10 shocking Moments from WWF (WWE) 1996

#8 Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart wrestle in a 60-minute Iron Man match at Wrestlemania

The boyhood dream

No matter how successful a year 1996 was for WCW, one of the things most fans instantly think about that year was the main event of Wrestlemania XII between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart. This was the true culmination of years of hard work by Vince McMahon to showcase a new generation of Superstar, one that did not rely on steroid-induced physiques and cartoonish gimmicks and costumes. It was time for the athleticism to take over.

Having won the Royal Rumble for the second year in a row, the stage was set for Shawn Michaels to take on his nemesis Bret Hart at the biggest stage of the year. In an attempt to reaffirm just how talented these two men were, the match was scheduled to be a 60-minute Iron Man Match, the first of its kind at Wrestlemania.

The decision was a risky one. Vince was relying on the idea that fans would want to see two people in the ring for so long. To this day, fans are still split about whether this was a wrestling masterpiece or one of the most boring main events in Wrestlemania history.

A lot will come down to the style of wrestling you prefer. If you like to see a lot of build up and storytelling inside the ring, this is certainly the match for you. If you're a fan of the high-flying, fast paced style of Lucha Libre influenced wrestling then large parts of this match will pass you by without much enjoyment attached.

Furthermore, the two men ended up going the full 60 minutes without scoring a single pinfall or submission. The match went into overtime where Shawn would eventually superkick Bret and become the new WWF Champion.

Whether or not you think this match was overrated, you can't deny that it signalled one of the most memorable championship victories in Wrestlemania history, and re-emphasised the idea that WWF was the true home of five-star technical wrestling.