In a historic first, WWE will enshrine Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin’s WrestleMania 13 match as the inaugural "Immortal Moment" in the 2025 WWE Hall of Fame – a rivalry that didn’t just redefine wrestling’s storytelling but rescued the company during its darkest hour. This induction marks Hart’s unprecedented third Hall of Fame entry. But behind the Sharpshooter and Austin’s defiant snarl lie 15 untold stories: backstage gambles, career-altering audibles, and the unplanned moments that flipped 18,000 fans’ allegiances live. Discover how two rivals turned a fading WrestleMania into WWE’s creative rebirth, and why their clash remains the blueprint for every double-turn since.
Uncover 15 untold stories behind Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin’s legendary rivalry, from their technical masterpiece at Survivor Series 1996 in Madison Square Garden (foreground) to the iconic WrestleMania 13 double-turn at Rosemont Horizon (background), immortalized with its induction into WWE’s Hall of Fame. Photo Credit: WWE. Artwork by Pro Wrestling Stories.
1. The Birth of Stone Cold Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin delivers his iconic “Austin 3:16” promo after winning the King of the Ring tournament on June 23rd, 1996, at the MECCA Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This moment marked the birth of the Stone Cold character and launched Austin’s meteoric rise to superstardom. Photo Credit: WWE.
Austin was known for his stints in WCW and ECW, but his time in the WWE was not off to a great start, as he had only recently moved away from being Ted DiBiase’s mercenary.
After joining WWE in January 1996, Austin was saddled with the uninspiring “Ringmaster” gimmick, where he was presented as DiBiase’s technical wrestling protégé and awarded the Million Dollar Championship without having to win it. The character failed to connect with audiences, leaving Austin frustrated and searching for a new direction.
Roberts, then portraying a self-righteous preacher who quoted scripture and condemned opponents as sinners, became the perfect foil. Austin later explained on Broken Skull Sessions, "Jake was out there thumping Bibles, talking about psalms. I thought, ‘What if I take his holier-than-thou act and throw it back in his face?’"
Seizing this contrast, Austin cut his career-defining promo:
“You sit there, and you thump your Bible and say your prayers, and it didn’t get you anywhere! Talk about your psalms, talk about John 3:16…. Austin 3:16 says, I’ve just whipped your ***!”
The line wasn’t just a catchphrase – it was a rebellion against sanctimony, transforming Austin into the antihero fans craved. Within weeks, “Austin 3:16” signs flooded arenas; Austin was on the verge of becoming the next industry megastar.
What many fans may not realize is that behind the scenes, Bret Hart had personally advocated for WWE to sign Austin, having admired his technical wrestling ability during his WCW run.
2. Bret Hart’s Unprecedented 20-Year Contract
Bret Hart stands with Vince McMahon on the November 29, 1993 episode of Monday Night Raw after being named “WWF Superstar of the Year.” This moment foreshadowed Hart’s historic 20-year contract in 1996, which cemented his loyalty to WWE (then the World Wrestling Federation) during the Monday Night Wars. Photo Credit: WWE.
In October 1996, Hart signed a historic 20-year contract with WWE, a decision that would anchor the company during wrestling’s most volatile era. The deal, valued at $1.5 million annually, included unprecedented creative control clauses and guaranteed Hart’s loyalty as World Championship Wrestling (WCW) aggressively poached WWE talent. At a time when stars like Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and even Hart’s brother-in-law Davey Boy Smith were defecting to Ted Turner’s rival promotion, Bret’s commitment provided WWE with stability and a marquee name to counter WCW’s growing roster.
Hart had been absent since losing the then-WWF Championship to Shawn Michaels in their iconic 60-minute Iron Man Match at WrestleMania XII on March 31st, 1996. During his six-month hiatus, he pursued Hollywood opportunities, auditioning for roles in projects like Lonesome Dove: The Series and Viper.
His return on the October 21st, 1996 episode of Monday Night Raw reignited his storyline with Austin, who had spent months crafting unscripted promos that blurred kayfabe and reality.
Austin’s verbal assaults escalated throughout the summer of 1996. At live events, he accused Hart of abandoning WWE fans for Hollywood vanity, labeling him a “quitter” and mocking his failed acting aspirations. These promos, often improvised, tapped into genuine backstage tensions, as Hart’s contract negotiations had indeed included provisions for filming outside projects.
