20 Things You Didn't Know About WrestleMania (1985-1994)

2. WrestleMania X - Bret Hart Vs. Bruce Hart Is What Company Wanted

While Vince McMahon had a difficult time moving beyondHulk Hogan as his top star, by WrestleMania X, Vince was forced to shift gears as Hogan would be gone from the company for good by mid-'93. Vince's first new toy was the Hitman as he began carrying the banner for the WWF in late '92. While WrestleMania X is known for many exciting moments, including Bret defeating Yokozuna in the main event, the opening contest set up the big feud for the Summer of 1994. The brother vs. brother, Bret vs. Owen storyline began back at the 1993 Survivor Series and was originally meant to include Bruce Hart, not Owen. The WrestleMania X classic of Bret vs. Owen almost never happened, and the entire foundation of the Hart family feud almost had a completely different look (pun not intended). Owen had not been used very effectively since his return to the company in late 1991 and was thinking of retiring to become a firefighter as 1993 started to wind down. But Bret was able to convince the office that if they wanted Bret's blessing on the booking of a family feud angle, they would need to give Owen the opportunity opposite Bret. That's exactly what the company did and the rest, as they say, is history.