100 Greatest WWE WrestleMania Moments
32. Bret & Owen Hart’s Brotherly Battle (WrestleMania X)
Brothers fighting brothers, mothers in tears at the thought of it, and someone kicking another man's leg outta his leg. Oh yes, the build up towards Bret vs. Owen Hart at 'Mania X was something else. They'd been tag-team partners, then baby bro Owen claimed Bret was "too damn selfish" to work with. The best heels believe in what they're saying, and it was wholly plausible that an older sibling like the 'Hitman' always thought he knew better than everyone else.
Build is one thing, in-ring action is another. Despite the frost between them, Bret and Owen didn't need to go full on violent brawling mode just yet. They showed off their technical skills during the WrestleMania opener and went down the pure pro wrestling match road instead. It was awesome. Back home, Stu and Helen had to be proud of their boys for doing the family name justice on such a big platform as the WWF's annual showcase. This was Stampede quality wrasslin' with better production.
It's still pointed to as the prototypical high quality curtain jerker by many.
Little touches, like Bret re-injuring the knee that'd given out at Royal Rumble and Owen going after it, added to the show these brothers were putting on for Madison Square Garden. New York's savvy market appreciated what was going on.
The finish, which saw Owen stun Bret with the win, was smart business. It prepped both siblings for more business over the summer once the elder Hart was WWF Champion. Only one other match at 'Mania X came close to Bret vs. Owen, and it needed a gimmick to get there.