The feud turned physical on the November 4th, 1996 episode of Raw, when Austin attacked Hart’s close friend Brian Pillman. The incident led to an infamous segment, where Pillman—armed with a prop firearm—threatened Austin in a staged home invasion. The controversial angle, which aired during WWE’s family-friendly “New Generation” era, tested broadcast standards and marked a tonal shift toward the edgier content that would define the Attitude Era.
Hart officially challenged Austin on Raw, setting up their first singles match at Survivor Series 1996 on November 17 at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The bout doubled as a No. 1 contender’s match for the WWE Championship, adding high stakes to their personal war.
For Hart, it was a chance to reclaim his spot atop the card; for Austin, it was an opportunity to cement his meteoric rise from midcard afterthought to WWE’s next icon.
3. Survivor Series 1996: Hart and Austin’s First Singles Masterclass
Steve Austin torments Bret Hart with the Million Dollar Dream during their Survivor Series 1996 clash at Madison Square Garden. Hart’s last-second reversal—bridging into a roll-up pin—secured victory and foreshadowed his impending heel turn. Photo Credit: WWE.
The match, their first televised singles encounter, was billed as a No. 1 contender’s bout for the then WWF Championship, with the winner earning a future title shot against Sycho Sid.
The story revolved around Austin’s Million Dollar Dream submission hold, which he had vowed would end Hart’s career.
For nearly 30 minutes, the two alternated between crisp mat wrestling and intense brawling, with Hart targeting Austin’s neck and Austin focusing on Hart’s surgically repaired knee. The match reached its climax when Austin finally locked in the Million Dollar Dream, dragging Hart to the mat in the center of the ring.
Just as Hart appeared to lose consciousness, he leveraged his technical mastery to hook his legs on the bottom rope and execute a bridge into a roll-up pin.
The sudden reversal caught Austin off guard, giving Hart the victory by the slimmest of margins. While Hart remained the storyline babyface, his post-match frustration—kicking the ropes and scowling at fans—subtly foreshadowed his impending heel turn.
In his recommended autobiography, Hart reflected: "That Survivor Series match proved Steve could hang with the best technical workers. We told a story that made both of us look strong."
This bout set the template for their legendary WrestleMania 13 clash three months later, establishing Austin as a main-event threat while allowing Hart to experiment with darker character nuances.
4. The 1997 Royal Rumble: Controversy and Catalyst
Stone Cold Steve Austin commands the Alamodome crowd during the January 19, 1997 Royal Rumble in San Antonio, Texas. Austin’s controversial victory—sneaking back into the match after elimination—marked his rise as WWE’s rebellious antihero, with fans firmly in the palm of his hands. Photo Credit: WWE.
On January 19th, 1997, at San Antonio’s Alamodome, Bret Hart and Steve Austin collided in the 30-man Royal Rumble match—a pivotal moment that accelerated their feud and reshaped WWE’s future.
Hart entered the Rumble as the #21 entrant, while Austin drew #5.
The two brawled intensely throughout their time together in the match, with Hart eventually eliminating Austin by throwing him over the top rope. However, referees missed the elimination as they were distracted by Terry Funk and Mankind’s fight at ringside.
Austin stealthily re-entered the ring and eliminated Hart, along with remaining competitors Vader and The Undertaker, to claim his first Royal Rumble victory.
The controversial finish, orchestrated by Vince McMahon, served multiple purposes: it protected Hart’s credibility, positioned Austin as a rebellious antihero, and set the stage for their WrestleMania 13 rematch.
In his equally recommended autobiography, The Stone Cold Truth, Austin acknowledged the finish’s brilliance: “The way they booked that finish was genius. It made me look like a rebel who’d cheat to win, and Bret kept his dignity. Vince knew exactly how to make both of us look strong.”
Hart’s frustration over the shady elimination fueled his growing resentment toward WWE management, a storyline thread that would peak later in 1997 with the Montreal Screwjob. Meanwhile, Austin’s Rumble win marked his official ascension to main-event status, though the planned title shot never materialized due to creative changes.
