Lucky Thirteen #10
The Best There Is…
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty
Bret "The Hitman" Hart is a WWE Hall of Famer, a 7-time world heavyweight champion, and the only 2-time King of the Ring in WWE History. In addition to his championship accolades, Bret Hart has been featured in a record-setting number of consecutive �Mania matches—THIRTEEN to be precise! The "Excellence of Execution" holds the record for the second longest uninterrupted streak of appearances between �Manias 2 and 13, only to be outdone at Wrestlemania 29 by the Undertaker. Ladies and gentlemen my name is Mark Adam Haggerty and welcome to another exciting edition of "Lucky Thirteen." This is the tenth installment since I started this series just a few months ago, and today we're focusing on Bret "The Hitman" Hart's matches at Wrestlemania—counting them down from worst there was to the "Best There Is."
Honorable Mention
Bret Hart has appeared in fourteen matches at thirteen different Wrestlemanias; in 2010 Bret Hart returned to the ring to wrestle Vincent K. McMahon—the chairman and CEO of the WWE—in a "No Holds Barred" match with Bret's brother Bruce serving as special guest referee. This was really well produced considering the physical limitations of both Bret and Vince at the time, and was highlighted by the entire Hart Family surrounding the ring, just as they did during Bret's run on top during the mid-90s. This match took place thirteen years removed from Bret's final consecutive �Mania moment, but I wanted to include it nonetheless as it was a touching time for Bret Hart fans who dreamt of the day the "Hitman" might return.
13. Wrestlemania VI
The Hart Foundation vs. The Bolsheviks
Let's kick things off with a tag team match from Wrestlemania VI in Toronto. For six of the first seven Wrestlemanias, Bret Hart competed alongside his brother-in-law Jim Neidhart as part of the Hart Foundation. In 1990 the duo was set to square off with Nikolai Volkoff and Boris Zhukov, otherwise known as the Bolsheviks. With no title on the line, this contest generated very little interest and seemed rather pointless. But when the bell sounded, the "Hitman" and the "Anvil" quickly made history, by defeating their Russian rivals in just 19 seconds—a record that stood until 2008. Not a fantastic contest by any stretch of the imagination, but a groundbreaking night for the Hart Foundation regardless.
12. Wrestlemania 2
WWE vs. NFL Battle Royal
Bret Hart's �Mania debut was during the main event of the Chicago portion of Wrestlemania 2, as NFL greats went toe-to-toe with WWE Superstars in a 20-man battle royal. Both Bret and his brother-in-law Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart were featured in the bout, alongside future WWE Hall of Famers such as Tony Atlas, Bruno Sammartino, the Iron Sheik, William "The Refrigerator" Perry, and many more. After almost nine minutes in the match, Jim Neidhart was eliminated by Andre the Giant, leaving just Andre and Bret alone in the squared circle. Just ten seconds later, the �Giant beat Bret by tossing him over the top. Although Bret Hart walked away defeated, this was a highly impressive first-appearance on the big show, for the 29-year old "Hitman" nonetheless.
11. Wrestlemania IX – WWE Championship
Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna
Wrestlemania IX was built—in large part—around the return of Hulk Hogan and his tag team encounter with Money Inc. The main event however, had Bret "The Hitman" Hart defending his prized WWE Championship against the mammoth Yokozuna. The contest was completely credible, although lasting a mere 8 minutes and change, and involved plenty of innovative offense by both individuals. One of whom weighed north of 500-pounds. Bret Hart would ultimately lose the encounter after Mr. Fuji threw a fistful of salt in the champion's eyes, marking the first time in Wrestlemania history where a challenging heel would defeat the incumbent babyface. Of course Yokozuna would not leave Las Vegas as champion, but that's another story for another countdown.
