Bret Hart was a no-nonsense technical wrestler who grew up in a time where there was a wrestling
moral code. You acted professional. You didn’t break kayfabe and you portrayed your character
on-screen and off. And sometimes you wore wicked sweet shades about it.
Shawn Michaels was a flamboyant bad-boy who did whatever it took to get himself over.
He was one of the first to treat wrestling like a TV-show, albeit, for him, a reality
style tv show.
The clash of style on screen and off would lead to one of the best feuds in wrestling
history that was topped off with a finale that would make the best con man tip his hat,
while he dipped in your pocket.
This is Fast Feuds - Hart vs. Michaels.
Hart and Michaels
After both parting ways with their tag team partners in 91, Hart without much fanfare
while Michael’s barbershop breakup was more cutthroat than Sweeny Todd, both men refocussed
on singles competition.
And though they competed briefly over the Intercontinental Title in the first ladder
match in WWF history and having a World Heavyweight title match at Survivor Series 92 which Hart
came out on top of. It wasn’t until Vince McMahon got involved that the two were put
on a collision course.
Because Vinny Mac just loves them muscley men and WrestleMania 9 saw the return of Hulk
Hogan to the WWF, which made it only a matter of time before the Heavyweight title was once
again around his rock hard, inexplicably orange waist… that time was roughly 22 seconds,
Because though Hart was currently the best there was, is and ever will be as champion
he dropped the belt to Yokozuna after Mr Fuji threw salt in his eyes only for Hogan to come
out challenge Zuna to a match and doge the salt, hit the leg drop and walk out as champ.
Naturally, this broke Bret’s Hart because it made the excellence of execution look like
the chump of chumpingdon manor, leaving Bret pissed at Vince and anyone he perceived to
be one of his boys.
Hogan dropped the belt back to Yokozuna at King of the Ring and split for WCW, so Vince
turned back to Hart at Mania 10. But it was Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon who tore the
house down that night in a now iconic ladder match which Hart claims Micahels stole a lot
of spots he came up with for their earlier, far less famous ladder match.
To add insult to injury, Michaels’ real life buddy and onscreen enforcer was one Diesel,
who if you hadn’t noticed is a very BIG, and Vince likes big!
Which meant Hart would drop the belt to Bob Backlund in order to get the title on Diesel
three days later. It’s up from 22 seconds, but I’m sure that was no consolation to
Hart.
Here’s where the real fun begins though,
Hart was in a huff over his lackluster match with Backlund at Mania 11 and took it out
on Michaels.
Ever the traditionalist, Hart was pissed because Michaels stole the show and got fan support
despite being a heel. Bret blamed Shawn for working face and breaking the code.
At Survivor Series, Hart won the title back from Nash who apparently told him to “not
forget who did you the f’ing favor.”
So the beef between Bret and Michaels continued: the two would openly trade insults. Michaels
said Hart only wanted to work with family, while Bret said HBK only wanted to cavort
with the Clique.
With the real life unrest looming large Vince thought, “I’ll let these two pretend to
beat each other up. They'll love that!” and the match was set for WrestleMania 12.
The two would go at it in the first ever WWF 60 Minute iron man match. Hart agreed to drop
the title to Michaels to take some time off.
However, Bret had problems with the lead up to the match. Hart worked a grueling schedule
as champ while Michaels got time off to get in shape. Though apparently, drinking beer
and posing for adult magazines doesn’t prepare you for going 60 minutes.
Speaking of adult magazines, many wrestling pundits agree that the two men worked stiff
throughout the match, neither will admit to stiffing the other despite their hatred, but
it was clear that Hart left the match angry.
During Hart’s time off HBK would shoulder the burden of carrying the company, but in
‘96 Clique classmates Hall and Nash headed south to WCW and fans started turning over
their sets in droves, so Vince thought the product needed a shot in the arm, fortunately
he knew a sharpshooter.
Only problem though, Hart was thinking of going to WCW, too. Vince couldn’t match
WCW money so he got creative. Something most of us forgot he could do.
Vince offered Hart a 20 year contract with creative control for the last 30 days if he
ever decided to leave the WWF.
So Hart came back and feuded with… Steve Austin? Yeah you see the plan was to feud
with Michaels, but HBK, ever the babyface, refused because he didn’t want to lose to
Hart, so instead he vacated the title.
Vince was happy to let Michaels act like an immature jack-ass and Hart whine incessantly
on Raw, but the bickering wasn’t just left in the ring either, as after Michaels accused
Hart of having an affair with Sunny, Hart attacked Michaels backstage. McMahon made
them recreate the whole thing on television. What could go wrong?!
Meanwhile, Steve Austin was skyrocketing in popularity and Vince wanted to get the title
on Stone Cold deciding Michaels/Austin was the better program. So, Hart had to drop the
belt once again for someone Vince loved more.
This time the middleman was his bitter rival Michaels and Vince wanted Bret to do the job
in his home country Canada at Survivor Series. AGAIN WHAT COULD GO WRONG…??!!!
With the WWF in a rough financial position they could no longer Bret’s 20 year deal,
so Vince told Hart to call WCW. Who signed him on a three year deal. Now remember that
creative control clause for his last 30 days?
Well Bret flexed it and said he would drop the belt to anyone but Michaels, and Vince,
man of his word, made the match anyway counter offering a Double DQ finish and Hart would
vacate the title on Raw the next night.
As we all know, THAT. IS. EXACTLY. WHAT. HAPPENED.
Instead what happened was Michaels locked in the Sharp Shooter, referee Earl Hebner
signalled for the submission and Vince shouted ring the bell. Michaels grabbed the title
and high-tailed it out of there. The show went off the air immediately.
But fans in the arena were treated to a post-show temper tantrum from Hart, who had an epic
meltdown in Montreal which included spitting on Vince McMahon.
Hart calmed down enough to thank the fans and then went backstage where he thought ‘jk
I not calm’, punched Vince and confronted Michaels, who promised him he had nothing
to do with it.
The next night on Raw, Michaels and Vince responded to their deception by having a little
person come out dressed as Hart. Survivor Series would be the last time Hart would appear
in WWE for 12 years.
After a career ending injury in WCW, Hart wanted to put the bitterness and ghosts of
his past behind him. While Michaels would give up his partying and turn to Christianity.
He wanted to get forgiveness from those he wronged. On January 4, 2010, Michaels and
Hart would share a ring once again. This time, no screw jobs or brawls. It was just an unscripted
conversation and a handshake.
Two incredibly talented performers who could do it all in the ring. The clash of styles.
The off-screen conflict turning to on-screen story. The old-school, last of a dying breed
vs. the new school, first of its kind. Controversy and con-men. Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels
had it all.
That’s why Michaels vs. Hart will be a rivalry that will be talked about throughout the history
of Wrestling.
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