Preserving the Legends. Reliving the Moments. Archiving the Legacy.
By the mid-90s, Owen Hart was money on the mic as a classic pro wrestling heel. Whether he was accepting a Slammy in 1996 and thanking absolutely nobody but himself or stealing the spotlight in 1997 as the presenter and taking the award for himself, Owen’s timing and personality made these moments unforgettable.
At the Royal Rumble, held on Saturday, January 22, 1994, at the Providence Civic Center in Providence, Rhode Island, Diesel (Kevin Nash) didn’t just make an impact—he took control from the outset. After storming the ring and quickly eliminating Scot Steiner, Bart Gunn, Owen Hart, and Kwang, the tone inside the arena began to shift. What started as a dominant heel performance quickly turned into something far more unusual—the crowd began to rally behind him.
Over the next several minutes, Diesel ran through the field with authority, racking up seven eliminations and imposing his will on the match. Rather than resisting him, the audience grew louder with each elimination, turning his run into one of the most memorable appearances of the night. Even Vince McMahon acknowledged the unexpected support on commentary.
When Diesel was finally eliminated after nearly 18 minutes, the crowd responded with chants of his name as he made his way to the backstage—a rare and telling sign that something had changed.
That night didn’t end with Diesel as the winner, but it marked the turning point. Three days after the Survivor Series on November 26, 1994, he had completed the climb, capturing the WWF Championship at Madison Square Garden and cementing one of the quickest rises of the era.
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| Chuck Norris appeared in the WWF in November 1994 |
From film and television star Chuck Norris to "special troubleshooting referee," his appearance at WWF Survivor Series in San Antonio, Texas, brought a unique crossover presence to one of the event’s most heavily promoted pay-per-view events.
Below are three short clips capturing his involvement—from promotional material to televised segments—offering a quick look back at this distinctive moment in WWF history.
Treated
as conquering legends the instant they emerged from behind the curtain, Bret "Hitman" Hart, WWF Intercontinental Champion Owen Hart, WWF European Champion British Bulldog (Davey Boy Smith) with his wife "Mrs. Calgary" Diana Hart Smith, Jim "the Anvil" Neidhart, and the ever-unpredictable
Brian Pillman were buoyed by an audience that was fully invested.
Opposing them were the rebellious "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, the no-nonsense Ken Shamrock, the bizarre and unsettling Goldust, and the intimidating powerhouse duo of The Legion of Doom. It was a clash of national identities, philosophies, and fan allegiances, colliding in one of the loudest and most unforgettable atmospheres the WWF ever produced.
"What a match this has been. What an unbelievable partisan crowd, J.R., we are witnessing here live tonight. I've never experienced anything like it.”
- Vince McMahon
“I don’t think I’ve ever been, in my twenty-five years, feeling anything that we’re feeling here, the genuine enthusiasm!”
- Jim Ross
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| Your WWF Ticket is also good for admittance into the Calgary Stampede Rodeo! |
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Stu Hart (left), with his wife Helen and daughter Diana —the
wife of Davey Boy Smith—react from ringside. |
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| Shawn Michaels vs Marty Jannetty in 1993 |
As the WWF’s Golden Era faded and the New Generation began to redefine professional wrestling, the breakup of The Rockers marked a decisive turning point for both Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty. For Michaels, it was the launchpad for a meteoric rise as a singles competitor; for Jannetty, it quietly marked the closing chapter of his prime in-ring run.
Yet in 1993, their rivalry produced something remarkable. Across three singles matches—each earning four-star acclaim—Michaels and Jannetty delivered a compact trilogy that showcased their unmatched chemistry. The first took place on January 24, 1993, at the Royal Rumble in Sacramento, California. The remaining two aired on the USA Network’s WWF Monday Night RAW, cementing this overlooked series as one of the best rivalries of its time.
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| Marty Jannetty vs Shawn Michaels in July 1993 |
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| Charlie Minn with Shawn Michaels and Diesel |
On May 28, 1996, during a World Wrestling Federation television taping of WWF Superstars in Charleston, South Carolina, brothers Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy appeared together for the first time as tag team partners in the WWF.
During the taping, the Hardy brothers faced the reigning WWF Tag Team Champions, The Smoking Gunns—kayfabe brothers Billy and Bart Gunn—and also competed in a second match against the pairing of Marty Jannetty and Leif Cassidy as the New Rockers, with both bouts taking place the same night.
The WWF Tag Team Championship match later aired on the June 15 episode of WWF Superstars and was further anchored in WWF history by a commentary team featuring Mr. Perfect, Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, and Sunny. For the Hardys—hailing from nearby North Carolina—the match represents not only their first national exposure as a team, but the earliest documented step in what would become one of the most influential tag team careers of the modern era.