10. Wrestlemania V
The Hart Foundation vs. Rhythm & Blues
The Hart Foundation was a key component to the success of the WWE tag division during the late �80s and early �90s. Although Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart began their tandem as villainous heels, it wouldn't be long until the "Pink and Back" were heroic fan-favorites. In 1989 the Hart Foundation sought retribution from their former manager Jimmy Hart, by taking on his team of the Honky Tonk Man and Greg Valentine—also known as Rhythm and Blues. Valentine and Honky Tonk were ready for combat and even tried a few tricks, one of which backfired when Jimmy Hart's megaphone fell into the hands of Bret Hart. Just as his name would suggest, the "Hitman" delivered a calculated shot to the Honky Tonk Man, earning the victory for the Hart Foundation in just under eight minutes.
9. Wrestlemania XI – "I Quit Match"
Bret Hart vs. Bob Backlund
After headlining Wrestlemanias IX and X, Bret Hart was pushed down card when �Mania XI took place in Hartford, Connecticut. The show was headlined by Bam Bam Bigelow and Lawrence Taylor, while the title match featured Diesel defending against Shawn Michaels. Third from the top was Bret "The Hitman" Hart who was happy to exact his revenge on the man who took his world title at the Survivor Series, Bob Backlund. This wasn't your average submission bout, but instead an "I Quit Match," wherein the winner was forced to make his opponent say the words: "I quit." Special guest referee Roddy Piper called the match in favor of the "Hitman" when Bret caught Backlund in his own signature "Cross-Face Chicken Wing."
8. Wrestlemania VII – WWE Tag Team Championship
The Hart Foundation vs. The Nasty Boys
Wrestlemania VII was the final appearance for the original Hart Foundation, as Bret soon broke away to try his hand at single's success. It was also the only Wrestlemania where the �Foundation defended their tag team titles, having held the belts for an astonishing 209-days. The Nasty Boys were a new team in the �Federation, working under the tutelage of Bret and Jim's former manager, Jimmy "Mouth of the South" Hart. To comply with the Nasty Boys' gimmick, the "Mouth" wore a full motorcycle helmet affixed with graffiti. The helmet came into play when Brian Knobs introduced its rock hard surface to Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart's forehead, leading to the 1-2-3 for the Nasty Boys.
7. Wrestlemania X – WWE Championship
Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna
Bret Hart and Lex Luger were each afforded opportunities to take on the WWE Champion Yokozuna when both men won the 1994 Royal Rumble. Unfortunately for Lex, he was unable to defeat the champion in the first fall, leading to an explosive main event between Bret and Yoko'. Roddy Piper was special guest referee—just as he would be the following year during Bret's match at �Mania XI—while Burt Reynolds introduced the action. Although their previous encounter at �Mania IX left a lot to be desired, their "rematch" was monumental in the growth of Bret Hart as a world champion. When the bell sounded, Bret was hoisted in the air by his peers, namely Razor Ramon, Tatanka, and
even
Lex Luger.
6. Wrestlemania IV
20-Man Battle Royal
Wrestlemania IV would be the second �Mania battle royal for Bret "The Hitman" Hart, and would go very much the same as his fruitless endeavor at �Mania 2. This year's bout didn't include any football players, but instead featured countless tag team competitors and other undercard Superstars unfit for the WWE Championship tournament. Another 20-man match, this battle royal included even more future Hall of Famers like the Junkyard Dog and George "The Animal" Steele. This match wouldn't go as well for Jim Neidhart however, as he was eliminated second, leaving Bret alone until the final two. He was last eliminated by Bad News Brown, but immediately reentered the ring during the award ceremony to dismantle Brown's prized trophy.
5. Wrestlemania III – Six Man Tag Team Match
The Hart Foundation & Danny Davis vs. The British Bulldogs & Tito Santana
The greatest six-man tag in the history of Wrestlemania took place in front of a reported 93,173 fans at Wrestlemania III in Pontiac, Michigan. The Hart Foundation had a long-standing rivalry with the British Bulldogs, dating back to their time together in Calgary Stampede Wrestling. The �Foundation defeated the �Bulldogs for their WWE tag titles just two months earlier when referee Danny Davis showed blatant favoritism for the �Foundation. Tito Santana soon came forward with more proof of Davis's duplicity, blaming the official for his intercontinental title loss in 1986. Jack Tunney stripped Davis of his duties and made a match that would allow both Tito and the British Bulldogs to get payback. After a punishingly one-sided affair against Davis, the Hart Foundation came out on top when the "Wrestling Referee" used Jimmy Hart's megaphone to incapacitate Davey Boy Smith.
