Why Bret Hart Vs Stone Cold Steve Austin Transformed The Wrestling Business
7. The World's Most Dangerous Man
Refereeing the battle, Ken Shamrock made an immediate impact in the post-match, dragging Bret Hart off a dilapidated Steve Austin with a powerful waist-lock takedown.
Squaring up to 'The Hitman' as Bret reached his feet, Shamrock ramped up the intensity as he locked eyes with the WWE legend, simultaneously transferring adoration from the fans onto himself as well as drawing yet more scorn onto Bret.
Despite standing back for the bulk of the contest, Shamrock's presence was pitch perfect, as he gave fans a clear babyface outlet for their support that would have otherwise been lost within the complex booking of the finish.
Though a beneficiary of the battle's nuanced layout, 'The World's Most Dangerous Man' was still required to utilise his physical presence and peculiar charisma to get the end sequence over to a sufficient level that it wasn't overshadowed by what the audience had just witnessed.
The match was so perfect that even the guest referee could come away from it a bona fide star, with Shamrock elevated to a level alongside Hart and Austin that would see him work most major pay-per-view events throughout the rest of the year, culminating in December with a WWE Heavyweight Championship match against Shawn Michaels.