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When one thinks of WWE superstars who represented the New Generation Era best, Bret "The Hitman" Hart and The Undertaker are at the top of the list. Throughout the 1990s, Bret Hart and The Undertaker were among the most featured performers on WWE TV, with both men achieving overwhelming success as credible main-event superstars. Although Bret Hart and The Undertaker crossed paths many times on TV, the two have mutual respect for each other as their real-life friends. In recent years, Bret Hart and The Undertaker have spoken highly about one another.
Related: 10 Things Wrestling Fans Should Know About The Bret Hart Vs. Mr. Perfect Rivalry
The Undertaker And Bret Hart Represented The New Generation Era
Although The Undertaker made his WWE debut in 1990, compared to Bret Hart debuting in 1984, it wasn't that far apart when both men won their first WWE Championship and broke out as main event superstars. As the WWE was coming off the 1980s Wrestling Boom period, Bret Hart and The Undertaker were among the main-event superstars representing a new generation of professional wrestling.
As the New Generation Era followed next, Bret Hart rose to stardom in the era by winning the WWE Championship on five occasions throughout the 1990s, with his first WWE Championship win in 1992. Because of his accomplishments and rise in stardom, Bret Hart became an influential figure for smaller wrestlers getting showcased to the main-event scene and being taken seriously along with the heavyweights, as he's competed with many big men in wrestling, including The Undertaker.
Speaking of The Undertaker, though he didn't have the same championship success as Bret Hart did during the New Generation Era, he was one of the most protected superstars during the 1990s, and he and Bret Hart were on par regarding on-screen credibility. Much like Bret Hart getting his WrestleMania main event win for the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 10, not long after, The Undertaker also got his main-event win at a WrestleMania PPV, defeating Sycho Sid for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 13.
Related: Why The Undertaker Ditched The Deadman Gimmick And Became The “American Badass,” Explained
The Undertaker And Bret Hart's Memorable Battles
Although The Undertaker and Bret Hart were among the most prominent performers for WWE during that decade, they crossed paths in singles matches very few times, which makes their encounters much more special. Who could forget their first encounter on PPV when The Undertaker challenged Bret Hart for the WWE Championship at Royal Rumble 1996, or what about Bret Hart challenging The Undertaker for the WWE Championship at SummeSslam 1997? Together, they've created memorable moments throughout the few times they battled in the ring.
The Undertaker And Bret Hart's Real-Life Friendship
Although professional wrestling is an entertainment genre, one could always expect real-life feuds between some wrestlers, especially considering Bret Hart's highly publicized backstage rivalry with Shawn Michaels when they were active performers. However, among the backstage stories backstage animosities, one shouldn't expect to find anything about The Undertaker and Bret Hart being possible real-life enemies. In fact, over the years, The Undertaker and Bret Hart have always spoken highly of each other.
The two have great mutual respect and are real-life friends who hung out with each other while on the road. Bret Hart went into detail regarding his admiration for The Undertaker in his book, Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling. Calling him a friend, he confirmed they were travel partners during their time in WWE and would go out of their way to visit tourist sites on overseas trips. He even showcased pictures in his book of him and The Undertaker hanging out in public in their street clothes.
Considering that the two are old-school wrestlers, it's not surprising that they would get along. The Undertaker has even gone to bat for Bret Hart over the events of the Montreal Screwjob, which is another example of the mutual respect they have for one another.
Related: 10 Bret Hart Gimmick Matches You Completely Forgot AboutBecause of this, it would've been interesting to see the two work together for more matches, considering their upbringing in the business. Many years later, modern wrestling fans got to see a taste of a Bret Hart vs. The Undertaker match one last time when the two were supposed to square off in the ring on the 900th episode of Monday Night Raw in 2010.
