10 Legendary WWE Feuds That Never Had A Payoff
5. Owen Hart Vs. Shawn Michaels (1997)
Unlike The Anvil, Owen definitely had a number of blowoff matches with Bret on WWE television. While Owen was given the chance to settle his rivalry with Bret, he was deprived of settling the score with his brother Bret's rival, Shawn Michaels, following the Montreal Screwjob in late 1997.
Having settled their previous differences and now aligned, Owen and Bret along with Davey Boy, Brian Pillman, and Jim Neidhart comprised the Hart Foundation faction in 1997. So the storyline went that when Bret was screwed at the Survivor Series, Owen wanted revenge on HBK and, after a brief hiatus following Montreal, Owen returned to attack the WWE Champion at In Your House: DeGeneration X.
The stage seemed set for the next and final chapter in the long Owen/Shawn saga that could be traced back to 1993, but the payoff never came.
Instead, it is believed that Vince McMahon wanted to elevate Hunter Hearst Helmsley and chose Owen Hart to do so.
Shortly after the December PPV, Owen's focus shifted from Shawn to Hunter. Though Owen did receive a WWE Title match against The Showstopper on the December 29th RAW, the match ended in a DQ when Triple H cracked Owen over the head with a crutch while Owen had Shawn in the Sharpshooter.
Owen never settled his score with Shawn and was off and running with Hunter, whom he'd eventually lose the feud to and turn back heel, joining the New Nation.