By Shawn Valentino, PWTorch Specialist

First of all, I wanted to apologize to all of you for not writing my columns weekly as I had planned. I have been busy at work on my first book, a self-help book based on developing confidence, improving your dating life, maximizing life experiences, and minimizing worries. It is called The Showstopper Lifestyle, and it is now available on Amazon and the Barnes and Noble website. Just think of it as Tony Robbins meets Hugh Hefner meets Vince McMahon, and to top it off, adult film legend Nina Hartley wrote the foreword. If you like my writing on this site, I hope you all find it to be the best book there is, was, or ever will be.

Now that I have segued from my cheap plug, let me move forward with some excellent execution. Sorry, I couldn't resist. They say never say never in the wrestling business, but probably one of the only instances that we felt that statement did not hold true was the case of Bret "The Hitman" Hart. For twelve years, Hart held to his stance that he would never return to work for WWE and especially Vince McMahon, the man he blamed for the downward spiral of his career as well as the death of his brother. Of course, in the last two months, we have seen Hart return to face off with his former worst enemy in a program that we expect will lead to a feel-good match at WrestleMania where he gives the evil owner his comeuppance.

A few weeks ago, I even had the chance to meet Bret briefly at a convention in Los Angeles, and I must say it was a cool experience. Even though I am an HBK fan, I also acknowledge Hitman as one of the greatest ever. Seeing Bret return after all these years has brought back many incredible memories of his brilliant career. He was indeed a master of storytelling and psychology in the squared circle. When I first saw him as a young preteen in the early WrestleMania years, I knew that he had the traits to be a superstar. At the time, he just had a cool look and persona when everybody else seemed like they stepped out of a circus. He was in one of the great tag teams of all time, but the Hart Foundation years were merely a precursor to his legendary solo career.

In an era where WWF was struggling with scandal and possible ruin, his consistently excellent work in the ring carried them through these dark times. The Hitman was a revolutionary performer whose matches set a new standard for workrate in a promotion that was previously centered around cartoon superheroes. His exceptional ability to have great matches with all types of wrestlers made him a hero in the ring. Hart was popular all over the world, and though his championship reigns were not part of a boom period, his solidity held the WWF together during tough financial times. This week, we will look back at some of the greatest matches in his remarkable career.

(10) Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels: WrestleMania 12 Iron Man Match

In the mid-nineties, Michaels and Hart were undoubtedly the two biggest stars in the WWF. Hart was the strong, steady, noble champion, and Michaels was the flashy, dynamic, cocky challenger. They were opposites in personality, but each shared a passion for the business as well as incredible wrestling acumen. They were both responsible for holding up the company during a very difficult time, and they were instrumental in setting a new standard for match quality in the American wrestling scene. It was inevitable that the two superstars would collide under the WrestleMania spotlight. When it was announced that they would be an hour long Iron Man Match, fans salivated at the possibilities.

HBK and The Hitman delivered to a degree, but in my opinion, this match has been vastly overrated over time. I found much of the work to be slow and boring, and feel the fact that there were no falls during the hour took away from the drama of the match. If you strip away many of the restholds and basic matwork, it would be a phenomenal thirty-minute match. Despite its faults, the last ten minutes of the battle were gripping, and the final image of Michaels's boyhood dream coming true is one of the great WrestleMania moments. This solidified his place as the top star in the company and he has been an icon of the industry to this day. One can argue that Hart did not sell for HBK and that hampered the match, but it was his credibility as a strong champion that really helped Michaels's elevation to the next level.

Bret has had better matches, but I felt this match needed to be included because of its historical significance and the fact that it was his most famous match with his biggest rival. Bret would take a few months off after this, but he would come back stronger than ever for the greatest feud of his career. It is only fitting that the two top workers of the decade had an epic match at WrestleMania.

(9) Bret Hart vs. Ric Flair: Saskatoon House Show, World Championship

This house show classic is one of the most sought after matches on the Internet. Of course, you have two of the most legendary superstars of all time facing off, but most importantly, it was Hart's first world title win. It is hard to imagine why they would choose to have this match on a house show, but it does appear on various WWE videos. The Canadian crowd was solidly behind Bret, and the two competitors delivered a good old-fashioned match that emphasized substance over style.

