Review: WWE Bret Hart- The Best There Is…3 Disc DVD

Brett Mix’s- Bret “Hitman” Hart “The Best There Is, Was and Ever Will Be” 3 Disc Review:

 

“This is the greatest moment in my life, and I want to dedicate this victory to all the people who believe that even the biggest Dreams…Can STILL COME TRUE!” –Bret Hart

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Disc 1 Documentary:

-First things first. I’m absolutely NOT going to go over everything in this documentary but most of the major points I will.
Every review I write is my own but for DVD Extra’s on Disc 1 I credit Lords of Pain for the information there.

Here we go!

-To start off a unique DVD we get the Chairman himself thanking Bret for being BIG enough to put bad blood aside and present to all the fans one of the best collection of matches you will ever see.

The documentary and his book both go over a lot of the same things but having read both the book and having seen this DVD, I`d suggest picking up both.
In the beginning, it starts out appropriately showing his roots as expected being born into the Legendary Hart family.

The beginning shows how he was a true Canadian Icon and Legend. He’s in the top 50 Canadian’s of all time officially.

You get to her from the like of Animal, Benoit, Jim Ross, Chritian, Steve Lombardi and just about anybody else they could find.

Hart says he wrestled because he figured his father wanted him to do so.

Like “Mean Gene” put it, Bret was born to be a Champion, born for this moment.
An emotional Bret says the relationship between his father and himself was never the same after he could show him some credentials.

Stu trained the likes of Benoit, Jericho, Lance Storm and the like…he is hands down the best trainer in the history of the industry.

God bless Stu Hart. Bret says stu saw a lot of Bret in him and that’s what lit the fire and changed things.

People can say Vince Senior, Ric Flair, Vince McMahon Jr, Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant MADE wrestling but if it was not for this man, who knows really…

Hart talks about some Japanese Talent he got involved with over time.

The next part of the documentary after stories about growing up is of course showing Bret’s stampede work. If it wasn’t for how hard he trained and the matches he’s have with some of the best ever in Nick Bockwel and Dynamite.

Bret said so many times the Promoter’s son came in and didn’t pay his dues, but he wanted to change that. Greg Gagne in the awa comes to mind.

Stu told Bret to gain some money in the Federation, Stu projected with McMahon’s financial situation and territory, that they’d be the Mecca of wrestling. How right he was.

Stampede Years…

They showed amazing clips of Bret working with Dynamite. Arguably two of the greatest talents ever.

Bret worked classic after classic in his father’s promotion as Champion. Bret was proud of this.

Stu is even shown briefly in some Stampede action. Stu worked the deal with the Federation. Bret went to Japan for awhie and then to the Federation.

McMahon talks about how he wanted the Stampede talent when purchasing Calgary Stampeder’s work, paticularly Dynamite, Davey Boy and of course the Hitman.

Tag Team years:

One of the main reasons the Hart Foundation is considered one of the best tag-teams ever is because not only did the have a strategy each match, one man was the powerhouse, the other was the technician.
Infact you could make a fine argument that they are the greatest everand it’d be hard to disagree. The main reason Bret’s tag skills weren’t highlighted as much as they were looking back is because he accomplished much more on his own.

The Anvil did a superp job on the team but EVERYONE knew who the star was going to be.

After he did solo matches he put on the best performances of the night on a regular basis. He did this in the 80’s in tag matches (Match of the Night) as long as Steamboat or Savage weren’t on the card, and even so if they were at times. That says something.

Bret and Neidhart were really the cream of the crop for a SCARY GOOD 80’s division.

So off to the single’s role, which wa inevitable. Bret makesit clear they could of wretled anyone, Demolition, LOD, Nasty Boys, Killer Bee’s, Bulldogs, Bushwhackers, Twin Towers, Beveryly’s and bring the best out of them!

Vince McMahon says the Hart FOundation is without a doubt the best teams the ever had, Ross goes one further and says they were the very best. (Brain Buster’s were still in the Nwa or it’d be close)

Next they highlight Bret getting his due and the had McMahon give him a further rub saying no on could tell a story like the Hitman since Buddy Rogers.

Hart was loyal to Vince his entire life and now the company had pretty much full faith in him.

It was in front of his parents in MSG that he said his career could end right there and he’d be satisfied. Of course I’m referring to when he had a Classic with Curt Hennig at Summerslam 91 taking the IC title.

Bret stood for everything that was good about the business.
He was a true rolemodel and a Canadian Hero, voted in 2003 as one of the greatest Canadian’s of all time. As a fellow Canadian, Hart’s patritosim is inspiring.

Hart got a huge following overseas and eventually became the wwf champion defeating Flair in Saskatoon in 1992, saying that memorable line that even the biggest dreams can still come true!

They highlight Piper’s best match in the company at Mania 8 with Bret which was left off the disc unfourtunately.

Bret told Vince he wanted to go on last at Summerslam 92, McMahon said go ahead and The Hitman talks about his hard falls during that match. In other words Davey Boy was carried throughout the match.
Bret went on to become the KING OF THE RING in 1993, meanwhile defeating Hennig in my personal favouite match of all time. Bret says considering everything it was his greatest match ever, referring to the match with Davey Boy at Summerslam 92.
Bret gives Flair his props with his conditioning and legacy and Hennig on the outside knew Flair had hurt Bret at ceterain points of the match. Bret beats Flair with the Sharpshooter to become champion.

Hart discusses the Hogan Mania 9 fiasco. Hart said he was and shouldn’t of been the man. Hogan never wanted to put Bret over, plain and simple.

They discuss how the Hitman had done it all and all of his matches were classic’s, and if they weren’t he could carry anybody. Animal, Gene, Christian and Benoit all place him high up.

Bret loves taking the time to talk to his fans, even to this day.

Before another title reign he had a memorable feud with his little brother Owen which started over jealousy at the 1993 Survivor Series. This helped a great feud produce what I consider the greatest match of all time at Mania X.

An emotional Bret talks about how proud he was to know what Professionals they were.

Clips are shown of the two classics at 94 while Bret discusses them.

Hart then felt used and bitter about the the fact the wanted Shawn on top. Bret felt it was still his time.

The Hitman was frustrated to say the least with how the pre-Mania 12 mafch video package went. Bret points out some cheapshots and how he had to take care of Michaels as he flew out of the ring. Hart stil gives credit to Michaels as being an excellent performer.

Shawn hurt Bret by telling him to “Get the F*** of out the ring, this is my time.” Regardless Bret considers it his toughest match, and an all time Classic.

Now we got Austin.
Bret said he saw him coming before he did.

They go over what I consider a five star classic at the Series in 96 from the Garden. Both men said something memorable before about how he wsn’t greed but for respect.

Vince says these two were made for each other.

I consider this feud the single best in the history of the business. Austin was catching on in a big way as ATTITUDE was changing and the fans took a likingto it which made Hart more versatile.

Austin said it was the match of the year. No doubt.

Mania 13….

Double-Switch…significance is key.

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Ross and Hart talk about how it was a natural transition.

Now it was time ofr Canada to take on American’s.

Bret felt funny about bashing Ameican’s but loved the Canadian, European and African Support. Bret even has a chapter in his book about “The whole world hates Americans”

Bret recalls this as one of the greatest times in his life re-uniting the Hart Foundation.

Places like Halifax, Calgary, Edmonton.

At the Canadian Stampede the whole family was together for the last time.

Montreal was a complex situtation that everyone and their grandmother know about it so there’s no use talking about it.

Bret went to Turner’s company after he left Vince with a blackeye and spit in his face.
Bret had given too much to be dismissed and backstabbed.

Owen was hurt. After the screwjob he wanted out now and Vince wouldn’t let him.

Owen died falling from the roof, again another stoyry we all know.

Owen Tribute Match…was scheduled to take place.

Bret didn’t want this match with just anybody…a trusted worker and family friend Chris Benoit. An emotional Bret says there was just one person in the audience as he is upset.
Because in 1999 Benoit was still looked at as just that.

The two put on a beautiful technical clinic in the same venue Owen fell to his death under a half a year earlier.

Things just got bad to worse wih how the contorolled his character outside

The other side had its bad parts.

After the KICK, his career was over.

Hart says Goldberg had a big heart but kicked him hard in the head with the concussion.

Bret got a stroke in 2002.

Bret was inducted into the HOF by Steve Ausitin in 2006.

Bret APPARENLTLY appeared on the first Raw in 2010 making peace with Michaels and Vince and appearing live again on a WWE show for the first time in thirteen years.
Either way Bret has his legacy cemented as quite possibly the greatest of ALL TIME.
Nothing can ever erase his legendary legacy as the Best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.

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Credit to Lords of Pain for the following Extra’s Information:

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– Disc-1 Extras:

NON-MATCH EXTRAS

Bret Hart Introduces the DVD Extras: Bret emphasizing to the fans that he personally hand-picked the matches on this DVD.

Bret Talks About the Origin of the name ‘The Dungeon’: Bret attributes the name to Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura while doing commentary.

Bret Talks About Being Away From Family: A general speech about how it is so tough for professional wrestlers to be away from their families while on the road. Two minutes in length.

Bret Talks About How Well The Hart Foundation Got Along: Bret claims, that unlike most tag-teams, he never had an argument with Jim Neidhart and/or Jimmy Hart!

Bret Talks About Learning The Sharp-Shooter: Wow, what a trivia question; Of all people, it was Konnan that showed Bret how to perform what became his legendary finisher.

Bret Tells A Story About Owen Hart Crank-Calling Stu Hart: Story of how on the weekend of WrestleMania 4, Owen called Bret & Stu’s hotel room pretending to be an old friend of Stu. Great 3 minute story.

Family Tree: Bret goes through the 12 Hart children one by one & points out their main traits. An interesting 4 minutes worth.

Learning The Ropes: Bret explains how Stampede Wrestling often brought in international wrestlers & how that helped shape his wrestling style.

Sunglasses: Bret tells a story about how he was so nervous during an early interview, that during playback, he saw how bad he looked as his eyes were darting around all over the place. Putting sunglasses on stopped the fans (& Vince McMahon) from seeing that, while giving him extra confidence. Two minutes in length.

Being A Villain: Bret explains how he enjoyed being a heel & he used it as his relief of frustration. Two minutes in length.

Dean Hart Tribute Video: Dean was Bret’s younger brother who died of kidney failure in late 1990. On the next night, Bret had to front up to the Survivor Series pay-per-view & wrestle ‘The Million Dollar Man’ Ted Dibiase!

Late Wrestling Colleagues Tribute Video: Footage is shown of so many great professional wrestlers that have passed away, while Bret speaks emotionally in the background. Very sobering & genuinely puts the number of deaths in the industry in perspective. Three minutes in length.

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Disc 1 Matches:

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1) The Hart Foundation (Bret “Hitman” Hart and Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart) (w/”The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart) vs THE British Bulldog’s (Davey Boy Smith and The Dynamite Kid) (July-13th, 1985-MSG)

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The DVD doesen’t start off with the greatest match on the set quite obviously.

Instead it starts off with the worst. But that’s not saying this match is bad. Infact for the Federation in 1986 this match is quite great.

But if THIS match here is the worst on the set you just know you’re in for a treat.

A lot of nearfalls here but that’s to be expected with two quick teams.

Bret Hart always performed amazingly well in the Garden. This was just the beginning, a solid choice to begin the DVD by one Bret Hart.

The only big problem I have with this match is the fact that it doesen’t go on long enough and the fact it ends in a draw. That and maybe the fact there were plenty better Bulldogs vs Foundation tags over the years but this on was special since it was so early.

It certainly wasn’t the best material between Bret and the Bulldog’s either.
Another problem is the fact everyone in the match is still relatively young, NOT GREEN, just young therefore not as sound as they were in there prime. I love the chemistry between Bret and Dynamite as Bret has even said he thought Dynamite was the best inring worker ever. The Bulldog and Bret had great chemistry as well and that showed later in the years in the Federation as you’ll see on the DVD.

Now to the match.

Starting off Dynamite pushed Bret into the corner. Hart did the typical HEEL-like complain about hair-pulling after two nearfalls. Bret hit with a series of shoulder blocks to Dynamite after a hammerlock attempt. Dynamite’s speed took the Hitman off his game to the outside.

The Anvil came in and he was able to knock down Dynamite temporarily with shoulder blocks until Davey Boy got the tag in and the two doubl teamed Anvil with a clothesline. A test of strength now takes Bulldog back but he managed a dropkick to Anvil who tags in Bret.

Hart and Davey Boy Smith for the first time and the Excellence of Execution lands a high knee among ohther shots and the Anvil tagged in again as they begin to isoltate the British Bulldog as he hits him with a back-breaker, frequent tags make it harder fo the Bulldog to make the hot tag to Dynamite. The Hitman came in every once in awhile IF ONLY just for double-team moves.

The Hart Foundation were so good at that. Somehow the Bulldog fights back hitting Bret with a powerslam but the Hitman hits two back-breaker’s to the already injured back of the Bulldog. Bret hits an atomic drop.

