WWE: 10 Awesome Matches That Showcased Great Ring Psychology

6. Stone Cold vs Bret Hart - Survivor Series (1996)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGENYNlfTag One of the last times Stone Cold wrestled, as opposed to brawled his opponents, was a stunning display of pure wrestling. Something you don't necessarily associate with The Texas Rattlesnake, but it's a joy to behold and something I wish would have made more of an impact in his later career. Here Austin was just coming into his own as a cold, menacing, uncaring heel. Well, at least he was supposed to be the heel. So fresh and entertaining was his act at the time that the crowd couldn't help but support the future world champion. This only served to p**s Bret off, who since returning to the WWE had felt disrespected by the fans and the new talent that had taken over the locker room. Austin tries to outwrestle Bret here, but is consistently outsmarted by the wily veteran and resorts to a slugfest, where he finally gets an advantage. Later, Bret wins a slugfest and Austin manages to outwrestle Hart. Both men prove they can beat the other man at his own game. It's left to Bret's experience to keep the advantage over Stone Cold, who leaves himself open to mistakes through over-aggressiveness. In the end, Bret flips off the turnbuckle as Austin has him locked in The Million Dollar Dream, putting the rattlesnake on his back. Stone Cold gets pinned and loses the match because he's so intent on choking Bret out. What's so brilliant about that ending is the way it encapsulates the whole story of the match in a few seconds: Hart uses his ring experience to get the better of his vicious adversary. While Austin walks away looking like a tenacious, dangerous competitor. As good as their Wrestlemania 13 classic.