The Top Ten 10.09.07: Bret Hart Matches
Posted by Julian Williams on 10.09.2007
Do I really need an interesting teaser? It's Bret Hart people! Click the damn link.
Greetings folks and welcome to a brand spanking new episode of The Top Ten. This week we're going to examine The Excellence of Execution and look back at Bret Hart's Top Ten Matches. This was not an easy list to come up with since Bret Hart has had numerous matches that could have easily been included on this list. Reader Feedback will make its glorious return next week since I finally got my email situation fixed, but for this week it'll be MIA. Ok, let's get into this bitch.
Random Thoughts Of A Disturbed Wrestling Fan
-2007 has been perhaps the most unlucky year in the history of the WWE. From the rash of injuries to main event superstars (Edge, HHH, Undertaker, Kennedy, Lashley, HBK, King Booker) to the Benoit family tragedy to the investigation into pro wrestling that the tragedy caused to the suspensions that the investigation caused to now losing the top guy in their company for almost a year, Lady Luck has crapped all over the ‘E. While it sucks that Cena is out for nearly year (and trust me, it DOES suck because Cena was the MVP for the WWE because he could put on great matches while getting the crowd involved whether they were for him or against him), this at least gives the ‘E a chance to create new main event stars. Guys like Orton, Kennedy, Jeff Hardy, Umaga, Shelton Benjamin, and others should get a chance in the main event now that Cena is out of the picture. I really do hope, though, that a lot of these Cena haters that are reveling in his injury realize just how great of a performer he is and give him some damn respect when he comes back. The man has done nothing but put on great match after great match for over a year, all while staying clear of any controversy or trouble with the law and thus being a great spokesman for the WWE. I hope that this injury will make people start to miss Cena and realize how talented he truly is, much in the same vein that fans started to give respect to Shawn Michaels when he came back in 1997 (when he "lost his smile") after years of booing him.
-The two-hour debut for TNA Impact was pretty damn good, I thought. Of course you had your usual Russo crap mixed in with the good stuff, but overall, I feel like the show was a success. They had a very entertaining Fight For The Right mini-Rumble deal and the 8-Man main event was truly awesome. If TNA can put on main events like that every week, then Russo can book all the stupid crap he wants and I wont complain. All I ask for is some great wrestling mixed in with the crap because a show with crappy storylines and crappy wrestling is….well, RAW.
-I didn't see No Mercy on Sunday night because I was out with the girlfriend and I'm torn on whether I should order the replay or not because I have half the people I know saying that the show was a piece of crap while others are telling me that it was very entertaining. Email me and let me know what I should do people, I don't want to waste my hard earned $40 unnecessarily.
-If you didn't catch the season premiere of 30 Rock with Jerry Seinfeld, you really missed out on something special. I never realized how much I missed Seinfeld until watching this as nearly everything Seinfeld did was funny in some sort of way. Whether it was being creeped out by Kenneth, or gloating to Jack about vacationing on an island only rich people know about, or being offended by the way Liz Lemon cries, everything he did was gold. If you missed the episode, go to iTunes or YouTube or NBC.com and watch it dammit!
The Top Ten Bret Hart Matches
Honorable Mention: New Hart Foundation vs. Steve Austin, Goldust, Ken Shamrock & LOD (Canadian Stampede '97)
This was a 10-man clash that happened in Calgary, Alberta, Canada where the usually hated Hart Foundation was heralded as heroes and the normally popular team led by Stone Cold Steve Austin were treated like vile enemies. The reception that The Hart Foundation received when they came out was off the charts and that transferred to the match as the crowd was rabid for the entire duration of it. Austin played to the crowd brilliantly and had them furiously booing him the whole time. Bret's showdown with Austin had the crowd in a fever pitch and when Bret took out Austin's knee after Austin had took Owen out of the match, the crowd went beserk. The ending came when both Owen and Austin made their way back into the match and Owen was able to roll-up Austin for the 3 count. This is an unforgettable match that temporarily changed the rules of what makes a face and what makes a heel in pro wrestling.