The Foundation got a little too cocky with their double-team tandem offense and eventually Dynamite make the hot tag and slingshots the Anvil into the Hitman before sending Bret sternum first into the corner. Bret was always good in this spot. Dynamite lands a high shot on Bret with some aerial power then Bulldog isolates the Hitman in their corner now.

It was time for revenge. Davey Boy hit a powerslam but the Anvil broke up several pinning attempts. This is what made the Foundation such a great team, looking out for one another.

After some hard work, Bret slapped a Boston Crab onto his opposition. The Bulldog in pain and now the Anvil tags in and does more of the same. The Anvil uses his power game to choke out Davey Boy. Off the ropes he hits a backslide and now it’s the Hitman with the pin-break up. Anvil chokes out Bulldog illegally for the few seconds the official gets Bret out. Bret back in irishwhipped Bulldog to the ropes and hits him with a sunset flip pinning attempt, Bulldog rolled that over.

Bret swung Bulldog back using the ropes for leverage. A tag to Dynamite would of been more then ideal but the Anvil ran in and intelligently prevented it. Hart continued his offensive onslaught on the Bulldog. The Anvil avoided a sunset flip attempt and at 15:00 the match ends.

A draw.

Fast moving match for a fifteen minute bout in 85, but looking at the teams involved it’s not very shocking at all.

This match was great, better then remembered. Also considering the age factor.

Isolation was key, if anything this match just shows how well both teams looked out for one another. Bret isn’t stupid. There is a reason he placed this paticular match on the DVD.

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2) The Hart Foundation (with Jimmy Hart) vs The Killer Bee’s (February-17th, 1986-MSG)

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Now this match was different.

The pace to this match is INCREDIBLE.

The Killer Bees were indeed one of the more underrated Tag Teams especially during a time when there was so many brilliant tag teams in one Wrestling company.

Monsoon on commentary says these two teams have gotta be in the top 5 tag teams in the federation which believe it or not was a huge compliment at the time.

One thing I really found great in this match is that “The Anvil” got so much time to work and that was different for Hart Foundation bouts as naturally Bret Hart was the workhorse of the team either being disected or doing the damage himself.

The Anvil was definitely the powerhouse in this duo and complimented Hart’s character nicely as said in the documentary section on this DVD.

The crowd involvment from MSG in early 1986 really told you how good this match really was.

The match starts off with a ton of tandem offense between both teams which makes things easier on the eye for the viewers.

Jumping Jim Brunzell and Brian were ready.

The pace as mentioned is lightning quick and this bonus tag match is superior to the Bulldog’s match.

Jimmy Hart still stook his head in their business.

Anvil with a cocky Swagger laughed a he circled around before a test of strength. The Anvil took it easy for the first few moments knowing he couldn’t be matches in power.
Brian Blair of the Bees tried a series of running shoulderblocks off the ropes until a drop toehold finally gives him success.
Jimmy Hart livid outside the ring as Brunzell took out the legs of the big man with a leg-lock, a clever early match weardown move. Just as Neidhart got up the Bees isolated him.

Anvil did everything he could to tag in Bret. Neidhart did a beautiful job selling the fact it was hard to stand on his vertical base.

Bret layed a shot in once in.

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The Hitman choked out Blair in the corner, of course the Anvil with dirty tactics behind the official. The bees are not buzzing at the moment.

I loved the way this tag match was paced as Bret holds the reverse chinlock. Hart hit a backbreaker and slipped off the top. Hot tag to Brunzell and Anvil tags in.

Official lost control as no tag was made. off the ropes Bret kneed Brunzell on the apron in heel fashion.

It was the little things like that in these tag matches that made them so great, Anvil with a reverse chinlock.

Jim in trouble this time as both teams were able to make tags. Bret with a front facelock down on the canvas. Bret’s shots were physical and rough.
Brunzell in a ton of trouble as the Foundation isolated the Bees in their corner. Jim slammed on the concrete. Hart did dirty work on Brunzell outside the ring. Both Hart Foundation members went for it all.

A sunset flip attempt by Brunzell out of desperation but the Hitman took over kept kicking at him. The Anvil jumped on the Bees here. The Anvil speared Brunzell in the coner and dropped a doubl axe handle, the heat the Foundation got was spectacular, they wre so over.

Bret comes in and the secrete weapon of the Killer Bees comes in and hits a standing dropkick. Bret got a nearfall as Anvil did some dirty work to ge Bret over.

Things picking up now, Bret hit a reverse atomic drop. Bret maintained a front facelock in mid-ring, the Anvil attempted to stop the hot tag, it was made behind the official’s back, but then the tag is imde official and the crowd LOVES it.

Anvil accidentally irihshwhipped Bret into the buckle and now the Bees take over and the fans are ecstatic.

Small package but another nearfall.

Climax is brilliant here.

An atomic drop to th Hitman. The Bees working over Bret but Anvil distracted mkaking sure it was a two coutnt.

An Abdominal stretch and now all four men in the ring, a slingshot job into one another. The bees celebrated as they felt they made a three count.

This one goes the FULL 20 minutes and the bell rings.

And it’s an all out thrill ride the entire time. What a match. WHAT A MATCH.

A gem that’s very entertaining and told a great story. This is Tag wrestling!

*** 1/4

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Disc 2 Matches:

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3) Bret “Hitman” Hart (w/ Jimmy Hart) vs Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat (Boston Garden’s-March-8th, 1986)

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This match right here is one of my all time faovourite’s. It has arguably the two greatest of all time in the ring outside of Chris Benoit.

This was in 86 and Bret angry at Vince was hell bent on showing him that HE was supposed to take his rightful spot at Mania 2 against The Dragon. At Mania 2 Steamboat wrestled a fine match with Hercules while Bret was in the battle royal.

According to the Hitman’s book, just before this Classic encounter, the Dragon looked at a young Bret and said “Lets show this company what they’re going to be missing at Mania 2.”
How encouraging those words must have sounded to Bret, who went out to Boston with confidence. The part that makes this inspiring story so great is Steamboat helped Bret to the best match in his career up to this point, at least in the Federation.

So the sight was set.
This is the last match Hart is a heel before his babyface turn on the DVD.

Ricky Steamboat was ready.

How ready, I’m not sure.

A vicious Hitman-Heel attacked the Dragon almost immediately before he even got his robe off.

Hart dished out righthands in the corner to the Dragon. Everyone in Boston was completely into the Dragon.

This match just HAD that big match feel to it.

Bret delivered hard forearm shots to the gut until the official got in his face.

There’s something about Boston, I love every match here. Savage-Santana comes to mind. A hard irish-whip by the Dragon sending Bret crashing hard sternum first into the corner and the Dragon unleashes his coat.

The Dragon threw out chops at Bret. Steamboat hit a snapmare and right into an armbar, a move he loves to weardown his opponents with to weaken them for his crisp armdrag’s who know one did better.

Ricky with an arm-ringer and slams Bret to the mat. The Dragon grabbed onto Bret’s arm he’d been weakening!

NOBODY torked an arm like the Dragon and intelligently he drove Hart shoulder first into the buckle with a ton of velocity. (Must have because Ross isn’t even doing commentary here)

Steamboat ducks and dodges Hart’s comeback attempt in impressive fashion showing he is the quicker of the two getting away from a leapfrog. All of it, so crissp. So beautiful.

Textbok armdrag from the dragon. Hart tries to elbow out and thn goes into a side headlock. Bret knew if he didn’t hit offense here he never would.

Steamboat goes for an armdram, and here we get an unbelievable offensive exchange. Steamboat leapfrogs the Hitman, jumps over his body down on the mat, goes for a hiplock and Bret blocks it. Bret blocks it with all the power he had left inside him.

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Steamboat reaches over by doing a backflip and now he’s got him with a hiplock and back to the weakened arm.

Jimmy Hart comes on commentary and sounds concerned.

Steamboat goes from the arm and methodically goes to the wrist. The Dragon is wearing down Hart in the middle of the Boston Garden’s. A nice backflip and a revere thrust kick to the forehead of the Hitman. This is all teacher teaching the student until Bret off the ropes hits a swinging neckbreaker after the veteran made a rare mistake dropping his head down. Hart still selling the arm and working over the Dragon with striking blows and hard kick.

Bret gives Ricky a shot to the gut and he falls to the floor. Hitman unloading rights on the Dragon standing on the opposite end of the apron and he suplexed him into the ring and scored a nearfall.

Fans chanting for the Dragon but Hart hits a nice side headlock take down. Hart remains in the side headlock and the Dragon avoids Kidney shots and a two and a half count as Bret over powers him. Bret seems to be the stronger of the two. A nice backflip from the Dragon and he slams Hart to the mat.
Both athletes down.

Dragon up first went for a diving chop on Hart but he brought the knees up on Ricky the Dragon Steamboat. Bret Hart kneed Ricky and tossed him to th efloor. The Hitman right after him scoops him up and viciously slams him to the floor.
Back into the ring Bret went from a running shoulder breaker into a powerslam. Now there was absolutely no escaping the back breaker and Hart went for a signature elbow and Steamboat moved. This hurt the injured arm more on Bret.
Steamboat chopped back and with a crashing forearm levelled the Hitman.

Excellent match.

Both men aren’t 100% but Steamboat hits a back suplex and Bret kicks out. Steamboat drove his knees into the throat of Hart and he kicked out. Steamboat drilled Bret’s head into the top turnbuckle padding. Official trying to get the official out of the corner.

The reverse irishwhip sends the official down and the Mouth of the South wanted to give Bret the Mega Phone after a huge clothesline.
Steamboat ends up colliding into Bret with a flying forearm and he covered the Hitman.

The official got up to make the count.

In the end at 15:14 The Dragon defeated Hart after that textbook-crisp offense that only the Dragon could dish out.

Just like Ricky Steamboat did with Ric Flair, Steve Austin, Rick Rude and Randy Savage. He delivered his opponent his best match to therir date. Steamboat is truely the Messiah of wrestling.

That is why Steamboat is arguably the best of all time, I hold him third behind Bret and Benoit for in-ring skills in North American Wrestling.

The Classic was over.

This match ultimately told a beautiful story about a respected veteran taking it to an up and coming heel who was just as talented as him.
It was almost as if it was Clash of the Champion’s.

A match that people will learn to appreciate more with time, sort of like Kubrick and Hitchcock films.

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**** 1/4

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4) Bret “Hitman” Hart vs “The Million Dollar Man” Ted Dibiase (with Virgil) (March-8th, 1989

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I don’t know what kind of show this match was on but there is no commentary available. That’s the fine line with this. Some can’t get into it because of that but if they’d just study the non-stop action these guys go full throttle and that’s precisely why Bret put it on here I imagine. It’s here for a reason, just like human’s.

That might be the most important thing to know about this entire match. There’s NO commentary.

They both were extremely stiff throughout the bout.

It’s obviously a bit different but perhaps the best match between these two, one on one. Also Hart loves putting rare matches on his DVD with true legends of the business.

DiBiase demanded he be announced the Million Dollar Champion.

Bret Hart after we skip four years on the DVD really can hear the roar of the crowd hitting a side Russian Legsweep among other offense. DiBiase goes for a walk encouraging them to hold Hart back so he could come back in.

The Pink and Black attack wanted none of that and tied up again but Ted this time resorted to his tricks hitting a knee, Bret fooled Ted with an inside cradle.
This was such a unique way to watch the match becaue without commentary you heard the gasping for air from both men and the fans reactions to it all.

I guess you could say it was the closest to being there live. DiBiase talks trash to the fans and Bret slingshots him back into the ring over the top rope and now the Million Dollar Man was tied up in the ropes. Hart charged to him and Bret crashed and burned.

DiBiase kicks him out of the ring and begs the official to count Bret. At the count of six Hart comes back,

DiBiase had the Hitman grounded once back in.

Of course The Million Dollar Man being the desperate heel scared of Hart pounced viciously on Hart at any chance he got to choke him out in the corner.

I don’t know if Heels in this business come much better then Ted DiBiase.

A irishwhip and hard clothesline to the Hitman gets a long two. Rather then complainin this time which is refreshing DiBiase elects to knee drop Bret and come off with an elbow shot to the head of Bre ttaking him down. Another hard elbow drop to Bret Hart.

The Million Dollar Man hits a textbook snapshot vertical suplex. I have a feeling he’ll be the headliner of the 2010 hall of Fame, as of this writing he is not in yet. (Jan 2nd, 2010)

A suplex by a desperate Hitman now out of no where! Both men down wonderfully remembers to sell the back and a slugfest break out. Both men suplexed to the mat hard as Dibiase levelled Bret with one but he dropped at the same time. Bret crashing into the turnbuckle again. DiBiase with a chop and then injured the Spine of the Hitman.

Bret’s back was the story now and DiBiase using awesome psychology dropped Bret on his knee. DiBiase put his head down and Bret capitalized with an inside cradle, one after another but still not enough to put the Million Dollar Man away.
Hart is sore and DiBiase shoved him to the floor.

