Bret Hart Opens Up on Double Turn with Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13

During an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, WWE Hall of Famer Bret "Hitman" Hart offered a detailed and personal breakdown of his iconic submission match against “Stone Cold” Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13. Hart, regarded as one of wrestling’s most cerebral performers, reflected on the psychology, storytelling, and behind-the-scenes context that made the match a transformative moment in WWE history.

Hart did not hold back in his praise for the bout, describing it as both a “gem” and an “experiment,” while shedding light on critical background details that fans were unaware of at the time. One of the most revealing insights was that both he and Austin were informed of a major development just hours before the event. “I knew, and Steve found out that day that I was going to turn heel the following night on Raw,” Hart shared. “We were the only two that knew that.”

This revelation played a major role in how the match was structured. Hart, sensing the electricity in the atmosphere and the evolving reactions to Austin, began to see something much bigger taking shape. “My instincts told me that Steve was also going to turn… I kind of knew it was a heel turn and a babyface turn all in the same match,” he said. The match would go on to showcase one of the most compelling double turns in wrestling history—where Hart, the beloved hero, left the ring as a villain, and Austin, previously despised, gained the crowd’s respect through his resilience and refusal to submit.

Hart emphasized that it was the in-ring storytelling that made the moment so powerful. He reflected on the shift in the crowd’s perception during the course of the match. “The psychology of that… I always think about when I walked out to the ring, I got a pretty hearty cheer from everybody. I was the good guy… and when I walked back through the same crowd at the end of it, I was definitely the bad guy,” he recalled. “So what happened in 30 minutes or 35 minutes changed all that. That’s the storytelling.”

For Hart, it is that dynamic transformation—the emotional journey the crowd took alongside the performers—that elevates the match to legendary status. “I think that’s the reason I think that match was as great as they’re saying it is today,” he concluded, acknowledging the legacy of a moment that continues to be studied and celebrated to this day.