Bret Hart: Favorite WM Match

[Skillz]

There's been favorite WM match polls for HBK, Austin, Rock, HHH, Taker, Hogan and even Angle... but not Bret Hart? Hart has easily had better matches than Taker, HHH, Rock and Angle. Some of Hart's WM matches are absolutely legendary...


WM2 - Battle Royal
Hart was the last to be eliminated, by the legendary Andre the Giant. Definitely a high point in the early stages of Hart's WWF career.


WM3 - vs. The British Bulldogs and Tito Santana
Decent 6-man tag team match, ending with a victory for the Hart Foundation.


WM4 - Battle Royal
Once again Hart is the last to be eliminated in a battle royal at WM. This time however, he got the last laugh by destroying the trophy that was awarded to the winner, Bad News Brown.


WM5 - vs. The Honky Tonk Man and Greg Valentine
Average tag team match with a win for the Hart Foundation.


WM6 - vs. The Bolsheviks
The Hart Foundation win in only 19 seconds, making this the quickest match in WM history.


WM7 - vs. Nasty Boys (Tag Team Title)
Good tag team match ending with a loss for the Hart Foundation, leading to the start of Hart's legendary singles career.


WM8 - vs. Roddy Piper (IC Title)
This is a very overlooked match, often forgotten when talking about great WM matches. One of the best IC title matches of all time, in my opinion. A bloody Hart wins, after pinning Piper's shoulders to the mat for the first time in his career.


WM9 - vs. Yokozuna (WWF Title)
Decent match with Hart on the losing end. Remembered for Hogan winning the title from Yoko straight after the match ended. It would have been great to see Hart/Savage or Hart/Hogan instead of this.


WM10 - vs. Owen Hart
This is what technical wrestling should be like. Not like an illogical Dean Malenko 42638 holds technical spotfest match. This technical based match actually tells a story, and a great one at that. The feud going into this match was awesome. Without a doubt the best ever opening match to a WM. Owen won cleanly, in one of the biggest upsets in WM history.


WM10 - vs. Yokozuna (WWF Title)
Solid match, Yoko definitely had good chemistry with Hart, and it showed here. Great moment at the end with all the faces coming down to congratulate Hart for winning the WWF title, and a jealous Owen returning to attempt to take the spotlight away from his older brother, continuing their classic feud.


WM11 - vs. Bob Backlund ("I Quit" match)
Not a very memorable match, Hart wins with a crossface chickenwing.


WM12 - vs. Shawn Michaels (WWF Title - Iron Man match)
One of the best main events in WM history. Classic match, often criticized for being too slow paced, but for me this match was as close to perfection as a wrestling match can be. Michaels wins in overtime. Hart made Michaels a main event star in this match, and what does Shawn do after the victory? He tells Bret to "get the fuck out of my ring". Classy.


WM13 - vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin (Submission match)
The best was saved for last. This is one of the most significant matches of the 90's in the WWF, for reasons that everyone already knows. If the iron man match was close to perfection, this match WAS perfection. Storytelling, psychology, workrate, selling... everything was perfect in this match. Hart wins, but both wrestlers come out looking like winners. The sight of a bloody Austin refusing to give up to Hart's sharpshooter is one of the classic WWE moments. Not only Bret Hart's best WM match, and not even only the best match in WM history. This was the best match ever.

 

[rockofhysteria]

My fav Bret Hart WM match is against Roddy Piper at WM 8 Mainly cause Like Hart Piper is one of my idols in the business and two cause the match was so entertaining to see them go at it in a great match for the IC title and after that match it had many believing that Bret Hart could be world champion at some point

 

[IrishCanadian25]

I always mark out HUGE for Wrestlemania 8!

Hart vs Piper was awesome. It was a mid-card Hogan vs Warrior (calm down Sly, I am getting to the point) because you have two faces who did respect each other, but because of the competitive fire they both had for the championship, it created palpable animosity. The result were some amazing promos (carried by Piper) and an AWESOME WM8 match.

Seeing Bret busted open and hearing Monsoon and Heenan argue over what caused the wound (the short punches or the bulldog) was fantastic, and Heenan was right. It was also classic brawler vs wrestler, with the wrestler hitting some brawling moves (Bret broke out great roundhouse punches) and the brawler using wrestling (the same sleeper that won him the belt almost retained it as well).

When Hart suckered Piper into the small package, which resulted in Piper spitting in Hart's face, I thought we had a true heel turn. But for SOME reason, the fans got it - this isn't about heel vs face, it's a competition, and the spitting is Piper's competitiveness boiling over.

When Piper stood over Hart with the ring bell, I legitimately had NO IDEA if he'd hit him or not, and he sold the conflict via his body language and facial expressions perfectly.