Unfortunately, Hart never truly came into his own as champion during his first reign. Part of the reason was that his first championship win was never televised. Flair and Hart demonstrated great chemistry in the ring together here and if their match was on television, they may have created the next megastar a few years ahead of schedule. The Nature Boy and the Hitman were opposites in personality, but they meshed together well on this unforgettable night. For the historical significance of it being the start of Hart's first title reign, as well as the magnitude of the two stars involved, this match deserves mention on this list.

(8) Bret Hart vs. Roddy Piper: WrestleMania 8, Intercontinental Championship

It may seem hard to believe now, but there was a time when the Intercontinental Title was a prestigious belt, and battles for it were regularly showcased as the best on the card. WrestleMania 8 advertised two main events, but this undercard classic nearly stole the show. This was a glorified brawl that was elevated by the unmatched psychological skills of the two competitors involved. Hart and Piper were both faces here, but they exchanged mind games to create a compelling drama. Bret would prevail in the end to win the belt while earning the respect of WWF fans and officials alike. Piper would stamp his seal of approval on him at the end by reluctantly handing him the belt and congratulating him.

The Hitman was obviously being tested as to whether he could handle a prominent position as a solo wrestler, and he passed with flying colors. This was his first real marquee match without a tag team partner on the national scene. As dark days loomed ahead, McMahon discovered that he could count on a solid, cool, reliable presence that could carry him through. This was truly the match that announced Hart's arrival as a solo superstar.

(7) Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig: Summerslam 1991

The summer of 91 was the beginning of a transition era for the WWF. Hulkamania was fading and the Ultimate Warrior proved that he was too unreliable to become the next hero of the wrestling world. During this dawn of the era of muscle-bound cartoon characters, two spectacular technical wrestlers dazzled the audience with their incredible pure wrestling ability. Mr. Perfect, wrestling with injury, put on a gutsy performance to put over Hart, who showed signs of being a different type of centerpiece performer than the Hogans and Savages. This match, along with his excellent brawl with Piper a few months prior, proved that Hart was a force to be reckoned with in the wrestling world. He had two incredible matches against completely different opponents on the two biggest shows of the year. This was the first great Summerslam match as well as another step in the rise of Hart to the top of the WWF in the middle of the decade.

(6) Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin: Survivor Series 1996

While Shawn Michaels is known as the Showstopper, on this particular event, he had the show stolen from him. HBK was getting booed in the main event, while on the undercard a grass-roots uprising of fans cheered on a tough, no-nonsense rebel that was on his way to becoming the biggest star of the company. When Bret Hart came back from his hiatus from WWF after WrestleMania 12, he handpicked his opponent to be Steve Austin because he saw him as the future of the company. As we all know, he turned out to be absolutely right, but credit must go to Bret as well. His feud with Stone Cold took him to another level of stardom. The two had many excellent matches, and one of the best was at Survivor Series 1996, where they had an incredible back-and-forth battle that showcased their great chemistry in the ring. A darker side of the Hitman character surfaced, and signs emerged that fans were rallying behind the antihero Austin. This was a precursor to their unforgettable WrestleMania 13 battle, and it was an important step in Austin's ascension to iconic status and the WWF's progression to the Attitude Era.

(5) Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart: Steel Cage, Summerslam 1994

To give you all an idea of what the wrestling landscape looked like in 1994, Undertaker faced off against a fake Undertaker in the main event of Summerslam. In the midst of ridiculous gimmicks and storylines that would make Mighty Morphing Power Rangers seem sophisticated in comparison, one rivalry shined. Bret and Owen had the best in-ring feud of the year, including the WrestleMania 10 technical classic and this equally excellent cage match. Based on a simple story of a younger brother's jealousy over his more celebrated sibling, there was a real emotion in this battle. It was not as brutal as other matches in the cage, but the storytelling and psychology were impeccable. Unlike most of today's cage matches, where the cage is incessantly used as a stipulation for matches that don't warrant such a gimmick, these two had feuded for months before stepping foot in the steel structure. Bret won and solidified himself as the top star of the company, and Owen proved to be a potential main event player when called upon.

(4) Bret Hart versus Chris Benoit: Owen Hart Tribute Match

There are certain times when mere words do not do a match justice. This tribute match to the late Owen Hart was held in the same arena where the tragic incident took place just a short time before. Hart and Benoit decided to dedicate their contest to Owen. The match had a dramatic atmosphere surrounding it that started with the introduction by Harley Race. It was the makings of an epic, and the two Dungeon graduates did not disappoint. They went out and had a sensational match with counters, grapples, psychology, and aerial maneuvers.

