The story between Steve Austin and Bret Hart gave WWE one of the greatest rivalries the industry has ever seen. The great working relationship between both names helped change WWE and the wrestling business as a whole. A relationship developed between the two after developing chemistry in and out of the ring.
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Stone Cold Steve Austin is one of the most famous WWE legends, but it would be difficult to keep track of all the moments in his career, whether they were great or not!
WWE kept them together for quite a while to add some memorable moments to their bond behind the scenes. Respect and competitive spirit led them to share interesting anecdotes about their interactions as top stars. The following things about their relationship will shed a brighter light on the bond between Austin and Hart.
Bret was impressed by Austin’s work at WCW and suggested he join the WWE
Hart was upset that Vince McMahon allowed ECW to add Austin before WWE
- Bret was so impressed with Austin’s work in WCW that he wanted him on the WWE roster
- Austin’s entry into ECW angered Bret as he thought he had signed a long-term contract
- Vince hired Austin after Bret and others continued to advocate for him
In the 1990s, wrestlers watched other promotions to scout talent and find new ideas. Shawn Michaels discovered Kevin Nash in WCW and helped him get into WWE, but Bret Hart outdid his rival by suggesting someone who became the biggest name in WWE history.
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There’s a reason Bret Hart was one of the greatest of all time because he was able to make stars out of so many of his opponents.
Steve Austin was a great in-ring mid-carder for WCW and gained the respect of Hart as a viewer. Bret has talked about getting Vince McMahon to sign Austin and was upset when he thought Stone Cold had signed with ECW. Austin joined WWE as a free agent shortly after, thanks to Hart and others advocating for him.
Austin was one of the names to whom Bret wanted to give up his belt over HBK
Stone Cold could have risen to the world title faster if Vince Hart had accepted his idea
- Bret refused to give up the WWE title to Shawn Michaels in 1997
- Austin was on the short list of names to whom Bret wanted to give up the belt
- WWE wanted to save Austin’s crowning title win for WrestleMania
The Montreal Screwjob showed just how out of control things were between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. Neither man wanted to lose to the other as pride overshadowed professionalism and created a scenario that WWE couldn’t get out of.
Hart named other wrestlers such as Steve Austin, Ken Shamrock and The Undertaker as names to whom he would have given the belt instead of Michaels. Survivor Series 1997. Austin was the most logical option of the three and showed how much respect Bret had for him, but WWE wanted to wait for a bigger crowning moment, where WrestleMania 14.
Bret persuaded Vince McMahon to make Austin his opponent when he returned
Hart had the idea for the rematch of the 1996 Survivor Series against Austin
- Vince wasn’t sure which stars could compete against Bret in the big rematch
- Shawn Michaels’ feud with Sycho Sid has removed him from the options
- Austin was the perfect choice to face the top star at the right time
Bret Hart spent about seven months out of the ring after WrestleMania 12 for a break. Hart’s future was uncertain until he planned a return for Survivor Series 1996 at the prestigious venue Madison Square Garden.
Steve Austin was the name Hart chose as his first opponent. In the feud, Austin got a lot more promo time as he outworked Bret and delivered a breakthrough performance in the ring. Austin won the King of the Ring that year, but this opportunity was seen as the real turning point.
Austin had to distance himself from Montreal Screwjob
Didn’t go out the next night like some of Bret’s other friends did
- Some of Bret’s friends and relatives did not show up in protest against Vince
- Austin did not allow this to disrupt his career, which was finally gaining momentum
- Bret and Austin remained friends for years, even though Bret left the WWE
After the Montreal Screwjob, many wrestlers were angry with Vince McMahon. Mick Foley, Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith and Jim Neidhart did not show up to Raw the next night in protest of McMahon’s lies to Bret Hart.
Steve Austin was a close friend of Bret and didn’t particularly like Shawn Michaels, but he wasn’t on the list of names to be heard. Austin’s career was just taking off and he wanted to avoid being part of any drama that could have derailed his momentum.