DiBiase breathing like he had the life sucked out of him held a sleeper on Hart.
DiBiase did everything in his power to put out The Hitman. Bret bounced off the ropes despite having the life virtually sucked out of him and managed a clothesline. Still DiBiase was the first one up and climbed to the top.

Big mistake.

Bret caught him up there and threw him down. Ted fights back and a huge slugfest breaks out. Bret dropped DiBiase with more rights and he begged him off.
DiBiase off the ropes runs into a reverse elbow. For revenge, the psychologist and mastered technician Hart hits a backbreaker before a signature elbow drop from the corner gets him a two. DiBiase retaliates by throwing the Hitman into the corner.
Back and forth!

DiBiase took out the Spine and now attempted a figure four to eliminate a posible sharpshooter. Bret kicked him out of the ring.

The Hitman wasn’t done and flew over the ropes onto him.

Amazing.

Both men were sweating buckets and for good reason. The Hitman got his hands on DiBiase and Virgil after the match for the fans delight.

The pace they kept up for 16 plus minutes was beyond amazing and that is the bouts biggest strength but it did end in a double countout.

Awesome all around.

For the longest time I considered this about a *** 1/2 match.

No way. This is brilliant on all levels when you hear the gasping for air. Some can’t get into it because of the NO COMMENTARY issue, but I’ll be damned if this isn’t one of the best paced matches I’ve ever seen between two physical workers.
If anyone called a move, you’d be able to hear it. Nobody did. A real sign of a borderline classic between two of the all time greats.

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****

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5) The Hart Foundation vs The Rockers (SNME- April, 28th 1990)

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This DVD is pretty amazing and this is just another example of why.

Another match JUST like the last one with an amazing tag team pace with Bret and Shawn it is expected.

This match proves the diversity of The Hart Foundation and the potential of The Rockers.

It’s incredible how talented Bret Hart is and when in tag action the pace can be considerably better then a singles match if they’re in there with the right people. Well they were in there with the right people. Hart Foundation meet The Rockers.

The Pace was so awesome in this one also.

The Rockers and The Hart Foundation, the WWE would kill to have one of these two teams let alone both in there company today. What’s most remarkable is that neither were even the Tag Champs as Ventura points out that Demolition was waiting the winner of either team.

It’s certainly ALWAYS a treat when Bret and Shawn go at it, and these were two of the best teams to watch in this era, or any time period for that matter.

Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart and The “Hitman” Bret Hart got ready to go with another team who’s strength was their endurance and stamina, not to mention the resilience in Shawn which Bret could relate with.

Both teams came out to a good ovation, first the Foundation then The Rockers.

Marty Jannetty began with The Hitman. Both men lockup and a side headlock by Marty Jannetty and he was whipped to the far side, a underduck, a go-behind, a leapfrog, a hiptoss by Bret and then Marty Jannetty kicked out from the canvas, tagged into Shawn and he hit Bret with a cross-body, a nearfall for Shawn into an arm-ringer and a tag back to Marty Jannetty.

A doubleteam effort by The Rockers to Bret followed by a swinging neckbreaker until The Anvil cleaned house. Marty Jannetty dragged on Bret but he tagged in Neidhart. The Anvil with a standing side headlock to Marty Jannetty and he came off the ropes with a shoulder blocker. Marty Jannetty then retaliated with a move off the ropes into a front facelock, Shawn Michaels then did the same. HBK off the ropes hit the power of the Anvil and then Shawn leapfrogged Neidhart until hitting a dropkick.

The Rockers were the babyfaces and were treated as such as The Anvil caught Shawn in the air and slammed him down after a bearhug caught him. Shawn then was taken apart by the technician in Bret.

Bret Hart scooped up Shawn’s legs and kicked him in the mid-section. Frequent tags by the Hart Foundation and The Anvil sent Shawn to the ride and Bret caught him with a knee to the back from the apron in cheap fashion.

Shawn irishwhipped to the ropes and Neidhart hit a big back bodydrop. Michaels down in a front facelock and Bret came back in an attempt to weardown Michaels. Bret then dropped his elbow into the throat of Shawn. Bret irishwhipped Michaels hard backfirst to the buckle. The Anvil back in hammered to the back of the neck of Shawn. Michaels in the corner was speared repeatedly by Neidhart and then again he tagged in Bret who threw The Anvil hard with a lot of momentum into Shawn in the corner. This sent Michaels down to his knees and eventually his back, The Anvil got a two on a hurting Shawn Michaels.

Bret back in worked on the back of Shawn until he got a sunset flip out of no where on Bret, a reversal helped him kickout.

Demolition then came out as Bret punched Shawn and grabbed him by the hair and hit a back breaker. Bret spots Demolition and that allowed Michaels to hit a dropkick to Bret which elevated him to the outside.

Back from the break Bret continued blows to Michaels while Demolition continued watching the match-up.

Bret rammed Michaels head into the top turnbuckle on both sides of the ring before hitting a stiff uppercut to Shawn. I’m sure Bret wishes he could of hit a few more of those in his life time on Shawn. Bret lays more impact on Shawn then missed him with a second-rope elbow attempt. Shawn got up slowly and made the hot-tag to Marty Jannetty. Marty Jannetty hammered away on Bret and hit a flying reverse elbow to the head of Bret and hammered on Neidhart on the apron. Marty Jannetty with a powerful bodyslam to The Hitman. Marty Jannetty caught Bret with a big thrust-kick and a two count out of it.

Marty Jannetty slammed Bret’s head hard into the top turnbuckle and then Bret reversed the irishwhip of Bret’s to the corner and hit a sunset flip from the corner and got a two count. Bret off the ropes reversed Marty Jannetty’s irishwhip and hit a swinging neckbreaker, nice reversal by the Hitman. Both men down and out until Bret tagged int he Anvil, he catapolted Neidhart in the ring but he missed the splash as Marty Jannetty moved out of the way and he made the hot tag to Shawn.

Michaels then irishwhipped Neidhart, he ducked and came off the ropes with an amazing Shoulder Breaker. A kickout by Michaels, and a reverse elbow off the ropes. A kickout by the Anvil from Shawn, a reverse irishwhip by Jim to Shawn and he came off with a crossbody off the top, when Neidhart kicked out he elevated Shawn from his back on the mat over the ropes, and then Marty Jannetty got involved with Demolition.
Demolition came in and this one was ruled a Double DQ.

In the end around the nine minute mark, it is ruled over. Absolutely incredible action in ten minutes, an instant borderline classic.

You can also see this match on the SNME DVD which I suggest everyone picks up anywa.

SO this was Fast action and non-stop fun.

This one is a bit of a forgotten gem, it was indeed awesome just with a faulty finish that was still understandable at the time.

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****

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6) The Hart Foundation (c) vs The Nasty Boys (Jerry Sags and Brian Knobbs) (w/Jimmy Hart) for the WWF Tag Team Championship -Wrestlemania 7

Any time Bret Hart hand picks a match to be on his career DVD you know it’s special for one reason or another.

You’ve got to love Neidhart’s charisma and the energy levels of both Nasty Boys in the pre-match interviews.
I also love Bret calling The Nasty Boys SCUM.

Bret said they needed HEART and that’s what was needed to take the titles, theyd didn’t have it.

Would an upset be in the making?

Oh the drama, the intensity. Wrestlemania 7’s first title match as underway. The kid from HOME ALONE is shown, ya all know the name, I do as well but I hardly feel like spelling Culkin’s name out.

The Hart Foundation were such an incredible tag team in the ring. They were mega over and arguably the best team in the entire world. They worked a methodical pace, a perfect contrast in style’s and that is why they were Champions. By this time they had done it all in the WWF and were mega credible so the Nasty’s had an oppurtunity of a life time.

That is what made this one compelling.

Bret started the bout out with a tie-up into the corner and Nasty Boy Jerry Sags took it to the Hitman with quite the nasty arsenal of offense. Bret off the ropes hit a Lou Thesz press followed by right hands, an atomic drop to another Nasty and then slingshotted the original Nasty back into the ring.

An armringer by Bret and then he grabbed the boot of Sags and with a single leg takedown sweeped him to the mat. He lifted the legs and kicked at the groin of Sags.
Bret’s moves were so crisp, what a pleasure to watch.

The Hitman tagged int he Anvil when Knobbs taunted him.

Neidhart and Kobbs duked it out in the corner with Brian Knobbs getting the majority of shots in on him. The Anvil then took him to the corner drove his back against the corner, an irishwhip and a hiplock and it elevated the Nasty’s (both of them as other Nasty ran in) to the outside.

Crowd WHITE hot here.

Anvil swung Knobbs all the way around with a spinning armringer and then an armbar. Neidhart gets drove into the corner and Sags was tagged in as The Nasty Boys trapped the Anvil. This was the Foundation’s danger if Bret wasn’t in the ring. Off the ropes Neidhart was able to hit a clothesline and Bret was back in to the crowd’s delight. The Hitman with striking blows and a head fist shot to Sags by Bret.

The Hitman pulling out all the stops, knowing what’s on the line and hit the ten routine punches on top with the crowd counting along. Bret with signature mid-match moves to weardown the bigger Nasty Boy in sags.

A routine side russian leg sweep, and second rope elbow drop by Bret. He takes out Knobbs who runs in but that distracts Bret and it allows Sags time to get up and clothesline Bret to the outside. The Anvil was told to leave by official Hebner and The Nasty Boys attacked Bret behind here back beside the steps and ring post.
Bret now being punished, will likely need a hot tag soon. You have to love/respect/appreciate (whatever) Bret’s bumping and selling.

The Hitman sent hard back first into the turnbuckle, and a back breaker by Sags and it gets him a two count. A hard forearm to the back of the head of Bret by Sags. The Hitman in a ton of trouble as Nasty Boy Sags slaps on the Camel Clutch.
Bret was being worn down but at the same time to this point his offense with The Anvil had been crisp, the crowd remained hot and now Bret was taking a beating. Knobbs tagged in as the Nasty’s showed tag team continuity and hit a reverse double chinlock sitting on the injured lower back of Bret wearing him down further. Another tag to Sags who drops an elbow to a Hitman character seemingly down and out, and fatigued.

Bret Hart is hit with a neckbreaker by Sags and just a two surprisingly. The Champion’s didn’t want out just yet at Wrestlemania! Sags kept the chinlock held onto Bret in mid-ring and Neidhart was jumpy on the ring apron.

SOMEHOW out of desperation The Hitman hit a neck breaker of his own. Knobbs came in and hit Neidhart aggrivating him on the apron. Three elbows by Knobbs onto Bret, he was tagged back in and another double chinlock to Bret. This time Hart had boughten himself time to power out of it, elevating himself up and dropping Knobbs down on his back, back first to the canvas. Knobbs sent bret to the corner, he went for a big splash and Bret moved and he hit the corner.
LA pops.

Bret made the hot tag to The Anvil but it was a routine blind tag spot, the official didn’t see it.

Knobbs had the mega phone and he hit his own partner by accident. Anvil tagged in legally scooped up Knobbs and slammed hom to Sags. Double clothesline! Irishwhip and a power slam by Neidhart who has done tremendous here, Heenan puts this over as an outstanding match. Anvil gets a two.

Bret chases Sags on the outside. Anvil set up Knobbs and Bret came off and hit the signature clothesline. Jimmy Hart threw Sags a mega phone who clobbered the Anvil and Knobbs covered him and we have new Champion’s. Bret couldn’t do anything about it.

Huge upset.

Nasty’s celebrate in a career win for them for sure.

Shocking and dissapointing but overall this was one of The Anvil’s best matches, a good story was told. Very well executed tag here between two different teams.

So in the end the Nasty Boys won the tag team titles shocking the Wrestling World in the process at 12:10.

This was pretty excellent to say the least.

Good variation.

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*** 1/2

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7) Bret “Hitman” Hart vs Mr. Perfect (c) (W/The Coach) for the WWF IC Title -Summerslam 91 (MSG)

Stu and Helen Hart both made their trip to the Garden for this very special encounter.

Many consider this the best in the Hart-Hennig series and that is very arguable, it’s definitely the highest profile match between the two.
Hennig’s back was seriously hurt here so with Bret being the in-ring general he was he made sure to take extra care of Perfect. You also got to give it to the late Hall of Famer, Mr. Perfect for going out there and putting on a Classic with the Hitman
I’ve said time and time again, these two men have the best chemistry in the industry hence all the Classic’s.

Every move is crisp and beautiful.

Piper and Heenan were battling back and forth on commentary and that made this match even more enjoyable.

Bret Hart locked up with Perfect and I love to see that, red against blue, 2nd generation against 2nd generation, technician againt technician, even the tights were similar.

These guys were even great friends.

Here we go!

Mr. Perfect caught in a side headlock and off the ropes Hart delivered a shoulder block and a swinging hip/lock into a neckbreaker.

Hennig took a breather and got back in.

