bret Hart’s iconic look of surprise after Waltman gets the upper hand in their opening match, this is professional wrestling at its height.
The exchanges are crisp and the counters are clever in their creativity and delivery, with The Excellence Of Execution clearly impressed by the young man and feeling the moment and the warm reaction of the crowd. Bret kept the Sharpshooter, but Hart neglected his title and raised his hand to help 1-2-3 Kid to his feet and lead the applause for the battle-worn contender. It remains one of the best matches in Raw history 30 years later.