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5. In Your House 13: Final Four – A Vacant Title and Renewed Hostilities
The Undertaker and Vader clash outside the ring at In Your House 13: Final Four (March 23, 1997, Louisville Gardens), as Bret Hart and Steve Austin vie for the vacant WWF Championship inside. Photo Credit: WWE.
The rivalry between Bret Hart and Steve Austin intensified at In Your House 13: Final Four on March 23rd, 1997, held at the Louisville Gardens in Louisville, Kentucky. The event’s main event was a four-way elimination match for the vacant WWF Championship, a title made vacant after Shawn Michaels infamously "lost his smile" and relinquished the belt due to a knee injury.
Hart, who had temporarily "quit" the company in protest over the controversial Royal Rumble finish, was persuaded to return by Vince McMahon with the promise of a title opportunity. The match pitted Hart against Austin, The Undertaker, and Vader under elimination rules, with the last man standing declared champion.
Austin and Hart resumed their bitter feud during the match, brawling relentlessly while Undertaker and Vader added heavyweight brutality to the chaos. The turning point came when Hart eliminated Austin by throwing him over the top rope—a direct callback to Austin’s illicit Royal Rumble victory—which incensed the Texas Rattlesnake and foreshadowed future confrontations.
With Austin eliminated, the match boiled down to Hart and The Undertaker. In a controversial finish, Austin returned to the ring to attack Hart, only to be chased off by the Undertaker. Seizing the distraction, Hart rolled up Undertaker for the pin, securing his fifth WWE Championship.
Hart’s triumph was short-lived. The following night on Monday Night Raw, he lost the title to Sycho Sid after Austin interfered, attacking Hart and allowing Sid to hit the Powerbomb for the win. This sequence deepened Hart’s resentment toward both Austin and WWE management, further fueling his descent into a morally ambiguous character.
Behind the scenes, WWE capitalized on the animosity. On March 17th, 1997, Commissioner Gorilla Monsoon announced a No-Disqualification Submission Match at WrestleMania 13—a stipulation favoring Hart’s technical prowess but threatening Austin’s career if he tapped out.
6. Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13: Breaking Down the Masterpiece Double Turn
Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin moments before their WrestleMania 13 clash on March 23rd, 1997, at the Rosemont Horizon (now Allstate Arena) in Rosemont, Illinois, foreshadowing the rivalry’s seismic shift. Photo Credit: WWE. Artwork by Pro Wrestling Stories.
On March 23rd, 1997, inside the Rosemont Horizon (now Allstate Arena) in Rosemont, Illinois, Bret Hart and Steve Austin didn’t just compete – they waged war. What began as a No-Disqualification Submission Match, refereed by UFC legend Ken Shamrock to ensure “legitimacy,” morphed into a visceral symphony of storytelling that rewrote wrestling’s playbook. The crowd of 18,000-plus would soon witness a seismic shift.
The bout began with Austin ambushing Hart during his entrance, sparking a visceral brawl through the crowd. Chairs, guardrails, and even a television monitor were weaponized, culminating in Austin smashing Hart’s skull with a steel chair – a move that left Hart staggered and the crowd roaring.
Once the action returned to the ring, Hart shifted gears, targeting Austin’s surgically repaired knee with clinical precision. He applied figure-four leglocks against the steel post, executed brutal leg sweeps, and mocked Austin’s limp – a storytelling masterstroke that made the injury central to the drama.
At the 12-minute mark, during a sequence in the corner, Bret Hart deliberately bladed Austin’s forehead as they had planned before the match. Crimson red cascaded down Austin’s face, transforming him into a defiant antihero as he screamed, “I’ll never quit!”
The crowd’s allegiance flipped organically. Cheers for Austin grew louder with each refusal to submit, while Hart’s sneering taunts ("This is what you wanted?!") turned him into WWE’s most compelling villain.
The match peaked when Hart locked in the Sharpshooter on a battered Austin, who writhed in agony but never tapped out. As Austin passed out, Shamrock called for the bell, and Hart solidified his heel turn by attacking the referee.
7. The Iconic Image That Defined a Rivalry
The iconic image of Bret Hart’s Sharpshooter on a battered Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13 became the defining visual of their rivalry. Austin later gifted Hart a signed version (shown here), inscribed: "Bret—Thank you for the match of a lifetime. This was the match that made Stone Cold." Photo Credit: WWE.
