The last time I watched this I thought it was a top 20 WWE match ever. That was over a decade ago and many a match has happened since then, but it still feels right up there as one of the very best in company history. It's also one of my all time favourite Bret Hart performances. He was fucking tremendous in this and about as surly as I've ever seen him without outright heeling it up. Actually, Bret as babyface ace operating with shades of grey is maybe my favourite Bret in general. Kid takes him over at the start with an armdrag and Bret flashes this great look of "I guess he's more than just somersaults then." His European uppercuts were outrageous, cutting across Kid's jaw and cheek with just enough restraint that it wouldn't be considered taking liberties, and he hit one falling elbow to the back of the head that could've blinded Waltman. That those first uppercuts came in response to Waltman's early gambits made them even better -- it was Bret asserting the control that made him champion, but there was maybe some frustration laced through it, the sort of thing you'd see Tenryu do to a Koki Kitahara. The Kitahara comparison also works in that Kid about took Bret's head off more than once, especially with the spin kick that sent him over the ropes. Bret's control segment leading to the foot on the the ropes finish is good stuff, a nice Chapter 2 to the Chapter 1 of Kid catching him off guard early on. It was mostly standard fare, but Bret will make a basic chinlock look like an ordeal and he was cranking the hell out of this thing. Everything after the restart is next level and about as good as any stretch of 10 minutes in 90s WWF. Kid was throwing the kitchen sink at Hart, trying to give him brain damage with wheel kicks and running dropkicks, taking progressively bigger risks culminating with the senton to the floor. He even hit a powerbomb! Then he crashes and burns on a top rope senton, going to that particular well once too often, so Bret crosses the wee lad's eyes with a forearm shiver that topped everything else he'd thrown. When Kid tried the missile dropkick you knew Bret had it scouted and sure enough there was no getting out of the Sharpshooter. I 100% bought Savage giving them the standing ovation unprompted at the end. Really just a great face v face match, maybe the closest thing WWF had in the era to an NWA champ being run close by a young challenger.
Owen Hart v 123 Kid (RAW, 8/15/94)
Give me Kid v all of the Harts! Did we ever get the 123 Kid v Bruce Hart? X-Pac v Stu??? This was paced like some high-end joshi and Waltman as give-no-fucks Manami Toyota is the perfect role for him. He was flying everywhere like a skinny daredevil lunatic, complete disregard for his own wellbeing, like Icarus without fear of the sun. Even Sasha Banks would scoff at some of this, fer cripes! He starts quick out the gate by catching an onrushing Owen with a wheel kick, then Owen absolutely FLIES into the post off a missed shoulder tackle. Owen can't get a hold of Kid because the wee fella is too slippery. They work around a headlock for a minute or two and do a bridge up sequence, but Owen puts his own spin on it by nipping up out of the bridge while Kid's entire weight is on Owen's chest, which is honestly one of the most impressive bits of sheer explosiveness I've seen in a match maybe ever. I know there's a cooperation aspect from Kid and it's not Owen working against pure dead weight but the athleticism to do that is absurd. They do a mid-match indy parity spot and Owen raises his arms in celebration so Kid dropkicks him in the face and hits a wild plancha. Owen about murders Kid with a supelex from inside the ring to the floor and what the fuck is this match??? Owen working the Kid's back is really good stuff and I liked him hitting a revenge plancha of his own, adding a nasty touch afterwards by slapping Kid across the face. Owen missing the top rope kneedrop looked like it would've hurt like a bastard so Kid beelines to the knee with the half crab. Dogshit finish but I guess a DQ was the right way to go all things considered. These two are a great pairing.
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