Hart was masterful as well, manipulating his weight so well to sell Piper as the brawler with the power advantage. It was one thing I LOVED about Bret. The kick off the turnbuckle at the end to win I never saw coming, and the embrace at the end was fantastic.

Not only my #1 Hart Wrestlemania match, but in my top 10 or even top 5 of all time.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

My favorite match, was in my opinion one of the best matches of all time. The match between Bret and Austin at WM 13, and it was amazing. great combo of brawling and technical stuff, between two of the best at it. The match and crowd atmosphere involved with it are virtually ummatched, and unmatchABLE. We have never seen, ad dare I say will never see again, a turning or roles such as this ever again. And the match had probably the most absolutely memorable finish ever.

 

[klunderbunker]

Bret has had some classics, but for me its 13, which I never realized was his last mania match. This match is pure perfection. From the beginning of the match to the end, this isn't wrestling, it is a fight. This match was about two men that flat out hated each other and wanted to beat the living hell out of each other. It's hard to pull off a match like that but when it works, it works to perfection. This match was 11 years ago and i still mark out insanely when Austin starts coming back on Hart. Not to mention it pulled off the very rare double turn. Might be the best match ever.

 

[theneil450]

Wrestlemania 12 hands down. Just like WM 13 at the end of the match both guys looked like gold. Neither guy could score a fall after 60 minutes of incredible action. Sure there were slow parts in the match(there has to be) but the action was intense ALL the way through. Shawn being saved by the bell then winning in overtime was perfect. It made them both look strong which is what you want out of any match, especially a WM main event.

 

[bowlinggod99202]

[The Piper/Hart match never gets any hype but it was just as good as Steamboat/Savage. It should be on the list of Top Ten Mania's that made us sweat, what about Austin/Hart with out Bret Austin never breaks through and Austin 3:16 probally doesnt happen.


QUOTE=Winged Eagle;402774]There's been favorite WM match polls for HBK, Austin, Rock, HHH, Taker, Hogan and even Angle... but not Bret Hart? Hart has easily had better matches than Taker, HHH, Rock and Angle. Some of Hart's WM matches are absolutely legendary...


WM2 - Battle Royal
Hart was the last to be eliminated, by the legendary Andre the Giant. Definitely a high point in the early stages of Hart's WWF career.


WM3 - vs. The British Bulldogs and Tito Santana
Decent 6-man tag team match, ending with a victory for the Hart Foundation.


WM4 - Battle Royal
Once again Hart is the last to be eliminated in a battle royal at WM. This time however, he got the last laugh by destroying the trophy that was awarded to the winner, Bad News Brown.


WM5 - vs. The Honky Tonk Man and Greg Valentine
Average tag team match with a win for the Hart Foundation.


WM6 - vs. The Bolsheviks
The Hart Foundation win in only 19 seconds, making this the quickest match in WM history.


WM7 - vs. Nasty Boys (Tag Team Title)
Good tag team match ending with a loss for the Hart Foundation, leading to the start of Hart's legendary singles career.


WM8 - vs. Roddy Piper (IC Title)
This is a very overlooked match, often forgotten when talking about great WM matches. One of the best IC title matches of all time, in my opinion. A bloody Hart wins, after pinning Piper's shoulders to the mat for the first time in his career.


WM9 - vs. Yokozuna (WWF Title)
Decent match with Hart on the losing end. Remembered for Hogan winning the title from Yoko straight after the match ended. It would have been great to see Hart/Savage or Hart/Hogan instead of this.


WM10 - vs. Owen Hart
This is what technical wrestling should be like. Not like an illogical Dean Malenko 42638 holds technical spotfest match. This technical based match actually tells a story, and a great one at that. The feud going into this match was awesome. Without a doubt the best ever opening match to a WM. Owen won cleanly, in one of the biggest upsets in WM history.


WM10 - vs. Yokozuna (WWF Title)
Solid match, Yoko definitely had good chemistry with Hart, and it showed here. Great moment at the end with all the faces coming down to congratulate Hart for winning the WWF title, and a jealous Owen returning to attempt to take the spotlight away from his older brother, continuing their classic feud.


WM11 - vs. Bob Backlund ("I Quit" match)
Not a very memorable match, Hart wins with a crossface chickenwing.


WM12 - vs. Shawn Michaels (WWF Title - Iron Man match)
One of the best main events in WM history. Classic match, often criticized for being too slow paced, but for me this match was as close to perfection as a wrestling match can be. Michaels wins in overtime. Hart made Michaels a main event star in this match, and what does Shawn do after the victory? He tells Bret to "get the fuck out of my ring". Classy.


