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When taking a look at the history of wrestling and how it has developed over the years, it is impossible to miss out on the contribution of Bret 'The Hitman' Hart. His contribution to WWE is unforgettable and although his wrestling career in the company ended on an unfortunate note, his role in the annals of WWE history cannot be forgotten.
Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame alongside his long-time partner in the Hart Foundation, the late Jim 'The Anvil' Neidhart in 2019, Bret Hart has been recognised for changing the way wrestling is looked at in the modern day.
It might be fair to say, that (ironically) alongside Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart showcased that wrestlers don't need to be muscled behemoths all looking to be the strongest in the world. In fact, without him, 'smaller' wrestlers in the main event scene might have taken more time to be accepted.
Daniel Bryan, AJ Styles, Ricochet, and almost every other modern wrestler grew up watching Bret Hart deliver regularly in the ring while being considerably smaller in the size than his opponents. Nevertheless, it was not something that he allowed to affect his matches, which were some of the best in the history of the company.
Bret Hart recently had his birthday, with several WWE Superstars wishing him on his special day.
In this article, we will be taking a look at 5 unforgettable WWE matches of Bret 'The Hitman' Hart. These matches are significant, either because of the impact that they had on WWE as a whole or for the inspirational showcase the two wrestlers displayed.
#5 Bret Hart vs British Bulldog - SummerSlam 1992
SummerSlam 1992 is one of the most significant pay-per-views in the history of WWE. The first major WWE PPV that took place outside North America, SummerSlam 1992 found its home at Wembley Stadium in London, England.
At SummerSlam 1992, Bret Hart found himself facing his real-life brother-in-law, 'The British Bulldog' Davey Boy Smith. In the lead-up to the match, The Hart Family was 'torn apart' as Diana, Hart's sister and Bulldog's wife did not know whom she wanted to win.
The match was the main event for the night, and Bret Hart faced Briitish Bulldog for the Intercontinental Championship. Going into the match, Hart was the Champion and the heel, while the British Bulldog was still seeking to make his name.
It was with this match that the British Bulldog was first discovered and taken notice of in WWE. He won the match to the utter delight of the London crowd, as the uproarious support and applause for him could not have been imagined when he got the roll-up pin over Bret Hart at the end of a technical masterpiece.
#4 Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels - WrestleMania XII
The main attraction of WrestleMania XII was the main event between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. The two faced each other in an unprecedented 1-hour Iron Man Match, where the winner would be the one with the most falls at the end of the hour.
Shawn Michaels had encountered several obstacles to getting the WWE World Heavyweight Championship (then known as WWF). He had failed to defeat Diesel at the previous WrestleMania, suffered a storyline concussion at the hands of Owens Hart, had been betrayed by his friend, Diesel, and had even had to forfeit his Intercontinental Championship at In Your House 4 to Dean Douglas.
This match meant everything to him. He even had a special entrance for the occasion, something that is iconic to this day!
Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels put on a classic match did not have a single boring moment through the 1 hour, despite neither man being able to get a single fall.
The match went into Sudden Death, and there Shawn Michaels was finally able to defeat Bret Hart and fulfill his 'boyhood dream' of winning the Championship, making for an unforgettable moment in WWE history.
#3 Bret Hart vs Owen Hart - SummerSlam 1994
Bret Hart faced Owen Hart as WWE SummerSlam 1994. In an encounter with his own brother in the ring, the chemistry between the two could not have been missed by anyone.
The two faced each other in a Steel Cage match and Bret Hart later admitted that this was the favorite match against Owen Hart in his career. The hate and envy that accompanies a sibling relationship were felt through each minute of the match. They battled for over half an hour, exciting the audience.
It was not a brutal match, instead, a showcase in technical mastery.
The most memorable moment remains the Suplex from the top of the steel cage. It was a hard-fought match between the two brothers, and Bret Hart won, leaving SummerSlam 1994 with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in triumph.
#2 Bret Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin - WrestleMania XIII
Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin faced each other in a match that can be described as possibly the most significant in WWE history. Without this match, perhaps, it would have been impossible to craft the career of the person who managed to swing the course of the Monday Night Wars and truly usher in the Attitude Era.
Stone Cold was the heel going into this match against Bret Hart, while Bret Hart was the face.
Somewhere during the course of the match, things changed. After an immense match, Austin was busted open by Hart. Towards the end, Hart locked in his Sharpshooter on Steve Austin, but the Texas Rattlesnake refused to admit defeat and submit. Instead, he fainted from the pain and the loss of blood. The sight of Austin screaming in agony with blood pouring down his face is one of the most iconic scenes in WWE history.
The referee called the match as Austin was not able to continue, but Hart refused to stop. He attacked Austin, which was the signal that the WWE Universe had been waiting for. There was a double turn, as Hart turned heel and Austin turned face. The special guest referee, Ken Shamrock threw Hart off Austin. Hart, refusing to fight Shamrock, left to a chorus of boos.
It was this turn that helped Austin to become the wrestler that he did, eventually leaving the ring while the audience chanted his name.
Bret Hart had numerous other unforgettable matches, earning himself the name, 'The best there was, the best there is, and the best there ever will be'. Can you think of some other matches? Please sound off in the comments below!
ALSO READ: Bret Hart and the Curse of the Hart Foundation
#1 Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels - Survivor Series 1997 (The Montreal Screwjob)
Possibly the most infamous moments in WWE history, The Montreal Screwjob, saw Bret Hart face Shawn Michaels at Survivor Series 1997.
Bret Hart was about to leave WWE, with his contract expiring after the pay-per-view. Vince McMahon had asked him to drop the WWE Championship to Shawn Michaels, something that Hart had refused to do. He had instead, suggested that he forfeit the title the next day on RAW.
Hart was leaving for WCW, and to Vince McMahon, allowing him to leave with the Championship was unimaginable.
Thus, he pulled off one of the most fiendish schemes of all time which saw the creation of the character, Mr McMahon. When Shawn Michaels locked in the Sharpshooter on Bret Hart, Mr McMahon instructed the referee to ring the bell, despite Hart not having tapped yet.
The referee complied and Shawn Michaels was announced as the winner of the match. The Montreal crowd exploded and Hart was furious, realising what had happened. He spat on Vince McMahon, and according to rumours punched him, knocking him down in the backstage area, behind closed doors.
This was something that was talked about in the wrestling community for years and attracted a lot of hate towards Vince McMahon.
Since then, however, the two have put aside their differences.
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