WWE started to take more risks in 1997 when falling to a distant second behind WCW in the Monday Night Wars. The comfort of always being in first place led to the discomfort of having to try new things. Bret Hart finding a new character as a heel in the United States and a face in other countries kickstarted the USA vs Canada storyline.The product improved drastically to set up a brighter future for WWE down the line and get back into the game of the Monday Night Wars. Quite a few wrestlers like Steve Austin benefited from feuding with Bret and the rest of the Hart Foundation. The use of nationalism can be hit or miss in wrestling, but WWE utilized it perfectly in 1997.
Transformative Character Shift For Face Of Company
Bret Hart was the most successful face of WWE in between the stints of Hulk Hogan and Steve Austin. The runs of Shawn Michaels, Diesel, and The Undertaker being pushed as the top face failed to find the same success as Hart. WWE pulling the trigger on changing Bret’s character was a huge change that had some risk involved. The heel turn during his feud with Steve Austin saw Hart ripping apart the United States to get heel heat.
WWE intentionally wanted to have the nationalism element of Bret’s Hart Foundation faction becoming anti-American heels like many before and after them. However, one difference was that Hart and his relatives played beloved faces at the shows in other countries. WWE leaned into booking more events for Canada and the United Kingdom to help them continue crafting the story.
An argument can be made that Bret did the best work of his career during this run. The in-ring work of Hart was as strong as previous years for outstanding matches, but his character work was better than ever. Bret started cutting promos that made a bigger impact to sell the feuds and draw money when WWE badly needed something fresh.
Helping Other Characters Evolve
The wrestlers to work with the Hart Foundation witnessed their careers taking off for the better. Steve Austin was coming off his star-making performance at WrestleMania 13 against Bret Hart when the latter turned heel. However, this played an even bigger role in adding the necessary changes to Austin’s character to lean into what fans wanted.
Austin turning face was needed when the fans started to cheer his rebellious and formerly heel antics against Bret. The United States vs Canada feud made it easier for Austin to keep doing what was working while naturally turning him face for things to keep things going. WWE needed this angle for the evolution of Austin to eventually take off as the face of the company.
Shawn Michaels also witnessed a huge change when turning heel by forming D-Generation X. The failed face run of Michaels saw his generic good guy schtick just not connecting with the audience. WWE treating Hart as both a face and a heel in different markets allowed Michaels to continue his legendary rivalry with him. The huge success of DX is another variable that may not have happened without such a storyline setting it up.
First Domino Falling In Winning Monday Night Wars
The lead for WCW in 1996 made WWE enter an unfamiliar feeling trying to get back in the race for the Monday Night Wars. WWE needed to try new things and tap into what the audience truly wanted to build their own business back up before challenging WCW again. Bret Hart even admitted that he felt their 1997 angle with his character change made them a better product than WWE to gain more confidence.
Fans started to treat WWE with greater importance again and the shows truly felt like anything could happen for the first time in a long time. WCW continued to win the ratings war over WWE, but the programs of Bret with Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, and The Undertaker were hotter individual feuds. WCW didn’t have a moment in that time frame that matched the emotion of the Hart Foundation’s victory at In Your House: Canadian Stampede.
WWE gaining much-needed momentum would not have happened without the Canada vs USA feud changing so many characters. Hart reached new peaks before leaving, D-Generation X become a hot act, and Austin took the first steps to his position leading the company. The future of WWE was impacted even more by a special angle that thrived more beyond its time.