These are not just words to describe any professional Wrestling career but of a performer whose legacy is forever etched in history. An individual whose career spanned over 20 years accumulated multiple championships reigns, from Stu Harts Infamous Stampede Wrestling and Universal Wrestling Promotion’s. His mostly recognisable with various championship run’s in the now defunct World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment. Since retirement his celebrated career is getting recognised as a double inductee in the Canadian Wrestling Hall of Fame as an individual as well as the rest of his family. If being immortalised in his home country wasn’t enough, he has had inductions into the Prairie Wrestling Alliance, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, Cauliflower Alley Club Iron Mike Award and in the class of 2006 WWE Hall of Fame. The man we are talking about is the excellence of execution Bret The Hitman Hart.
Now one of the fastest growing UK Wrestling Events Promotions Kayfabe Events will be bringing the iconic wrestler for an unmissable 4 day tour this June. The 2018 Bret The Hitman Hart tour will firstly embark in Brighton on the 5thof June then followed up in Cardiff on the 6th. Then joining us in the same venue he fought Bret in the early 1980’s on the 7th in Oldham, will be Legendary World of Sport Wrestler UK No.1 Marty Jones. Then finally accumulating at Bush Hall in the nation’s capital on the 8thJune. If all that wasn’t enough the tour will be hosted by the distinguished British wrestling manager, announcer and host of the hit Podcast Because WCW, Dean Ayass. Plus, not forgetting the tours official compere former head teacher turned professional wrestler the pride of Wales, Eddie Dennis.
Right now, you may be thinking who is Bret Sergeant Hart, what do I ask a man with an impressive career spanning over 20 years? We have you covered so carry on reading, while we look at some notable times in Bret’s personal and professional life.
Bret is the 8thof 12 children for respected wrestler, Booker Stu Hart and his spouse Helen. He was firstly introduced to wrestling by observing his father train future Hall of Famers in the esteemed Hart Dungeon. A few notable names to come through the Dungeon include Superstar Billy Graham, Greg ‘The Hammer’ Valentine, The British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith and Jushin Thunder liger. Bret’s early start in wrestling came by handing out flyers before school, selling programmes and pulling out lucky numbers for his Dad’s Promotion Stampede Wrestling. Then at the tender age of nine, he began training as an amateur wrestler stating, ‘he started because that what his dad would have expected him to do’. With some major wins, his passion and desire for amateur wrestling dwindled as he was being pushed to compete in the commonwealth games. Then while studying film his grades began to fall, so he made the decision to drop amateur wrestling and begin training for a professional wrestling career at Stampede Wrestling.
In 1976, Hart started work in Stampede Wrestling initially as a referee. Hart would continue in Stampede as referee until an event 1978 in Saskatoon where Stu Hart had no other option but to use Bret has a replacement for a competitor unable to compete. Over the next several years, Bret spent time in Stampede acquiring some of the promotions top prizes including as a Tag Team Competitor with his brother Keith. While not competing in Calgary, Hart would be seen owning his craft in places like Britain with world of sport icon UK No.1 Marty Jones and with a performer with many numbers, Tiger Mask in NJPW. After an acquisition off several Stampede Performers in August 1984, Bret would get his call up to the World Wrestling Federation.
Bret’s first seven years in The WWF would be as a tag team wrestler, teaming with his brother in-law Jim The Anvil Neidhart as ‘The Pink and Black Attack’ The Hart Foundation. During this time the duo would reach the pinnacle of the tag team division winning the top prize of the WWF Tag Team Championship twice. Then at Wrestlemania 7, the team would receive a lost to the Nasty Boys, avertedly the duo would split up soon after. From here, Hart went on a singles path gaining some major success. The 1992 Summerslam event is the match which Bret declares as his favourite match of his storied career. This match came against the British Bulldog in the Bulldogs home country of England for Hart’s Intercontinental Championship. Hart lost his championship that evening but the contest still got voted Match of the Year from readers of Pro Wrestling Illustrated.
Bret would then go on to win the WWF World Heavyweight championship, the King of the Ring and the Royal Rumble match. Bret would have notable feuds with the likes of Jerry the King Lawlor, Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels. This leading to the most controversial moment in sports entertainment the Montreal Screwjob. This has been highly discussed over the years with many questions fans still ask to this day, ‘Was this a Storyline?’
This event would lead Hart switching sides to WCW with a new $2.5 Million per year Lucrative contract giving him a lighter schedule and creative control on screen. Before Hart’s retirement in October 2000, he would achieve the honour of being 1 of 5 competitor’s to be a triple crown winner.
While competing in WCW, his brother Owen Hart was still in the WWF and as the Blue Blazer was scheduled against the Godfather for the Intercontinental Championship at the 1999 over the edge pay per view. While entering the arena his character would perform a pre-match stunt where he would get lowered to the ground from the rafters, but this time Owen tragically fell to his death. Bret would later on to go and say, ‘He wished he was with the WWF the night of Owen’s accident happened, as he would have discouraged Owen from preforming the stunt.’ As it stands Owen is not likely to be in the WWE hall of fame with rumour stating Martha’s, Owens Wife, is currently stopping this. Other performers have expressed their desire for this to take place including Mark Henry, in his 2018 Hall of fame speech he pleaded with Martha to allow WWE to induct Owen.
Since his departure from WCW, Hart has made sporadic appearances as the commissioner of World Wrestling All Stars and returns to The WWE 2005 onwards. Since retirement, Bret has not been in the greatest of health after suffering a stroke in 2002, numerous surgery’s due to years of abuse on his body through wrestling and a diagnosis of prostate cancer in 2016, but since has been diagnosed cancer free.
We have only scratched the surface with this article on the excellence of execution Bret The Hitman Hart. There is so much more we could discuss like Notable Owen Ribs, the rivalry with Ric Flair, what was it like growing up being Stu Hart’s son and more in-depth the feud with Jerry Lawlor. Only way now to get your questions for ‘the best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be’ is to be part of the 2018 Bret The Hitman Hart UK Tour, by getting your tickets now at http://kayfabeevents.com
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