There are certain matches that transcend the usual analysis and match ratings. The Flair "retirement" match against Shawn Michaels was one of those. This is another. It was a match that was built on a brother's and a friend's love of the late Owen. Bret finished the match with a classic sharpshooter, but the outcome was really irrelevant. It was the effort and the emotion the two men put forth that made it a worthy tribute.

(3) Bret Hart versus Owen Hart: WrestleMania 10

As mentioned above, in an era where the wrestling business was struggling both financially and creatively, this feud was regularly the highlight of the program. It is a perfect example of wrestling being at its best when there are simple, compelling stories between strong characters based on real issues. It had been built up for months that Owen was jealous of his older brother, who was a much bigger star and better wrestler. It finally reached a boiling point when he attacked Bret during a match, thus setting up this classic encounter.

This is probably the best opening match in the history of pay-per-views. Bret and Owen went out there and put on a technical masterpiece. After years of focusing on cartoonish characters, here was the WWF displaying pure wrestling at its finest. The success of this match helped send the company in a different direction that focused more on quality of in-ring work. Ironically, it was this lower card showcase that helped cement Bret's place as the top star in the company more than the main event championship match later on in the same show. Owen was also elevated to become a top-notch heel that could be weaved into World Championship matches when needed. Wrestling was slumping, but the Hart brothers helped save the company from falling into ruin, and this was the highlight of their epic feud.

(2) Bret Hart vs. the British Bulldog: Summerslam 1992, Intercontinental Championship

By the time Summerslam 1992 had arrived, the WWF was still afraid to headline a pay-per-view without Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, or the Ultimate Warrior in the main event. Bret approached WWF officials before the event with the idea that if he and Bulldog were given the main event and suitable time, they could put on a classic for the ages. They did not disappoint. After over twenty minutes of some of the best back and forth wrestling ever seen, hometown hero British Bulldog won the Intercontinental Title in front of over 80,000 fans at Wembley Stadium.

This contest was significant for more than just a belt, however, as it brought pure wrestling to the main stage at a time where colorful characters were featured over wrestling ability. With the steroid scandal looming, Bret Hart exhibited the skills to show that a smaller better worker could be the top performer in the company. It represented a shift in the company's direction to more exciting, agile wrestlers and better matches. For this reason, it is the greatest match in Summerslam history.

(1) Bret Hart versus Stone Cold Steve Austin: WrestleMania 13, Submission Match

Like I discussed above, when Bret Hart returned from a long absence after WrestleMania 12, he chose Austin as the man he wanted to feud with. We should all be thankful for his choice because they had an epic rivalry with some of the greatest matches in wrestling history. They were perfect foils in personality and in-ring style. Hart was the traditional hero who played by the rules and was the technical Excellence of Execution, but the fans were beginning to turn on him. Austin was the new-age antihero who broke all the rules, but was beginning to attain a strong fan following. Their rivalry reflected the change in the pop culture climate and the desire for flawed idols with edgy personas.

WrestleMania 13 was, by all accounts, a disappointment, but it was saved from complete disaster with this astounding battle. Both men were at their best and they shared tremendous chemistry in the ring. It was a mixture of bloody brawling and technical brilliance, and it concluded with one of the most iconic images in wrestling history. The bleeding Austin caught in The Sharpshooter, but refusing to submit became the symbolic portrait of the Attitude Era. Hart came in the heel and Austin the face, but during the course of the match, they reversed roles, and fans got behind the courageous rebel who refused to quit.

This match was important on various levels. In the ring, it was a perfectly worked battle between two of the WWF's greatest superstars ever. It fueled Austin's ascent to megastar status and it also led to the best incarnation of Hart's character as the jaded wrestler who was a heel in the USA, but a face everywhere else. The contest was also the birth of the Attitude Era, and a more cutting edge product that would soon bring the WWF its most successful period ever. Looking back, we can all be thankful that HBK "lost his smile" and backed out of his re-match with Hart because viewing this match still brings smiles to faces of wrestling fans everywhere. It is Hart's crowning achievement of his career.

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