Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart

[8.0] "WOW, what a match! The beginning is highly technical; I loved the sequences, and some of them genuinely blew me away. From there, the match became pure drama: the Sharpshooters, the facial expressions, the crowd being totally into it, and some awesome heel work by Owen targeting Bret's leg. Really good match!"

[10.0] "(5 Stars) We'll overlook the botched low blow because other than that, everything is perfect. (*****)."

[9.0] "A great technical match between brothers. Owen Hart needed to prove to the world that he's a better wrestler than his more famous brother Bret. Owen won't hesitate to use everything he can to be the winner and it's greatly told. I sincerely think these guys would thrive in today's wrestling, especially in Japan. I've seen better technical matches but it's still one I strongly recommend."

[10.0] "Probably the best Wrestlemania opener of all time and Owens' breakout performance. A fantastic match from both of them in a long-awaited confrontation, as part of an outstanding feud.... what more could you ask for?"

[7.0] "I don't love Bret Hart's version of technical wrestling, however, this is better than their Summerslam match by way of being shorter. This is still a good match though. Owen and Bret obviously know how to work with each other."

[8.0] "I'll need to rewatch this later. Very technical but didn't have the kind of moments to take this over the top for me. Good storytelling, I just feel that it tends to meander early."

[7.0] "While I can appreciate the flawless technical execution and the historical significance of this match, it didn't completely click for me. Watching it years later without the emotional attachment of experiencing that era live, it felt more like a very clinical, well-crafted exhibition rather than a gripping emotional rollercoaster. The in-ring psychology and the wrestling fundamentals from both Hart brothers are undeniably top-tier, but the lack of personal investment on my end held it back from being the all-time masterpiece many consider it to be. A very good, solid technical contest, but it didn't sweep me away"

[9.0] "Owen does indeed step out of the shadows and establishes himself as a major player who was here to stay. Also a victory for little brothers like myself everywhere. An amazing feud that turned into a brilliant match. One of the best pure wrestling matches you'll find with remarkable grapples and counters, a slow build of intensity and drama, and great selling. Bret gives his brother the best rub he could possibly give him and Owen more than puts up his end of the bargain. It is just a smidge long and could have used the smallest touch more drama, but those are small and minor criticisms. I do absolutely prefer their cage match at Summerslam over this due to the better drama and storytelling, but this is a classic in its own right."

[9.0] "The boys had the change to GO in this one and they WENT for it. Stupidly good graps with little flairs of brilliance. Loved how Bret sold the little grapples Owen got on him and the continuing ramp-up of intensity and physicality. Legit the best opener in WrestleMania history and the best match on this card"

[10.0] "Incredible technical wrestling match. Almost feels out of place for this time period in the best possible way. Probably a good introduction for anyone looking to understand mat-based wrestling. Nothing fancy or flashy, but just really tense and incredibly well paced by two masters of their craft."

[10.0] "Arguably my favorite match of this era in wrestling. Great storytelling and in ring chemistry by the hart brothers, amazing overall, and the ending was spectacular."

[10.0] "One of the best Wrestlemania matches. 2 of the very best in-ring throughout the 90's from the counters to the character work. Just a phenomenal performance from both. Having Owen win was surprising but Bret got the bigger win later on in the evening."

[9.0] "Brotherly drama never rang so peculiarly true. On one hand, you have Bret; the ultra talented, bodacious, pink tights wearing, dark-haired stud and big brother adored by fans. On the other hand, you have Owen; the toned-down force, the less attractive blond-haired little brother, blander but just as talented, yet the afterthought living in the shadow of his cooler big brother. It's pretty simple but oh so compelling. Needless to say, the storytelling here is excellent, and aside from a few weak holds, the action is neat. Owen plays the role of the jealous jerk quite well ; slapping Bret and getting dirty, pulling the hair, even hitting a low blow, going after the injured knee, winning the way he does and giving Bret the middle finger. Bret's selling of the knee is outstanding, I love the slick inconclusive finish, Bret's reaction to the upset is just perfect, Owen's post-match promo a bit less. History repeating itself with Bret ultimately overshadowing his little brother's career defining win by main eventing and winning the WWE title on the same night Owen beat him is the icing on the cake.****1/2"