The visual of a battered Steve Austin trapped in Bret Hart’s Sharpshooter at WrestleMania 13 transcends wrestling history. Austin’s face, contorted in agony, dripping in color, yet refusing to submit, and Hart’s cold determination created a snapshot that encapsulated their rivalry’s raw intensity.
This image has been reproduced on merchandise, documentaries, and WWE promotional material for decades, symbolizing the Attitude Era’s unflinching realism.
Years later, Austin gifted Hart a framed autographed copy of the photo, inscribed with:
"Bret—Thank you for the match of a lifetime. This was the match that made Stone Cold. It was always a pleasure and honor to work with you."
"When Steve sent me that signed photo, it meant the world. That match was our masterpiece."
Austin echoed this sentiment on his Broken Skull Sessions, admitting, "That photo’s my career in one frame. No Bret Hart, no Stone Cold. He made me."
8. Critical Reception: A Match for the Ages
Stone Cold Steve Austin blasts Bret Hart with a steel chair during their WrestleMania 13 No-Disqualification Submission match, a defining moment during their critically acclaimed clash. Photo Credit: WWE.
The WrestleMania 13 submission match between Bret Hart and Steve Austin wasn’t just a crowd-pleaser—it rewrote wrestling’s critical playbook.
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter awarded the bout his first WWE-related ★★★★★ rating in over four years, calling it "the greatest double-turn in wrestling history" and praising its "flawless execution of layered psychology."
Pro Wrestling Illustrated cemented its legacy by naming it 1997 Match of the Year, while WWE Network polls later voted it "Greatest WrestleMania Match Ever" in 2013 and 2020.
This universal praise solidified the match’s status as a watershed moment, blending technical mastery, emotional storytelling, and cultural impact.
9. Post-WrestleMania 13: The Feud’s Evolution and Legacy
Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin collide in a chaotic street fight during the April 21, 1997 episode of Monday Night Raw in Moline, Illinois. The match, marred by Hart Foundation interference, marked Austin’s first televised singles victory over Hart – a symbolic passing of the torch to WWE’s new antihero. Photo Credit: WWE.
Following their iconic clash at WrestleMania 13, Steve Austin’s antihero persona surged in popularity, with “Austin 3:16” merchandise sales skyrocketing and his rebellious catchphrases permeating mainstream culture.
Bret Hart, now fully entrenched as a villain, formed the anti-American “Hart Foundation” faction alongside Owen Hart, Brian Pillman, and The British Bulldog. The group’s “Canada vs. USA” angle dominated WWE programming, with Hart’s declaration of being “the best there is, best there was, best there ever will be” fueling nuclear heat from audiences.
The rivalry continued through two undercard matches in 1997. On April 21st, during a Monday Night Raw episode in Moline, Illinois, Austin defeated Hart via disqualification during a chaotic street fight after interference from The Hart Foundation. This marked Austin’s first televised singles victory over Hart, subtly signaling his ascent.
Their final encounter occurred at In Your House 14: Revenge of the Taker on May 11th, where Hart won via count-out after a brutal brawl spilled outside the ring. Though technically sound, Dave Meltzer rated it 3.25 stars, stating that the match suffered from repetitive storytelling, reflecting the feud’s dwindling creative momentum.
Behind the scenes, WWE pivoted to Austin’s burgeoning rivalry with Vince McMahon, recognizing its broader appeal. Jim Ross later noted on his podcast, Grilling JR, “Vince recognized that Austin vs. McMahon could transcend wrestling. The Hart-Austin feud was brilliant, but boss vs. employee was a story everyone could relate to.”
Hart’s contractual creative control and growing disillusionment with WWE’s edgier direction further strained the feud. In his autobiography, Hart admitted, “I felt like an outsider in my own company post-WrestleMania 13.”
The feud’s legacy reverberated through pivotal 1997 moments, such as Hart’s “Summer of Hate” promo in Calgary, where he mocked American fans as “fickle,” and the Montreal Screwjob, which stemmed from Hart’s eroded trust in WWE management. Meanwhile, Austin’s August 1997 SummerSlam match against Owen Hart—despite a botched piledriver—cemented his status as WWE’s new face.
