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The Bret Hart Best There Is Thread


Hagan

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Didn't want it to make it sound like he was dead. 

So, this board occasionally goes down deep into talking about the awesomeness that is Bret Hart in random threads and Nice Guy Eddie pointed out that we probably just need a thread dedicated to him. So, if y'all don't mind, here it be. 

Bret Hart is my favorite world champion in the history of wrestling and is someone I consider to be the last classic world champion. 

He fought all comers. He was noble. And, for the first time at least in the Hogan Era, he felt like a real person. He had a mom and dad. He had a family. He was just a normal dude that happened to be the best wrestler in the world and that has kind of been lost now. 

Edited by Hagan
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As touched on in the other thread - what made Bret unique is I can't recall of a bigger American star, with the exception of maybe Flair, who had more variety in high profile match finishes and the call-backs to prior matches. In fact, it seems like he had more important matches eschew finishers than he did the opposite. 

- The finish with Davey at Wembley.

- The sleeper reversal with Piper at WM 7.

- The victory roll against Bigelow

- The small package against Diesel 

- Owen with the  roll-up at 10. 

- The sleeper reversal in the very underrated first Austin match. 

With the exception of maybe the Bammer KOTR match, which is very good, the others are all time WWE classics with unique finishes that you don't even see today. 

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I started occasionally watching in like 89, and didn't become a regular full time watched until SummerSlam 90 hit VHS.

Bret was the first guy I watched move up from tags to midcard singles to main event. He'll always be "my" champion.

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27 minutes ago, Hagan said:

As touched on in the other thread - what made Bret unique is I can't recall of a bigger American star, with the exception of maybe Flair, who had more variety in high profile match finishes and the call-backs to prior matches. In fact, it seems like he had more important matches eschew finishers than he did the opposite. 

- The finish with Davey at Wembley.

- The sleeper reversal with Piper at WM 7.

- The victory roll against Bigelow

- The small package against Diesel 

- Owen with the  roll-up at 10. 

- The sleeper reversal in the very underrated first Austin match. 

With the exception of maybe the Bammer KOTR match, which is very good, the others are all time WWE classics with unique finishes that you don't even see today. 

Piper was WM8. WM7 was Bret dragging the Nasties kicking and screaming to their best non-garbage style, plunder filled match.

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I wish the match didn't have to happen under the circumstances it did, but the Owen tribute vs. Benoit was easily Bret's best WCW match. It's unfortunate the match is tainted now, like all of Benoit's work. I never really felt emotion watching WCW like I did watching WWF. Yes, I loved their super talented, underutilized mid-card. Bret/Benoit with Harley there brought out the emotion in me. 

Edited by Nice Guy Eddie
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I've actually never watched the Bret/Flair WCW match because everything with him in WCW depresses me. I hear it's good. 

You can write an entire book about the intricacies of the Hart family storyline. I can't think of many other wrestlers that manage to incorporate so much of his real life into the onscreen portrayal for over a decade span. I mean, the reunion with Owen and Bulldog is one of the most emotional moments in wrestling and they're all despicable heels. 

What I loved about the Hitman character was he remembered his own history and was consistent. 

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It was nice seeing Sean Waltman give Bret props for giving him his best match during the HOF. I’m sure the same could be said for a lot of guys. Bret could make you look like a million bucks if you were only worth a penny. Just ask Vince after his match with Tom McGee in 86.

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3 hours ago, Brian Fowler said:

There are quite a few good WCW matches, but not a lot that are great, and the booking of him was just such a disaster.

Wasn't the match with Booker T Bret's best match outside of the Benoit one? Been forever since I watched it. If people needed to watch a WCW match and can't stomach watching Benoit do anything - Booker is probably a good replacement.

********

Bret Hart was my guy when my wrestling passion deepened from the kids perspective of "oh the spectacle!" to "hey this is emotional storytelling" 

I know the exact moment it happened which was Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect at Summerslam. I was I guess 10 or 11, and I finished that match and I thought "Man, maybe wrestling is real." Like I kinda always knew it wasn't but I played a long because it was more fun that way. I still do.  But something about how Bret and Hennig worked just made it feel like an actual fight. I was already in way deep, but that match was when I know for certain there was no going back and I was going to keep watching this crazy shit for the rest of my life.

My son was reccently looking for cage matches on the Network, and he was looking at some garbage from the early 2000s. Like Cena vs. Big Show or something. I said "Bro, why?" He said "I want to see a good cage match." I said "BRO. I got you." and put on Bret vs. Owen. He was mezmerized. 

Halfway through I realized my son was the same age I was when I watched it originally. Got a little dusty.

I'm probably going to review individual matches for this thread, because I'm so passionate about him. 