[10.0] "One of the greatest matches in WWE history. Owen, obsessed with proving he is a better wrestler than Bret, constantly tries to stay one step ahead of him. However, Bret is the most cerebral wrestler on the planet and calculates every step he takes, so getting ahead of him is not easy. As harsh as Owen's attitude is, Bret's attitude is equally reluctant - Owen's motivation is to prove he is better than his brother, while Bret does not want to fight his brother. Owen wrestling more and more aggressively forces Bret to respond in kind, and with a counter-heavy reversal style he tries to establish dominance over Owen, but Owen finds the advantage he is looking for when Bret's knee injury flares up after a crossbody to the outside, and he turns his anger toward Bret into a desire to win by focusing on his leg and attacking the center of his weakness. However, Bret turns the momentum around and corners Owen. In the end, when Bret is struck by his own weapon - intelligence - the match ends poetically. Technical exchanges with counters & reversals flow aesthetically, attempts to shift momentum, strategies to stay one step ahead, dramatic story, storytelling - the leg, masterclass selling from Bret, Madison Square Garden atmosphere, and a finish fitting Owen's motivation and philosophy. One of the greatest matches of all time. *****"

[10.0] "One of the best openers for a WWE PPV/PLE ever, perfect execution from both, you have 2 of the prodigal sons from Stu Hart and the Hart family, Bret Hart having to wrestle with a bad leg, great storytelling, and it showed like always expecting from a hart, excellent execution and level in ring, with the people hating on Owen for what he did to Bret. 10/10 [*****]"

[10.0] "Very Very good match, a upset victory for Owen over his brother who wins the title later tonight, Owen works the leg well here the same leg he destroyed in the heel turn, Bret i feel underestimated his brother which shows later in their title matches, this is a great match with a good story and a surprise victory for the rocket"

[10.0] "Five stars out of five. This was the defining match for me as a smart fan. I wasn't even 14 yet, but I had an older cousin that smartened me up to the business. I started to pay more attention to the spots in the match, the timing of the moves, the pacing and the chemistry of the combatants. It's what we call workrate. I thought for sure Bret was going to win. Owen was still a midcarder who hadn't even cracked the IC title level yet while Bret had already main evented the previous WrestleMania and been a World Champion. What we got was a 20-minute technical wrestling clinic that was contested mostly in the ring (there were a couple of out-of-ring moments) providing us with a match that will live on forever as a classic. My favorite part was the finish when Owen countered Bret for the win. I was so happy for Owen. I'm a younger brother. My older brother and I fought quite a bit as a lot of kids do. It felt like Owen's victory was a victory for me too, as cheesy as that sounds. It's like rooting for an underdog sports team that comes through in the biggest game of their life. That's what this was because Owen won the biggest match of his life. I'll never get tired of watching this match. The best opening match in WrestleMania history."

[9.0] "Certainly one of the greatest openers in history, and excellently worked by Bret and Owen. They played their roles to perfection and it played directly into the overarching plot of the night. The only reason I haven't rated it higher is style preferences."

[10.0] "The best opening a PPV ever had? Eh, I don't know. But that was so fucking good man. The only negative spot about that entire match was the silent ass crowd. Bret Hart is highly considered the greatest wrestler of all time by some well know smart guys from the current wrestling, like CM Punk, Dax Harwood, but right here he was just outsmarted by his own brother. I don't have enough lenght and dept into the 90's wrestling era to argue about which one of the Hart brothers is the best one, but that night, Owen nailed it. Chemistry just natural, great while it lasted until the last minute. This is NOT a five stars match for be because, like I said, the crowd was a bit of quiet for 90's standards, but this was legendary."

