Bret Hart

Credit: Gallery1988.com

Real name: Bret Hart
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 234 lbs.
Date of birth: July 2, 1957
From: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Pro debut: 1976
Trained by: Stu Hart
Finishing move: Sharpshooter
Gerweck interviews Hart

Biography

– Hart began his career in Stu Hart’s Calgary Stampede promotion.
– In 1978, Hart and brother Smith captured the WWC (World Wrestling Council) Caribbean Tag Team title from the Castillo brothers.
– From December 1978 to 1980, Hart and brother Keith won four Stampede International Tag Team titles.
– Hart captured two Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight titles; one in 1978, and the other in 1979.
– Between 1980 and 1983, Hart won six Stampede North American titles.
– In 1984, Hart entered the WWF.
– Hart eventually was teamed with his brother-in-law, Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart in the Hart Foundation. “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart became their manager.
– On January 26, 1987, Hart captured the WWF World Tag Team title with Neidhart from the British Bulldogs. Heel referee, Danny Davis, allowed both members of the Hart Foundation to remain in the ring and even use Jimmy Hart’s megaphone.
– At Wrestlemania IV, Hart and Neidhart ditched “The Mouth of the South” and became babyfaces.
– The Hart Foundation teamed with Hacksaw Jim Duggan to defeat Dino Bravo and The Rougeaus in a best-of-three-falls match at the 1989 Royal Rumble.
– Hart and Neidhart beat Greg Valentine and The Honkey Tonk Man at Wrestlemania V in Atlantic, NJ.
– Hart and “The Anvil” made short work of The Bolsheviks at Wrestlemania VI, defeating them in a mere nineteen seconds.
– Later in 1990, the Hart Foundation recaptured the WWF Tag Team belts from Demolition at Summerslam ’90 in Philadelphia, PA.
– On October 30, 1990, it appeared the Hart Foundation had dropped the Tag Team title to The Rockers (Marty Jannetty and Shawn Michaels), but since it was not acknowledged on television, the belts remained with the Hart Foundation.
– On March 30, 1991, the Hart Foundation defeated the Rockers in Tokyo, Japan.
– At Summerslam ’91, Hart captured the WWF Intercontinental title from Mr. Perfect in New York, NY.
– “The Hitman” defeated “Rowdy” Roddy Piper for his second Intercontinental title at Wrestlemania VIII in Indianapolis, IN.
– On October 12, 1992, Hart defeated “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair for the WWF title.
– Hart beat Michaels at the 1992 Survivor Series by submission and defeated Razor Ramon (Scott Hall) with the “sharpshooter” at the 1993 Royal Rumble.
– Hart won the 1993 King of the Ring tournament.
– At the 1993 Survivor Series, Hart teamed with brothers Owen, Keith, and Bruce to defeat Michaels (replacing Jerry Lawler) and the Three Knights.
– At Wrestlemania X, Bret lost to Owen cleanly, but came back later to defeat Yokozuna for the WWF title.
– Hart defeated Owen in a steel cage match at Summerslam ’94 in Chicago, IL.
– Hart battled Diesel (Kevin Nash) to a draw at the 1995 Royal Rumble.
– Hart beat Bob Backlund in a submission match at Wrestlemania XI with Backlund’s own finisher, the “chickenwing.”
– At the 1995 King of the Ring, Hart beat “The King” in a “Kiss-My-Foot” match.
– Hart won the WWF title for a third time by defeating Diesel at the 1995 Survivor Series.
– On December 15, 1995, Hart defeated Davey Boy Smith at Stu Hart’s Tribute Show.
– After a hiatus, Hart returned at the 1996 Survivor Series and beat “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.
– Michaels forfeited the title in February 1997, and Hart won the WWF title for a fourth time in the “Final Four” match on February 16, 1997.
– Hart beat a bloody Austin in a submission match at Wrestlemania XIII in Chicago, IL.
– Hart, with Brian Pillman, Neidhart, Owen and Davey Boy Smith to beat Austin, The Legion of Doom, Ken Shamrock and Goldust at the ’97 Calgary Stampede.
– Hart regained the WWF title for a fifth time at Summerslam ’97 in E. Rutherford, NJ by dethroning The Undertaker, with a little help from Michaels who served as the special guest referee.
– At the 1997 Survivor Series in Montreal, Hart was “screwed” out of the WWF title by Vince McMahon, who pulled off the famed double cross.
– Hart signed a lucrative contract with WCW.
– On July 20, 1998, Hart captured the WCW United States title in Salt Lake City, UT.
– Hart recaptured the U.S. title from Lex Luger on August 13, 1998 in Fargo, SD.
– On November 30, 1998, Hart defeated Diamond Dallas Page to win his third U.S. title.
– Hart faced Chris Benoit on October 4, 1999 at the Kemper Arena is Kansas City, MO. The “Nitro” match was dedicated to the memory of Owen Hart. Bret won with his sharpshooter.
– Hart handed Goldberg only his second defeat on October 25, 1999, and in the process captured his fourth U.S. title.
– Hart defeated Goldberg for the WCW title on November 21, 1999, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
– Hart fought Goldberg to a no contest at the 1999 Starrcade. In the match, Hart suffered a career threatening concussion.
– Hart, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Jeff Jarrett re-formed the nWo the day after Starrcade ’99.
– Following a lengthy absence from WCW television, Hart returned on the August 28, 2000 episode of “Nitro,” and turned on Goldberg.
– On October 20, 2000, Hart received his termination notice from WCW.
– Hart announced his retirement from professional wrestling on October 26th.
– In October 2001, Hart embarked on a tour of Australia with such superstars as Jarrett, Lawler, and Buff Bagwell. Hart served as the commissioner for the tour.
– On June 24, 2002, Hart was seriously injured in a bicycle accident in Calgary. As a result of the accident, Hart suffered a stroke.
– On April 1, 2006 in Chicago, IL, Hart was inducted into the WWE hall of fame.
– At Wrestlemania 26, Hart defeated Vince McMahon in a no holds barred match.
– On May 17, 2010, Hart defeated The Miz to win the WWE United States Title
– A week later, Hart was announced as the new Raw General Manager, a move which saw him vacate the United States Title
– In June 2010, Hart was fired as Raw General Manager as part of the Nexus storyline
– At Summerslam ’10, Hart teamed with Chris Jericho, Daniel Bryan, John Cena, Edge, John Morrison & R-Truth to defeat The Nexus (Wade Barrett, Michael Tarver, Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel, Darren Young, Skip Sheffield & David Otunga) in an Elimination Match
– In November 2010, Hart’s WWE contract expired and he quietly left the company, though he would continue making occasional appearances throughout the remainder of the decade
– Hart became a two-time WWE Hall of Famer as The Hart Foundation were inducted in 2019. During his acceptance speech, a fan jumped the barricade and attacked Hart and Natalya, but was quickly subdued by security and other wrestlers
– Hart made a one-off appearance on WWE Raw on September 9, 2024