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#2 Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig (C) vs. Bret "The Hitman" Hart
The Time: August 26, 1991
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The Place: SummerSlam 1991
The Angle: In 1991, angles were built differently. The main thrust of the story was that Bret Hart and Curt Hennig were both claiming to be the best technical wrestler in the world, with Bret viewed as an underdog.
This was the start of Bret's main event build up, and most of the time that journey starts with an Intercontinental championship reign. Mr. Perfect was the perfect 'gatekeeper' for Hart to defeat and continue his climb to the top.
Why it's considered to be great: Simply put, this match is a masterwork of technical wrestling with plenty of drama thrown in for good measure. At one point, a frustrated Mr. Perfect tried to run away from the ring (because he couldn't lose the title on a count out) but Bret Hart dragged him back so fiercely that Perfect's singlet was torn.
Hart and Hennig were at the top of their game here, in their respective primes and it shows in this cornerstone of IC title history.
