WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin has reflected on his legendary rivalry with Bret “The Hitman” Hart, crediting the former WWE Champion with playing a major role in his rise to superstardom.
During an interview with The Wrestling Classic, Austin discussed his relationship with Hart and the impact their matches had on his career. He explained that Hart recognized his potential during his time in WCW and believed the two could create compelling stories together in WWE. “Bret Hart means the world to me. Bret and I are very close. He saw me coming up when I was in WCW. He knew I was a guy he could work with, and we could make money together and tell great stories. And he was correct.
When he came back from getting his knee cleaned up in 1996, he picked me to work with him in Madison Square Garden, and we had an old-school classic match that was off the charts.”
Austin and Hart’s rivalry became one of the defining storylines of WWE’s transition into the Attitude Era, with their submission match at WrestleMania 13 in March 1997 widely regarded as one of the most influential matches in company history.
The encounter featured a memorable double turn, with Austin emerging as a sympathetic fan favorite despite losing the match, while Hart’s increasingly aggressive behavior helped establish him as a villain.
Austin recalled working closely with Hart to prepare for the match, revealing that the two understood what they needed to accomplish and that Hart contributed an important idea during their planning. “Then we went into [WrestleMania] 13, and we went into a room and knew what we needed to do. We went out to the ring, and Bret said, ‘Hey,’ and gave me the idea for something that happened in that match.”
Beyond their famous WrestleMania encounter, Austin praised Hart’s approach to professional wrestling, particularly his ability to make matches feel authentic through his technical skill, physical presentation, and attention to detail. “So, I owe a huge part of my career to Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart. When you think of realism in the business of professional wrestling or sports entertainment, they don’t get any better than Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart.
I like a lot of other guys with a lot of different styles, but if you want realism, determination, grit, and an athletic presentation, it doesn’t get any better than him. I love the guy. I respect him. We’ve wrestled all over the world, and we have a mutual respect for each other.”
Austin concluded by emphasizing just how significant Hart’s contributions were to the development of his iconic “Stone Cold” character. “Bret Hart helped make Stone Cold to the largest degree possible.”
Their rivalry helped establish Austin as one of WWE’s most popular performers, setting the stage for his eventual rise to the top of the company during the Attitude Era.
Nearly three decades after their WrestleMania 13 classic, Austin continues to regard Hart as one of the most important figures in his wrestling career, both as an opponent and as a close friend.
