Title matches have a history of being decided in weird and unique ways, with wrestlers winning through pinfall, submission, countouts, escaping cages, climbing ladders and so on, but the outcome have pretty much always been in the hands of the competitors in the match. It's up to whoever competes when they want to quit, make a pinfall etc., but on a rare occasion, the results of the match depend on the contestants' friends and family. Following Bob Backlund's change from loveable veteran to psychotic villain, he was given an opportunity at Bret Hart's WWE Championship. The two faced off in a submission match, with the added twist of 'Throwing in the Towel', meaning that neither Bret & Bob could submit to end the contest. That decision was given to whoever was in their respective corner, who would have to throw a towel into the ring when they felt they'd had enough. Bret had brother-in-law British Bulldog in his corner, while Owen Hart was in Backlund's. As the match reached the end, Backlund had Bret in the Crossface Chickenwing for several minutes. Bulldog somehow managed to knock himself out on the steel steps chasing Owen around ringside, so had his towel throwing privileges removed. With Owen being the dastardly brother he is, he handed the towel to his mother Helen, who upon seeing her son Bret in pain, threw the towel in to give Backlund the title. Backlund won a title without even making the Champion personally submit, and won entirely because his opponent's mother had seen enough, in one of the strangest title victories there's ever been.