The final televised interaction between Bret Hart and Steve Austin occurred on the October 27, 1997 episode of Monday Night Raw. During a contract signing for the upcoming Survivor Series 1997 WWF Championship match between Hart and Shawn Michaels, Austin stormed the ring and delivered a Stone Cold Stunner to Hart.
Though their rivalry concluded, its impact endured, laying the foundation for the Attitude Era’s success and forever intertwining Hart and Austin’s legacies as architects of wrestling’s most transformative period.
10. Mick Foley Reveals How Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin Saved WrestleMania Franchise
Steve Austin and Mick Foley (as Dude Love) share a lighthearted moment during their 1998 tag team run. Foley shares his reverence for Austin and Bret Hart’s WrestleMania 13 classic. Photo Credit: WWE.
The WrestleMania 13 clash between Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin didn’t just steal the show – according to Mick Foley, it rescued WWE’s flagship event from obscurity.
By 1997, WrestleMania had lost much of its luster, with a 0.77 buy rate, its lowest since 1993, and a card headlined by the underwhelming Undertaker vs. Sycho Sid matchup.
Mick Foley, on his Foley is Pod podcast, emphasized the dire state of the event. "Bret and Austin, ’97—that was really special. That was so badly needed because Mania was, if you recall, on the verge of becoming just another show. The buy rate was very [low]. I don’t think it had become the destination that it later would."
Foley contrasted this with WrestleMania’s resurgence by 1999, noting how fans swarmed hotel TVs to watch the event – a stark shift from the apathy of 1997.
The Hart-Austin match’s brutal storytelling and emotional intensity rekindled fan investment, directly influencing the then-WWF’s pivot toward edgier content. Foley credited the match for stabilizing WWE’s pay-per-view revenue and setting the stage for the McMahon-Austin feud, which became the cornerstone of the Attitude Era.
The bout’s cultural impact extended beyond ratings. Austin’s defiance and Hart’s calculated cruelty created a blueprint for modern wrestling psychology, proving that audiences would embrace morally complex characters. As Foley concluded, "They didn’t just steal the show—they redefined what WrestleMania could be. They saved WrestleMania as we know it."
11. Ken Shamrock’s Referee Perspective: A UFC Legend’s WrestleMania Trial by Fire
Ken Shamrock officiates Bret Hart and Steve Austin’s historic No-Disqualification Submission Match at WrestleMania 13. Reflecting on the bout, Shamrock admitted: "This wasn’t refereeing—it was survival. These guys pushed limits I didn’t know existed." Photo Credit: WWE.
As the special guest referee for the WrestleMania 13 no-DQ submission match, UFC and WWE legend Ken Shamrock had a unique vantage point for one of wrestling’s most pivotal moments.
In a 2024 interview with Chris Van Vliet, Shamrock candidly revealed the pressure he felt stepping into this unfamiliar role, admitting, "I was so scared I was going to screw up the match or miss something. I’d never reffed before. This was Bret Hart and Stone Cold—if I messed this up, I was gone."
Shamrock described the match’s visceral authenticity.
"A minute and a half in, I forgot I was refereeing. It felt like an MMA fight. These guys were tearing into each other. I kept thinking, ‘He’s going to tap!’ But then they’d reverse it, and I’d get sucked in like a fan."
On Austin’s iconic crimson mask loss, Shamrock shared, "I don’t care what anyone says—I was there. Those guys beat the heck out of each other. Stone Cold’s [endured grueling punishment], and Bret wasn’t holding back. It took something out of both of them."
Shamrock credited the match for reshaping his wrestling career.
"After that, I realized I could thrive in this world. If I could handle that pressure, I could handle anything WWE threw at me."
This firsthand account underscores how even a seasoned MMA veteran like Shamrock was awestruck by Hart and Austin’s commitment to making their rivalry feel violently real – a quality that cemented WrestleMania 13 as a timeless masterpiece.
12. Bret Hart’s Artistic Vision: Crafting the "Beautiful Violence" of WrestleMania 13
Bret Hart applies the Sharpshooter to Stone Cold Steve Austin during their WrestleMania 13 classic, a moment now enshrined as WWE’s inaugural “Immortal Moment” as a WWE Hall of Fame inductee. Referee Ken Shamrock’s intensity underscores the match’s raw authenticity. Photo Credit: WWE.
