25 Greatest WWE WrestleMania Matches Ever

by Justin Henry

1. Bret Hart Vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin (WrestleMania 13)

WWE

Not only were Hart and Austin expected to steal a lackluster WrestleMania 13 on the weight of their work, but they were being depended on to carry out a double-turn, not only with overt action, but with little subtleties as well. Hart was embracing the dark side during and after the submission match, while Austin would get a babyface push that would equate to the rebellious spirit of where American media was in 1997.

As a match, there may be none better in WWE's history, not just WrestleMania's. It's not spammed finishers or preciously-convoluted spots. It's simply two men trying to beat a submission out of each other - real life friends that could convince any doubter that they hated each other's guts. The iconic image of Austin bleeding from his left temple inside of Hart's Sharpshooter is indelible, just as much so as his limp to the locker room under the stirring cheers of 18,000 in Chicago.

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Contributor

Justin has been a wrestling fan since 1989, and has been writing about it since 2009. Since 2014, Justin has been a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine. Justin also writes for History of Wrestling, and is a contributing author to James Dixon's Titan series.