Bret was gassed during their Survivor Series match
Austin had to lead Hart through his first match in many months
- Bret had his first match in seven months against Austin at a major PPV
- They stole the show with one of the greatest Survivor Series PPV matches of all time
- Rare match where Bret was led through the match by another talent
The unbelievable Survivor Series 1996 The match between Steve Austin and Bret Hart was considered the beginning of their close relationship. Austin took this night extremely seriously and saw it as a chance to get closer to his dreams.
Hart was a little rusty after a seven-month layoff and was exhausted during the long bout. In the Broken Skull Sessions interview between the two, Austin showed a still image of Bret breathing heavily after the win. Hart admitted that it was a rare case of someone else guiding him through a fight.
Both wrestlers had to be persuaded to do an infamous double turn
Mutual skepticism led Vince McMahon to convince them of the brilliant idea
- Vince McMahon had the idea to change both characters via Double Turn
- Austin wanted to remain a heel as he reached new heights as a top star
- Bret feared that disappointing fans would damage his career and reputation until he was convinced
Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13 is often cited as one of the best fights of all time. The complex storyline set up a double twist that saw Hart become a heel and Austin become a babyface after the fight.
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Austin preferred being a heel and was apprehensive about becoming a “good guy” with an edgy personality. Hart was even more skeptical about his career after a long time as a top face. Vince McMahon talked them both into coming together and coming up with a brilliant plan.
Bret persuaded Austin to break the rules to bleed at WrestleMania 13
Austin relied on Hart’s experienced leadership to violate WWE protocol
- WWE had strict rules against talent blading during the New Generation
- Bret persuaded Austin to break the rule to make the match story perfect
- Austin relied on Bret’s wits to break WWE guidelines
Blood was not allowed for most of the New Generation era as WWE wanted to appeal to a family-friendly product. Bret Hart firmly believed that Steve Austin needed to bleed in order for the ending to their match to work and talked him into it.
Austin wasn’t sure about breaking such an important rule, but ultimately he trusted that Hart would bleed on the fly. Bret was absolutely right, as this match has been placed on a short list of the most effective uses of blood in wrestling history. The match won’t be remembered the same way if Austin hadn’t passed out with blood dripping from his face.
Austin contacted Bret personally for a podcast interview
Friendship still exists decades later
- Austin has creative freedom for interviews with Broken Skull Sessions
- Bret agreed to the show after Austin sent him a personal invitation
- Considered one of the best episodes in the show’s entire library
Steve Austin has hosted several podcasts where Bret Hart has been one of his guests. The show Broken Skull Sessions airs on Peacock/WWE Network and features Austin having hour-long conversations with names from the past and present.
Austin revealed that he personally reached out to Hart and a few other guests he thought would make for good conversation. Hart had no problem flying in to film the content for WWE after Austin went to the trouble of requesting him as a guest.
Bret was disappointed that Owen never reached out to the injured Austin
Rare moment where Bret disagrees with everything Owen has done in his career
- Austin had trouble with Owen, even though he was very close to Bret
- Owens failure to contact Austin caused the heat
- Bret sided with Austin when Jim Ross told his story
Jim Ross’ podcast revealed some details about the behind-the-scenes dispute between Steve Austin and Owen Hart after the infamous blunder at SummerSlam 1996. Owen made an uncharacteristic mistake that nearly ended Austin’s career when a piledriver failed, but that didn’t add to the excitement.
Ross shared that Owen never reached out to Austin during his injury and apologized, as most wrestlers do in such cases. Bret Hart expressed that it was a rare time that Owen was in the wrong and that he should have overcome any fears and apologized to Austin.
Austin agreed to stop the WrestleMania 13 match because he trusted Bret
Bret and Vince openly explained the psychology of the finish to him and convinced him
- Austin was afraid he would look weak if he passed out at the end of the game
- Bret’s guidance helped him develop a vision for a masterful story
- The finish worked better in the end than if Austin had won the match
The last image of Steve Austin fainting in front of Bret Hart’s sniper at WrestleMania 13 will remain in WWE history forever. Austin, however, wasn’t sure if that was a good idea, as he was afraid of looking weak at the end of a star-making face-turning match.
Hart talked Austin into why the fans would get behind him and gain more respect, and he realized why that was a smart move. Conversations between Bret, Vince, and Stone Cold helped get everyone on the same page to create wrestling magic.
