-The next two disks feature the best matches and both hall of fame speeches from Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. There are also additional interview segments that didn’t make the cut in the actual cut.
-The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) vs.The Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty)(11.25.1989)
Match in Five Words or Less: In The Beginning
Match Summary/Analysis: I have no idea if this is a first time ever match, but no doubt is one of their earlier contests together. Some basic stuff from Jannetty and Hart. Very expected neither team would gain the advantage since both teams are babyfaces. Rockers hit a double hip toss. Neidhart charges in and clotheslines both men. Hart powders. Michaels and Neidhart in now. Bodyslam right into a cradle for two. Michaels can’t quite lift Neidhart over but he can roll him up. Some double teaming. Shoulder block and Jannetty bounces. Neidhart places him on the top rope. Armdrag by Jannetty. Double superkick sends Neidhart down. Bodyslam and tag to Hart. He misses an elbow drop. Atomic drop followed by a dropping of the elbow. Harts work over Michaels. Double knees from Hart as they establish themselves as default heels. Neidhart actually works a bear hug and almost pins Michaels. He escapes and hits a dropkick. Jannetty clotheslines Neidhart in the corner. He gets angry and bring Michaels back to his corner. Hart tries getting aggressive but is backslid out of nowhere. Bodyslam by Michaels. Tag back to Neidhart as the heat segment continues. Hart tries slingshotting Neidhart, but Michaels gets out of the way. This match is just a clinic on tag team wrestling. Michaels keeps getting beaten up but always make sure to give the fans hope by getting in a little offense. After missing an elbow drop, Michaels finally makes the hot tag. Back elbow by Jannetty. Right hand to the gut and a knee lift. Back slide for two. Cross body for a two. Sunset flip out of the corner. Hart takes him down. Jannetty up and over. O’Connor roll fails. He sails over the top and hits the floor hard. Neidhart brings him back in the ring. Jannetty underbeath and tag. Shoulder tackle and Michaels sells like he’s experiencing a seizure. Neidhart puts his head down. Right hand and dropkick. Cross body. Neidhart tosses him out of the ring. Shoulder block and Hart sent into the top turnbuckle. Cross body reversed by Hart for two. Right hand. O’Connor roll. Reversed. Michaels wins a battle for a vertical suplex. 1-2-NO! Abdominal stretch countered by Michaels. Cheap shot by Neidhart. Brawl erupts between both teams. A bell rings because it’s either the time limit or there’s a DQ. The locker room comes out to separate both team. Their success is minimal. Finkel says it’s a time limit draw. In reality, they went 40 seconds over the 20 minute time limit. This was of course a fantastic tag team match, and in a world where WWE valued wrestling over goofy gimmicks, these two would have engaged in more legendary matches like this.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: No-contest/20:00 time limit/****
-Bret Hart (w/Jim Neidhart) vs. Shawn Michaels (w/Marty Jannetty) (2.10.1990)
Match in Five Words or Less: Their First Singles Match?
Match Summary/Analysis: I’ve got to wonder if this was their first singles match. I’s assume it’s their first televised one for sure. Gorilla Monson and Tony freaking Schiavone are the announce crew, i.e. the greatest announce team in the history of our sport. Arm work exchange. Quick atomic and clothesline by Hart. Snapmare into an elbow drop, which misses. Michaels works a headlock. Dropkick by Michaels. European uppercut. Back slide by Michaels gets two. Michaels flips over and hits a body slam. Leaping leg drop. Double noggin knocker. Battle for a vertical suplex leads both men into the ropes. Neither wants to break. Shoving match. Hart punches Michaels down. Jannetty goes on the apron. Right hand by Jannetty. Now Neidhart is in. Brawl between both teams ensues. The first few minutes were shaping up to be really good before the unexpected ending. An inauspicious beginning to their singles rivalry.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: No-contest/4:00/N/R
-The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) vs.The Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty) (03.30.1991)
Match in Five Words or Less: Carbon Copy
