Top 5 Bret Hart Matches
I wrote a long post yesterday only have the internet goblins eat it on me. So here we go again.
For those that don't know, Bret Hart is very likely the best technical pro-wrestler ever. One day the WWE will do a DVD based on his best matches and it will have to be like 5 DVDs full because he's got so many great matches.
1. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart - WrestleMania X (1994)
This was an opening match and was a shocker with Owen winning. This really helped kick off their feud. Originally Bret didn't want to wrestle his brother but Owen begged him to. He wasn't getting much heat and needed something to happen or he'd be out the door. Bret reluctantly agreed and they would go on to have a long standing feud.
2. Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog - Summer Slam (1992)
Interesting back story about this. Vince wanted to take the IC belt off Bret and move him up to the heavyweight stage. At the time he was debating about having the PPV in the US or the UK.
Bret gave Vince two options for him to consider:
Option A: Stay in America and do a ladder match with Shawn Michaels. Bret had done ladder matches with Dynamite Kid when they were both in Stampede Wrestling.
Option B: To go the UK, he'd play a heal and have the match against British Bulldog. Bret also promised that this match would steal the show and be the absolute best match Vince had ever seen.
Vince chose B and they did have a super great match. And this shows the real ability of Bret's skills. Bulldog (like usual and admitted this in interviews) blew up about 5 minutes into the match - meaning he was out of breath/strength. The rest of the match Bret had to make Bulldog look good and put out a killer match.
Side Note: Vince did have Bret and Michaels do a ladder match for a house show (it's on the net). He liked it but decided to let Michaels introduce it via a match with Razor Ramon with WrestleMania X.
3. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart, Steel Cage Match - Summer Slam (1994)
This is the best of the old big blue steel cage matches. Because these two were brothers, trusted each other and protected each other, they both do crazy stuff knowing the other wouldn't let them get hurt. This match has you on the edge of your seat almost all the way through it.
4. Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin - WrestleMania 13 (1997)
This match had the famous double turn where Bret goes bad and Austin good. The match put over Austin and he would go on to carry the company. It saved the PPV, gave WWE a new direction and likely saved the company too.
5. Bret Hart vs. Chris Benoit - Nitro (1999)
This was the tribute match to Owen Hart. He died one year prior in the same arena. Originally Bret wanted to put Benoit over but everybody insisted he win the match.
Other matches that almost made my cut.
vs. Mr Perfect - Summer Slam (1991). This could have been a great match but Perfects back was in really bad shape. As it was he didn't have to wrestle this match, but did it anyway and used it to put Bret over. This was Bret's first IC belt win.
vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper - Wrestle Mania 8 (1992). A horribly over looked match. This is where Bret won the IC belt the 2nd time. Roddy's unpredictable assault made this fun to watch.
vs. Shawn Michaels, Iron Man Match - WrestleMania 12 (1996)
This is a slow match, but you get into it and are on the edge of the seat by the time it ends. Apparently this is also where the real life feud between the two began as Hart was willing to drop the belt to Michaels, but Michaels told Bret he'd never drop the belt back to him - which was the plan for next Wrestle Mania.
vs. Undertaker - Summer Slam (1997). Michaels was the special guest referee. Lots of heat within the match and the ending was great too.
vs. Team USA - In Your House #16: Canadian Stampede (1997). This was actually Bret's Pro-Canada Hart Foundation Bret/Anvil/Owen/Bulldog/Pillman vs. Austin/Michaels/LOD/Shamrock. Team USA are supposed to be the good guys, but it takes place in Canada and the crowd is LOUDLY behind their hometown heroes. This made for a fun match.
okay, I'll stop here. :)
For those that don't know, Bret Hart is very likely the best technical pro-wrestler ever. One day the WWE will do a DVD based on his best matches and it will have to be like 5 DVDs full because he's got so many great matches.
1. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart - WrestleMania X (1994)
This was an opening match and was a shocker with Owen winning. This really helped kick off their feud. Originally Bret didn't want to wrestle his brother but Owen begged him to. He wasn't getting much heat and needed something to happen or he'd be out the door. Bret reluctantly agreed and they would go on to have a long standing feud.
2. Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog - Summer Slam (1992)
Interesting back story about this. Vince wanted to take the IC belt off Bret and move him up to the heavyweight stage. At the time he was debating about having the PPV in the US or the UK.
Bret gave Vince two options for him to consider:
Option A: Stay in America and do a ladder match with Shawn Michaels. Bret had done ladder matches with Dynamite Kid when they were both in Stampede Wrestling.
Option B: To go the UK, he'd play a heal and have the match against British Bulldog. Bret also promised that this match would steal the show and be the absolute best match Vince had ever seen.
Vince chose B and they did have a super great match. And this shows the real ability of Bret's skills. Bulldog (like usual and admitted this in interviews) blew up about 5 minutes into the match - meaning he was out of breath/strength. The rest of the match Bret had to make Bulldog look good and put out a killer match.
Side Note: Vince did have Bret and Michaels do a ladder match for a house show (it's on the net). He liked it but decided to let Michaels introduce it via a match with Razor Ramon with WrestleMania X.
3. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart, Steel Cage Match - Summer Slam (1994)
This is the best of the old big blue steel cage matches. Because these two were brothers, trusted each other and protected each other, they both do crazy stuff knowing the other wouldn't let them get hurt. This match has you on the edge of your seat almost all the way through it.
4. Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin - WrestleMania 13 (1997)
This match had the famous double turn where Bret goes bad and Austin good. The match put over Austin and he would go on to carry the company. It saved the PPV, gave WWE a new direction and likely saved the company too.
5. Bret Hart vs. Chris Benoit - Nitro (1999)
This was the tribute match to Owen Hart. He died one year prior in the same arena. Originally Bret wanted to put Benoit over but everybody insisted he win the match.
Other matches that almost made my cut.
vs. Mr Perfect - Summer Slam (1991). This could have been a great match but Perfects back was in really bad shape. As it was he didn't have to wrestle this match, but did it anyway and used it to put Bret over. This was Bret's first IC belt win.
vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper - Wrestle Mania 8 (1992). A horribly over looked match. This is where Bret won the IC belt the 2nd time. Roddy's unpredictable assault made this fun to watch.
vs. Shawn Michaels, Iron Man Match - WrestleMania 12 (1996)
This is a slow match, but you get into it and are on the edge of the seat by the time it ends. Apparently this is also where the real life feud between the two began as Hart was willing to drop the belt to Michaels, but Michaels told Bret he'd never drop the belt back to him - which was the plan for next Wrestle Mania.
vs. Undertaker - Summer Slam (1997). Michaels was the special guest referee. Lots of heat within the match and the ending was great too.
vs. Team USA - In Your House #16: Canadian Stampede (1997). This was actually Bret's Pro-Canada Hart Foundation Bret/Anvil/Owen/Bulldog/Pillman vs. Austin/Michaels/LOD/Shamrock. Team USA are supposed to be the good guys, but it takes place in Canada and the crowd is LOUDLY behind their hometown heroes. This made for a fun match.
okay, I'll stop here. :)