In a 2022 interview with Sports Illustrated, Bret Hart reflected on his legendary clashes with Steve Austin, revealing how their chemistry and mutual respect created wrestling’s most iconic rivalry.
Hart emphasized their seamless collaboration, saying, "We’d always had great chemistry, so we entered the match with confidence. If you look at our match from the Survivor Series in ’96, some people argue that it was an even better match. What we had was a storyline and two characters who were destined to cross paths.”
He continued, “At that time, Steve was becoming a huge force and was ready to break through to a level few wrestlers ever reach. I was lucky to be there at the right place and time with him."
The Hitman specifically praised their WrestleMania 13 artistry, confessing, "When I watch it back, I wouldn’t change a thing. I still love seeing that spot where I’m punching the daylights out of Steve in the corner, and he kicks me in the groin. It was a beautiful, violent piece of art. Working with Steve was easy, it was fun, and it was memorable."
13. Steve Austin’s Gratitude: How Bret Hart Forged the Stone Cold Persona
Bret Hart and Steve Austin share a moment of camaraderie on Conversations with The Wrestling Classic (2023), reflecting on their WrestleMania 13 masterpiece. Austin’s gratitude for Hart’s mentorship and Hart’s admiration for Austin’s tenacity underscore their legacy as wrestling’s most transformative duo. Photo Credit: WWE.
In a heartfelt 2023 interview on Conversations with The Wrestling Classic, Steve Austin laid bare the profound impact Bret Hart had on his career. Reflecting on their 1996-97 rivalry, Austin revealed:
"When [Bret] returned in ’96, he picked me to work with at Madison Square Garden. We had an old-school classic match at Survivor Series that was off the charts. Then at WrestleMania 13, we went to a room, figured out what we needed to do, and Bret said, ‘Hey—let’s try this.’ That idea he gave me? It became the backbone of the match. I owe a huge part of my career to Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart."
Austin emphasized Hart’s selflessness, stating, "Bret didn’t have to work with me. He was a top guy; I was climbing. But he saw something and took a chance. That’s how ‘Stone Cold’ got made. Bret Hart put me on the map, big time."
The WrestleMania 13 finish, where Austin passed out in the Sharpshooter, was Hart’s idea, designed to protect both men while maximizing drama.
“That feud was born from the trust we built in that ring."
This mutual respect, forged in defiance, crimson, and submission holds, remains one of wrestling’s most enduring partnerships – a collaboration that didn’t just define careers but saved an industry.
14. Historic Hall of Fame Induction: WWE’s First "Immortal Moment" (Bret Hart Makes History)
WWE’s official 2025 Hall of Fame announcement graphic honors Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin’s WrestleMania 13 clash, forever enshrined as the first match inducted under the "Immortal Moment" category. Hart and Austin reflect on this honor. Photo Credit: WWE.
On April 18th, 2025, WWE will etch Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin’s WrestleMania 13 match into history as the inaugural "Immortal Moment" in the WWE Hall of Fame – a first-of-its-kind honor recognizing matches that reshaped wrestling’s landscape. The induction, announced during WWE’s Raw 32nd Anniversary special, underscores the bout’s enduring legacy as a storytelling benchmark.
At an autograph signing, Steve Austin reflected on the accolade, saying, "It was a hell of a match, and we knew it at the time. Chicago was a stronghold for me, but that match would’ve worked anywhere. Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart… man, it’s cool people still remember it near thirty years later. If it wasn’t for the fans, I wouldn’t be here. The fact that it’s the first match inducted? Cool as hell."
With this match’s induction, Bret Hart will become the first wrestler inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame three times—first as a solo performer (2006), second with The Hart Foundation (2019), and now for his WrestleMania 13 match against Steve Austin.
In an emotional interview on The Ariel Helwani Show in March 2025, Hart elaborated on the match’s enduring legacy, stating, "It’s a big honor. If you asked me in truth if there was a better match, I don’t think so. It was magic. The Iron Man match with Shawn [Michaels] was professional, but this? We protected each other, took hard chair shots, and created art. When WWE told me they’d induct it, I thought, ‘They should—it’s maybe the best match ever.’"
Hart also compared it to his classics, describing, "The Bulldog match at Wembley was my first masterpiece. But WrestleMania 13? That’s the pinnacle. It’s the match I’m proudest of."
