[D17]

If Austin continued tradition and had his title shot at that years Mania after winning the Rumble, Shawn never vacated the belt so it would of been Austin and HBK at Mania 13 as opposed to 14.
How do you think the WWE would of looked one year later (seeing as by Mania 15 the war was near enough won as opposed to 14 when WCW were evens), and/or do you think Austin would of blown up throughout 1997 as he did in 1998.

Seeing as looking back, there's alot of things to look at...
- Austin was not anywhere near as over as he was at the time.
- The classic Austin/Bret match may not of happened.
- Austin may not of messed up his neck (being in the main event not fueding with an upper mid carder).
- Where would of this left Taker?

 

[Cerbs]

The original plan was to have an HBK/Bret Hart rematch at Mania 13, but Shawn didn't want to drop the title. That's why he "lost his smile" and went on sabbatical. Not sure where that would have left Austin.

Though this is one topic I don't delve too much in, because without HBK doing that, we never would have got Austin/Bret, which was arguably the greatest match of all time. So it all worked out.

 

[NoLeafClover]

^^Pretty much what was said above. I am not sure Austin would have gotten the same rub that he got from his match at Wrestlemania 13 if it was Shawn/Austin instead of Bret/Austin. Being a submission match, and the fact that Austin never tapped out, further cemented his newly found position of being the "toughest SOB" around.

I will say, I am very happy with how things went down, with Austin getting the rub from Bret at Wrestlemania 13 with the double face/heel turn followed the next year by Austin finally getting the WWF title from Shawn. The two biggest names from the New Generation put him over in back to back years, ushering in the next phase of the company. And the rest is history.

 

[mattgym]

yes in the past win rumble 97 austibn y hbk champioshin is good in wrestlemania 13

 

[mattgym]

stunner at hbk abd bret hart for austin and the rock in wrestlmania 17

 

[Buttermaker]

^^^^^
None of the above makes any sence

 

[jimboystar24]

Shawn would have won due to politicking. The aftermath would be WCW DESTROYING WWF in ratings. WCW had an awesome year that year.

 

[backpackstunner]

Always amazed me how good these guys were. None of them were physically "huge" but could sell a match and had attitude. That's what made them stars. It would have been huge.

 

[apokalypse]

Originally shawn was drop the belt back to Bret but he playing politics and the "losing my smile"- Poney injuries occur. from Bret Book he said he want to work with Steve Austin from what he saw when Steve Austin was in WCW as Hollywood Blonds/Stunning Steve...soon or later Bret will work with "Stone Cold" but is matter of when and can it be good as WM13 submission match? Steve Austin is the Bret chosen one for his return match...Bret Selected Steve Austin. it's damn amazing how Double Turn occurred and Steve Austin became instance main eventer at that moment when Vince sees Austin nothing but midcard just like what he see in Christian.

 

[Booze]

Bret Hart put Austin over (or rather the fued did). Had he not faced HBK Austin wouldn't have been so big, so quick.

 

[dave 1981]

I find it hilarious that people still try and say that Shawn Michaels faked an injury to avoid dropping the title to Bret Hart and are basically calling a world famous knee surgeon a liar as it was he who diagnosed Shawn Michaels with the knee problem and advised surgery on it. Of course Vince McMahon pushed for the knee injury to be called as "career ending" on screen because it add's to suspense for the inevitable return but for people to still to this day proclaim that Shawn Michaels faked it to avoid dropping the title to Bret Hart is crazy.

Now back on topic and Stone Cold Steve Austin was never going to face the WWE champion at WrestleMania regardless of him winning The Royal Rumble as the plan was always for Shawn Michaels to beat Sid Vicious at In Your House: The Final Four and then for Bret Hart to win the four way Battle Royal against The Undertaker, Vader and Stone Cold Steve Austin thus giving us Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart at WrestleMania 13 as the main event. I remember reading that Vince McMahon was going to have The Undertaker face Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13 and for Sid Vicious to face Vader as well but once Shawn Michaels was told he required surgery on his knee everything was changed around which in the long term turned out to be a blessing much like Triple H being punished in mid 1996 and having his planned King of the Ring tournament win taken away from him.

 

[geminisoul8]

Austin refusing the tap out of the Sharpshooter until he passed out from bloodloss was what made Austin so bad ass. I don't think Austin would have been as big of a wrestling name had it not been for that match with Bret.