[10.0] "Timeless. I sincrely think that it's not outdated at all. The wrestling is perfect, the intensity of the brother vs brother is real. Really beautiful."

[9.0] "Loved it. I'm sure in 94 this would've been a ***** or ****3/4 match but with modern sensibilities engrained into my mind it does feel like it missing more? But i think how abruptly it ends is perfect for the story they're trying to tell. Lots of fun and inventive spots even now. These mfs can sell so good. ****1/2"

[9.0] "The best brother vs brother match in wrestling history, and it's not close at all. Great in ring work, and the story is both simple and really good."

[8.0] "Totally deserving of its classic status but I gotta admit from a modern lense it does leave a bit to be desired. Technical wrestling has evolved as the years have passed and even though people like Bret Hart and especially Owen Hart have shaped how performers wrestle today this wasn't quite what I was expecting. A Zack Sabre Jr match this is not but that's not what I took away from the match as being what makes it so good. Bret and Owen had a story to tell and they told it incredibly well as both characters and athletes. The moves and sequences aren't anything we haven't seen before but they're done with such precision and proficiency that it's impossible not to gawk at, you will see some of the best piledriver you've ever seen in this match. Bret and Owen also sell the sibling rivalry angle incredibly well and it's not just the knowing each other's moves, it's the emotion that follows. Owen will do this little temper tantrum when he's out powered early on and Bret has this patient rage about his movement that is like he's waiting for a window to lay into his little brother. I'm not a huge fan of the finish. I don't mind an upset victory as Bret still had to compete later on for the world championship so I wasn't expecting a definitive finish here but I feel like the victory roll reversal was a bit flat. Maybe would've liked Owen working over Bret's ;egs to come more into play for the finish. Still a must watch even if it doesn't stand as a 5 star classic in my eyes"

[10.0] "A wonderfully constructed match by Brett and Owen. It's tougher to get people excited about a technical match in stead of a brawl or something more hard hitting, but these guys do exactly that. The storytelling was next level with Owen trying to step out of Bret's shadow to not only convince the fans, but himself, that he's better than his brother Bret. The finish was perfect with the surprise pin. It gives Owen the win with a technical move to legitimize his technical wrestling prowess, it allows the victory to appear like a fluke so it helps Bret save face and because Bret wasn't beating in conventional fashion, it leaves the door open for a victory over Yokozuna later that night in the main event. This match was fun to watch. The twenty minutes flew right by."

[9.0] "What a fantastic match. The psychology, the selling, the story, the chemistry, it is all just off the charts. A fantastic match."

[8.0] "A wonderfully steady-paced match clearly showing what one brother has over the other with some neat details and touches, more so in the first half, is where those touches unfold, adding a great deal of substance and character to the match. The first third of this match is beautifully conveyed as we see Bret has the upper hand when it comes to the purity in the technicality of chain and mat wrestling, with him always having an answer or an escape as Owen tries to play his game. Even when Owen attempts to deceive, outsmart, or instigate him, Bret is there to show him who has that game won and even gets rough with him, reciprocating Owen's disrespect. The second third is where the physicality was more prominent, which offered a gradual shift with Owen taking a good chunk of it as he took the advantage when it came to that physical aspect, even muscling Bret, which, in the eye of the viewer, helps establish him as being a threat after he was outclassed in the first third. In the last third, we see Owen taking a smarter route, taking advantage of Bret having sustained damage to his leg, to which Owen responds by working over the limb before Bret takes over as he works through his limb damage, which adds that admirable toughness that is complimentary as a babyface. Owen claims victory in a way the felt appropriate for his attitude leading to this match, his attitude in this match, and how he wrestled here. ****1/4"

