10 Best Stone Cold Steve Austin Matches Ever
6. Vs. Bret Hart (Survivor Series 1996)
Austin's 1996 was shaping up to be a banner year, having made his King of the Ring victory special through his intense "3:16" speech. In the months following that moment, however, it seemed that Austin was left to his own devices to further his star. Fortunately, a returning Bret Hart saw Austin's potential, and hand-selected him to work with in his comeback bout at Madison Square Garden.
Hart hadn't missed a beat, as he and Austin crafted something bordering on perfection. Though there were moments of lawless fighting outside the ring, the match was much more technically sound than one might expect of a Hart-Austin showdown (the real animosity would come later).
Hart could only win in his return, and the manner in which he did also made Austin look strong - a clever sleeperhold reversal that used Austin's well-employed aggression against him. It was Austin's best match to date, but it wouldn't sit atop his list for long.