Perfect ran into a side headlock and resorted to heel tactics grabbing he hair, Bret got a crucifix on Hennig and a two then a headlock on the mat. Any chance the late Hennig got to grab Hart’s hair he would.

Mr. Perfect kept trying to get out of trouble as he walked to the ring originally with so much confidence. Hart kept wearing down Perfect because he knew of his quickness. Hennig with a knee, Hart ducks a clotheline and hits a crossbody.

Momentum takes him out of there and then he hits a spear and a sunset flip, nearfall. Hart with another nice side headlock.

On commentary, the threesome of Gorilla, Heenan and Piper is beyond hysterical.
Perfect with a huge chop. The Hitman caught the leg on the irishwhip and now Bret stomped on the gut of the Perfect.

Hart thrown into the buckle and as mentioned that’s often what he was best at, bumping sternum or spine first into the buckle. Bret is god-like at that.

One of my favourite offensive exchanges comes at KOTR 93 when both men lay on their back and dropkick the other to go into a side headlock offensive exchange. Here they foreshadow it so to speak and the exchange here is almost as good.

Considering the pain Hennig was in here compared to KOTR 93 perhaps it’s even more impressive.

Hart avoided a kickout and hit a coop slam after Hennig did the same to him. Bret’s back was in jeopardy still because of the spine-first buckle shot. An uppercut flying forearm from the Hitman to Perfect took him over the top rope to the floor.

Perfect ran off and Bret got back on top of him taking off his big tights surrounding his sore back for minor protection. Bret kneed Hennig’s back methodically in the corner while Heenan yells out funny lines about Stu Hart and Helen Hart, and we get the typical Gorilla “will you be serious!”

Piper did a good job on commentary building thi one up more. In the corner for the first real time in the match Hennig kicked at Bret.

Hennig chopped Bret on the floor. Once Perfect gets going he doesen’t stop, a hurt Hitman who remaind calm came back fighting and he gets irishrhipped and flies behind Perfect as he scouted the spine shot coming.

Bret took down Perfect and then he threw Bret into the top corner. Perfect chopped Bret. Hennig couldn’t get a snapmare but what HE DID DO is throw the Hitman directly into the buckle spine first.

A neckbreaker, a suplex and now Perect is in command. Perfect with a high kick and another dropkick to Bret.
Perfect posed and the fans booed.

You could make an argument that in 1991 these were the two greatest wrestlers in the world. Backlund, Hogan, Funk, Flair and Savage had just passed their prime.

Hennig goes for a high risk move but Bret meets him up high. Hennig rolled him back and got a two out of it. Mr. Perfect pushed Bret back and slapped him until he caught him in a sleeper.

New York City chanted “Lets go BRET!” as if they were chanting for the Rangers or Knicks. Hart elbowed out and a beautiful reversal as Bret wanted a crucifixx but Perfect changed it into a back-breaker, another nice counter to a reversal.

Hennig sent Hart to the corner and a long two. Perfect frustrated had that never say die attitude.

Perfectplex.

Bret kicks out! Heenan says no one has ever done that.
Hennig allows the Hitman time for an atomic drop and then another. Bret with a strong headbutt then threw him into the post. Suplex city by Hart.

Small package by Bret on Hennig and Curt had troubles getting up. The Hitman hit a side russian legsweep which Monsoon calls a neckbreaker.

Hart hit a back-breaker then an elbow drop off the top and got a two. Hennig with a victory roll as Hart was distracted by the official. The Hitman threw Perfect into the post on the outside, watched the count.

Hart kicked the legs out of Hennig softening up for the Sharpshooter. Bret goes to lock it on but Coach came on the apron and he kicked him off.

Hennig kicked out Hart’s legs. Cheapshot by Perfect. Fans chant “Lets go Bret!” some more.

Perfect goes for a figure-four or a variation of the Sharpshooter himself but Bret reversed it in unique fashion and got a Sharpshooter!

MSG goes crazy!

In the end Bret Hart defeated Mr. Perfect to a loud roar at MSG by the Sharpshooter at 18:04.

Of course my favourite five star match is the battle the had at KOTR 93 in the Semi-Finals. This was a much “Bigger” match though and turning point for the Hitman.
Bret had said the moment he lifted the title up and saw his parents, it could of all ended there and he would of been satisfied.

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**** 1/2

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8 ) Davey Boy Smith The British Bulldog (with Lennox Lewis) vs Bret “Hitman” Hart (c) for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -Summerslam 1992

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Bret told Vince that if they had the match they’d steal the show and Vince said “Alright show me, you’re on last.”

They did.

Bret insisted this go on last to Vince, he agreed and hasn’t looked back on this classic.
This is arguably the greatest match in Summerslam history.

A ton of momentum on the side of one Davey Boy Smith which certainly goes without saying.

Bret kisses his IC title and Heenan speculates if he’s infact kissing it goodbye?

This is arguably one of the biggest carry-job’s in Pro-Wrestling history.

Afterall, there is a reason this is Bret Hart’s favourite match.
Bell sounded and both competitor’s circled around the other while excitement built in anticipation.

Bulldog was cleary the underdog despite the spectacle being in his stomping yard in the UK. Hart was the seasoned veteran and defending champion, the more accomplished veteran and thus he was the favourite.

One way or another, Bret Hart was going to not only help put his brother-in-law over, but make this a match he could be proud of.

The opening stages were rather basic.

It consisted of a stare-down followed by a pushing war to show both men came to play. Bulldog held Bret in side headlock and after Bret leapfrogged Davey Boy he connected with a shoulderblock dropping the Hitman to the floor.

Next we’re treated to a nice little exchange of side headlock takedown’s followed by legscissors as a counter from both competitors.

Bret with a roll-up flipping Daveyboy backwards from the ropes scoring a two. Fast action early on to set the pace here to a very dramatic Main Event that had that special feeling in front of such a large audience at night in a more-then-large Stadium.
The Hitman attempted a small package but Bulldog had none of that.

It became apparent for Hart to weardown Davey Boy with a weardown side headlock.
A nice chain-counter by Bullog into a hammerlock but Bret quickly countered with an arm-ringer, Bulldog did a series of flips out of it and then went into a hammerlock on Davey Boy.

Off the ropes Bulldog slingshotted Bret to thecorner and then torked the arm elevating him way up.

Hart seemed just a popular in this venue. Off the ropes Bulldog hit a crucifix on Bret and got a two. Bulldog then wore down Bret with an armbar. A slam to Bret then back into a backwards wristlock on the mat which also seemed logical to get Bret’s slugging fists weaker.

Bret off the ropes out of desperation kneed Davey Boy and Bret stomped on him some more before dropping the elbow and going into a sleeper.

Bret now the aggressor held Bulldog who attempted yet another crucifix but Hart fell backwards slamming Bulldog to the mat before another sleeper. Hart hit a shoulderblock before Davey Boy flipped him over.

Bulldog irishwhipped Bret hard to the corner, this time out of the other corner Bret got his boots up meeting Bulldog. Bret then appropriately hit a running bulldog. Bret slammed Davey Boy headfirst to the mat.
Bret elevated Bulldog to the outside using his own momentum against him. Bulldog standing outside the ring was taken down very dangerously by Bret but Bulldog didn’t protect himself.

Again, this just showed what a Pro Bret was.
Bret rammed his back into the post and back in the ring he slingshotted him to the corner hard, Bulldog kicked out but Bret was now focusing on the back. The Hitman with a hard forearm European Uppercut then a beautiful textbook dropkick.

Bret with a nice back bodydrop to Davey Boy that scored Hart a two. Bret with knee to the injured back before another weardown sleeper.

Out of no where Davey Boy managed a backslide but Bret kept on Bulldog and his bad back hitting a back breaker before a hard elbow focused on the back from the top. Bret dragged Davey Boy by the hair down the mat.

All throughout the match they zoomed in on Diana Hart-Smith looking concerned to add the dramatic effect.

Bulldog battled out of a sleeper time and time again and the crowd supported him.

Bret catches Bulldog in a sleeper off the ropes in mid-ring. Bret finally got taken to corner by Bulldog using his power game. Utilizing it effectly he managed to drop Bret from the air dangerously landing on ther ropes. Little factors like that took away from how brilliant this match was actually structured.
Bulldog got a series of nearfalls and then Bulldog hit a nice standing suplex on the Hitman scoring him a two.

The Climax had arrived.

Bulldog sent Hart hard sternum first to the buckle and nobody bumps better in the business then Bret. Bulldog set upBret for the running Powerslam and Hart kicks out!
Bulldog can’t believe it.

Bulldog was caught out of nowhere from Bret as he applied a waistlock by the ropes before a release German and a nearfall.

Bulldog set up Bret up high dropping him with a Superplex. Bulldog got a two. Out of nowhere Bret puts more strain on the back of the bulldog with a Sharpshooter and Diana was now in tears.

Off the ropes Bulldog out of the hold countered a sunset flip attempt and it was all over as Davey Boy hooked the legs to win the match at 25:40 to one of the loudest pops the history of wrestling.

Savage-Steamboat, Bret-Hennig, Savage-Santana, Bret-Bulldog, Michaels-Ramon, Austin-Owen, Benoit-Jericho.

The IC title is a fan favourite because of classics like these.

Davey Boy owes Bret a cold one.

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**** 3/4

 

 

 

 

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9) Bret “Hitman” Hart vs Bam Bam Bigelow (April, 24th 1993-Barcelona Spain)

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The match they had at King of The Ring 1993 in the finals told a better story and was a better match.

So why does Bret include this one with one of the best big men worker in the business’s history? I don’t know.

It could be because its rare.

Could be because it shows work overseas.

Could be because its overly stiff and very phsycial.

Anyone of those or all of them combined are likely reasons. I didn’t like this choice by Bret at the time as I didn’t own KOTR personally but now that I do, I don’t mind the decision at all.

That KOTR 93 is a brilliant four star story.

This one is a very different match that told a different version and had a unique pace.

Versatality seemed to be the key here.

The spanish commentary was interesting with the enthusiastic crowd. Made for an interesting watch that’s for sure.

Bam Bam Bigelow is called the best big man ever by Bret during his documentary. Hi agility and athleticism for his size is absolutely incredible.

Bieglow tried to get a hold of a quicker Hart amd eventually despite Bret’s wrestling background. Bam Bam missed an elbow and it was the technician’s time.

Bret held an arm bar on Bam Bam.

A logical move by all man it takes away Bam Bam’s power game. Bret was always sound, and crisp-strategic when appling any offense, even if it was just defense.
Bam Bam hoped to turned the tide on Bret holding him in the air but Hart dropped down and sent Bigelow to the floor.

All of the sudden Bret found himself in a place he did not want to be in!! He found himself in a bearhug and is if that wasn’t devistating enough he was continuassly rammed into the ring-posts consecutively.

Bam Bam disected Bret’s back in Spain here.

Bret barely caught a break. Once The Hitman did he landed elbow shots but didn’t escape a shoulder-stretching back-breking submission move.

In a play to the KOTR 93 finish the Hitman rolled him up, throughout it all, Hart wins!

A brutal match through non-stop physicality and top notch selling.

Looking back, they battled all around the ring and outside of it. Bam Bam showed his power and his stength in this one but as you all know, or AGAIN should know, he wasn’t all about that. Bam Bam was so gifted athletically and may he rest in peace.

Nice for Vince to pay for his funeral a couple of years back. I think Bret’s choice to include Bam Bam on the set was a nice one. I applaud him and I applaud both of them for this nice piece of work thats different then most matches on the set.
It’s so nice to see a Bam Bam dvd.

RIP my friend.

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*** 1/2

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10) Bret “Hitman” Hart vs Mr. Perfect in a King of the Ring Semi-Final match -King of the Ring 1993

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Wrestling just doesen’t get much better then this.

Poetry in every crisp move in a match that features just about everything needed.

Both men’s second match of the night which only added to the story of two second generation wrestler’s wanting to up the other.

Crowd respected both men but Bret had them in the palms of their hand.
A very good promo happens backstage between Hennig and Hart just before this match.
Hennig hasn`t forgotten Summerslam 91, and this time Mr. Perfect`s back was in better condition, thus being able to put on a better match.

The Hitman and Hennig both with a lot to prove tie up. A clean break sends both guys back. Both men already with an impressive match earlier in the night.

Waistlock go-behind by Perfect and Bret reaches the top rope. Ross says both men are so technically sound its amazing. For my money, the best chemistry in Wrestling History.

The Hitman with a side headlock in mid-ring on his feet, Savage points out Bret beat Hennig with the Sharpshooter at Summerslam 91.

Hennig shoved Bret to the ropes and he hit Hennig with a shoulderblock. Off the ropes Bret leaps over Perfect and then counters a hiplock from Hennig to Perfect hitting him with a hiplock. Bret then hits a beautiful side headlock takedown.

Mr. Perfect counters into a headscissors with the leg, and Heenan says `This is Wrestling!` Couldn`t of been more right.