[9.0] "I mean don't get my wrong this match was a great watch with two of the best technical wrestlers of the time and the in ring psychology and the selling in the match are both of the charts levels of good better than almost every wrestler today and how the leg work played into the finish of the match was masterful especially as even though Owen had most of the flow of the match it still took a roll up to beat his brother and the fact the roll up is realistic that it was impossible for Bret to kick out even if it wasn't a wrestling match . Obviously Owen shines the brighter of the two playing into the story of wanting to step out of Bret's shadow and become the star he deserves to be he delivers a perfect performance as a cocky bastard of a heel throughout the match mocking and winding Bret up throughout. Standout moments for me in this match were both piledrivers especially the leaping tombstone from Owen then the missed diving head butt and obviously the finish as it involved Bret's leg finally giving out after Owen worked it all match. I feel Bret was holding back a touch which is fair has he was already billed in the main event so i feel if this was Bret's only match of the night it could of been even greater. My one slight complaint is probably a personal one is that I don't quite feel that the match quite feels the same watching it for the first time in 2025 as it would of in 1994 where a match of this quality was a rarity on national TV but now we have matches that i think are around the same quality of this multiple times a year where as for example the 2003 Kobashi Misawa match is still unrivalled 22 years later and probably is better than almost all of them. Still it is an epic match between two of the all time great Technion's and real understanders of in ring psychology so for that i still hold it in high regard as an outstanding match. (****3/4)"

[1.0] "Too slow, and the moves are some of the most common and boring moves I have ever seen, like I was expecting a ZSJ vs Bryan Danielson like technical match and it was the most the basic technical wrestling ever, like I know this type of wrestling in some NJPW main event matches in the first 5 minutes there was nothing in this match how can people now like this match."

"This one might be my all time favorite wrestling match and I think it is safe to say that this is the greatest brother vs brother match in wrestling history. Amazing technical performance with great wrestling psychology and you can hear that the crowd loved every minute of it."

[10.0] "***** (10/10) When it comes to Brother vs Brother, Owen vs Bret might be the example that all sibling performers wish to achieve when working a program together. This was also the first brother matchup in Mania's young history, so stakes and emotions were running high. The Hart name alone made the first fight of the night feel like the biggest fight in these two legends careers. And boy does this hold up unlike much of the product from 1994. From today's standards, Owen vs Bret was a masterpiece in story, work-rate and psychology. I can imagine when this has aired that whoever were still fans of the product were losing their minds watching these two go at it in the Garden. RIP Owen. It's sad to say that this was the golden moment of your career, but what a moment it was, to beat the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be. Bret might have been the best. But you were the best Hart"

[9.0] "This is rightly lauded, an excellent match for the WWF of the time. These two naturally have a great level of chemistry, leading to a brilliantly smooth and crisp match. Everything looks like it hits just right. Owen is an awesome stooging heel, celebrating every little win and cutting off Bret by any means necessary, plus utilising some awesome and honestly still lost offense. I think the third quarter is a bit quiet but what a nice finish for a cool match!"

[9.0] "amazing match. i love the brother storyline on here with owen wanting to get out of his brother shadow. the match was fast and not swingy at all they both have a lot of offense. the match is very tense and the crowd is split on them. there isnt a single technical mistake and there are some great moves on here and the finish with bret putting owen over is great. my only problem is the knee damage section, ive never been a fan of a big portion of the match being the heel damaging the baby face injured body part but it doesnt kill this match and only takes about 5 min from it i will say that i slightly prefer british bulldog v bret hart to this one but still this is incredible, maybe on rewatch i prefer it over that match but i have to take another look 9-9, 25/10"

[10.0] "What a fantastic match to open a Wrestlemania, Brother Vs Brother.. This match really was something special, the sheer ability and work-rate of these two is something that is mostly unheard of in wrestling today, Bret's selling was top notch, his ability to sell every single move is great to see. The last few minutes were great, Bret being forced to change his style because of Owen targeting his legs beforehand was cool to see, just another reason why he's the all time greatest in the ring."

