WWE: The Top 15 Greatest Moments In WrestleMania History

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4. Shawn Michaels Defeats Bret Hart: WrestleMania 12

The mid-to-late 1980’s through the early 1990’s was a hugely successful period for the WWE.  But by the mid-1990’s, the WWE was changing and a new crop of superstars were being introduced as the top stars in the company.

The leaders of this new era were undoubtedly Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels.  These two former tag team specialists turned main event players were set to take the WWE into a new era, and their paths would cross in a big way at WrestleMania 12 in 1996 with the richest prize in the game on the line.

The Hitman was set to defend his WWE Championship against HBK in a 60-minute Ironman Match in the main event of WrestleMania 12.  And the match was as great as you might have imagined between two all-time great performers and superstars.  In fact, it was so good that 60 minutes weren’t enough.

The match would go into sudden death overtime with neither individual able to win a fall in regulation.  But not long after that, Michaels hit Hart with a Sweet Chin Music to get the win for his first-ever WWE Championship.  It was a huge moment for the WWE and Michaels as he was firmly on his way to becoming one of the greatest WWE superstars of all-time.

The boyhood dream came true for HBK at WrestleMania 12 and it’s one of the greatest moments in WrestleMania history.