[1997-04-21-WWF-Raw] Bret Hart vs Steve Austin (Street Fight)

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

This is really more angle than match, but it's a great one. I think what makes this the best rivalry the WWF has ever had is not just that the matches were great, but also that they were able to tell a story through action in the ring. Sure, there were some great promos to piece things together, but it was really the in-ring action that was the driver of this whole feud. This is most likely the best episode of RAW of all time based on the in-ring street fight and the post-match antics with Austin attacking Bret in the ambulance. I remember completely losing my shit watching this when it happened.

[silverwidow]

Footnote here is that this was Vince Russo's first Raw as head writer.

[Jimmy Redman]

So it IS true. He always starts off with a bang.

[Kevin Ridge]

McMahon and Austin have a spat before match starts. Hart Foundation attacks Austin but Michaels runs them off leaving it to be one on one. Austin destroys Hart’s knee. Bret actually gives Austin the double bird during this. Hart gets taken out on a stretcher as we see backstage that Monsoon has kicked Austin out of the building. This all leads to the totally amazing sequence where Austin has taken over the ambulance and attacks Bret further.

[Migs]

Segments like this are why people remember the Monday Night Wars fondly. Just that feeling that anything could happen... the way the angle breaks the normal structure of the show. Really helps make the angle feel like something special.

[Robert S]

Footnote here is that this was Vince Russo's first Raw as head writer.

And it's really obvious: Having the gimmick math rematch of the PPV main event with maybe a cleaner finish than at the PPV is Russo 101. There was also this camera shot from the ambulance front-row, which probably would not have happened a few weeks earlier.

[soup23]

This was an exhilarating 20 minutes of wrestling. The street fight portion was on par with some of their other intense brawling and everything resulting from the injury angle of Hart to Gorilla and Austin trading jabs backstage was awesome. The moment in the ambulance of course is extremely memorable and really puts this feud over the top.

[PeteF3]

I feel like I'm saying this with practically every new episode, but we have a new best segment in Raw history--maybe THE best to this day--I certainly can't think of another contender until the Tyson and McMahon stuff starts in '98. The street fight itself is an awesome intense spectacle, with Austin going nuts with a chair on Bret's knee and wrist, both of which had needed surgery which is what set this angle up. Then the WWF does what it's done a great job of the past few months--booking a hot angle and not resting on their laurels, but going, "Okay, now what can we do to add to this?" In this case, it's Austin being thrown out of the building by Monsoon in one of his last moments of relevance, only to hijack the ambulance and attack Bret again.

[Exposer]

My God this is great. One of the five or so best angles in WWF history. Austin's calm before the storm leaning over the turnbuckle before Bret's music hits is awesome. Bret stalls & HF attack Austin from behind. It's 3 on 1 until Shawn Michaels comes through to the crowd to his biggest pop since the Rumble & clears the ring of Owen & Davey. I loved Bret taunting the fans as he takes advantage of the prone Austin. Bret once again tries to "Pillmanize" Austin but Austin moves out of the way. This allows Austin enough time to get the chair & whack Bret in his hurt knee from the night before. Austin stalks Bret & destroys him with the chair. Bret flipping Austin the bird before the fatal leg shot & as he was being turned into the sharpshooter are great moments. Austin has the sharpshooter on for a long time as officials finally break it up. Owen & Davey return to help Bret to the back. The next few segments are incredible television with Bret getting put on a stretcher & into the ambulance. We get a great moment with Gorilla sending Austin out of the building as well as Austin & Shawn bickering in the locker room. Just amazing stuff. The big kick is Austin hiding in the ambulance & attacking Bret some more for good measure. The Austin-Owen/Davey brawl after that is intense as hell with Owen getting in some wicked shots. Owen & Davey vow to kill Austin by the end of the night. A tremendous piece of business.

[Superstar Sleeze]

Bret Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin - WWF RAW 4/21/97 Street Fight

RAW IS WAR was so badass back in the day. Austin comes out crazed wanting a street fight. He whupped Bret's ass last night but before the chump quit Bulldog & Owen saved his ass. Now he wants a street fight so he can whup his ass so bad that ain't no doubt who won. He says Bret has one minute. They even have a countdown clock. Bret agrees, but for later in the night. This does not main event. It happen about 20 minutes later. Austin is back out. The Hart Foundation descends upon Austin and beats the shit out of him. Why is Owen wearing a Michigan sweatsuit. So weird. Go Blue! Shawn chases off Owen & Bulldog which lays the groundwork for the awesome tag match in a month between Austin & HBK and Owen & Bulldog. Bret is left alone Austin and he should be easy pickins. Bret piledrives Austin and wants to Pillmanize Austin's ankle. But he misses the stomp and hurts his own knee. Austin takes the chair and from his back smashes Bret's knee. Austin then destroys Bret's knee with the chair with incredible intensity. He locks Bret in the Sharpshooter and that's how Bret ends up in a wheelchair. I have learned this is the first RAW with Russo as head writer and in classic Russo fashion there is no actual finish. Which drives me nuts! The refs just yank Austin off of Bret. Where was the bell? Who won? Was it even a match? It is so stupid. Just do the angle. Sorry I dont mean to take away from the great work, but I hate when wrestling matches just end randomly. There has to be a finish. Still great work from everyone and escalation here was great as Austin is clearly positioned as a top babyface, Bret will be in a wheelchair and the feud just got that much hotter.