Bret with Hennig in a headlock cornered by Perfect who unleashed a huge chop. Bret reverses an irishwhip sending Hennig to the corner, both men tried to go for a slam, Bret lands his, Mr. Perfect counters with a dropkick from his back to the mat sending Bret down quickly. Mr. Perfect slams Bret to the mat and Bret kicks up at Hennig and hits him with a side headlock takedown so expertly.

Ross with his great timely call, Oh What an Offensive Exchange!!!
Savage and Heenan love it as well, as do I. I love that paticular piece of the match because it is so crisp and defines the chemistry between one another.

Bret on the mat continues to ride Mr. Perfect and he battled out with some shots, off the ropes Bret hits a crucifix hooking Hennig by the arms getting another nearfall, back up Hennig goes back into a side headlock takedown and Bret had it slapped on again on the mat.

Parts of the crowd chant for the Hitman. Bret Hart now back up to his vertical base is pushed off by Mr. Perfect who drops stiff forearms to the lowerback of the Hitman. A crossbody press by Bret off the ropes and Hennig elevated him to the outside. Bret came in quickly and landed a spear-gutshot to mid-section of Hennig as he buried the shoulder. The Hitman with a sunset flip over the top rope and a nearfall.

As Hennig comes charging for Bret he utilizes the side headlock to perfection dropping Mr. Perfect AGAIN with ANOTHER side headlock takedown. By this point Ross puts it over huge.

Mr. Perfect gets back up but Bret is controlling the pace to the match. Bret is caught on the ropes as Perfect resorts to dropping Bret with a cheap shot. Perfect with a kick to the groin and a kick to the lowerback where he earlier landed forearm shots. An outstanding dropkick by Mr. Perfect to Bret and the impact takes the Hitman all the way to the outside on the floor. Mr. Perfect goes as far as to sit on the middle rope allowing Bret back in.

Mr. Perfect turns dirty now as he kicks Bret in the mid-section and then drives him headfirst to the top turnbuckle padding. Perfect held a sleeper on Bret.

Perfect gets Bret back up and hits him with huge chops and a clubbing forearm followed by stiff kicks to the head. Mr. Perfect drops Bret with a big time knee lift which found its mark, Mr. Perfect gets another nearfall. Bret is kicked to the outside by Hennig. Mr. Perfect now in control of the pace as he chops Bret hard once more outside the ring. Mr. Perfect drives Hart facefirst into the top of the ring apron. The Hitman wobbly on the apron was then elevated off by Mr. Perfect who slingshot him off the apron to the floor.

The Hitman went flying and crashed into the barricade.

Now the story had carried to the bad leg of Bret. Everyone speculated it was the knee which got the most damage gained. Hart held it and sold it like a pro.

Mr. Perfect was relentless in his attack dropping him with another headshot with a big high knee.

Hart stood up and fought back with big righthands but Mr. Perfect dropped him with another right. Mr. Perfect goes to the top for a high risk move and upon coming down lands a textbook dropkick to Bret from the top. Hart with his good leg reached the ropes breaking the fall. Mr. Perfect irishwhipped Bret sternum first hard into the corner and another nearfall, this was becoming a war. Perfect up top takes another chance and Bret drops him with a gutshot.

Bret and Perfect battled on the top rope now.

A front facelock by the Hitman and a desperation toprope superplex, Hennig kicked out.

Savage claims its unbelievable and Ross points out the fatigue factor.

A limping Bret Hart takes the leg out of Hennig. A single leg takedown, Bret slaps on a figure-four in mid-ring to Mr. Perfect.

Perfect was inches away from the rope and finally got to the bottom rope but the damage has been done to Mr. Perfect. Mr. Perfect in a bad way and Bret was as well, the Hitman drops Perfect with another single leg takedown, seperates the leg and grapevines it. Awesome stuff.

Hennig manages out and is in a bad way limping up. A fatigued, groggy Hitman gets up at the same time. Hennig grabs Bret by the hair and Hart goes up and over as Hennig slams him with a hairtoss. Bret lands hard to the canvas. Bret Hart down and Perfect limps over.

Savage puts over both men in a major way for going this far. Bret Hart gets caught in a sleeperhold off the ropes in mid-ring. Bret on the mat knew he had to resort to some desperation tactics and Hart grabs ahold of the hair of Hennig out of desperation, resorting to his level.

That is good storytelling right there. The Hitman reached for the ropes and Hennig held the sleeper until the very last second. A limping Curt comes over to Bret who regains his vertical base and he slaps Bret with a hard chop. Bret Hart caught in a sleeper and Perfect had an unfair advantage with his feet on the ropes for a split-second behind the official.

The match has gone fifteen minutes and at an unbelievable pace. Bret gets back up and took Hennig facefirst to the top turnbuckle padding as a resourceful move out of a sleeper. The Hitman now lifts up Hennig and lands an amazing forearm undercut. Bret slams Hennig head first into the top turnbuckle and now resorts to his low dragging him by the hair tossing him aside, and Hennig slides groin first into the post.

Bret now drops him with an inverted atmoic drop, a side russian legsweep and STILL Bret Hart could not put away Hennig. Bret with his good leg drops it on Perfect before he picks him up and drops him with a backbreaker. The Hitman goes up to the top rope and drives the elbow into the face of Hennig.

Still just a two!

Mr. Perfect down and now it was time for the Hitman Bret Hart to go for the Sharpshooter he attempted to lock it in, Hennig had it scouted as he grabbed the damaged hands of Bret Hart to break the Sharpshooter. Amazing strategy and psychology from Curt Hennig as a counter to the finishing move of the Hitman.
Bret down and Mr. Perfect stomps on his head before picking him up and attempting his Perfectplex, Hart backs off on his bad leg, Hennig could not execute it and Bret suplexes him over the top rope all the way to the floor. Amazing counter by Bret Hart who avoided the Perfectplex and ended up taking Hennig to the ground.

Both men countering the other mans finisher in awesome form.

Both men limp back in, Hennig goes for an inside cradle, it is countered by the Hitman and he gets the three. Ross screams WHAT A MATCH!

The Hitman got him!

In the end at 18:56 Bret Hart defeated Mr. Perfect and advanced to the finals of the King of the Ring Tournament to the delight of the crowd.

From bell to bell, there are few matches as captivating as this one due to the unbelievable chemistry from both second generation superstars.

The work here is absolute perfection.

But I would expect nothing less from my favourite match of all time.

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*****

 

 

 

 

11) “The Rocket” Owen Hart vs Bret “Hitman” Hart -Wrestlemania X

There are some matches that are so special that you wont be able to do them justice just by writing words on paper.

This is that match.

What we get here is not only the greatest opener to a Wrestlemania, but the greatest opener of all time.

What we get here is not only one of the greatest matches in Wrestlemania history, but one of the greatest matches of all time. I give this match the highest of praise and consider it the best ever.

Talk about a good backstory, this was a storyline done RIGHT. The only flaw was not awarding Owen the title, I felt he should of won it at Summerslam after he became King of the Ring in 1994, and if not there then Survivor Series rather then a pointless Bob Backlund reign.

This match is seemingly universally accepted at five stars, infact I have yet to see anyone claim that this is just a GOOD match which speaks volumes on how well this actually played off to audiences everywhere.

It was majorly successful in telling a story because it had everything going for it. The storyline was epic, the drama was there, but still both brothers with as much bad blood as there was, took it to the mat to find out who the better man was by one thing, WRESTLING.

A dream match for any Pure WRESTLING fan.

Hold for hold, they went toe to toe and did absolutely everything you could to one another in a Wrestling match. This match is quite simply perfect and the pacing is absolutely phenominal as is the psychology. You truely could sit here all day talking about how flawless this Masterpiece really is.

Bret Hart always made it known that the art in pro-wrestling is to make everything seemingly real without injuring his opponent. That match between Bret and Owen is a good example of a high-paced technical match that two ring artists can only deliver.

Perhaps one of the most underappreciated aspects of this clinic is how well both men bumped, sold and hit every move so crisp. Chemistry was obvious being brothers, but both guys just went like there was no tommorow here. If there was a ever a match to make Dad proud, this was surely it.

Owen gets introduced first, McMahon thought it was going to be the Hitman for some reason, perhaps he forgot both men were from the same city of Calgary. Owen comes out with shades on and lips that he is the Best there is, was and tonight brother, you will find out I am the best there ever will be. I am loving this already.

Owen even had a couple of fans at ringside which you could here vocally during the earlier stages of the match, but his biggest fan was clearly the hilarious Jerry Lawler during this match who thinks Owen was ahead on points, at practically every turn. This match would not have came off so great without the awesome commentary from Lawler and McMahon here. Lawler of course feuding with Bret at the time ripped on Stu and Helen which is always funny material from him.

The Hitman got a great ovation as expected, and the facial expressions from Owen towards Bret were priceless, Bret played the older brother role so well, as did Owen with the younger, jealous brother role.

Both men locked up and Owen immediately broke it off and began celebrating as if he got the upperhand early on, McMahon questioned if it was some sort of victory, Lawler says OF COURSE.

Both men tie up again this time and Owen Hart with a beautiful fireman’s carry, but Bret goes into a quick headscissors as a counter, Owen flips up and says “Come on!” once again.

Bret shakes it off and applies a quick go-behind on Owen riding him on the canvas and Owen gets to the ropes, and tells him to back off and Hebner backs Bret back.

Owen took down Bret and was cocky as ever.

Owen went behind with another waistlock but Bret ran towards the rope and the charge elevated Owen through the middle ropes to the outside.

Owen came back in and slapped Bret. Owen backed off into the corner to escape a furious Bret.

Both men circled one another and Owen applied a hammerlock, Bret reversed it into one of his own and Owen with a nice drop toehold, The Hitman reversed it into an armbar and he drove the knee into Owen.

The excellence of execution targetted the left arm of Owen, placing him into an armbar to slow down the quicker, younger brother. A Smart gameplan by Bret, but obviously you would expect nothing less from The Hitman.

Lawler and McMahon argue over who is ahead in points thus far as it’s been pretty even.

One thing is certain though. The pace to this match is absolutely breathtaking from a technical standpoint, what a match already.

Bret stomped on the mat, and applied an arm-ringer on Owen and he did a series of flips and got an armbar on Bret now! Bret really focusing on the left arm and shoulder region of Owen but it was the little brother determined to get out of this predicament by older brother Bret.

Unbelieveable athleticism by the Rocket. Bret flipped up and a reversal into an arm-ringer again. Owen sent Bret into the ropes he leaped up dodging Owen and rolled him up for a quick two, Owen flipped up and Bret went right back into the armbar.

Insane amounts of counter-wrestling, I’m convinced these two could pull stuff like this off blindfolded.

Fans chant lets go Bret.

Bret with a hammerlock but Owen hit an elbow to the jar, and off the ropes Bret leapfrogged Owen and then flipped him up as Owen came off the ropes and Bret put his legs in the air flipping Owen, before finally clotheslining him over the top to the outside to a tremendous ovation.

The Hitman celebrates with an armpump in the home of the New York Rangers who’d win the Stanley Cup just a few months from this venue.

Another slapping war and a roll-up by Bret on Owen.

A high armbar now on Owen’s weakened leftarm by The Hitman as he tried to slow down the pace into a methodical weardown type but Owen got back up, and then Bret off the ropes hit a unique Crucifix on Owen and got a two count.

A tenacious Hitman still held Owen’s leftarm, and Owen’s facial expressions were gold as he sold the arm.

Owen pushed Bret to the ropes, a duck and a leapfrog by the Rocket followed by one of his signature moves. The spinning heel kick. Owen stomped on Bret kicking him to the outside of the ring under the bottom rope. Owen followed Bret on the outside and he scooped him, up and drove his lower back into the steel ring post. Good stuff. Owen then screamed at his brother, a little trash-talking to boot.

Owen rolled Bret back in and proceeded to deliver a headbutt to Bret, and then he rammed Bret hard into the corner working over the lower back some more.

Owen Hart intelligently drove his knee into the back of Bret with a backbreaker.

A reverse chinlock by Owen to Bret.

This was also smart because it stretched the lower back of Bret which Owen had just worked over ramming Bret’s spine into the steel ringpost on the outside. Owen goes into a sleeper, The Hitman back to his knees delivered a elbow shots to Owen and off the ropes Bret jumped over Owen but caught a belly to belly from the Rocket.

Owen gets a two, what a suplex by Owen!

Owen Hart was more then determined at this point to teach his older brother a Wrestling lesson, another slap by Owen and an irishwhip waas reversed by Bret sending Owen to the corner and Owen leaped off with a flying crossbody, Bret rolled over Owen and got a two. Owen then got back on top of Bret delivering a slap and another reverse chinlock.

The counter-chain wrestling here is among the best in any match ever.

Bret tried to gain his vertical base and his power helped him land on top of Owen who tried to lift him up. The Hitman on the outside got a breather and Owen Hart celebrated. Owen from the ring apron went to suplex Bret back in, and he went into a waistlock, and another reversal by Owen who hit a picture perfect standing suplex by Owen which got him a two count. Amazing.

