10 Unbelievable WrestleMania Matches That Almost Happened
3. Bret Hart Vs. Steve Austin - WrestleMania XIV
There are many "What if...?" scenarios in wrestling but very few are as intriguing as the possibility of life without the Montreal Screwjob. Had Vince McMahon not opted out of his 20 year deal with Bret Hart, the lay of the land would have been drastically different going into 1998 - including WrestleMania.
WrestleMania XIV was always set to be the coronation of 'Stone Cold' as the WWF's king of the hill; however, chances are his opponent could well have been drastically different. While the specifics have varied over the years as to what could and would have happened, one of the more believable and logical scenarios that has come to light is the prospect of Steve Austin facing Bret Hart for the WWF Championship.
'The Hitman' and 'The Rattlesnake' would have been at odds for almost 18 months by the time WrestleMania XIV rolled around. Had Bret been staying put, it's also likely that he would have defeated HBK at Survivor Series '97 as redemption for his loss at WrestleMania XII.
With 'Stone Cold' representing the revolution of the Attitude Era and the 'The Excellence of Execution' flying the flag for tradition, the ready-made conflict would have presented the perfect scenario for Austin's coronation at WrestleMania.
Nevertheless, Bret's push out the door changed everything. Mike Tyson came aboard and the rest is history.