Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin. WWF WrestleMania 13, 25 years today.

[The Natural]

I don't often create threads dedicated to a match but must for this.

We start with the entrances. The camera zooms in to the Austin 3:16 glass panel in the entrance stage which breaks as Steve Austin makes his way to the ring. Our first glance of Bret Hart is his foot as he steps over the broken glass as he enters.

The fist fight opening inside the ring and through the stands felt real, had intensity to it. Inside the ring Austin bends his head and Bret makes him pay with one of the nastiest neckbreakers you'll see. Bret Hart goes to work on Steve Austin's knee with the knee brace. Bret puts Austin's knee on the ropes to squat down his weight on but he moves. Austin gives Bret a Stone Cold Stunner, his biggest offensive weapon to be used defensively to stop Bret but Bret recovers while still selling the SCS.

Bret Hart's viciousness wanting to Pillmanize Steve Austin's ankle in the steel chair from the top rope but Austin gets up to crack Hart across his spine. The subtle blade job, you rarely see bleeding in the WWF then and the violence too with the steel chairs and ring bells. Austin ragdolling Bret into the turnbuckle stomping a mudhole in him while Austin does his signature head taunt.

The finish, that fucking finish. The Sharpshooter is so protected, when applied it's over. Steve Austin so stubborn not to submit per the stipulation of the match starts pressing up with blood pouring down his face, knocking Bret off his feet but he still has the hold on. Austin passes out from the pain and the blood loss. Got goosebumps typing this finish out.

The post match, Bret starts kicking Austin's leg out of his leg to a defenceless Austin. Special guest referee Ken Shamrock waistlocks Bret off Austin. Shamrock wants some of Bret but Bret backs off and leaves to boos while Austin Stone Cold Stunners Mike Chioda and limps out to cheers. The double turn complete.

What the match led to. Bret Hart reuniting the Hart Foundation after years of fighting against each other: Bret vs. Owen, Bret vs. Bulldog and Owen vs. Bulldog. USA vs. Canada and the rest of the world. Bret was booed in the former and loved in the latter. Steve Austin set on the path as one of the biggest stars and draws in wrestling history carrying on his feud with the aforementioned Hart Foundation, to getting his neck broken versus Owen Hart at SummerSlam 1997 and becoming The Man in 1998 winning the WWF Championship at WrestleMania XIV.

As noted at the beginning it's rare I do a thread on a match but have to here. A five star match. To me, this is the 1997 Match of the Year and what a year it was but more. It's not only the best match in WrestleMania history, it's the best match in the history of WWE. Furthermore it's the greatest match in wrestling history, the sport we all love. Thank you, Bret Hart. Thank you, Steve Austin and thank you for reading. Paul.

Edited March 23, 2022 by The Natural

[The Natural]

NSFW:

Spoiler

 

[The Natural]

 

[The Natural]

THAT entrance.

[The Natural]

This.

Edited April 5, 2022 by The Natural

[southofheavy]

For my money, it's the best Wrestlemania match of all time. 

 

[zendragon]

I've always felt in ring Steve's best era was post Austin 3:16 pre neck injury