Match Summary/Analysis: A very unique atmosphere for this match as they’re wrestling in the legendary Tokyo Dome. I’d expect less shenanigans and goofiness. Fast pace right away between Hart and Jannetty. Crowd applauds their effort. Shows the difference between American and Japanese crowds right away. Double teaming by the Rockers. Neidhart clotheslines both men. Very similar to the first match on the disk. Michaels turns a bodyslam into a cradle. Yup, this is gonna be similar to their MSG match. Bodyslam attempts fail. Roll-up gets two. Rockers work over Neidhart’s arm. Jannetty comes underneath. Double superkicks. They take turns trying to cover to no avail. Body slam by Neidhart. Hart misses an elbow drop. Hart hits an atomic drop and hits a hard LARIATO! Double knees from Hart. Heat segment on Michaels. Michaels Flair flips to the outside. Hart rams him head first into the rail. Back in the ring goes Michaels. Neidhart with a shoulder tackle and Michaels does a great spit take. Hart takes his patented front bump into the top turnbuckle, but he recovers in time to prevent the tag. Sling shot of course misses. Sunset flip by Michaels. Hart again tosses him outside. Neidhart rams him back first into the apron and chops him. Michaels reverses a whip but eats a boot. Second rope elbow drop misses. Finally comes Jannetty. Back elbow. Right hand. Knee lift. Neidhart knocked off. Superkick for two. Hart reverses a whip. Jannetty with a sunset flip. Back slide gets two. Jannetty goes over the turnbuckle instead of the top rope this time. Michaels with right hands. Shoulder tackle sends him flying. After a two count, Michaels gets a right hand and back elbow. Hart sent into the top buckle face first. Crossbody off the top rope reversed by Hart into a three count. It’s very tough to evaluate and rate this match because with the exception of an actual finish, this was nearly the same as the MSG contest. Still another fine example of tag team wrestling if not as well done as the previous one.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: The Hart Foundation/14:42/***1/4
-Ladder Match- Intercontinental Championship: Bret Hart (champion) vs. Shawn Michaels (w/Sensational Sherri)(July 21, 1992)
Match in Five Words or Less: Another First
Match Summary/Analysis: This is the first ever ladder match in the history of WWE, not in professional wrestling overall however as Stampede Wrestling featured a number of these matches. Shawn Michaels adjusting the belt was a funny moment. Quick series of clotheslines followed by right hands from Bret. Back drop. More punching in the corner. Whip across. Kick to the midsection and a headbutt. European uppercut and Michaels goes flying. Chop block from Michaels as Hart heads outside. Series of stomps and Hart rammed into the buckle. After a knee to the midsection, Michaels has to jog just to grab the ladder and bring it back to the ring. Hart punches Michaels just as he’s about to enter the ring. Into the rail goes the challenger. Hart tries bringing the ladder in the ring, but Sherri distracts him. Michaels ascends. Hart pulls him down just in time. Poke to the eye and another gouge. Pair of punches and up he goes. Michaels takes him out. Michaels uses the ladder to ram the cham
alous”>How to make wife jealouspion. Hart gets out of the way, so Michaels sets it up in the corner. Giant knee lift and Michaels goes flying again. Hart is sent shoulder first into the ladder. Hart pulls Michaels down, and the ladder collapses on the challenger. Up goes Hart. Head first into the ladder. They take the ladder into the corner. Michaels whips him across the way. Boots by Hart and a clothesline off the second rope. Sling shot into the steel. Backbreaker. Up goes Hart and he gets ever so close. Double noggin knocker. Sherri is going crazy on the outside. They battle on the ladder, and that goes well for neither man. Sherri pulls Hart’s leg. Superkick (or reverse crescent kick as called by Gorilla Monsoon). That’s not his finisher however. It’s a modified back suplex, which he hits. Michaels gets real close, but Hart dropkicks the ladder. Michaels is knocked out on the outside. Hart gets to the belt and wins. This was a bit awkward as neither man didn’t seem to quite know what to do. But you could see how they adjusted. There was a minimal amount of wrestling and a lot more brawling. Obviously, we’ve seen where the ladder has gone in the years since, but this absolutely should be regarded as WWE history because it’s the first ever ladder contest. Very good work from these two.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: STILL Intercontinental Champion-Bret Hart/13:48/***1/2
Intercontinental Championship: Bret Hart (champion) vs. Shawn Michaels (w/Sensational Sherri)(04.29.1992)
Match in Five Words or Less: Huh?