Owen with a legdrop and another two count. Unbelievable stuff. Owen with a shot to Bret and went for a snapshot vertical suplex but Bret with an inside cradle. Vince says this is back and forth, that’s an understatement.

Owen then with another slap, awesome story-telling with the younger brother doing the dirty tactics to the older, wiser brother. Owen Hart with a hard shot to Bret and an irishwhip was reversed Bret went to scoop up Owen, but he landed on his feet and then hit a piledriver to Bret. Not the way he injured Austin, he dropped to his knees here, which is what he should of done at Summerslam 97.

Owen went to the top rope and went for a splash but Bret dodged it which in turn helped him re-group as it bought him a little time.

Bret picked up Owen and gave him an atomic drop, and a running clothesline off the ropes followed by a two count. Bret clotheslined Owen and delivered a hard shot to the abdomen followed by a side russian legsweep and a two count. Bret then with a side suplex into a backbreaker to Owen. Bret from the corner hit his signature elbow drop right on top of the Rocket and a two count. Bret argued with Hebner as he thought it was three.

Owen sneaked up and Lawler’s commentary is hilarious. A spinning heelkick out of no where by Owen to Bret!

Owen tried to lock on the Sharpshooter and Bret reversed it.

Owen then got out of it and landed a hard shot with his left hand and then with a unique roll-up backwards, got Bret but only scored a two count.

Bret elevated himself over the top rope to the outside on Owen with a flying crossbody! Aerial moves to boot, McMahon screams WHAT a Match and obviously everyone agreed. MSG shows there appreciation.

Bret hurt his knee. A play to the story where Bret had his injured knee worked over by Owen at the Rumble.

Owen intelligently targetted the knee and kicked out the leg of the Hitman.

Owen Hart slammed Bret’s knee into the ring post over and over and continued slamming it on the mat. Brilliant stuff.

Bret’s selling was picture perfect here and then Owen with a single leg takedown to the injured leg, and Owen applied a unique leglock to Bret.

Fans in MSG chanted “Lets go Bret” once again but Owen continued to tork the leg of Bret and apply the leglock harder. Owen dropped the hold and dropped a knee onto Bret who sold like a pro, as always.

Owen wanted Bret back up and he limped into the corner. Owen lifted Bret’s injured leg and hit another single leg takedown. Owen with a figure-four. Another weardown submission hold which applies nothing but pressure to the leg of Owen. Watching Owen Hart celebrate while Bret is in the hold is gold.

Bret’s shoulders were down on the mat frequently and the official got a two count, twice. Bret flipped over finally and got to the ropes to the delight of the crowd. Owen Hart then grabbed ahold of a limping Hitman and he placed the knee on top of the middle rope and kicked away at it.

Bret out of desperation with his good leg hit Owen’s head with a spinning heelkick out of no where, taking a page out of the Rocket’s playbook as Owen wanted to inflict more punishment to the injured leg. Bret applied a headbutt and a hard irishwhip as Owen hit sternum first hard into the corner. Bret with a legdrop in mid-ring, and Owen Hart kicked out at two.

Unbelievable action and pacing.

Bret then delivered a running bulldog to The Rocket.

That may so it says McMahon. Bret still only manages a two count.

Bret delivered some shots to The Rocket in the corner.

Bret then with a piledriver in mid-ring as the momentum shifted once again, but Bret was hitting these moves out of nothing but desperation as he still sold the leg like a pro.

Bret scooped Owen up and with a sore leg went to the top rope and applied a SUPERPLEX to Owen landing backfirst in the middle of the ring.

This match is beyond incredible, it’s magic.

Bret with a two, adding more drama as the fans were in a frenzy and McMahon kept putting the match over, but the match spoke for itself with its greatness.

Lawler claimed Bret couldn’t beat his younger brother, as he kept failing to put him away.

A hard forearm shot by Bret Hart and another, a sleeper by Bret but Owen with a cheapshot behind the official, a lowblow to Bret taking him down.

Owen now in mid-ring slapped on a Sharpshooter as he sensed he needed to do this now or he’d be in trouble.

Owen held the Sharpshooter on the Hitman! No one could pull this move off better then the Hart brothers, as it was both mens finisher. Owen applying the hold just felt natural.

MSG encouraged the Hitman on to get out and somehow he reversed the Sharpshooter into one of his own! The excitement level never stopped.

Bret limped some more and landed a fist to owen but Owen sent Bret to the buckle, Bret got the leg up on Owen in the corner with a boot to the face, however Owen Hart stood infront of Bret as he went up for a sunset flip but Owen held his weight down out of surprise.

In the end Owen put Bret away at 20:21 shocking the world, by rolling through the Hitman off from the corner landing on top of him, rolling him up and holding his legs down for the three count. Lawler screams out “What do YOU THINK OF THAT McMahon!? What about it now!?”

Owen himself was pretty shocked to say the least.

Bret couldn’t believe he got beat and by his own ignorant brother. He thought he was wrestling the perfect match. He thought wrong. Owen caught him out of no where and after such a long, hard fought contest to boot, but Bret knew he had to remain strong as he still had a WWF title shot on the night.

Owen Hart proved here, he could hang with his brother not only technically, but in ways showed he was a superior athlete and it is without a doubt one of the greatest underdog victories ever, and a defining moment in his cut-short career.

Everything was spot on in this match, words don’t do it justice.

This opening match here at Wrestlemania, in my opinion will stand the test of time as arguably the greatest match in Wrestling history.

 

 

*****

 

 

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Disc 3 Matches:

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12) Bret “Hitman” Hart (c) vs “The King of Harts” Owen Hart for the Heavyweight title (Action Zone, September, 29th 1994-White Plains, New York)

A rare match between two greats is never a bad thing. Especially if you just witnessed the Mania match or at Summerslam for that matter.
Very nice of Bret to add in another gem with his brother.

By this time Owen had unofficially won the title.

This was still during 94 when Owen was a legit contender for the Heavyweight title.

Owen Hart throws his throws his shades at the Hitman as if to be any more disrespectful.

Owen Hart does his usual “YAY FOR ME” victory “woooo” after tying up with Hart as the bell rings.

Bret has the fans on his side and is the respectable champion, Owen slapped Bret nd he ducked for cover using some psychological dependancy.

This was the world premier of the action zone. Pettingill as a color guy foreshadow’s the term nugget rewarding Owen.

Bret with some great offense, a suplex, a catapolt and downin a hammerlock, and an armbar and Owen complained Bret grabbed his air. Owen does go for a walk.

The Anvil comes back out until Owen had the Htman up for a potential backbreaker but he turens it into a crucifix.

The Bulldog comes out to even the odds.

Meanwhile Owen holds Bret in a camel clutch, into a front faclelock, Bret grabs the hair to help break the wristlock into a reverse chinlock.

Owen held Bret in a Boston Crab focusing on the lower-half of the Hitman to potentially weaken him for an upcoming Sharpshooter.

Owen wihth a side headlock while the fnd chnt letss go Bret. Owen applies a reverse chinlock in more of a defensive move knowing his brother’s quickness.

Bret with a great counter and comeback until Owen drilled Hart sternum first. Behind the official Neidhart took out the sore knee.

It’s refreshing to hear McMahon on commentary remembering it was Bret’s knee.
Softening up Bret for the Sharpshooter the crowd chanted “Lets go Bret!” some more.

Owen targetted ruthlessly the injured knee in the corner with kicks and like amny great heel who was a brother saiyng, mom wasn’t there to help jim. Comical.

Back from another break Hart has fougth back, Bret that is. Still selling the leg Bret hits a side russian legsweep and signatue elbow drop and got a two.

Back and forth climax.

Owen with a spinning heel kick. Bret kicks out and with his last gasp he goes to the top to Superplex but is shoved off by the Anvil on the apron. Davey Boy returns the favor and throws off Owen to the crowd’s approval.

Bret battles back and at 14:03 rolling up Owen at a tv time (actual length of match without commercials would be over 20 minutes) and kept the title.

This was a well worked borderline classic between two you’d expect it from.

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****

 

 

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13) Bret “Hitman” Hart vs Hakushi (with Shinja) -WWF In Your House 1- May 14th, 1995

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About the only good thing to come from this event, that’s for certain.

Hart liked his variety.

He would also wrestle Jerry Lawler in the same night.

Hart liked Hakushi’s unique aerial style and this was definitely the only good part of the original In Your House. A horrid event.

This is a great match, especially in areas but Bret must of had his reasons for choosing it. I could think of some better ones but then again I’m not Bret Hart.

Hayes aka Hendrix and McMahon on commentary like most 95 events.

Expect a fast moving match here, Hart more technical-mat based, Hakushi more like Bret’s brother Owen with a Japanese-puro-aerial style.
A full body disection by little brother and then he looks to lock-up with Hart.

Hakushi hs done several flips and counter flips nearing the begnning showing his flashiness, Hakushi with an armbar and Hendrix is proud beacause it could hold back the Sharpshooter. It’d too bad they weren’t his legs he’d have a certain point.
It seems now Hakushi ws in Bret’s control as the Hitman dished out loads of punishmnent. Hakushi fought back and did everything in his power to hold off.
Hendrix sadly states “It’s a good thing Stu has one of her sons alive….”
One of the best aspects of this match was the climax. Switched momentum, time aftertime.

Just when Hakushi would be willing to put out Bret he managed to turn Hakushi out with 360 clothesline. Bret gets in manager’s face. Hart suplexes Hakushi out of the ring. Hakushi hit Bret on the floor with a senton after springboarding off the top.
To make Bret look like a hero he got a victory roll to a ton of pyro and pop. Good material.

In the end Bret won the match at 14:39.

This match is not much on story-telling, but in the film industry they call it “popcorn fun” and was an interesting ride due to the contrast in styles which made it a fun ride of a match.

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*** 1/4

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14) Bret “The Hitman” Hart vs “Big Daddy Cool” Diesel (c) for the WWF Championship in a NO DQ Match -Survivor Series 1995

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This is one of my favourite matches of all time.

It’s in my top 15 list for best of all time, and you can bet there is a very good reason for that.

I can’t stand people not giving matches a chance just because the begin slow. Usually they’re conditioning thimselves for some amazing work and here

Don’t let the slower pace in the beginning fool or distract you. That’s there just to set the stage for the real work. Think of the people putting props up before “CATS” is being shown.

Putting the pieces together to unfold a masterpiece.

Nash and Bret’s chemistry was always terrific looking back on it, I’ve got the followig:

Nash-Bret KOTR 94 **** 1/4
Nash-Bret RR 95 **** 1/2 (As you can see…)
Nash-Bret Cage IYH *** 1/4
This- *****
Big Daddy Cool had been honking his horns a litttle too long for some’s liking, technically speaking, his reign-uear on top of the Federation drew it’s lowest number so a change was needed.

The Pink and Black attack was back to take out the legs of the bigger Champion, always a mastered psychologist, Bret wouldn’t just do the right thigngs, he’d do them at the right time and excellently excecuted hence the nickname the late Gorilla Monsoon made fmous.

Even when it came down to Mind Games.

Diesel takes off the top-rope turnbuckle padding realizing foot that it’s no DQ.
Perfect on commentary says he had been elluded the world title all these ears so it made him uncomfortable.

Bret matches Nash and shows the 7 foot monster confidence taking off of one his own on the other side.

Bret never backed off, infact he took Diesel to the corner driving him with full force but Big Daddy Cool hit this well scouted from previous meetings betwn the two.
Nash knew if an EASY task ahead of him then just to leave at home.

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This wasn’t Sid, Kama or King Mabel anymore. This was the man who had been meaking headline’s all over the globe for more then a decade, and hands down one of the finest pro-wrestlers to tell a story scientifically.

This match is not only the perfect big man versus little man but it becomes innovative with the memorable table spot. Bret dished out shots in the corner and Diesel easily reversed it with some high knee shots of his own before vicious righthands.

Diesel’s dominance over Bret was one of the strong points to this match, from one perspective you could say he dominated the entire first half. Infact a pinfall isn’t at least attempted until well after the ten minute mark.

Big Daddy Cool’s clubbing blows took it right out of the Hitman. Strategically Diesel used his bodyweight on Bret who took a walk. The stipuation called for no Count Ount and that’s exactly what happened. The story here is that they made it evdident Bret didn’t have a chance.

Diesel rammed Bret into the post. Now for some payback he grabbed a chair and layed out the Hitman, All legal and since Hart did it to Nash in January, Diesel returns the favor in November.

Diesel irishwhipped Bret hard ino the corner bunping spinefirst. Bret is levelled with a clothesline. Diesel goes for a Jacknife but the ropes disallow it. The Hitman choke Diesel and rakes the face out of desperation.

