5 most underrated WrestleMania matches of all time

#2 "Rowdy" Roddy Piper vs. Bret "The Hitman" Hart - WrestleMania VIII

Bret The Hitman Hart challenger Rowdy Roddy Piper for the WWE Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 8

At WrestleMania VIII, Rowdy Roddy Piper defended the WWE Intercontinental Championship against Bret "The Hitman" Hart in a criminally underrated match.

Roddy Piper vs Bret Hart at Wrestlemania 8 is everything that’s amazing about professional wrestling. Technical wrestling, brawling and superb storytelling. What a finish too. pic.twitter.com/FixhGUA0Fh

— Buddy Gall 社会主義者 (@TheGallatron) March 26, 2021

Piper was a WWE legend, and Hart was on the verge of superstardom. The match was vitally important in the Hitman's career as it solidified his status as a singles competitor already at the main event level.

Piper was notoriously averse to doing "jobs" but trusted Hart's potential and put him over in the most significant way possible on wrestling's grandest stage.

The match itself was jam-packed with emotion and back and forth action. Hart applied his superior technical skills, while Piper fired back with his unpredictable brawling style.

Things got heated when Piper's heel tendencies began to shine through, and he stood above a bloodied Hart with the ring bell in hand. However, Piper saw the light and threw the ball away, allowing the match to continue.

The excellent showcase of competitiveness came to its conclusion when Piper locked in the sleeper hold. Hart used his in-ring prowess to launch himself off the turnbuckle and flip Piper over into a pinning predicament for the hard-fought victory.

Great match.great story and an even greater amount of respect after the bell between two men who laid it all on the line for the WWF Intercontinental Championship.Bret Hart vs Rowdy Roddy Piper at WrestleMania VIII:one of those matches I always enjoy going back and watching pic.twitter.com/XlRR1un47T

— Rasslin' History 101 (@WrestlingIsKing) June 28, 2019

After the match, the two friends embraced and left together in the ultimate show of respect. It was a true passing of the torch moment from a former WrestleMania main-eventer to a future headliner.