WM13 - vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin (Submission match)
The best was saved for last. This is one of the most significant matches of the 90's in the WWF, for reasons that everyone already knows. If the iron man match was close to perfection, this match WAS perfection. Storytelling, psychology, workrate, selling... everything was perfect in this match. Hart wins, but both wrestlers come out looking like winners. The sight of a bloody Austin refusing to give up to Hart's sharpshooter is one of the classic WWE moments. Not only Bret Hart's best WM match, and not even only the best match in WM history. This was the best match ever.[/QUOTE]

 

[Notorious187]

Piper, HBK and Austin are all easily in my top 10 Mania matches ever, but for pure heat, putting over Owen was amazing. No one saw Owen winning, and that match made Owen a legitamite "Superstar". Like I said, other matches were better, but giving the rub to his little bro on the grandest stage shows how classy Bret always was.

 

[Kobayashi]

well for me the best Bret Hart match at Wrestlemania is his match with Austin at Wrestlemania 13. Although his great match with Piper at Wrestlemania 8 came in at a very close second. But his match with Austin was a great brawl, and for me it really made me think that Hart really can do it all. Although I may not like Bret all that much, it made me think of him in a different light after seeing just technical matches from Hart which are pretty awesome. It's like he is going somewhere that he is unfamiliar with, and in the process made Austin a star.

I think it was by far the match of the night I liked how Shamrock was the referee so none of them could push him around, And straight from the start you could believe these guys hated eachother. Both Austin and Hart worked there asses off to make this match great and they both deserve full credit. And the ending where Austin has blood running down his face was pure gold such a great Wrestlemania moment.

 

[bambam]

Again going to agree with IC25, He knows his shit, so I can't fight with him.
Piper/Hart was the best. They were both way into it, it was great to see a face Piper start to have heel moments, just to go back to face once he thought about it. They both put on a great show, and had great spots in the whole match. And like IC25 said, Monsoon and Heenan were the only 2 who could have called that match right. Piper/Hart Hands Down!

 

[jontabs]

Have to go with Piper-Hart as well. This was one of the matches which legitimized Hart as a main eventer. He'd later go on to win the WWF title in less than a year, going into the next wrestlemania as the champ.

And he beat Roddy Piper, who had never been pinned on television before. And the way he did it, unheard of during the time.

Great technical wrestling here.


Gotta give credit to the Austin-Hart match too. . Great brawling, some technical aspects thrown in there,the double turn. Great match as well

 

[michaelj817]

So hard to choose. In his book Bret recalls coming backstage after a match, and Vince telling him, "Amazing! You could have a great match with a broomstick!"

How true this was, and within the confines of any of the storylines they took place in, Bret rarely had a bad match with anyone, and in the process had quite a few five-star classics.

I'm going to go against the grain here and say that my favorite Bret Hart Wrestlemainia match was Bret vs. Owen at Wrestlemainia X. I feel this match is often overshadowed by Shawn and Razor's ladder match on the same show, but it was part of a great storyline. Built over weeks and weeks of Raws from its start at the Survivor Series, Owen's heel turn was realistic, and masterfully done. The match was a total work, and had two of the the era's best workers showing how good they really were. Also, the fact that Bret and Owen managed to retain Owen's heat and not turn him face made the match that much more artistic. By the time it was over, you hated Owen even more than when the match began, and then the show came full circle with Bret winning the title from Yoko, and Owen staring him down to end the show.

2nd choice-Bret vs. Shawn WM XII. I just watched this match the other day, and I didn't get bored once. For these two men to go 60+ minutes when the it was though impossible by many was a feat in and of itself. However, the inner dynamic between the two wrestlers makes it that much more fun to go back now and watch both of them compete to steal the show and top one another for all of those 60+ minutes.

 

[Mr. TM]

Wow, soooo many to choose from. I pick Wrestlemania X, Owen Hart versus Bret Hart as my favorite WWF Match with Bret Hart in it. If anything, it was Bret Hart's chance to help his baby brother become a star in the WWE. Bret Hart went on to have another incredible match that night with a man who weighed 400 pounds more than him. The Owen Hart match to start off the night was such a great back and forth match, with Owen getting the win in one of the best opening matches of Wrestlemania history. How great was it for the Hart family to have one brother win, and later that night, have the other brother win the WWE championship.

 

[Monkey_Mania]

Definitely Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin at Wrestlemania 13. This match was so fucking amazing I cant hardly put it into words. What was amazing to me about this match, and it almpost overshadows the great match that it is. But it was the first time in a match that I can remember where Austin playing the role of the heel, and Bret playing the part of a face, where the roles got reversed by the fans. Then of course you have that iconic image of blood pouring down Stone Cold's face while he passes out in the Sharpshooter. Fucking insane shit.