The first time the Hitman goes go the offense he goes right to the leg. Ross does his best Michael Cole impression a decade earlier sayingit was vintage Bret Hart. Methodically disecting Diesel swinging his legs over. Bret dropped all his bodyweight on Diesel over ther ropes.

This would be effective but Big Daddy Cool kicked off the Hitman directly into the corer where the turnbuckle was exposed but Bret had a plan!
The Hitman slithered under the bottom rope and unhooked a cord taping it around Diesel in a leg-grapevine.

Hart then wraps it around the corner doing more damage to the big man taking him off his vertical base, always a sound stategy when taking on a bigger man, but also softening up for the Sharpshooter. Diesel fought back with his long reah and free leg,
Diesel blocked two chairshots and then eventually hammered the mid-section and legs of Diesel ever and ove.

Hennig said he never saw Hart do vicious. All the offense in on corner because Diesel was tied up. The Hitman tried a high risk move and goes to fly ogg but Diesel tosses him apart. Diesel remembers to sell the legs before giving Hart a back-breaker and sending him to the buckle.

In November 95 Ross says this is Bret’s 41st PPV and Perfect says he’s been at EVERY Series event. Diesel contiinued to torture Bret trying to get that bloodflow to the body. Hart fights back.

Pefrfectcalls it one of the best he’s seen in a long time, he wasn’t kidding. Bret with a big elbow and a signature side russian legsweep. Hart went for a high risk plunge to Dieel but he had that work scouted,

Diesel pulled the ropes and he fell to the floor.

Now Nash is apart in one of the first big table spots in history.. Diesel with ton of momentum had slammed Bret through a table.
It had to be over but Bret collapses as Diesel doesen’t jacknife a down and out Bret who plaed with Diesel’s mind.
On the second try Bret reverses it!

In the end the Hitman reversed a Jakcknife into an inside cradle to become the Champion to a huge roar in the middle of the ring at 25:06.

The crowd went wild! A new champion…finally, and no one more desering then Bret, especially how they mde him win in Diesel’s type-environment. Tremendous booking.
It’s the very reason it remains a favourite too many, even Kevin Nash himself (according to Hart’s book) that he said it was his best match ever. Bret Hart also consdiders this match five stars. I’ve never had it any lower but time and time again I feel the urge to change it back up.

There’s a perfect match, the perfect story.

An ending that gives me chills.

Perfect.

*****

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15) Bret “The Hitman” Hart (c) vs Davey Boy Smith “The British Bulldog” for the WWF Title (In Your House: Season’s Beating’s December 1995)

Another classic with Davey Boy Smith.

This time it was nothing like Summerslam 92 in the sense where Bret had to carry a younger-green Davey in his home country to headline a spectacilar ppv.

Bulldog with shorter hair, and a bit older and wiser could carry himself pretty well here.

Hart was on a roll after his Classic bout with Diesel proving why he should be Champion of the Federation now had to take on Bulldog with Diana sitting at ring-side looking concerned just like at Summerslam 92.

Davey Boy Smith had been confident.

Both men tie up and this time they makde no mistake about to make clear The Bulldog was the most powerful in the match. The Hitman was clearly the one getting on ability with standad arm-bars, he swung underneath British Bulldog and hit an atomic drop of his owm. The Hitman with a side headlock and off the ropes wa plantred by a side suplex..

Bulldog looked to powerslam Bret in the corner but instead elected to hang upt the Hitman upside down and deliver more what you might call CHEAP SHOTS. Bulldog was doing his flipping around earlier showing his athletic abilitiy. The hitman tried a crucific but Bulldog caught him.

Bret had ever beaten the Bulldog. Taker would meet the winner at the 96 Rumble.

Bret battled back against a man he’d never beaten one on one and Hart got a two.
Despite the technical classic this was becoming small EC DUB Chants are head throuhout the submission holds.

The idiot fans chant USA while Bret was down in a monkey flip and hurt the Bulldog with an atomic drop. Hart apporpriaely hit a runnng bulldog before am expertl ccafted piledrive.
The Hitman Bret Hart, the champion feeling momentum hit a signature but Davey Boy got up in time to prevent another and Hart landed groin first.
Bret grabbed by Davey Boy and rammed into the post.

Hart exretemely bloody from the Blade and the fans chant “He’s Hardcore!”

Bulldog hit a series of piledrivers until the Hitman fought back, bloodied and severl fatigued went for a Sharpshooter then Bulldoog drovr his arm into the throat of his brother-in law.

Bulldog on the apron got hit with a modified sunset flip as the Hitman almot squeeked out a victor. Fans chanted for Bret as he boguht himself some time as Bulldog fell to the outside.

Bret launched himself on Bulldog and he caught him full of blood on theoutdide ramming him into the mat.

Both men full of blood and both had their blows taken out of one another.
Hart now in Dramatic Fashion full of blood clotheslines him over a barricade. This match has become barbaric in front of Diana the storytlling is fabulous.

The Hitman goes and sets up Davey Smih hit a superplex, an inside cradle, shades of wembley but still no, reversal into Bulldof driving into Bret.

THEN from SEEMINGLY no where a bloodied Bret busts out a modified crucifix.

This bloody war was over.

In the end Bret retained the title after Bret pinned the Bulldog with a modified inside-cradle at 21:09 from out of seemingly no where.

This match is in my top 15 of all time, which says something.

Better then the match at Summerslam, just another five star match on the Bret Hart set.

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*****

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16) Bret “The Hitman” Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin (w/Ken Shamrock as Special Guest Referee) in a Submission Match -Mania 13

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Steve Austin calls this the match of his career, and for very good reason.

In my estimation it is the greatest match in history and is widely accepted around the wrestling world as perhaps the greatest match of all time, let alone at a Wrestlemania.

This was the match that features the famous “double-switch.” It was groundbreaking at the time and helped influence a new Attitude in the federation and in the career of one Steve Austin.
By this time both Bret Hart and Steve Austin were involved in perhaps the greatest feud in the history of Pro-Wrestling which is why the stage was ultimately set so well for this one match here. I definitely consider this the best feud in Wrestling history.
Shamrock was introduced as the Guest Ref because he knew Submission and earlier he let us know he will not be intimidated during the match.

Bret needed to win this match basically to keep his spot, and Austin was on fire at the time so there was a lot of drama and suspense involved.

The fans were ready for this one as they woke up from the Coma they had been in since the start of the show at the beginning of this match.

Austin posed with a ton of “Attitude” to a stellar ovation on the top turnbuckle. This is a tremendous entrance.

Arguably Austin’s best ever with the famous “Austin 3:16” Glass Shattering upon arrival.

Steve rips a fans sign on his way to the ring proving he still doesen’t care if you’re going to cheer him.

Bret comes out to a mixed reaction, Chicago was still full of loads of fans who still respected the Hitman. McMahon puts over his new attitude lately.

Austin wastes no time getting this one started.

Stone Cold Steve Austin’s stare to the side catches one off gaurd as he looks in disgust and moves his head directly towards Bret and tackles him down. Once on the mat (not even a second later) Austin unloads on the Hitman with a series of rights, McMahon points out that Bret is quite good in this aspect of Wrestling as well.

Bret’s punches are definitely as good as Steve’s.

Hart and Austin back and forth in the ultimate slugfest to begin this one, many confuse this match as a Street Fight for the reason it basically was treated like one from the opening bell.

This spelled out the hatred both men had for one another and that it was “Wrestlemania Baby” as Lawler points out as the two icons exchange hard righthands in front of the “Wrestlemania” banner placed appropriately in front of both men on the ring apron as they battle on the floor.

Steve Austin was in his prime here and you could argue the Hitman was as well.
Stone Cold Steve Austin with The Hitman Bret Hart on the floor not giving each other an inch as they continue to take it to one another out on the floor with the Windy City looking on.

Bret Hart gives a shot to Austin back as he sends Steve right into the ring post and you can hear that one. Austin gets Bret back by dropping him on his groin on the steel railing. Austin clotheslines Bret down to the floor as he charged at him from the corner outside of the ring.

The Rattlesnake drags The Hitman into the crowd. Ross calls it brutal, the crowd are loving it. Austin drops the Hitman chest first onto the boards, this was where the Chicago Blackhawks played hockey. Bret in the crowd gives Steve a punch square in the jaw. Hart venting months and months of frustration out on Austin, McMahon said this is what Wrestlemania is all about, little did he know this would be the all time Classic that it now is when first saying that statement.

The Hitman back bodydropped Austin down onto the steps as he smacks against the concrete floor, the camera does its best job at tracking both individuals. Thankfully they bring the action back towards the ring where these two can really master there craft. Hart tosses Austin over the steel railing hard to the floor, shows good agility by standing on top of the fence and dropping the elbow onto Austin. Steve though on the floor irishwhipped the Hitman hard into the steel steps and he came crashing right into them. Stone Cold flipped off the Hitman from the apron and came crashing down into Bret on the floor.

Unbelievable action and carnage thus far.

Bret stops Austin by the steps and drops Steve on his back onto the floor before jabbing rights into Austin’s head, Steve hangs onto Bret’s trunk and sends him crashing into the ring post. Austin throws Bret back in and Austin sells the leg beginning to limp. Still, Stone Cold kicks at Hart down on the canvas. Austin irishwhipped Bret to the ropes but Hart retaliated by countering Austin and hitting a swinging neckbreaker.
Some boo’s are heard with Bret’s offense, after the neckbreaker he drops an elbow from the corner down on top of Austin. Bret lifts up the legs of Austin and he rips on the Hamstring some more swinging Steve’s bad leg back. Hart the master technician continued to disect the injured leg of Austin which had him temporarily out of action in early 1997.

Bret’s brain was half his brilliance.

Bret methodically went to work on the bad leg of Austin as if he was a big man like Kevin Nash or The Undertaker. Hart then swings Austin’s leg to the mat as he goes flying. The Hitman relentless in his attack and his focus was in full motion as he kicks at Steve who is struggling to just stand.

Stone Cold out of no where catches the Hitman with a Stone Cold Stunner, to a great pop.

If there is one criticism in this match its how Hart only takes about twenty seconds to get back up and then he goes right back to work on Austin’s legs after having just recieved his stunner, but Bret was going on pure hatred.

The Hitman then slapped on a Leglock around the ring post as Bret leaned back on the mat outside on the floor for additional leverage. Steve’s beyond in a bad way now after Hart’s figure four. Bret Hart tossed Austin back inside the ring. Hart grabs a ringbell. Now Bret with two folding chairs and McMahon is unintentionally hilarious with his

“Oh no…”

Bret then stomps on Austin’s leg and folds the chair around the bad leg of Austin. Bret goes up to the top turnbuckle and Austin takes it off. Austin then swings at Bret nailing him off the top turnbuckle with the chair, and Bret comes crashing down to the mat and the crowd just roar.

Lawler screams out “It’s Wrestlemania Baby!” Austin again swings at Bret with the chair knowing he was a desperate man as he was barely able to stand on one of his legs. Stone Cold knew this ruthless nature was the only way to survive in this environment. Austin back in control whipping Hart to the buckle as he crashed in hard. Austin then with a vertical suplex to Bret following up the punishment to the back of Bret.

Austin dropped the elbow from the corner onto Bret and then he kicks him in the lower abdominal region. Bret’s daughter covers her eyes at ringside.

Austin with a Side Russian Legsweep into a modified armbar with Bret’s neck gripped to one side. Austin did some homework coming in.
Steve stretching the neck of Bret while he torks on the arm, and eventually is forced to

let go. Stu at ringside looks concerned.

Austin applied a Boston Crab to the Hitman!

Chicago roars, The Hitman tells Shamrock “No.”

Austin still folds Hart’s legs back and applied additional pressure to the bruised lowerback of the Hitman. Shamrock in Austin’s face now.

I love how Ross still continued to sympathize for Bret claiming he isn’t a coward.
Now Austin went for the Sharpshooter and half the place loves it. Austin then gets his eyes raked by the Hitman down on the mat as Bret started to foreshadow signs of dirty wrestling.

Bret lands some hard shots on the Rattlesnake now as he regained some lost momentum!

The Hitman taking it to Steve Austin now with hard rights, landing each time which only took more and more out of the Texas Rattlesnake.

The Hitman now charges at Austin but he brilliantly improvises and elevated the Hitman to the floor. Half the crowd on one side of the ring cheer Austin and hold up signs that read things like “Bret Who!” as they continue to roar.
Hart on the outside irishwhipped Austin who came limping towards him into the timekeeper’s table. Austin violently crashes into the fence which is critical to the match’s story as Stone Cold is bloodied.

Austin has been busted wide open in a bad way. Steve is bleeding like all hell and Lawler claims he has blood on him from the booth. Hart vicious in his attack grabs a bloodied, limping mess in Austin and slammed him head first into the steps which opens the big cut on the Rattlesnake.

This has become a war!

