Why Mick Foley Says Stone Cold Steve Austin Vs. Bret Hart Needed To Happen In WWE

Bret Hart and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin had a handful of memorable clashes before "The Hitman" departed for WCW, but their WrestleMania 13 match was arguably their biggest bout. During a recent episode of "Foley is Pod," Mick Foley looked back on his favorite WrestleMania moments and how Hart and Austin essentially saved the legendary event.

According to Foley, by 1997, WrestleMania slowly became just another big show. "Bret and Austin, '97 –- that was really special. That was really so badly needed because Mania was, if you recall, on the verge of becoming just another show. The buy rate was very [low]. I don't think it had become the destination that it later would."

The veteran continued, recalling how the vent began to lose its spark, but that by 1999, he saw fans flocking to televisions again. "'99 I remember the difference in going to the TV at the hotel and it just being hundreds of people swarming. To me, that was the difference maker."

Foley then mentioned other WrestleMania moments that were special to him, most notably The Undertaker's clashes with Shawn Michaels and Triple H. 

However, he also praised the moment between Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit for breaking the mold at the time. "I know we can't talk about Benoit much, but that was a great feel-good moment –- him and Eddie, with the confetti, I mean the idea that they just proved about everybody wrong with could and could not get over in WWE."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Foley is Pod" and provide Wrestling Inc. with a h/t for the transcription.