Lewis Howse's 10 Favourite WWE Matches Of All-Time
3. Steve Austin Vs. Bret Hart - WrestleMania 13
In my earlier days of WWE fandom I had a noted preference for the flashier, high-flying wrestlers on the roster. The Hardy Boys, Eddie Guerrero, Rob Van Dam, Rey Mysterio and Essa Rios, of all people, were early favourites.
Later on I developed a strong appreciation for the hard-nosed technicians like Fit Finlay and Chris Benoit (while still maintaining a love of hurricanranas and planchas of course). These days, however, I'm more likely to pop for a snug, believable working punch or a well-timed big boot.
I have no idea why this is, but tastes change and, as they do, you can perhaps begin to see the merit in some things you perhaps didn't before. This is the case with the stupendously good Steve Austin versus Bret Hart match from WrestleMania 13.
It's not that I didn't enjoy it the first time around. In fact, I thought it was quite good, certainly pretty damn exciting. But I didn't see the greatness in it until I re-watched it again with a fresh perspective. Watching it then I knew it was pro-wrestling art.
It was a magnificent brawl, full of believable exchanges and fought at high intensity. There was nothing fancy here at all, which completely fit the storyline and the characters in the match. As JR said on commentary, it was 'more of a bar fight than a wrestling match'.
This was an altogether more vicious side of Bret Hart, who had slowly been turning heel over the previous weeks. He was annoyed that the fans were now cheering the menacing and rule-breaking Steve Austin over self-professed good guys like him. He hadn't changed, though. The fans had.
It was a logical 'heel turn' and added extra intrigue to the match. Of course, the match is also famous for pulling off one of the best double turns in history as Austin, his face a crimson mask and blood pouring out of his head, passed out in the Sharpshooter with Bret refusing to relinquish it after the bell, only doing so when special referee Ken Shamrock forced him to.
Story, believability, excellent work, strong characters, excitement and BLOOD. This match has it all. A true epic for the ages.