15. Never-Before-Shared Details About Their WWE Hall of Fame-Inducted Match
Bret Hart’s trademark smile and Steve Austin’s defiant grimace stare from WWE’s 1997 WrestleMania 13 promotional artwork – a visual paradox that hinted at the seismic role reversal to come. By match’s end, Hart’s smirk would twist into villainous fury, while Austin’s snarl would cement him as wrestling’s rebellious icon. Photo Credit: WWE.
In his candid interview with Ariel Helwani, Bret Hart peeled back the curtain on WrestleMania 13’s most guarded secrets, revealing how unscripted moments and backstage ingenuity forged wrestling’s most iconic double-turn.
Hart disclosed that Austin’s infamous groin kick, a pivotal crowd-shifting moment, was entirely improvised. "Steve’s kick wasn’t planned. I told him, ‘Aim for my backside—sell it like death.’ That single move flipped the crowd’s allegiance in real time," Hart explained. The spontaneity of the spot, born from Hart’s trust in Austin’s instincts, became the catalyst for the match’s seismic character shifts.
Another revelation centered on Austin’s crimson mask, now immortalized in WWE lore. “The cut was completely planned between us, but we had to keep it secret. Backstage, we fake-argued to hide it from management, yelling about ‘careless punches’ to throw them off. Only Steve and I knew the truth for years,” Hart admitted. This clandestine collaboration allowed the injury to amplify the match’s raw authenticity without corporate interference.
Hart also highlighted Ken Shamrock’s critical role in the finish. "Ken made it feel real. When he hesitated to call the bell during the Sharpshooter, I screamed, ‘Ring it!’ That urgency sold the desperation of the moment." Shamrock’s MMA-rooted intensity, paired with Hart’s in-ring psychology, transformed a routine submission hold into a career-defining tableau.
Reflecting on the feud’s brevity, Hart told Helwani: "Fans ask why we didn’t feud longer. Truth is, we’d done everything. That match was our crescendo—anything after would’ve diminished it."
The 2025 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony will debut never-before-seen footage of Hart and Austin’s pre-match strategy session at Chicago’s Rosemont Horizon. As Hart concluded: "Watch us sitting ringside—two artists staring at a blank canvas. What we painted? That’s wrestling history."
These revelations underscore how Hart and Austin’s trust in each other and willingness to defy convention created a masterpiece that transcended scripted entertainment, forever enshrining their clash as the purest form of in-ring alchemy.
The Unmatched Legacy of Wrestling’s Greatest Double-Turn
Bret Hart and Steve Austin will stand united at the 2025 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony in Las Vegas – a far cry from their brutally masterful WrestleMania 13 clash. Three decades after redefining wrestling’s storytelling, their enduring respect and shared legacy shine as brightly as the "Immortal Moment" honor they inspired. Photo Credit: WWE.
Even decades later, the WrestleMania 13 clash between Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin remains the gold standard for in-ring storytelling. What began as a traditional hero vs. villain feud evolved into a masterclass in psychological nuance, with both men swapping roles mid-match through sheer force of performance.
As Mick Foley succinctly put it on his podcast: “That match didn’t just turn two men—it turned an entire industry.”
Hart’s selfless artistry and Austin’s raw intensity created a blueprint that still guides WWE’s storytelling, proving that the greatest moments in wrestling aren’t just scripted—they’re felt.
Special thanks to Aarij Arifeen for his valuable research and contributions to this article. His work provided essential insights that helped shape our exploration of Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin’s historic rivalry.
Pro Wrestling Stories is committed to accurate, unbiased wrestling content rigorously fact-checked and verified by our team of researchers and editors. Any inaccuracies are quickly corrected, with updates timestamped in the article's byline header.
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JP Zarka is the founder of Pro Wrestling Stories, established in 2015, where he guides the site's creative vision as editor-in-chief. From 2018 to 2019, he hosted and produced The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo, brother of WWE legend Macho Man Randy Savage. His diverse background includes roles as a school teacher, assistant principal, published author, musician with the London-based band Sterling Avenue, and being a proud father of two amazing daughters. He has appeared on the television show Autopsy: The Last Hours Of and contributed research for programming on ITV and BBC.
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