The Two Bret Hart Matches That Earned A 5-Star Rating From Dave Meltzer

When it comes to professional wrestling, few have matched the legacy left by Bret "The Hitman" Hart. As respected outside of the ring as he was talented in it, Hart had countless memorable matches over the years, headlining three WrestleMania events in the process. 

It all started back in the mid-70s as he emerged from the legendary Hart Dungeon and made a name for himself in his father Stu's Stampede Wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. With an amateur wrestling background, Hart is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time due to his technical ability and has won countless championships across WWE and WCW.

Outside of the ring, Dave Meltzer has been synonymous with match ratings for decades, which he's published in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, and his star ratings have become quite popular within the wrestling community. Similar to a movie critic, Meltzer rates wrestling matches on a scale of five. Every once in a while, there is an exception and a match exceeds the five-star ratings. On the other side of the coin, he would also occasionally dip into the negatives if he saw a match as bad.

Though there have been some classics from Bret Hart over the years, including Bret vs. Owen Hart at WrestleMania X — which received 4.75 stars — as well as matches against Shawn Michaels at the 1992 Survivor Series, the 1-2-3 Kid on a 1994 episode of "Raw," and Stone Cold Steve Austin at the 1996 Survivor Series 1996, all of which received 4.5 stars, there were two that earned Meltzer's five-star treatment.

It's only fitting that Bret Hart's first five-star rating came against his brother Owen Hart, and the stakes couldn't have been much higher. After a lengthy feud with Jerry "The King" Lawler, Hart faced WWF Champion Yokozuna to win back the title he had lost at WrestleMania IX. His brother Owen Hart got involved, resulting in a disqualification victory for Yokozuna. "The Hitman" challenged Yokozuna once more for the title, only to fail due to Owen interfering again.

From there, tensions between the two boiled over. After being the only member of the Hart family to be eliminated at Survivor Series — in a match where Bret, Owen, Bruce, and Keith faced Shawn Michaels and His Knights — Owen blamed Bret, and the two feuded throughout 1994. It reached the point of no return when Owen attacked Bret following a tag team match against The Quebecers. 

Owen then won the King of the Ring tournament while Bret retained his championship by disqualification, setting it up perfectly for a match between the brothers. Naturally, it would take place in a steel cage match — no interference, no shenanigans, just wrestling. "The Hitman" ultimately retained his title in a match that lasted just over 30 minutes. Apart from the five-star rating by Dave Meltzer, Pro Wrestling Illustrated awarded them "Feud of the Year."

Their rivalry continued until Bret lost his title to Bob Backlund at Survivor Series, largely due to Owen. Hart's feud with Backlund spilled into the following year. This wouldn't be the last time Meltzer gave Bret Hart his five-star distinction.

So now, we arrive at WrestleMania 13. The match between Bret Hart and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin may not have had the distinction of being the main event, but it wound up being a lasting memory for many. Maybe it is the iconic shot of the "Texas Rattlesnake" bleeding from the head while locked in the Sharpshooter. Perhaps it's the fact that in this submission match, the special guest referee was a feared MMA fighter in Ken Shamrock.

Whatever the case, after a months-long feud, Austin refused to tap out but ultimately passed out from the Sharpshooter, changing the trajectory of their characters going forward. "Stone Cold" turned babyface, while Hart leaned into his role as a heel for the first time since 1988 – going as far as to continue his assault on Austin after the match. 

The two registered a five-star classic by Meltzer's standards, but the accolades didn't stop there. Their iconic WrestleMania 13 contest was named "Match of the Year" by Wrestling Observer Newsletter and voted "Match of the Year" by Pro Wrestling Illustrated readers. 

Even Hart himself holds the match in high regard. "The match with Steve, that's the greatest song I ever sang," Hart said. "When I watch it back, I wouldn't change a thing."