Bret Hart's 10 Best PPV Matches, According To Cagematch.net
When you think about the greatest technical wrestlers in WWE history, Bret Hart often features at the top of many people's lists. The Hitman rarely put on a bad match, and he was always involved in five-star epics which captivated audiences. It didn't matter whether Bret was a babyface or a heel, he knew how to tear it up inside the squared circle.
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The Excellence of Execution was original a tag team competitor alongside his late brother-in-law Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart as The Hart Foundation. Once they split, Hart went on to carve out a legendary career in WWE. The former five-time WWE Champion was the face of the company in the New Generation Era and he had some memorable battles with some of the best in the business.
10 Royal Rumble Match - Royal Rumble 1997 (Rating: 8.46)
Bret Hart was determined to main event WrestleMania 13 in his bid to regain the WWE Championship. The Hitman entered the 1997 Royal Rumble match as the 21st entrant and he collided with his bitter enemy Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Hart humiliated his old rival Jerry "The King" Lawler by eliminating him in just four seconds, and he sent the Fake Diesel packing. However, Hart eliminated Austin but the referees missed it as they were dealing with Mankind and Terry Funk who were brawling on the outside. Austin re-entered the match, and he tossed over Hart for the win with The Hitman seething.
9 Vs. Mr. Perfect - King Of The Ring 1993 (Rating: 8.62)
Arguably Bret Hart's route to his triumph at King of the Ring 1993 was one of the toughest paths to glory. In the semifinals, Bret Hart clashed with fellow former two-time Intercontinental Champion Mr. Perfect with a berth in the final at stake.
Fans were guaranteed to see a technical masterclass between these two, and they knocked it out of the park once more. Mr. Perfect was closing in on a major victory with a small package but Hart outsmarted Perfect to counter it to prevail, and booking his spot in the final to face Bam Bam Bigelow.
8 Vs. Mr. Perfect - SummerSlam 1991 (Rating: 8.83)
Speaking of Bret Hart and Mr. Perfect instant classics, their meeting at SummerSlam 1991 was one of the greatest matches in WWE history. The Hitman was competing in his first singles match on a WWE pay-per-view, and Perfect's coveted Intercontinental Championship was on the line.
The Perfect Plex usually seals the deal but somehow Hart kicked out of it, which stunned Perfect's former manager, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan on commentary. They tore the house down but it was a monumental moment in Hart's career as he captured the Intercontinental Championship with his patented Sharpshooter.
7 Vs. The British Bulldog - In Your House 5: Seasons Beatings (Rating: 8.89)
Three years after their SummerSlam 1992 epic, the stakes were higher as The British Bulldog challenged his brother-in-law Bret Hart for the WWE Championship at In Your House 5: Seasons Beatings. It was always going to be hard to top their SummerSlam clinic but this was another solid match.
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Hart lost a lot of blood as Bulldog viciously pushed his head into the ringpost. Bulldog was no doubt in the ascendency for large portions in this titular bout but Hart flipped the script to ensure that Bulldog would not take the WWE Championship home.
6 W/ The Hart Foundation Vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin, Ken Shamrock, Goldust & The Legion Of Doom - In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede (Rating: 8.95)
Bret Hart's heel turn was cemented in the spring of 1997, and he reunited with The Hart Foundation. At In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede, fans witnessed one of the greatest five-on-five matches in WWE history. The Hart Foundation clashed with Stone Cold Steve Austin, Ken Shamrock, Goldust and The Legion of Doom.
It's best remembered for being the culmination of Hart and Austin's legendary rivalry. The Hart Foundation had the backing from their hometown fans in Calgary which was defeaning. The action went back and forth with Owen Hart scoring the important victory by rolling up Austin.
5 Vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin - Survivor Series 1996 (Rating: 9.08)
Fans inside Madison Square Garden were in store for a treat when Bret Hart returned to action after an eight-month hiatus to clash with Stone Cold Steve Austin at Survivor Series 1996. There was a huge prize at stake as the winner would become the number one contender for the WWE Championship.
Austin showed that he was more than a brawler as he hung with Hart every step of the away. The Exellence of Execution did not show any signs of ring rust which is a testament to his greatness. Austin tried to seal the deal with the Million Dollar Dream but Hart reversed it to prevail and to kick off one of the greatest trilogies in WWE history.
4 Vs. The British Bulldog - SummerSlam 1992 (Rating: 9.18)
Bret Hart defended the Intercontinental Championship against his brother-in-law The British Bulldog in the main event of SummerSlam 1992. It was a significant occassion for the Intercontinental Title to close out the show, and Bulldog had the hometown fans in his corner as the match took place at Wembley Stadium in London, England.
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Fans were heavily invested in this match, and the camera kept on panning onto Diana Hart Smith who was Bret's sister and Bulldog's wife. They told an excellent story, and Bulldog earned the biggest win in his WWE career by beating Hart in a memorable contest.
3 Vs. Owen Hart - SummerSlam 1994 (Rating: 9.30)
Owen Hart was riding a wave of momentum in 1994, and The King of Harts challenged his brother Bret for the WWE Championship at SummerSlam. However, it wasn't an ordinary singles match as they inside the confines of a steel cage.
It didn't matter what the stipulation was as Bret and Owen hit a home run in an outstanding WWE Title match. Owen put on a good match but he was helpless when Bret trapped his legs in the cage with The Hitman retaining the WWE Championship.
2 Vs. Owen Hart - WrestleMania X (Rating: 9.53)
Before Bret Hart could shift his attentions towards his WWE Championship match, The Hitman opened up WrestleMania X against his brother Owen. The brothers were bitter enemies, and they competed in the greatest opening match in the history of WrestleMania.
Owen showcased his exceptional in-ring skills, and Bret wanted to keep his younger brother at bay. However, despite Bret being the overwhelming favorite to prevail, Owen upset Bret with a victory roll in one of the biggest upsets at WrestleMania.
1 Vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin - WrestleMania 13 (Rating: 9.66)
The heated rivalry between Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin spilled over to WrestleMania 13 with Ken Shamrock as the man in the middle as the special guest referee. Hart entered the match as a babyface and Austin was the heel.
There's no doubt that this contest should have headlined WrestleMania, and it was a five-star epic. They pulled off one of the greatest double turns in WWE history with Hart turning heel, and Austin becoming a babyface. The Excellence of Execution got the bragging rights in a memorable battle.