Listen as Vince McMahon refers to the brothers as The Hardy Boyz on commentary during both of their matches.
These ads captured the changing tone of the WWF. In hindsight, they represent the groundwork that led to the Attitude Era and beyond.
📺 WWF Wrestling Challenge – Aired September 12, 1993
📍 Green Bay, Wisconsin (Taped August 17, 1993)
🎤 Commentary: Jim Ross & Bobby “The Brain” Heenan
⏱️ Duration: 3 minutes, 34 seconds
Barry Horowitz was no stranger to defeat — but when he stepped in the ring with Bret Hart, he didn’t just lose. He got outclassed.
This was Bret Hart in full technician mode: surgical precision, crowd connection, and championship swagger. Just months removed from dropping the WWF Title at SummerSlam, the Hitman was focused, fired-up, and flawless.
Horowitz, ever the pro, sold every move like a car crash. And Bret? He worked the match like he was still the champ.
Horowitz opened with a cheap shot in the ropes, earning instant boos — classic heel jobber tactics.
Bret responded with a hip toss, scoop slam, and second-rope elbow — the full Hitman Combo.
Mid-match headlock sequences gave Bret time to work the pace and spotlight his control.
Finished with a lightning-fast Sharpshooter that popped the crowd.
While Barry Horowitz would gain cult status years later for his short-lived push, in 1993 he was still the textbook enhancement guy — and this match with Bret is a shining example of how to elevate both talents in under 4 minutes.
This wasn’t a squash of disrespect — it was a clinic. And it showed just how much pride Bret took in every match, title or not.
| Winner | Bret Hart |
| Loser | Barry Horowitz |
| Finish | Sharpshooter (Submission) |
| Time | 3:34 |
| Date Aired | September 12, 1993 |
| Taped | August 17, 1993 (Green Bay, WI) |
| Show | WWF Wrestling Challenge |
📹 Bret Hart vs. Barry Horowitz – WWF Wrestling Challenge (1993)
📺 WWF Superstars – January 8, 1994
📍 Lowell, Massachusetts
🎤 Commentary: Vince McMahon & Stan Lane
⏱️ Duration: 2 minutes
1994 began with a boom — or more accurately, a splat.
Scott Taylor and Bert Centeno stepped into the ring with Yokozuna, and let’s just say... they didn’t make it out the same.
With Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette lurking ringside, Yokozuna wasted no time imposing his will on the much smaller opponents. This wasn’t a match. This was a warning shot for the rest of the WWF.
Bert Centeno opens… and is flattened immediately.
Tag to Taylor, who tries to use speed — and gets caught mid-air with a clothesline that nearly twists him inside-out.
The jobbers briefly attempt a double-team, but Yoko no-sells it with a Samoan growl and a double shoulder block.
A monstrous Banzai Drop on Taylor finishes it. Centeno didn’t even get tagged back in.
McMahon: “Yokozuna may be more dangerous than ever in 1994.”
Stan Lane: “That’s two-for-one on the Banzai menu tonight!”
This match is a classic example of Yokozuna’s post-championship booking: still dominant, still terrifying, and able to take out two men with theatrical ease. For Taylor, it was an early test that he’d pass years later under a new gimmick. For Centeno… well, at least he tried.
🧠 Legacy Bonus:
Scott Taylor would go on to reinvent himself years later as Scotty 2 Hotty, but here in 1994, he was just another victim of Yokozuna’s path of destruction.
| Winner | Yokozuna |
| Losers | Scott Taylor & Bert Centeno |
| Finish | Banzai Drop on Taylor (Pinfall) |
| Time | 2 minutes |
| Aired | January 8, 1994 |
| Taped | December 15, 1993 (Lowell, MA) |
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| Bret vs Owen |
They were born of wrestling royalty, trained in the legendary Hart Dungeon, and destined to clash.
At WrestleMania X, Owen Hart stepped out of the shadows of his older brother and into Madison Square Garden to prove he was every bit the wrestler — if not better.
Bret Hart was the beloved technician. Owen? The hungry, underappreciated challenger with something to prove.
What unfolded was not just a family feud — it was one of the most technically sound, emotionally charged matches in WrestleMania history.
It’s the sibling showdown that opened WrestleMania X and left Madison Square Garden stunned. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart — a masterclass in storytelling, psychology, and execution.
We’re proud to launch our first-ever Match Companion PDF with this classic. Download it, follow along, and relive one of the best openers in WrestleMania history.
Click here to download the Match Companion Vol. 1 – Bret vs. Owen (PDF)
Created by Vince • Pro Wrestling Resource
#MatchCompanion #WrestleManiaX #BretVsOwen
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Thank you for being part of this journey—and for helping to keep wrestling history alive for future fans.
