10 Reasons Why 1997 Was WWE's Most Important Year Ever

3. Hart Vs. Austin At WrestleMania 13 Changed The Business

Every year that WrestleMania comes around, fans always have discussions about what the greatest WrestleMania match of all time is. You might discuss it with your buddies. You can find lists all over the internet. Everybody has an opinion because we all remember WrestleMania matches more than any other matches in WWE history. For the most part, two matches are remembered the best: The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania and the Submission Match between Bret Hart and Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13 with Ken Shamrock as the referee. Is it the most important match in WWE history? It just might be. The reason it has to be considered for that honor is because the angle they did during the match was just as important as the epic five star matchup they had. As a match, it stands on its own as one of the best ever. They had a wild brawl that didn't slow down at all. They brawled into the stands, they used weapon, Austin bled as much as anybody in any match ever and he refused to quit. He passed out from the pain and he lost the match, but he did so as a fighter. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x13mkie_stone-cold-vs-bret-hart-wrestlemania-13_sport As an angle, they did the greatest double turn ever. Hart walked into the match with an attitude as somebody that wasn't too happy with management. He was still respected, though. After he beat Austin, he was booed because he kept on attacking him after the match. It wasn't the behavior of a hero. He became a hated man. Austin didn't seek the adulation of the fans. It happened in a natural way. It's not like he was cutting promos sucking up to the fans by mentioning the name of the city they were in. He acted like a heel, but he got cheered. Fans gave him a standing ovation as he walked away a loser. That doesn't happen often because we don't like cheering losers. He earned the respect, though. The veteran hero was booed. The guy that acted like a jerk was cheered. The business was never the same again.