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Post by stunninggrover on Feb 10, 2018 0:36:49 GMT -5
Bret Hart vs. Randy Savage (WWF Saturday Night's Main Event 13 in Seattle, WA, 11/11/1987 (aired 11/28/1987))
Jim Neidhart and Jimmy Hart were in Bret Hart’s corner. Elizabeth was in Randy Savage’s corner. Bret took a chest-first bump from the apron onto the guardrail. Savage went off the top rope to the outside, but Bret hit Savage with Jimmy Hart’s megaphone. This was arguably Bret’s first great WWF singles match (Bret had a very good singles match vs. Dynamite Kid in September 1985 that is also noteworthy though). Great selling by Savage. He sold his leg very well (even after the match) and Bret was working over Savage’s leg. The crowd was into it. Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura on commentary also did a great job putting over everything in this match. Savage won the match with a surprise small package (which is a bit ironic because that’s how Bret would eventually win many matches). |
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Post by microstatistics on Mar 16, 2018 17:27:42 GMT -5
This is famous for Savage's leg selling, which is understandable but this is a fantastic match even without that. Terrific Bret performance, great drama + emotion + heel-face dynamic. Second.
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Post by superstarsleeze on Jul 22, 2018 21:34:46 GMT -5
I'll third this even though I wont probably vote for it. Savage's leg selling is other-worldly in this match.
Randy "Macho Man" Savage vs Bret "Hitman" Hart - SNME 11/87
Unless I am forgetting some Rockers match, this is definitely my pick for best match in SNME history (Rockers/Busters match is close). Make no mistake about it, this is the Randy Savage show and one of the few times in his whole WWF career where Bret takes a backseat to someone in a match. As much as we can debate whether this is Bret's coming out party, this is definitively Savage's coming out party as the number two babyface in the company. Thus it is only logical that Savage is the star of the match, but that being said, there are very few heels at this point in time in the promotion that could have delivered the same performance as Bret did in this match. I think that is really when a match transcends into something special is when both wrestlers are crucial to the success of the match in such a way no other wrestler could take their place. To state in the converse fashion, neither wrestler feels like a generic, warm body to partake in the routine of someone else's match.
Savage is not a fan of extended segmenting in his matches especially he likes short babyface shines when he is a babyface. What I like about this is that adds a sense of struggle in a way that most WWF matches lack. Bret is almost getting in "heel hope spots" during the shine just to spice things up. They establish Macho Man will have plenty of extracurriculars to concern himself early especially how the Honky Tonk Man and the Harts treated Elizabeth on the last SNME. This is also the first instance of the rather proliferate Bret bump off the apron onto the guardrail that I have noticed.
One thing I love in my wrestling is urgency. Has there ever been a more urgent North American wrestler than Savage? I loved how he kicked Bret on the telegraphed back drop. He seemed so out of control. Savage crashes and burns on his double axe-handle to the guardrail. Bret delivers a piledriver that would make Bob Backlund proud before ramming his shoulder back into his post. Savage does a mini-control segment before being back dropped over the top rope and onto the floor. That was a crazy high bump. Thus begins Savage's Emmy campaign. If you have force me, I would say I prefer Savage' knee selling over Toshiaki Kawada's by a hair. Savage is just so excellent on fighting on one leg. Elizabeth helping Savage take off his boot is such a nice touch. Bret is in his element working over the leg and does a fantastic job. I don't think there was anyone on the WWF roster that could have pulled that role off and I don't think anyone could have sold as well as Savage. It was just a perfect confluence. They work this to such a fever pitch that crowd pops huge for Savage's desperation inside cradle off a bodyslam attempt to win.
An excellent match that illustrates how the WWF style had the potential to deliver powerful stories even if they didn't always. I loved this match and I think it is a harbinger of Bret's future and a testament to what Savage could be as a babyface. Perfect TV match. ****1/4
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Post by dkuchler31096 on Jan 25, 2022 14:23:08 GMT -5
This match is silly to me. The performances are good but I feel it's an overbooked mess
If commentary sold Hart as a dastardly heel with no or limited skill this would have worked better. That one nugget about bret being technically as good as Savage and I get trying to sell the strengths of the performer but at the same time know the character. This was not bad but not good either
Am I the only one feeling this way
This would have been better in 1992 rather than in 1988. You could tell Vince had little to no faith that Bret could sustain attention with his style of wrestling. So he booked it like Bret had no ability. I have no qualms with the performances, the way it's booked took me out of it so much
The selling is fantastic here especially by Savage who makes you think his ankle is broken.
**3/4
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Post by elliott on Sept 6, 2023 22:27:49 GMT -5
Nah, this is great.
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