4. Wrestlemania XII – Iron Man Match for the WWE Championship
Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels
Bret Hart returned to the main event title picture in 1996 when he defended the WWE championship against Shawn Michaels in a one-hour "Iron Man Match." The build to their epic encounter would feature a variety of vignettes highlighting the training regiments of both the "Hitman" and the "Heartbreak Kid" going into this once-in-a-lifetime prizefight. As the seconds turned to minutes and those minutes counted closer to one hour, neither the champion nor challenger were able to secure any sort of decision. When the match ended at zero-zero, the "Hitman" took his title and proceeded to exit the �Pond just as WWE President Gorilla Monsoon entered the ring. The match was ordered to continue "under sudden death rules"; Bret put Shawn back in the Sharpshooter, but was ultimately bested by the "Boyhood Dream."
3. Wrestlemania X
Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart
Regardless of who won the first of two world championship matches at Wrestlemania X—Yokozuna or Lex Luger—the title holder would be inevitably obligated to wrestle twice in one evening. To keep things fair for all champions and challengers involved, Bret Hart was booked to battle his own brother in a heated grudge match. Their rivalry began at the Survivor Series when Owen was the only member of his family to be eliminated by Shawn Michaels and his Knights. Two months later the Hart Brothers challenged the Quebecers for the tag team titles at the Royal Rumble, but lost when an injury sustained by Bret caused the referee to stop the match. Owen went wild and viciously assaulted his brother, leading to one of the most prolific family feuds in wrestling history. Their match at �Mania X opened the show and nearly stole it when Owen beat his big brother in what would be the lengthiest match on the card.
2. Wrestlemania VIII – Intercontinental Championship
Bret Hart vs. Roddy Piper
After six years of showcasing his tag team talents, Bret "The Hitman" Hart made his singles debut at Wrestlemania when he challenged "Rowdy" Roddy Piper for the intercontinental championship. Piper provoked Bret for months by making passing remarks regarding his family. While not outwardly insulting, Piper managed to incite the ire of the "Hitman," leading to a bloody bout during a time when "blading" was expressly forbidden. Bret used Roddy's signature sleeper against him, rolling the champion onto his back for the 1-2-3—earning Bret Hart his second intercontinental championship. In addition to being one of the best Bret Hart matches in �Mania history, this was the match of the night for Wrestlemania VIII, and cemented Bret Hart as a main event player for years to come.
1. Wrestlemania 13 – Submission Match
Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin
When Bret Hart entered the Rosemont Horizon for Wrestlemania 13, he did so as a babyface fan-favorite, set to settle his differences with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. As the New Generation's foremost submission specialist, the "Hitman" sought to make "Stone Cold" quit by any means necessary. The special guest referee was none other than Ken Shamrock, the "World's Most Dangerous Man" who had yet to debut on the WWE Roster. Both Bret and Steve were merciless in their effort to walk out on top, and used everything at their disposal to gain an advantage. The electrical wires at ringside became just as commonplace as a headlock, and Bret's signature figure-four on the turn post played a particularly important part leading toward the dramatic finale. Austin screamed in agony as Hart hooked him in his patented Sharpshooter leg-lock, pulling back and wrenching Austin's entire torso. With blood spurting from his face and dripping down between his teeth, Steve Austin collapsed without ever giving up. The bout was awarded to Bret Hart, who refused to relent against the "Rattlesnake," until being forcibly removed by Shamrock. Wrestlemania 13 featured Bret Hart's thirteenth �Mania match—it would be another thirteen years until Bret "The Hitman" Hart returned to Wrestlemania in 2010.
I hope you enjoyed this week's special retrospective look at one of the greatest WWE Champions in history. Until next week, my name is Mark Adam Haggerty reminding you to keep checking out Cheap-Heat and to follow me on Facebook by LIKING "Mark Haggerty's Pro Wrestling."