[10.0] "Arguably the greatest opener in Wrestlemania history that still holds up well to this day! On paper this was money and it was so in reality. Both play their roles to perfection, its as classic wrestling as it can get. Does it start slow and got a few many rest holds in the beginning? Sure, but once the pace start picking up and the drama increases, the finishing stretches to this match are FANTASTIC, and I especially love the shocking, realistic finish, especially after all the near counts previously making it feel that much more heavy. This match felt ahead of its time, and has a lasting legacy felt to this day similar to Savage vs Steamboat, which is why it becomes the second Wrestlemania match to receive that 10/10 Legendary rating from me. This is ALL you could ask for from a professional wrestling match."

[5.0] "I dont think it was anything to great to watch in 2025. Just a mediocre match i watched like 2 months ago i think i dont remember anything about it just Owen winning and it was whatever people seem too like it tho, thats okay i guess but i dont care about this match that much its still that new generation era wrestling pretty limited and based on holds and boring stuff we evolved so much since then. Bret Hart had a better match with Shawn Michaels at Mania 12 it was alright that one nothing crazy but better than this one"

[10.0] "Oh yeah! What a great match this is. The work here is astounding the selling is of the highest order and the storytelling from both of the Hart boys here is fantastic. I do not have enough superlatives to explain how much I enjoyed this match. Just go and watch it!"

[10.0] "Owen was fantastic. He even outshines Bret in this particular match, with his charisma and heel work. It's very strange to watch this type of match in the 1994s WWF, and thats a compliment to the work of this 2 amazing wrestlers."

[10.0] "This is one of the three best matches in Wrestlemania history, and one of the best matches in WWF history as a result. Great wrestling, great character work, great storyline. A seminal match in pro wrestling history. *****"

[9.0] "owen is such a cocky bastard, i love him. very smart match with owen targeting bret's legs and it playing into the finish where bret loses his balance off the hurricanrana. the constant counters were juicy and owen was the right winner seeing as bret was going to win against yoko anyway. bit slow paced compared to today's standards but still probably the best opening match in mania history ****1/2"

[10.0] "This is literally peak wrestling, peak drama, peak soap opera, peak sports entertainment, peak psycology. Bret and Owen delivered this match like as if they were giving out candies at charity event. The match was literally both trying to outsmart each other and at the end Owen won. A Goated mania opener"

[10.0] "The best brother and brother match, or at least top 2. A technicial masterpiece. The grappling exchanges are fierce, heated, and rough, it's masterful stuff. The story heading into this match was that Owen was trying to get out of his brother Brett's shadow and you would think a win at mania would do that. Fast forward to the main event and its Bret who is being carried by the rest of the top babyfaces after winning the wwf title with Owen looking on from the outside refusing to join the rest of the superstars in the ring, yet again, feeling overshadowed. One of the best rivalries in wrestling history. And a match ahead of its time. *****"

[10.0] "I love brother vs brother matches and Badass should be the same. Owen Hart was a technical AllRounder and Heel was great. He worked Bret's whole body throughout the match and Bret was great at selling his body and his fatigue at the end of the match. Owen Hart's last shot was where he started working on Bret's legs and Bret changed his style to compensate and went strong, which was great. Bret's comeback was also great, he made a comeback when Owen wanted to start hitting finishers or getting falls, which was really a masterpiece in its time. Overall, this match was way ahead of its time, especially since it was held in the WWF."

[9.0] "This match is straight up as advertised. Masterful work from Owen Hart, who carried this match, from beginning to end. Could have ascended into the legendary tier of matches if Bret pulled his weight more, but he just isn't that kind of worker, despite what his reputation may tell you. Owen Hart is truly one of the greatest in ring workers of all time and is, in my opinion, the most entertaining mat-based technical wrestler of all time. This match is only made better by the AWESOME realistic finish to the match with Owen getting the 3 count by putting Bret in a pin that would genuinely be impossible to escape from. And yes, it is the best Wrestlemania opener of all time and it's really not close."