Match Summary/Analysis: Not sure why we’re going backwards here but alright. Jim Ross calls Bret Hart a family man. Someone should go back with Hart’s book and give it to 1992 Ross. Feeling out process and Michaels ever so subtlety makes sure to pull him by the hair. Great heel work. Hart eventually takes the challenger completely out of the ring. Hart focuses on Michaels’ left shoulder. Clothesline out of the corner. Ross says these men could dominate the 90s. Okay, that’s a bit more accurate. Shoulder block but Michaels hits a quick knee to the abdomen. Into the buckle. Michaels sends Hart HARD into the corner. Sherri takes a cheap shot. Michaels drives his knee into Hart’s spine. Flying knee and a two count. Side suplex attempt but Hart counters out of it. Another whip but Hart gets his boots up. Clothesline off the second rope. Atomic clothesline and a clothesline to the back of Michaels’ head. Backbreaker followed by the second rope elbow. Michaels just gets his shoulder. Sleeper by the champion. They both head outside. Brawl ensues. Michaels gets back in the ring. Sherri prevents the champion from getting back in the ring. Michaels sends Hart flying into the rail, and the referee counts Hart out. Michaels wins the match but of course doesn’t win the title. Michaels decks the referee. Hart decks Michaels with a belt shot. Up and over he goes. I guess they had to include as many of their matches as possible to make a three disk collection worth having, but this wasn’t anything these two have done a million times better.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Shawn Michaels by count-out (STILL Intercontinental Champion-Bret Hart)/8:51/**3/4
-WWE Championship: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels (WWE Intercontinental Champion)(11.25.1992)
Match in Five Words or Less: An Underrated Classic
Match Summary/Analysis: Of all the matches these guys have had, I think this one may have been their best, and I don’t think it gets the credit it deserves. We get the pre-match interviews from both guys, which I thought established both guys tremendously. Hart still needed work on his promos. I’d say even a year later, he was significantly better. This is the first time WWE allowed two guys who weren’t roided up and needed to “hulk up” in the end to make the WWE needle move. It was the start of a whole new era for WWE, and although it wouldn’t be smooth sailing, two of the best wrestlers in WWE were finally getting a chance to showcase themselves in a main event contest.
Basic to start. Hart asserts his dominance on the mat. He begins going for covers and then transitions right into an armbar. Vince McMahon says both men use Ico Pro. I legit LOL’d. Straight punches from Michaels. Duck under and clothesline by Hart. Back to working the left arm. Shoulder block. Michaels hits a stun gun to gain the advantage. Into the buckle. Hart goes left shoulder first into the post. Now Michaels works over Hart’s left arm. Hart fights out of a hold, but Michaels pulls the hair and grabs a chinlock. Elbows by Hart. Dropkick by Michaels. Backbreaker before applying another chinlock. Swinging neckbreaker by Hart. Michaels hits a shot to the throat. Shoulder blocks in the corner. Reverse of a whip. Hart gets his boots up. Bulldog, Second rope elbow misses. Back elbow and a cover for two. Small package by Hart gets two. Up and over. Hart hits a back suplex. Leap frog. Hart sling shots Michaels. Come back time. Michaels goes chest first into the buckle. He gets shaken off the top rope. Back body drop for two. Russian legsweep followed by another backbreaker. Second rope elbow gets two. Superplex and both men are down. Sleeper hold. Referee almost gets taken out. Michaels goes for a boot but is caught. Series of counters. Michaels sends Hart flying outside. Michaels shows actual intelligence and forces the issue. Bodyslam. Whip in the corner. Cover for two. Back drop for two. Roll-up by the champion gets two. SUPERKICK OUT OF NOWHERE! Again, this isn’t his finisher. Hart out of the suplex attempt. Michaels goes for it again and hits it. 1-2-NOOO! Hart hits a hard forearm. Michaels gets tied up. Hart charges and misses. He comes off the second rope but is immediately put into the sharpshooter. Michaels has no choice but to submit. Unlike what happened five years later, this was the planned ending. This was an excellent match that developed well. After a slow first half, the pace slowly picked to the point where they had the crowd right with them those final five minutes. I’ve always loved this match, and what struck me this time was the ending. It sort of came out of nowhere, but it made sense and showed Hart’s ingenuity instead of relying on a goofy finisher like some of his predecessors.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: STILL WWE Champion- Bret Hart/26:41/****1/4
-Steel Cage Match: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels (12.01.1993)
Match in Five Words or Less: Just Another Match
Match Summary/Analysis: It’s a year later, and neither man has gold. Michaels takes immediate control of the contest. It’s the blue bar cage, so don’t expect much from this one. Johnny Polo is on commentary and focuses more on amusing himself than calling the match. Hart comes back with a sling shot that sends Michaels into the cage. Series of right hands. Hart tries climbing out of the cage but ends up being sent into the cage. Hart is shoved hard toward the bottom of the cage. They take turns trying to escape out the door. Michaels gets up and over the cage, but Hart brings him back over. Michaels grabs Hart’s leg, and he crotches himself. Well, that looked like it hurt. Michaels’ groinal area then meets the middle rope as Hart pulls it. Choking by Michaels. Superkick. Michaels slowly climbs up the cage. Hart joins him. Michaels kicked off. Hart limps back up. Michaels brings him back in, and Hart sells his knee. Sleeper hold. Hart rams him into the cage. Now both men climb over. They go back and forth on the top. Michaels hooks his leg in the cage and gets stuck. No one does it better. Hart leaps down and wins.
Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Bret Hart/11:36/***
Watching the same two guys after match after match can be a monotonous, but I appreciate having a bunch of their matches in one place. It’s also fun to see how both guys improve and get better as the years progess. Disk three (which I will be posting the review of next week) should be most interesting with two matches, two speeches, and bonus interview segments.