Honorable Mention: Bret Hart vs. Diesel (Royal Rumble '95)
This was a match for Diesel's WWE Championship and it was proof positive that Bret Hart could pull out a classic match with virtually anybody. Well, to be fair, Nash could work a decent match during his original WWE run as he had some damn good matches with the likes of HBK, Hart and ‘Taker. Anyway, back to this match. This match originally was contested under normal rules under Shawn Michaels came out to stomp on Diesel's already injured knee with cause referee Earl Hebner to make the match No DQ to endure there a winner. The match showed both men working on a body part as Bret worked over Diesel's knees and Diesel worked on Bret's ribs which he had injured earlier in the match after getting slammed into the ring post. The match also featured Owen Hart interfere and throw Bret sternum first into an exposed turnbuckle, which further damaged Bret's already hurt ribs. The two men went back and forth until Bret caught Diesel in a small package, but Diesel was able to kick out and a ref bump occurred. This brought out various enemies of both competitors including HBK, Owen Hart, Jeff Jarrett and Bob Backlund which made the ref finally throw out the match seeing that there was no way the match could have a clean finish with these guys interfering all the time. It's a true testimony to how good this match was that it could have so many run-ins and have a screwy ending, but still leave such a positive lasting impression on me as well as many other fans that I know.
Honorable Mention: Bret Hart vs. The British Bulldog (In Your House 5)
This was a match held years after their Summerslam '92 classic, but these two looked like they hadn't missed a step in this classic encounter. The stakes were raised in this match as this wasn't for the IC Title as it was in '92, but rather this was for Bret's WWE Title. The match started off slow with both men exchanging headlocks and counter moves and the crowd started chanting "ECW", showing no respect to what was going on in the ring. Things picked up considerably, though, once Bret was able to get an advantage and then hit Bulldog with a devastating piledriver. Bret then went on to try to superplex Bulldog from the top rope, but Bulldog countered by front suplexing Bret crouch first on the ring ropes. From there, Bulldog rammed Bret into the ring steps which busted The Hitman wide open and then he went to deliver his own wicked piledriver to Bret. From there, it was a back and forth match with both men temporarily gaining an advantage until the Bulldog caught Bret trying to jump off the ring apron and gave him an awesome looking powerslam to the floor. Bret was somehow able to recover from that and once back in the ring, gave Davey Boy a wicked Irish whip into the turnbuckle that sent the Bulldog flying upside down and landing on his freaking head! After that, Bret hit a sick superplex from the top rope and tried to finish off Bulldog with the same kind of roll-up that Davey Boy used on him at SS '92, but the Bulldog was able to barely kick out. When the Bulldog was still reeling, Bret rolled him up with the La Magistral cradle to get the 3 count. Even though the finish kind of came from out of nowhere, that doesn't take away from all the awesome action that preceded it.
Honorable Mention: Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect (King Of The Ring '93)
This was the semi-final match in the first ever King Of The Ring Tournament and these two men had a lot to live up to since everyone was going to compare this match to their Summerslam '91 classic. While I personally don't think this was as good as that match, this was still an absolutely fantastic match. The match started off with both men exchanging headlocks and various technical maneuvers, but the intensity kicked up a notch after Perfect catapulted Hart from the ring apron onto the steel railing on the outside which caused Hart to nurse his knee. Perfect tried to take advantage, but Hart was able to counter and started to target Perfect's leg and even slapped on the Figure-4 right in the middle of the ring which Perfect was barely able to fight out of. Perfect was soon able to wear out Bret with a sleeper, but the Hitman fought back and began to utilize the FIVE MOVES OF DOOM, but when he went for The Sharpshooter, Perfect grabbed Bret's fingers (which he had injured in his previous KOTR match with Razor Ramon) and began to stomp on them to regain the advantage. Both men tried to suplex each other after that, until Bret finally hit one from in the ring to OUTSIDE the ring. The ending came when Perfect goaded the ref into thinking his knee was shot and then attempted a quick roll-up on Bret while he was distracted, but Bret countered with a roll-up of his own to get the three count. This is a phenomenal match that has to be viewed by anybody who loves great technical wrestling.
