Five most ruthless grudge matches in WWE history
What's the story
WWE matches get the desired crowd involvement and reaction only when the storyline, which works as the build-up, is good enough.
And on some occasions, the bitterness of the rivalry is eclipsed by the ruthlessness in the match.
Here are five such WWE matches, where the rivals managed to put on display the hatred they had for each other.
Cena vs Edge
Cena vs Edge at Backlash 2009 was an epic battle
John Cena and Edge's feud is among the best in recent times.
These two superstars took it to an another level when Edge attacked the family of Cena and the latter threw the Rated-R Superstar into a river.
They finally met at Backlash 2009 in a Last Man Standing match, where the two brutalized each other mercilessly and Edge triumphed after Big Show's involvement.
Matt Hardy vs Edge
Matt Hardy and Edge blew the roofs off at Raw
Matt Hardy and Edge's rivalry started when WWE introduced their real-life complexities inside the squared-circle.
Lita had cheated on Hardy with Edge and the rivalry saw a match in SummerSlam 2005, which was nothing compared to their ladder match on October 3, 2005.
With both superstars being veterans of the ladder match, it was a pity the violent encounter was not on pay-per-view.
Austin vs McMahon
Austin and McMahon caused a massacre
A lot has been said about the most epic feud in the history of the WWE- Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Vince McMahon.
They are the two most intense individuals the WWE has ever seen, and neither of them ever backs down from a fight.
They met inside a steel cage on St. Valentine's Day Massacre event when Austin brutalized and bloodied McMahon.
Michaels vs Hart
Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart at Survivor Series 1997
Montreal Screwjob is the most notorious in-ring moment in WWE history, and the feud leading to the match, in the first place, was equally bitter.
Michaels and Hart had always shared bad blood, with Michaels once alleging him to have an affair with diva, Sunny.
McMahon, unsure whether Hart would drop the title, rang the bell and the rest has transcended to wrestling folklore.
Ruthless
Bruno Sammartino vs Larry Zybysko in a different league
When kayfabe was still intact, the audience investment in feuds was much more, and the brightest example from those days is the feud between Bruno Sammartino and Larry Zybysko.
Sammartino was a mentor of Zybysko, whom he forced out of retirement to prove himself the best.
During the feud, the matches were so intense that Zybysko was attacked by fans on numerous occasions.