10 major WWE superstars and their tipping points

Bret Hart

Bret Hart’s bout with Roddy Piper kickstarted his career

The name Bret Hart has been registered in every wrestling fan’s mind almost synonymously with the Montreal Screwjob, and with good reason. The Screwjob was a tipping point for the industry of wrestling, and certainly the WWE, as it led to the advent of the Attitude Era. With Hart leaving the WWE and jumping ship to WCW, newer and younger stars took his place and the WWE machine rolled on.

Earlier, Hart had been the top babyface in the company as he had symbolized exactly the WWE’s need of the hour: in-ring excellence and a lower profile out of it than compared to a megastar like Hulk Hogan. We have to remember that this was on the back of the steroid scandal that had almost wrecked the WWE and Vince McMahon.

Perhaps Hart’s rise was a opportune confluence of timing and skill, but certainly his credibility was never in question. From his first ever Intercontinental Title, won in an incredible match against Roddy Rowdy Piper at Wrestlemania 8, Hart’s in-ring ability constantly earned him plaudits and recognition from one and all.

In hindsight, that match in Wrestlemania 8 was the tipping point in the Hitman’s WWE career. It served as a sign of things to come, with his first WWE Title also following shortly.

Shawn Michaels

Shawn Michaels turns on his partner Marty Janetty

The Rockers, comprising of Shawn Michaels and Marty Janetty, captured the fancy of many fans due to their high-flying and energetic in-ring style. After being accustomed to powerful and dominant tag teams such as The Road Warriors, The Rockers were considered by many to be a breath of fresh air.

The youthful exuberance of the duo was irresistible to most, and the chemistry they shared as tag team partners was equally apparent. But n the WWE, the concept of good chemistry usually indicates a good feud in the making, and it was only a matter of time before heartbreak ensued for the thousands of fans who had bought into the team of the Rockers.

Little snippets of discord had already been springing up between the partners for a fair period of time when, in an alarming and disbelief-inducing moment that was initially meant for reconciliation, Michaels superkicked Janetty and drove him head first through a glass window, thereby shattering it and the hearts of the viewing audience in the process.

That remains one of the most impactful partner vs partner turns that the WWE has ever pulled off, and it only came about due to HBK’s desire to pursue a singles career and not to consign himself merely to the tag team division.

We can now be glad that he felt the way he did and attacked Janetty, for it was the first step of many that eventually saw him cement his status as one of the greatest singles performers ever in WWE history.