From Tag Team To Top Guy: Bret Hart's Ascension To The WrestleMania Main Event

As the then-WWF looked to move away from the juiced-up larger-than-life presence of the Hulk Hogans and Ultimate Warriors amidst steroid scandals, Bret Hart helped to usher in an age of main event talents who were 'smaller' than the traditional norm of Vince McMahon's promotion. Likewise, the Hitman helped usher in an age of main event talents who were far, far superior in-ring workers than the likes of the Hulkster and the Ultimate One.

In addition to this, Hart proclaimed himself as a fighting champion who would defend the WWF Title on a more regular basis than the World Champions of yesteryear. As such, the Calgary native's big win over Ric Flair was soon followed by televised title defences against the Mountie, Virgil, Papa Shango (on two occasions), Fatu of the Headshrinkers, and a rematch with the Nature Boy. To put that into context Hulk Hogan's 1991 third reign as WWF Champion lasted for 248 days and only saw Hulk defend that title on regular WWF TV twice.

Away from standard WWF programming, Bret also had the chance to be the defending WWF Champion on PPV, with Hart putting the gold on the line against Shawn Michaels at Survivor Series '92 and then against Razor Ramon at the 1993 Royal Rumble; two matches that were as great as you'd expect from the names involved.

Once that Royal Rumble was done and dusted, though, the Excellence of Execution was on track to headline his first WrestleMania, with Mr. Fuji's Yokozuna awaiting Hart at WrestleMania IX.