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Vince Russo recently revealed how Pat Patterson played a big role in Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart's legendary Iron Man match at WrestleMania 12.
While The Hitman and The Heartbreak Kid have deservedly earned plaudits for their efforts, the late great Pat Patterson was the unsung hero of the match. The first-ever WWE Intercontinental Champion was the one who came up with the idea for the bout. Patterson was also the brainchild behind the match entering Sudden Death rules, where Michaels scored a pinfall to win the WWE Title.
Speaking on Sportskeeda Wrestling's The Wrestling Outlaws, Vince Russo, who was a writer for WWE at the time, looked back at Pat Patterson's contributions to the Iron Man clash. Russo noted that although the WWE Hall of Famer wasn't physically present inside the ring, he was a crucial part of the match.
He also recalled witnessing Patterson, Shawn Michaels, and Bret Hart laying down the 60-minute match's structure from close quarters.
"Bro, Pat (Patterson) was there in the middle of the ring for the whole thing. These guys relied on him so much, bro. It was almost like he was the third man in the match. Bro, the respect they have for that guy, and he was so excited about that match, but really, when you look at the match, the way you guys put it over, it was a three-man match. I saw them all day long," said Vince Russo (6:40 - 7:13)
Check out the full video below:
WWE Legend Bret Hart considers the Iron Man match among his greatest
Not just fans, but Bret Hart himself is aware that he and Shawn Michaels weaved magic inside the squared circle at WrestleMania 12. In a recent interview, The Hitman mentioned the Iron Man bout and his clash with Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13 as two of his greatest matches.
"My favorite match is actually almost a tie. I think it's the Stone Cold [Steve Austin] WrestleMania 13 [match], but I also love the Iron Man Match I had with Shawn Michaels. They're like really close," said Hart
It's safe to say that most fans will agree that Hart's consecutive WrestleMania outings against Michaels and Austin marked the high point of his illustrious career.
What do you make of Pat Patterson's contributions to the Iron Man match at WrestleMania 12? Sound off in the comments section below.
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