 

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5 hours ago, jaedmc said:

Bret Hart was my guy when my wrestling passion deepened from the kids perspective of "oh the spectacle!" to "hey this is emotional storytelling"

This is pretty much my identical feeling, only Bret vs. Michaels in the Iron Man match was the match. There was never a moment when I felt "smartened up" or whatnot, that must have just came with time, but that match was a turning point. I haven't seen it in years and years -- it wasn't even on his DVD collection, probably out of enmity to Shawn, and deservedly -- but that one showed me a wrestling match could show a story, in depth and long form, and that it could be important emotionally.

Bret isn't my favorite wrestler anymore. I can't say that when Stan fucking Hansen is standing right there, or Toshiaki Kawada. But he's the first wrestler that introduced me to the art of wrestling, and for that I'll forever be indebted to him. 

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3 hours ago, J.H. said:

The Survivor Series match with Austin is underrated?
I always recall that most view it as better tan the Mania match

James

I think consensus is that the Mania match is better, but there's no way in hell the Survivor Series match is underrated.

If someone tried to make a case for the post-Mania IYH match, they'd be fighting a proper battle. Everyone rates the Survivor Series match. 

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Bret vs Perfect was the first time I was really looking forward to something in the idea "this is going to be a good match" instead of "I want to see this guy beat that guy"

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3 hours ago, Brian Fowler said:

Bret vs Perfect was the first time I was really looking forward to something in the idea "this is going to be a good match" instead of "I want to see this guy beat that guy"

Speaking of underrated, I much prefer the KOTR 93 rematch to the Summerslam title switch. In fact it might be my favourite match of all time

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Lifelong fan of Bret Hart. Number of reasons:

Classic matches. IMO Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin from WrestleMania 13 and Owen Hart vs. Bret Hart at WrestleMania X are the two best matches in the history of the company. Hart/Austin WrestleMania 13 may well be the greatest wrestling match of all time. I think it is.

The flash pins which often worked on Roddy Piper WrestleMania VIII), British Bulldog (In Your House 5), Bam Bam Bigelow (King of the Ring 1993) and Steve Austin (Survivor Series 1996). There were times Bret was countered using them vs. British Bulldog (SummerSlam 1992) and Owen Hart (WrestleMania X) 

The majority of Bret's moves nobody did better. Nobody can do a Sharpshooter like Bret. No way. Others include Bret's Russian Legsweep, Hart Attack clothesline and Piledriver. Suplexes include the Superplex, how Bret would moan in effort with his suplexes and Bret's elbow drop/leg drop.

Bret's entrance theme more so the Hart Foundation's which became his solo one. Still my favourite of them. 

Bret's distinctive pink and black look, the sunglasses, the jackets with epaulette on and how in special matches, an all pink look. We see that at WrestleMania X and Survivor Series 1995.

Bret's treatment by Vince McMahon in 1997 culminating in the Montreal Screwjob was so fucking wrong. Fuck Vince McMahon, Shawn Michaels and Triple H for that. Wrestling with Shadows is still the definitive wrestling documentary. 

Bret's first long awaited DVD encompasses all that is Bret Hart. The video on the main menu is great. I posted pre WrestleMania XXXV thread when it turned into Bret Hart appreciation and will again here.

Bret Hart's autobiography, Hitman. You won't find a more through autobiography by a wrestler. Glad I got the original version than the UK's

Bret's perseverance in all he's gone through.

Bret Hart is also my Dad's favourite wrestler.

Edited by The Natural
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35 minutes ago, The Natural said:

Bret Hart's autobiography, Hitman. You won't find a more through autobiography by a wrestler. Glad I got the original version than the UK's

There's a difference? What is it, our over strict libel laws* making them take stuff out?

*nb: The Tom Cruise episode of South Park has never aired in the UK. Because if it did, Tom Cruise could sue them for libel and probably win millions. In America, it's not legally libelous.

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3 minutes ago, AxB said:

There's a difference? What is it, our over strict libel laws* making them take stuff out?

*nb: The Tom Cruise episode of South Park has never aired in the UK. Because if it did, Tom Cruise could sue them for libel and probably win millions. In America, it's not legally libelous.

Different covers. I like originals. You're right about libel over here.

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While i love Bret's Russian Legsweep, Brad Armstrong's is just a skosh better. It really looked like a whiplash move and the floatover made you buy it as a finisher.

I'm trying to think if anyone had a better superplex than Bret and the only one that might be in the same league would beBarry Windham or Dynamite Kid. Barry's probably looked so devastating because of his height

As to having having a better Piledriver? I mean his was was probably #2 in WWF in the 80s next to Orndorff's  and definitely better than Muraco's (and I love Muraco)

James

Edited by J.H.
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