The History Of WWE's New Generation Era In 10 Matches

3. Shawn Michaels Vs. Bret Hart (WrestleMania XII)

The apex of focus on actual wrestling during the 'New Generation' era came at WrestleMania XII. Build towards a promised showdown between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels over the WWF Title felt different, as the WWF concentrated on presenting the athletic ability and determination of each man, rather than any smoke and mirrors.

Billed as an 'Iron Man Match', Hart and Michaels would wrestle for one full hour, with the man gaining the most decisions in that time period being dubbed the victor. Opinions on the 'Mania XII match are routinely split, with some feeling it's a classic and others bemoaning the lack of pinfalls or submissions during the first 60 minutes.

Just as they had at the 1992 Survivor Series though, Hart and Michaels proved they were a good fit for one another inside the ring. Their careers had run in parallel, quickly emerging as the two clear workhorses Vince McMahon could rely on to always deliver that killer match.

Like it or not, the Iron Man battle from WrestleMania XII is one of the most important bouts in WWF/WWE folklore.