The rivalry between Bret “The Hitman” Hart and Shawn Michaels is one of the most layered feuds in wrestling history. It began as a professional competition between two of the WWF’s most gifted in-ring performers and gradually evolved into a deep, personal war battling over who deserved to be the face of the company during its most turbulent period. Spanning the better part of the 1990s, their feud helped define the New Generation Era and directly contributed to the birth of the Attitude Era.
Hart and Michaels followed remarkably similar paths to stardom. Both broke into the WWF as members of tag teams during the late 1980s, with Hart alongside Jim Neidhart in The Hart Foundation and Michaels paired with Marty Jannetty as The Rockers.
Their teams clashed multiple times between 1989 and 1991, producing matches that showcased the chemistry and contrasting styles that would define their singles rivalry. Hart was the methodical technician, a no-nonsense wrestler who let his work speak for itself. Michaels was the flashy showman, a high-flying innovator who craved the spotlight. When both men transitioned to singles competition and began climbing the card, a collision was inevitable.
Their first notable singles encounter came on July 21, 1992, when Hart defended the WWF Intercontinental Championship against Michaels in the company’s first-ever Ladder Match. The match, taped at a television taping in Portland, Maine, was never broadcast on regular programming but became a classic among fans who saw it on home video.
Hart retained the title, and the match planted the seed for the Ladder Match concept that Michaels would later popularize with Razor Ramon at WrestleMania X. Their rivalry escalated to the main event scene at Survivor Series 1992, where Hart, as WWF Champion, defended against Michaels, then the Intercontinental Champion. Only Hart’s title was on the line, and he retained after forcing Michaels to submit to the Sharpshooter in a 26-minute technical showcase that signaled the WWF’s shift toward a new style of main event wrestling.
Over the next few years, both men continued to rise, but their paths diverged in ways that intensified the tension. Hart carried the company as its top babyface through the New Generation Era, while Michaels dealt with personal setbacks, including a backstage assault in Syracuse and a controversial forfeiture of the Intercontinental Championship.
By 1996, Michaels had won the Royal Rumble and earned a shot at Hart’s WWF Championship, setting the stage for the main event of WrestleMania XII. Their 60-Minute Iron Man Match went the full hour without a single fall being scored. After Gorilla Monsoon ordered sudden death overtime, Michaels connected with two superkicks and pinned Hart to capture his first WWF Championship.
Hart, visibly frustrated, refused to shake Michaels’ hand and left the ring. That moment marked a turning point, as the professional respect between them began to crumble.
The rivalry grew openly hostile throughout 1997. A planned rematch at WrestleMania 13 fell apart when Michaels relinquished the WWF Championship, citing a knee injury that Hart believed was fabricated to avoid losing the title back to him. Behind the scenes, the two clashed constantly.
Michaels made on-air comments implying Hart had an affair with WWF valet Sunny, which led to a real backstage altercation. Promos became personal, with Michaels mocking Hart’s family and Hart questioning Michaels’ character. The animosity was no longer a work. It was real, and both men channeled it into their performances in a way that audiences could feel.
The feud reached its infamous conclusion at Survivor Series 1997 in Montreal. Hart, who had signed a contract with WCW, was set to defend the WWF Championship against Michaels. Hart refused to lose the title in Canada, and negotiations over the finish broke down. What followed became the most talked-about moment in wrestling history and is famously known as “The Montreal Screwjob”.
During the match, Michaels applied the Sharpshooter on Hart, and Vince McMahon ordered referee Earl Hebner to call for the bell, even though Hart never submitted. Michaels was awarded the WWF Championship.
Whether Michaels knew about the plan in advance has been debated for decades, though he initially denied it. Hart, feeling betrayed by McMahon and disgusted with Michaels, left the WWF that night. He would not return for over a decade.
The real-life wounds took years to heal. Hart and Michaels didn’t speak for over a decade after the Montreal Screwjob. It wasn’t until January 4, 2010, on an episode of Monday Night Raw, that the two men publicly reconciled, shaking hands and embracing in the ring.
In 2011, they sat down together for the WWE’s Greatest Rivalries DVD, where both men spoke candidly about the highs and lows of their relationship.
What made the Hart and Michaels rivalry resonate was its authenticity. The title matches were important, but it was the personal stakes that set the feud beyond anything the WWF had produced to that point. Their contrasting personalities, competing ambitions, and willingness to blur kayfabe created a rivalry that fundamentally changed the business.
For Hart, it marked the bitter end of his WWF career and shaped the way fans remember his legacy. For Michaels, it launched him into the Attitude Era as a top star, but also left a stain he spent years trying to wash away. Together, they told a story that wrestling has never been able to replicate.