Honorable Mention: Bret Hart vs. The Undertaker (Summerslam '97)
This match is one of the most historically important matches ever even though you may not realize it. This match was the direct cause of so many important occurrences in WWE history. The formation of DX. Hell In A Cell. The Montreal Screwjob. It can all be traced back to this match. The Undertaker came in as the champion and Bret was the EVIL heel challenger. Shawn Michaels was the special guest referee and the stipulation behind the match was that if Shawn didn't call the match fairly, he could never wrestle in the U.S. again. Bret Hart also guaranteed a title win and said that if he didn't win, he would never wrestle in the U.S. again. This was a fantastic match that saw Bret work over the leg for the majority and ‘Taker make some powerful comebacks. It seemed like Bret had the match won after he nailed UT with a hard chairshot when Michaels back was turned. Michaels saw the chair in the ring and confronted Bret about it and after Bret denied it, he spit on Michaels which was enough to make HBK swing for the fences, but he missed Bret and instead accidentally cracked The Undertaker over the head with it. Bret covered and Shawn had no choice but to count the pin. That would lead to UT being pissed at Michaels which would make Michaels turn heel. After he turned heel, Michaels aligned himself with HHH and Chyna and they went on to become DX. After constantly avoiding getting his ass handed to him by UT, Michaels was finally trapped when the first Hell In A Cell match was made. After winning that match, Michaels rode that momentum into meeting Bret Hart for the WWE Title at Survivor Series and the rest, as they say, is history.
Honorable Mention: Bret Hart vs. The Undertaker (One Night Only '97)
This was a rematch to their Summerslam title match which ended in controversial fashion after Shawn Michaels accidentally cost ‘Taker the match. This match took place in the UK so the crowd was mainly behind Bret because of his Anti-America, Pro-everywhere else stance. Undertaker dominated early with some power stuff, including hurling Bret with a wicked irish whip sternum-first into an exposed turnbuckle. Bret was able to gain control of the match by working on UT's legs, including some sick chopblocks and a figure-4 on the ringpost. Bret continued working over UT's leg, but ‘Taker fought back and the two had a back and forth match from that point on. Undertaker seemed to have the advantage after a double clothesline, but after he went for a legdrop, The Hitman caught the leg and turned it into a SWEET Sharpshooter. The Undertaker was able to power out of it, which was unheard of, and regain control of the matchup. The rest of the match featured some great spots like UT propelling Bret over the top rope with his foot and into a camera man and UT whipping Bret side-first into the steel pole. The ending came Bret got his head caught up in the ropes and the ref called for a DQ because The Undertaker kept on hitting Bret despite the ref trying to back him away. Despite the weak ending, this is a fabulous match that showcased both these men in the prime of their careers.
Honorable Mention: Bret Hart vs. Diesel (Survivor Series '95)
This was a No-DQ match between two of the most popular men in the WWE at the time and it was over the WWE Championship. The match began with both men playing mind games by uncovering the turnbuckles on their respective sides. From there, Diesel dominated Hart with his power and hit The Hitman with a wicked chairshot to the back which was a receipt for the chairshot that Bret had given him at the Royal Rumble. It seemed that Diesel's power was going to be too much for Bret, but he soon was able to counter Diesel's brute strength by focusing on the big man's knee and chopping him down to size. Soon, The Hitman was able to slap on the Figure-4 and that really inflicted some damage on Big Daddy Cool's leg. During the match, Diesel's boot got caught up in a cable which kept him stuck in one part of the ring and as a testimony to both men, they were able to incorporate that into the match and make it seem like something that was legitimately planned. After getting unhooked from the cable, Diesel took over again with his power and once he had The Hitman reeling on the ring apron, he hit Bret with a stiff shoulder which sent Bret crashing through the Spanish Announce Table (which was the first time that had ever happened!). Bret was pretty much dead after that and just when Diesel thought he had this match all but won, Bret popped up and rolled him up for the three count. This was a brilliant match that blended brutality with psychology and displayed just how great Bret Hart could be at both.
10) Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels (Survivor Series '97)
This forever broke down the wall between reality and kayfabe and was without a doubt the most controversial match ever in the wrestling industry. You all know the story by now. Bret Hart was set to leave for WCW, but was still the WWE champ. Vince wanted Bret to drop the title to Shawn Michaels in Montreal at Survivor Series, but Bret refused because of his dislike for Shawn as well as the fact that he was going to be in front of his Canadian fans. Vince then worked out a different ending with Bret where he wouldn't have to drop the title to Shawn. Only problem was that Vince got paranoid, seeing how his women's champ had gone over to WCW a few years earlier and threw the women's championship in the trash. If Bret did that with the WWE title on WCW television, that could have forever tarnished the legacy and legitimacy of the belt. So instead of taking Bret at his word, Vince decided to come down to ringside and "screw" Bret out of the title by ordering referee Earl Hebner to ring the bell early and award the match to Shawn Michaels. This one moment was significant for so many reasons. Not only was it one of the most shocking moments ever, but it also marked the birth of the Mr. McMahon character as well as signaled a turning point in business as WWE started to gain more viewership due to the controvery. While most people remember this match mainly for the controversy, the forget that there was a damn good match that preceded all of the craziness. When you put on a great match and add it with the most controversial moment in wrestling history, then you have one of the most unforgettable matches of Bret Hart's career.
9) Bret Hart vs. Razor Ramon (Royal Rumble '93)
I remember this match being the match that made me turn into a huge Bret Hart mark because of the way he absolutely dissected Razor's leg, I thought that was immensely cool because I had never seen psychology in a wrestling match like that before. I also remember Razor throwing his toothpick at a kid at ringside after Bret gave him his sunglasses and thinking that even though Razor was a heel, he was pretty damn cool. I think that was the first time I cheered for anything a heel did. Anyhow, this match was brilliant. Bret spent the majority of the match focusing on Razor's leg, but Razor would fight back and nearly put the Hitman away a couple times. The match ended after Bret reversed a Razor's Edge attempt into a backslide and once Razor kicked out of that, he applied the Sharpshooter for the submission. This match made me a huge fan of both men and is proof that when Scott Hall was sober, he was one of the best in the business.
8) Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin (Survivor Series '96)
When you think of Hart/Austin, you immediately think of their classic Wrestlemania 13 match, but many forget this forgotten gem that was nearly as good as that all-time classic. This match came as a result of Austin constantly berating Bret following his sabbatical after Wrestlemania 12. Finally, The Hitman could take no more and returned at Survivor Series to finally face off against his nemesis. This was an insanely paced match as both men fought inside and outside of the ring and exchanged some stiff shots on each other. Austin threw everything he had at The Hitman including a fantastic superplex from the top rope and The Stunner, but Bret kept kicking out. Bret tried to put away Austin numerous times, including when he locked in The Sharpshooter, but Austin seemed like he wouldn't be denied. The end came when Austin cinched in The Million Dollar Dream on Bret and The Hitman climbed the turnbuckle to fall backwards on Austin which gave him the three count. This was the opening match to one of the greatest feuds in the history of pro wrestling and they certainly gave a glimpse of all the greatness that was to follow in this match.
7) Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (Summerslam '94)
One of the best WWE title matches ever. One of the best cage matches ever. One of the best WWE matches ever. One of the best matches ever PERIOD. This match had it all. It had a great storyline attached to it with the jealous brother Owen determined to take the WWE title belt away from Bret to prove that his win at Wrestlemania X was no fluke. This match took place in the Big Blue Cage, which everyone seems to hate, and was the rematch of their classic Wrestlemania X confrontation. This match was classic in its own right. It was such a close match and saw several near escapes. This match didn't need any blood or over the top violence because these two ring technicians broke each other down with wrestling moves and by ramming each other into those unforgiving blue bars. The ending was glorious and was a great symbolism of how Owen was so close to overtaking Bret as the best of the Hart clan, but was always a fingertip shy. This match was unbelievably fast paced with several near escapes by both men and it was one of the most action packed matches I've ever seen. An absolute classic that any wrestling fan can appreciate and even some non-fans would enjoy.
6) Bret Hart vs. Chris Benoit (Nitro, 10/4/99)
This was the most emotional match of both men's careers as they fought in an exhibition match in the honor of the late Owen Hart in the same building that Owen tragically passed away in. The match started off with some great mat wrestling exchanges and the respect that each man had for one another was apparent. As the match wore on, though, that respect was replaced with a competitive spirit and both men started going all out. The crowd respected both men, but they were solidly behind Bret in this case and who could blame them. This was such an evenly contested match as both men threw their best stuff at each other and the other would kick out of it. Benoit hit Bret with a Tombstone Piledriver and Bret would kick out, Bret would drive Benoit on his head and Benoit would kick out, Benoit would throw Bret all around the ring with German Suplexes and Bret would kick out, Bret would suplerplex Benoit and Benoit would kick out. It seemed that neither man would ever get a decisive advantage over the other. Benoit was able to reverse the Sharpshooter into the Crippler Crossface and nearly got Bret to tap out until he reached for the rope. Bret would eventually fight off another attempt at the Crossface and lock in The Sharpshooter in the middle of the ring which forced Benoit to tap out. This was just a great, emotional match that is required viewing for fans of either man.
5) Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect (Summerslam '91)
Perfect was the champ here and this was Bret's first shot at single's gold after getting over as a face. This match was very fast paced and included some incredible counters by both men. If you don't believe Henning was one of the best during his day, watch this match. Perfect dominates most of the match with Bret making comebacks here and there to really keep the crowd into it. The ending came when Bret blocked a legdrop by Perfect in the "lower abdominal region" and reversed it into a Sharpshooter which Perfect taps out of in .00000001 of a second. A fantastic match that was just a peek of all the greatness yet to come from Bret.
4) Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels (Wrestlemania 12)
These two legends faced off in the first ever Iron Man match at WM12 for the WWE Title. This match was technical brilliance as both men put on an entertaining display for the full 60 minutes (and change) and kept the crowd enthralled the entire time. Many critics of the match like to point out that it was unrealistic for them to go a full hour without either man getting a pinfall and that took away from the Ironman stipulation, but I feel that just showed how evenly matched and determined both men were to not give up the first fall. After a grueling battle, HBK was able to pick up his first WWE Title after delivering Sweet Chin Music in overtime. This is a fantastic wrestling match and if you're a fan of great wrestling action, you can't miss this match.
3) Bret Hart vs. The British Bulldog (Summerslam '92)
When have you ever heard of the Intercontinental Championship being the main event on a Pay-Per-View where the WWE title was also contested? It had never happened before this and will probably never happen again because no other IC Title match can match up to this one in terms of pure emotion. The 1992 version of Summerslam took place in England at Wembley Stadium and the hometown boy, Davey Boy Smith, got a shot at Bret Hart's Intercontinental title. Bret accused Davey of trying to steal his thunder and called him ungrateful due to the fact that Bret introduced Davey to his sister, Diana, who the Bulldog wound up marrying and now Bulldog wanted to take Bret's title. The crowd was absolutely INSANE for this match and were solidly behind their hometown hero even though there was a smattering of support for Bret. This match was absolutely excellent and the only IC title match that I can think of that is even in its league is Steamboat/Savage from WM3. Bulldog won this match after a counter rollup and the celebration afterwards with his wife and Bret was a great, memorable moment. Awesome from top to bottom, enough good things can't be said about it.
2) Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (Wrestlemania 10)
When these two brothers clashed at the beginning of Wrestlemania 10, I don't think that anybody could have expected just how great it turned out to be. This is one of the most entertaining non-gimmick wrestling matches that you'll ever see. There is literally never a dull moment. It's just straight up action for the entire duration of the match and you feel that if you blink you're going to miss something. The ending was an absolute shock at the time as nobody gave Owen a chance in hell of beating Bret and not only did he beat him, but he beat him cleanly with a great counter to a rollup. This put the world on notice that Bret wasn't the only talented member of the Hart family and these two would go on to have many other classic matchups after this one, but I don't think any of them were as good as this one.
1) Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin (Wrestlemania 13)
This was about as personal as a match could be as Stone Cold and Bret Hart absolutely hated each other and wanted to resolve their issues with a submission match where one man would have to tell the other he quits and face the ultimate humiliation. This match was just off-the-wall intense as both men beat the holy shit out of each other. These men brawled in the ring, on the floor, through the crowd, and pretty much anywhere they could get their hands on one another. They truly made you FEEL their hatred for one another and you were instantly sucked in. This is one of those matches that I never like to be interrupted while watching it because you don't want to take your eyes of it. It is just that damn good. The ending of this match is one of the best I've ever seen as Bret locks in the Sharpshooter and a bloody Austin tries to muster up all the strength he has to get out of it and has blood pouring down his face in one of the most famous images ever in pro wrestling. Austin wasn't able to break the hold, but he didn't give up. He instead passed out from the pain and while Bret may have won the match, Austin's refusal to give up despite being in such overwhelming pain made him seem like a true badass. Soon the fans would turn their backs on Bret and side with Austin and this match was the reason for it. This is a historical, brilliant match that shot Austin stock into the stratosphere on his way to becoming the most popular wrestler this generation has seen.
Ridiculously Gratuitous Hot Babe Pics
Drive-By Pimpin'
Check out all these great columns by my 411 brethren:
-Andy Clark's "Shimmy"
-Ari's "Column Of Honor"
-Sean, Alex and David's "Triple Threat"
-Bayani's "Truth B Told"
-Weyer's "Shining The Spotlight"
-Byers' "Cheap Wrestling for Cheap People"
-Larry and Geoff's "4R's"
-Fact Or Fiction
-Sat and Uncle Trunx's "High Road/Low Road"
-Phill Feltham's "Quick Talkdown"
-Sarnecky's "Piledriver Report"
-Slimmer's News Report
-Hidden Highlights
-Carapola's "That Was Then" and "Friendly Competition"
-The Fink's Payload
-Gamble's "Just 'Spose"
-Cook's "Ask 411"
-Wilcox's "Thoughts From The Top Rope"
-Meehan's "Meethinks"
-Sforcina's "Evolution Schematic"
-Prag's "In Defense Of?."
-Wrestlers of the Week
-Randle's "Wrestling News Experience"
-Linkous' "Why I Love Wrestling"
-Double M's Rasslin Report
-News To Start Your Weekend
-Dunn's Rawtopsy, Smackdown Breakdown, & ECW eXperience
-Your News, Larry's Views
-Zac Calhoun's "The Ripple Effect"
-Joe Estee's "Keys To The Game"
-Halden's "You're An Idiot And Here's Why"
-Buy......OR SELL!!
And don't forget about the new guys:
-Chris Lansdell "The Way I C It"
-Alex Barcham's "Hitting Below The Beltway"
-T.G. Corke's "The Seventh Dimension"
-Magnus Donaldson's "Cut To The Crap"
-Tim Haught's "Pro Wrestling Pundit"
-William Bumgarner's "What Were They Thinking?"
-Jarrod Westerfield's "Viral Dose Of Reality"
The Sign-Off
That'll do it peoples. Be sure to send in all your feedback and thoughts and get your arse back here next week when the topic will be The Top Ten Randy Orton Matches. Until then, go wash your ass!
