Bret Hart (born July 2, 1957), better known by the ring name Bret "The Hitman" Hart, is a Canadian-American professional wrestler.
Background
Pre-WrestleMania
He made his televised WWE debut on August 29, 1984, in a tag team match where he teamed with the Dynamite Kid.
On September 11, in Poughkeepsie, New York, Hart defeated Aldo Marino in his televised debut singles match, which aired on the September 29 edition of Superstars of Wrestling. By 1985, after he was billed as Bret "Hit Man" Hart.
WrestleMania IX (1993)
Beginning with his debut with the company in 1992, Yokozuna was pushed by the WWF as an unstoppable monster heel. Weighing over 500 pounds, he used the Banzai Drop, a move in which he jumped from the second rope and sat on his opponent's chest, to defeat several of the WWF's biggest stars. In a notable match on the February 6, 1993, episode of WWF Superstars of Wrestling, Yokozuna attacked "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan and performed the Banzai Drop four times. Due to the kayfabe injuries from the attack, Duggan was unable to wrestle for over two months. Yokozuna earned a title shot against WWF World Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart by winning the 1993 Royal Rumble match. During the contract signing, Yokozuna attacked Hart and performed the Banzai Drop on him.
WrestleMania X (1994)
WrestleMania XI (1995)
The feud began the previous summer, when Hart defended the WWF World Heavyweight Championship against Backlund. Backlund mistakenly thought he won the match and began celebrating, but Hart pinned him to retain the title. After the match, Backlund turned heel by attacking Hart. This led to a title match at Survivor Series 1994, in which Backlund won the title from Hart. Although Backlund soon lost the belt, the feud continued and Backlund attacked Hart during Hart's match at Royal Rumble 1995.
WrestleMania XII (1996)
Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart's rivalry first started in 1992 when HBK, looking to achieve his boyhood dream, challenged WWE Champion Bret "Hit Man" Hart to a title match at Survivor Series. Michaels, however, suffers another agonizing loss as Bret Hart retained his WWE Championship. At 1996 Royal Rumble, Shawn Michaels wins his 2nd Royal Rumble match, eliminating Diesel, earning a WWE title shot at WresleMania XII. It was announced that Hart would defend his WWE title in the first-ever 60-minute Iron Man match, where the superstar with the most victories in the allotted time would leave as WWE Champion.
WrestleMania 13 (1997)
WrestleMania XXVI (2010)
Match Record
| Winner | Loser | Location | WrestleMania | Stipulations | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| André the Giant | Battle Royal | Rosemont, Illinois | 2 | WWE vs. NFL 20-man battle royal | April 7, 1986 |
| Bret Hart/Jim Neidhart/Dangerous Danny Davis (with Jimmy Hart) | Tito Santana/British Bulldog/Dynamite Kid | Pontiac, Michigan | III | Six-man tag team match | March 29, 1987 |
| Bad News Brown | Battle Royal | Atlantic City, New Jersey | IV | Battle Royal | March 27, 1988 |
| Bret Hart/Jim Neidhart | The Honky Tonk Man/Greg Valentine (with Jimmy Hart) | Atlantic City, New Jersey | V | Tag team match | April 2, 1989 |
| Bret Hart/Jim Neidhart | Nikolai Volkoff/Boris Zhukov | Toronto, Ontario | VI | Tag team match | April 1, 1990 |
| Brian Knobbs/Jerry Sags | Bret Hart/Jim Neidhart | Los Angeles, California | VII | Tag team match for the WWE Tag Team Championship | March 24, 1991 |
| Bret Hart | Roddy Piper | Indianapolis, Indiana | VIII | Singles match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship | April 5, 1992 |
| Yokozuna (with Mr. Fuji) | Bret Hart | Paradise, Nevada | IX | Singles match for the WWE Championship | April 4, 1993 |
| Bret Hart | Yokozuna (with Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette) | New York, New York | X | Singles match for the WWE Championship with special guest referee: Roddy Piper | March 20, 1994 |
| Bret Hart | Bob Backlund | Hartford, Connecticut | XI | "I Quit" match with special guest referee: Roddy Piper | April 2, 1995 |
| Shawn Michaels | Bret Hart | Anaheim, California | XII | 60-minute Iron Man match for the WWE Championship | March 31, 1996 |
| Bret Hart | Stone Cold Steve Austin | Rosemont, Illinois | 13 | Submission match with special guest referee: Ken Shamrock | March 23, 1997 |
| Bret Hart | Mr. McMahon | Glendale, Arizona | XXVI | No Holds Barred Lumberjack match with special guest referee: Bruce Hart | March 28, 2010 |
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Sharpshooter
- Spike piledriver
- Signature moves
- Bulldog, sometimes from the second rope
- Crucifix
- Clothesline, sometimes from the second rope
- DDT
- Diving pointed elbow drop from the second (occasionally top) rope, often preceded by a pendulum backbreaker
- Dropkick
- Multiple elbow variations
- Pointed drop, sometimes multiple in a row
- Reverse, sometimes as a counter to an oncoming opponent
- Elevated spinal from the second rope
- European uppercut, sometimes multiple in a row
- Figure-four leglock, sometimes while using the ringpost – Innovated
- Headbutt, sometimes to the opponent's lower abdomen
- Inverted atomic drop, often succeeded by a clothesline
- Lariat
- Multiple suplex variations
- Belly-to-back
- Bridging German
- Jumping vertical
- Super
- Pendulum backbreaker
- Plancha
- Running crossbody
- Running elbow smash – adopted from Dory Funk Jr.