[9.0] "This is a tremendous match; in fact, I'd say this is the best match contested under the WWE(F) banner up to this point in the company's history. While there were definitely some great ones before this like Steamboat/Savage at 'Mania 3, I don't think any of them were both as technically proficient and dramatic as this one managed to be. Bret and Owen tell a simple but well-executed story of Owen's willingness to maim his brother conferring an advantage that the otherwise more experienced Bret lacks because of his reluctance to really lay into Owen, especially early on in the bout. Owen's persistence in attacking Bret's knee to gain the advantage, which the latter tweaks because of a plancha to the outside, only serves to highlight this theme. It also serves a nice callback to Owen's heel turn at the Rumble. The finish is perfect too, with Owen simply outwrestling Bret and pinning him clean, instantly establishing him as a credible contender to his soon-to-be world champion brother. While this match doesn't reach the dramatic highs of some other great matches--I've come to prefer their rematch at Summerslam for this reason--it is still a perfect example of why you don't need to sacrifice technically mastery for the sake of better drama and crowd engagement. ****1/4"

[9.0] "This was probably Bret Hart's crowning achievement in the WWF, putting over his brother Owen in one of the best opening WrestleMania matches to date. I did not expect Owen to win this match, but he did cleanly and brilliantly, as Bret would win his match later in the night against Yokozuna to win the championship and set up a rematch down the line."

[9.0] "Wrestlemania's monumental match, with high historical significance and way ahead those times in some aspects. We could expect highly technical based masterpiece and brothers delivered it."

"Wow. Its emotional watching this back as an adult. As a teen Owen Hart enraged me. As an adult I marvel at how ahead of his time he was with his slick movements, innovation and underrated skills as a believable Heel. At the time my favourite wrestler and arguably one of the best technical wrestlers storytellers vs his younger brother who never once let Bret outshine him. This was Owens night. Historical."

[10.0] "I feel like as a younger wrestling fan, the value of good basic wrestling is going away, so I feel like this is a perfect textbook wrestling match, not the most flashy or crazy, but true basic (not in a bad way) wrestling."

[10.0] "What a fantastic match, probably the best PPV opener of all time, this was a technical masterpiece, it got so close to receive a perfect rating by me, the action was thrilling the entire time, everything looked so unpredictable, this was all about Owen trying to prove he's a better wrestler than Bret, and it's tough to watch this and argue about this claim, not only because he won the match, but also because of the way he wrestled here, outstanding job. After some friction at the 1993 Survivor Series and the heel turn by Owen at the Royal Rumble, the brothers finally had their big match, and they showed how to do a brother vs brother match, incredible stuff, obviously the chemistry was off the charts, it felt like the whole thing didn't had any filler moment, the pace was greater than ever, 20-minutes where you felt the match could be ending in any moment, that's incredibly hard to do, but those two have been wrestling their entire life and if there's two people that could pull this off are them. Just like at the Rumble, Owen focused on Bret's knee, and could steal the win at the end, which could sound underwhelming, but it's perfectly logical that the only way to put a guy you know so well down, is by outsmarting him and winning by a tiny detail. The reverses they did here were astonishing - {****3/4}"

[9.0] "[4.5*] This is a wrestling masterpiece. In terms of technical wrestling, it is perfect and very innovative. They were doing Zack Sabre Jr holds in 1994 with such an insane and beautiful chemistry, this was amazing to watch. I actually think Owen out-wrestled Bret on the technicals, he was fucking superb. Incredible roll-ups and submissions. My problem is: this was a bloody feud between two brothers where the younger one betrayed the older one because of how jealous he was. I get that they went on the route of seeing who could out-wrestle the other, but I was expecting a little bit more heat and hatred on this one. It felt like a perfect showcase match, but did not have the necessary feeling and maybe this is why the crowd was so quiet. Still a delicious match to watch, tho. Thankfully the Steel Cage match resolved this small issue."