Bret Hart and Steve Austin had been feuding with each other since Survivor Series in November of 1996 and as the new year approached, their vendetta was intensifying with every passing week. Austin cost Hart the WWE Championship on numerous occasions while The Hitman showed new sides of himself by unleashing furious vengeance on the Texas Rattlesnake. With little other option available other than allowing the two to beat each other into submission, a special gimmick match touting that stipulation was booked for WrestleMania 13. In front of a rabid Chicago audience, Austin and Hart beat the unholy hell out of each other, the latter bloodying his rival in one of the most appalling scenes in the history of the Showcase of the Immortals. Trapping Stone Cold in the Sharpshooter, Hart wrenched back on the hold, forcing Austin to scream in agony, blood running down his face in one of the most enduring images of the 1990s. In that moment, fan support shifted permanently from Hart to the resilient Austin, who succumbed to the pain and passed out without ever quitting. The fans grew to respect and adore the toughest S.O.B. in professional wrestling while growing disenfranchised by the whining and complaining of the once-proud hero Hart. It made for a tremendously vocal environment and one of WWE's most guttural and emotional matches.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.