- Russian legsweep, often preceded by a punch to the opponent's abdomen
- Seated senton to an opponent's leg draped over the first rope
- Sleeper hold
- Small package
- Standing legdrop
- Stomp to opponent's lower abdomen
- Suicide dive
- Swinging neckbreaker
- With Jim Neidhart
- Hart Attack – Innovated
- Managers
- Stu Hart
- Jimmy Hart
- Wrestlers managed
- The Hart Dynasty (Tyson Kidd, Natalya and David Hart Smith)
- Nicknames
- "The Hearthrob"
- "The Hitman"
- "The Excellence of Execution"
- "The Best There Is, The Best There Was and The Best There Ever Will Be"
- "The Pink and Black Attack" (primarily while teaming with Jim Neidhart)
- Entrance themes
- "Eris" by Tony Williams (NJPW; 1980–1984)
- "Hart Beat" by Jimmy Hart and J.J. Maguire (WWF; 1988–1994)
- "Hart Attack" by Jim Johnston, Jimmy Hart, and J.J Maguire (WWF; 1994–1997)
- "Hitman in the House" (WCW; 1997–1998)
- "Hitman Theme" by Keith Scott (WCW; 1998–2000)
- "Rockhouse" by Frank Shelley (WCW; used while associated with nWo Hollywood and used while a part of the nWo 2000; 1998; 1999–2000)
- "Return of the Hitman" by Jim Johnston (WWE; 2010–present)
Wrestlers trained
- Achim Albrecht
- Mark Henry
- Test
- Ken Shamrock
Championships and accomplishments
Amateur wrestling
- City, Calgary
- City championships, Calgary (1974)
- Collegiate wrestling
- Mount Royal Collegiate Champion (1977)
- National Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Class of 2006
Professional wrestling
- Cauliflower Alley Club
- Iron Mike Award (2008)
- Canadian Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Class of 2016
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
- Class of 2008
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Comeback of the Year (1997)
- Feud of the Year (1993) vs. Jerry Lawler
- Feud of the Year (1994) vs. Owen Hart
- Match of the Year (1992) vs. British Bulldog at SummerSlam
- Match of the Year (1996) vs. Shawn Michaels in an Iron Man match at WrestleMania XII
- Match of the Year (1997) vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin in a submission match at WrestleMania 13
- Most Hated Wrestler of the Year (1997)
- Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (1994)
- Stanley Weston Award (2003)
- Ranked No. 1 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1993 and 1994
- Ranked No. 4 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003
- Ranked No. 37 of the top 100 tag teams of the PWI Years with Jim Neidhart in 2003
- Stampede Wrestling
- NWA International Tag Team Championship (Calgary version) (5 times) – with Keith Hart (4) and Leo Burke (1)
- Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
- Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship (6 times)
- Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame
- World Championship Wrestling
- World Wrestling Council
- WWC Caribbean Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Smith Hart
- World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment
- WWE United States Championship (1 time)
- WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- WWF Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Jim Neidhart
- WWF World Heavyweight Championship (5 times)
- King of the Ring (1991, 1993)
- Middle East Cup (1996)
- Royal Rumble (1994) – with Lex Luger
- WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2006)
- WWF Superstar of the Year (1993)
- Second Triple Crown Champion
- Slammy Awards (5 times)
- Best New Generation Spot (1994) – "Go Get 'em, Champ!" commercial
- Best Music Video (1996)
- Match of the Year (1997) – vs. Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XII
- Put a Fork in Him, He's Done (1996) – The Sharpshooter
- Which WWF World Heavyweight Champion, past or present, in attendance, is Hall of Fame bound? (1996)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- 5 Star Match (1992) vs. Shawn Michaels in a house show match on June 12, 1992
- 5 Star Match (1994) vs. Owen Hart in a cage match at SummerSlam
- 5 Star Match (1997) vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin in a Submission match at WrestleMania 13
- Best Pro Wrestling Book (2007) Hitman
- Best Pro Wrestling DVD (2006) Bret "Hit Man" Hart: The Best There Is, the Best There Was, the Best There Ever Will Be
- Best Pro Wrestling DVD (2011) Greatest Rivalries: Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart
- Feud of the Year (1993) vs. Jerry Lawler
- Match of the Year (1997) vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin in a Submission match at WrestleMania 13
| WWE Champions |
|---|
| Bruno Sammartino ● Bob Backlund ● Iron Sheik ● Hulk Hogan ● André the Giant ● Ultimate Warrior ● Sgt. Slaughter ● Undertaker ● Ric Flair ● Bret Hart ● Yokozuna ● Diesel ● Shawn Michaels ● Sycho Sid ● Stone Cold Steve Austin ● Kane ● The Rock ● Mankind ● Triple H ● Mr. McMahon ● Big Show ● Kurt Angle ● Chris Jericho ● Brock Lesnar ● Eddie Guerrero ● JBL ● John Cena ● Edge ● Rob Van Dam ● Randy Orton ● Jeff Hardy ● Batista ● Sheamus ● The Miz ● CM Punk ● Alberto Del Rio ● Daniel Bryan |
| WWE Intercontinental Champions |
|---|
| Pat Patterson ● Greg Valentine ● Randy Savage ● Ricky Steamboat ● The Honky Tonk Man ● Ultimate Warrior ● Rick Rude ● Mr. Perfect ● The Texas Tornado ● Bret Hart ● Roddy Piper ● British Bulldog ● Shawn Michaels ● Razor Ramon ● Diesel ● Hunter Hearst Helmsley/Triple H ● Rocky Maivia/The Rock ● Stone Cold Steve Austin ● Ken Shamrock ● Road Dogg ● The Godfather ● Edge ● D'Lo Brown ● Chris Jericho ● Kurt Angle ● Rikishi ● Eddie Guerrero ● Billy Gunn ● Jeff Hardy ● Kane ● Albert ● Christian ● William Regal ● Rob Van Dam ● Booker T ● Randy Orton ● Ric Flair ● CM Punk ● JBL ● Big Show ● Daniel Bryan ● The Miz |
| Royal Rumble winners |
|---|
| Jim Duggan (1988) ● Big John Studd (1989) ● Hulk Hogan (1990 and 1991) ● Ric Flair (1992) ● Yokozuna (1993) ● Bret Hart and Lex Luger (1994) ● Shawn Michaels (1995 and 1996) ● Stone Cold Steve Austin (1997, 1998 and 2001) ● Mr. McMahon (1999) ● The Rock (2000) ● Triple H (2002 and 2016) ● Brock Lesnar (2003) ● Batista (2005 and 2014) ● Undertaker (2007) ● John Cena (2008 and 2013) ● Randy Orton (2009 and 2017) ● Edge (2010) ● Alberto Del Rio (2011) ● Sheamus (2012) |
| King of the Ring winners |
|---|
| Randy Savage (1987) ● "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase (1988) ● Bret Hart (1991 & 1993) ● Owen Hart (1994) ● Stone Cold Steve Austin (1996) ● Hunter Hearst Helmsley (1997) ● Ken Shamrock (1998) ● Billy Gunn (1999) ● Kurt Angle (2000) ● Edge (2001) ● Brock Lesnar (2002) ● Booker T (2006) ● William Regal (2008) ● Sheamus (2010) |