Hart sends a bloodied Rattlesnake into the ring post. Austin dripping blood is down on his stomach as the Hitman kicks at Stone Cold. Bret Hart continued to unload righthands on the cranium of a down and out Austin who still didn’t want to give up. Bret Hart lands a backbreaker on Austin. Bret from the corner of the ring drops an elbow down onto Austin from the corner of the ring. Hart with a chair drops it continually on the knee brace of Austin. Bret Hart like a vicious animal is out of control trying to take out the leg of Austin.

Bret went for a Sharpshooter and Austin in desperate fashion all bloodied still managed to rake his face. Stone Cold hammered on in the corner of the ring by Bret. Hart kicked at by Austin right in the groin in the corner as Steve Austin buys himself a break even if just for the moment. Stone Cold reached up and he was barely able to stand. Steve Austin grabs Hart by the hair and from the corner irishwhipped him sternum first to the opposite side with all he had.

Austin showing he could go with the best of him repeatedly kicks at Hart in the corner showing he is the toughest son of a bitch in the industry, barely able to stand, can’t see because of the blood but he still managed to fight back. Austin sets Bret up high on the top turnbuckle and goes for a Superplex and he lands it off the top, Austin fell on the back of his head as well so Steve wasn’t able to capitalize and slap a submission hold on the Hitman. The camera zooms in on Steve and the place “Ooooh” because of the brutal imagery.

Steve goes outside and grabs an electrical cord and he attempts to choke him out. Bret from the ring apron grabs ahold of a timekeeper’s bell and just rang Austin’s head with it and he falls back. Austin’s already bloody face now just got a last crushing blow.
Bret locked the Sharpshooter on Steve who refused to give up but screamed in pain. Shamrock asked Austin he would quit, but The Rattlesnake didn’t give in. McMahon says no one could blame Austin if he quit by this point.

Everything Bret had done to this point all took its toll. Everyone cheering.
The blood continued to poor down Austin’s face who was in a world of pain, but through it all, bad legs and all would not submit to the best submission wrestler in the game.

Which took guts, which you couldn’t help but admire.

Austin losing blood and his ability to stay in the match.

Everyone in Chi Town roaring on in suspense.

Even though he’d never admit it, Steve Austin had enough of this as hid body shut down.

Everyone stood to watch what they knew was something special.

Austin broke the Sharpshooter screams Ross but he didn’t, he was only close.

Austin tried everything he could to reach the ropes, Ross claims he can’t understand how Austin hasn’t given up.

In the end Bret was declared the winner at 22:05 after Shamrock rang the bell due to

Austin being “out of it” despite not quitting help protecting his badass/toughest SOB image.

Ross screams “Austin never gave up! Austin never gave up! Austin has passed out, from the pain!” as Hart’s theme plays loud while the crowd reject what looked like a Ruthless Hitman character now by this point. Ross claims it will be a tough act to follow and he was just talking about the night. Arguably no one has topped this match to this day.

Hart going full Heel now attacks the Hitman who was bloodied and out until Shamrock hit a waistlock on Hart which got a great reaction.

Bret refusing to fight goes to leave and everyone boos Bret who looks on as if he can’t believe it. Bret flips off a fan in the entrance way.

After the match, Austin a bloody mess who had just been to hell and back limps out not asking for any assistance keeping the “tough SOB” image. Fans chant “Austin” and a legend is born. This would help Steve move a few Austin 3:16 shirts and it became the highest selling shirt and as for Austin, he would go on his way to becoming the biggest draw in the history of the business.

Talk about a revolutionary match which is both significant and at the same time by all means great.

Probably the most exciting match of all time and a strong argument can be made that it is all-around the very best as well. It’s definitely the best War Pro-Wrestling has ever seen, a non-stop full throttle back and forth tilt from the very best in the peak of there career’s in perhaps the greatest feud the business has ever seen.

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*****

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17) Bret “Hitman” Hart (c) vs The Undertaker for the WWF Title (One Night Only 97 in The UK)
Bret was still a hero to many in the UK which is why the crowd was split.

Many consider this match the best in the epic Undertaker-Bret Hart saga, and I definitely do.

I hold their Summerslam match in high regards but despite this one’s finish it is almost perfection.

The chemisty between Mark and Bret is absolutely fabuluous which is why I’ve always speculated Taker could of done wonders with a Steamboat, Henning, Savage, Bockwinkel, Lawler, Backlund, Benoit, Eddie, Jericho, Owen, that type of guy.

Shawn and Angle had already proved they could put on Classic’s with Taker as has Lesnar. Basically the true poetic technicians in the business.
At Rumble 96 I loved their four star, methodical yet very slow encounter. I a probably alone on that one but my reviews have never been about popularity contests.

At Summerslam 97, Their classic was brillaint and am very glad it was put on the Taker DVD, should definitely if Bret had a second.

So here get ready for one of the greatest matches around from either man, it’d be in Bret’s top ten and Taker’s top 5.

Bret being a “good guy” still puts his shades on a youngster at ringside.

The one thing remarkable about this clash is the crowd and how lively they are.
The bell rings and this one is for the title! Both Bret and Undertaker had been having great 1997’s as it was.

Bret knows he has to take it to Taker he unloads on the Hitman in the other conrner.
Taker about to unload on Bret.

Soon enough Taker chokes out Bret as he did seven years previously during his debut at the Suvivor Series.

The Big Feel, the atmosphere, crow noise and chemistr was all on.

Bret worked over the big man’s legs a bit before a quick sharpshooter then clotheslined the Deadman over the top rope and onto the floor.

The Hitman Bret Hart jumped out from the apron onto Taker and he collapses because of the weight.

This was sligtly a botch as Taker dropped Bret and rammed him spinfirst into the steel post.

Undertaker beating on Bret and the official let it be. Taker brought Bret back and he still angry about what happened to him at Summerslam. Taker not happ drhhed Bret headfirst into the post.

One of the first thigs Bret dis in this match was expose that turnbuckle but hit a ddt out of no where. Hart with slower offense and Ross suggested he should of kept the 6’10 man grounded to eliminate the leverage if he could.

Hart chokes Bret out with his boot and a reversal with an irishwhip sening Bret Hart crashing sternum first into the exposed turnbuckle. Now with the Hitman down the Deadman clearly the aggressor.
The Undertaker had Bret in the air wth a choke.

The Deadman placed Hart down into a submssion hold injuring the spine.
Hart out of desperation tried to chop down the tree of Taker but he dropped Bret on his injured spine torking his chin one wa and his knees the other, while the bacbkreaker submission remained applied as his shoulder remained un-exposed.
Crowd still split as BOO’s are heard after each offensive move, Bret charged to Taker and he liffred an elbow and sent Hart spinefirst into the buckle.
Somehow Bret managed to kick Taker out of the corner and swept his legs. Just as he did at Summerslam he dropped hid weight on the Deadman. Hart Swept a leg-back that’s why they call him the excellence of execution.

Undertaker in a bodyscissors rakes the face slams Taker’s battered legs into the post.
Bret Hart fans loved The Hitman keeping the Deadmang grounded.

A Taker fan would love to see Taker back up using his quick stirike powermoves Taking Hart down via a Chokeslam or Tombstone.

Rather, just as he did around the ringpost, Hart placed Taer in a figure four measurig him up in the ring. The creeatures of the night chanted Rest in Peace and Undertaker reverse the hold, Bret made it to the bottom rope as the place boo’s.

Somehow both men make it to thei feet, the pace slows consideranl due tio fatigue and body damage, The mastered technician goes right bck to work on Taker’s lower half. A grapvine to hyperextend the ankle and toes. Undertaker had is sdoucted and elbowed out with more shots loficallt ro Bret’s back.
Bret slowed down the Deadman and he came off the top but a size 17 boot into the head of the Hitmam. Bret ducks Taker and a clothesline takes both down,

This is reminding me of Angle-Taker from No way Out.

Taker dropped two leg-drops and he gets almost a two, slickly graning Taker’s legs he applied a Sharpshooter in the very middle.

Taker was the frist one to counter the hold at Slam, and he does it again!
A shocked and frustrated Hitman sets it up and Taker squeezes Bret by the throat, Bret holds him back but Taker foughf back. A desperate Bret went a bell.

Taker making sure he wasn’t dq’d and the official snatched it from Taker as well. Bret took the leg out of the Hitman with it behind the official before going to work on thlegs of Taker some more.

Bret accidentally hits the cameram man Taker throws Bret’s battered body into the steps to even the odds.

Back in the ring The Undertaker irishwhipped Bret into the post and went Old School but Bret flipped him off the top elevating him to the canvas.

A slugfest breaks out, Hart with a schooboy off the ropes, Bret goes for a tombstone, Taker reverses it and Bret held onto the ropes, Bret is hung like a vice.

In the end at 28:00 Bret Hart defeated The Undertaker by disqualification after they decided to the match for Bret’s safety.

One of the dumbest finishes to one of the most tremendous matchs you’ll ever see.

Edge of your seat, popcorn fun and you’ll bite your nails to the very last ring bell.

As close as it comes to perfection.

Unbelievable chemistry. I always thought Bret and Mark could go at it better then Hickenbottom and Mark any day and this match proves why.

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**** 3/4

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18) Bret “Hitman” Hart vs Chris Benoit -(Monday Nitro-October 4th, 1999 from Kemper Arena “Owen Tribute Match”)

It was something different, something special. That match was for one person…there was one person in the crowd that night.-Bret Hart

A different match to the others on the DVD.

It meant a lot that Legend Harley Race came over to Nitro to ring announce what was to be a match between two great friends for the late Owen Hart.

These two happen to be the very best at what they do inside the ring so the potential here was huge.

I can`t even grasp how they were able to chain-wrestle as well as the did considering the circumstances, but that`s exactly why they did I imagine, going back to basics.

Some call Flair-Michaels from Mania 24 the most emotional match of all time.

Some say Austin`s final match with Rock at Mania X9.

For me and many others, it`s this.

You can`t possibly top this because a man`s life means more then a man`s career.
The bottom line.

The bell rings and the two best lock-up.

Chris Benoit held the leverage over Bret until Hart returned the favor and Hart held the ropes for leverage.

Owen chants break out as Benoit used the head directig to the spine while forming a surfboard formation, and witht nice techniue Hart hit wonerful snapmare takedown.

This was a match between two of the three finest workers. The Hitman hit a ddt, got a nearfall, Benoit nipped up and took Bret down.

Benoit locked up a brilliant Boston Crab followed a backddrop. Chris hit a backbreaker on Bret.

The go to a commercial.

Back from the break Bret fights badk with some headbutts of his own. Hart hit a backbeaker and kicked at the spine of the Crippler.
That seemed to be fofuc point of both competitor’s, is the lower-back because it softens up both men fo their submission moves.

Benoit with an awesome counter in mid-ir taking the wind of you with a tombstone.

The Cripple fought back with elbow shot, now Bret drives dovn the elbov on the mat before a suplex.
Tenay on commentary with briliant analysis like always mentioning Benoit’s mat game was just like Bret’s, only adding the high risk with aerial moves.

Further more proven then the instant where Bret charged to the ropes and falling to the floor.

Benoit with a Suicide Dive and another commercial.

Benoit attempting to get up but all the high risk had took its toll. Bret is relentless on the back attack with a vertical suplex, turned a swinging neckbreaker.

Bret went to the very tip and the Superplex, Bret went for a Sharphooter but a Crossface is countered.

Hitman to the ropes, but three amigo’s are hit perfectly and crisp. More elevatiojn, more impact. Tenay had mentioned earlier more high risk, more impact. Three snapshot vertical suplxes, and while thf fans chanted for Bret hits a piledriver.
Benoit close enough went to the ropes. Benoit hit a series of German’s until Bret looked to be out of businss.

Benoit’s suplexes hit so expertly and terrific. Since Benoit being the ring-generalist he knew this would be a good enough oppurtunity to lock on the Crossface.

The Crippler Crossface is locked on! Bret istead of rolling to the ropes, rolls over on the canvas and some how in miracle fashion Bret makes Benoit submit to his finisher in the most emotional wrestling match of all time.

In the end Bret made Benoit tap to the SharpShooter at 23:01 of tv time. (Two commercial breaks so actually closer to a half a hour of technical magic)

The winner was irrelevant.

The clinic was over but their was only one person looking down smiling. Owen James Hart.

Bret hugged Chris as the two walked to the back.

Signs everywhere saying LOVE LIVE OWEN and the Owen Chants were felt and heard.

As Bret said this match was for one person…and it was beautiful.
Long live O.J.H…no better way to end this DVD.

A technical masterpiece between the two best ever inside that squared circle.

And for one man only.

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**** 1/2

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Final Rating for Bret Hart: “Best There Is….” DVD = 9.5/10

 

Words don’t do this set justice. It’s something almost every fan WANTED and got. Bret got to handpick (personally) all of the matches here and the scary part is they could still release a couple more three disc sets of these close to the same quality.
You get the best of Bret here for the most part and it’s documentary is very emotional. The best DVD for an individual performer, a must have. As for individual performer’s this set very WELL stand the time as the best there is, the best there WAS and the best there ever WILL BE.

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