Why Bret Hart Vs Stone Cold Steve Austin Transformed The Wrestling Business
5. Bret Hart Turns Heel
A full-bodied heel turn exquisitely crafted, Bret Hart's post-match beatdown of Steve Austin allowed fans to cave to their better instincts and boo the fallen idol in a manner they hadn't known they wanted to for months.
Hart's demeanour had tilted as early as December, when his frustrations boiled over following a cheap loss to Sycho Sid in his first attempt to regain the WWE Championship he still felt had been taken from him unfairly.
Regardless of the justifications, a complaining 'Hitman' was new ground for the character and for Vince McMahon, who traditionally didn't care for his heels to have that powerful a cause. 12 months earlier, Bret had lost to Shawn Michaels and in a cynical bite of reality, 'HBK' told the referee to 'get him the f*ck out of the ring' before even celebrating his win.
Hart's physical manifestation of that same bile a year later as he kicked away at a prone Austin rather than cherish his glory was a similar mood swing used for creative good.
Embracing his evil side, Hart's new character simultaneously ended and restarted his rivalry with 'The Rattlesnake', drastically altering 1997's booking plans in a way that would help craft the biggest star in the industry since Hulk Hogan.