Now, the bad blood between Bret Hart and Vince McMahon is no secret. After Vince screwed Bret with the Montreal Screwjob (you might've heard of it) in 1997, Hart left the WWF and joined WCW, while McMahon became the biggest villain in the history of the business. It would be eight years before Hart did any kind of business with the WWE when he took part in a documentary DVD about his career. It's worth noting, however, that before Hart signed on for the project, it was originally going to be less of a celebration of Hart and more of a smear similar to the Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior. Hart has gone on record saying that WWE basically said "get on board or we'll run you over." After being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006 and making a pre-taped cameo on Raw in 2007, Hart officially returned to WWE in 2009. After burying the hatchet with Shawn Michaels over Montreal (at least in storyline), Hart tried to do the same with McMahon, only for Vince to ask him what the capital of Thailand is.
Hart would challenge McMahon to a match at WrestleMania, but after a confrontation, Vince declined. Seemingly leaving WWE, Hart was involved in a car accident in the parking lot that badly injured his leg. With Hart barely mobile, McMahon pounced on the opportunity, accepting Hart's challenge and goading him into the match. However, after a No Holds Barred stipulation was added and the contract was signed, Hart revealed the ruse, the accident was a set-up, and Hart wasn't injured at all. So now, we have a full-strength Vince McMahon against a full-strength Bret Hart at WrestleMania...except, not really.
See, Bret Hart's leg might've been fine, but Hart himself was far from physically able to compete. All the way back in 1999, Hart took on Goldberg in the main event of Starrcade. During that match, Hart took a mule kick from Goldberg that gave him a severe concussion. That, along with Hart continuing to wrestle for almost a month after the injury, left him with post-concussion syndrome, which forced him to retire from the ring. Three years later, Hart would suffer a stroke. WrestleMania XXVI would be Hart's first match in over a decade. But even then, having Hart even take bumps is too risky. So, how do you even have a match when one guy can't even physically wrestle anymore? Let's find out.
Hart makes his entrance first, dressed not in ring gear, but a t-shirt, jean shorts, and sneakers.
I was initially going to give out about how sad this version of Bret looks, but Jerry Lawler does make a pretty valid point that it's a street fight, so he's in street clothes. Fair point, but it doesn't excuse Hart wrestling in this get-up in later years. Vince comes out and grabs a mic, saying Hart deserves a WrestleMania-sized screwing. Vince says he's decided to turn their match into a Lumberjack match with a special guest referee, and that not only he'll screw Bret, but his entire family will. Outcomes all the Harts, including the Hart Dynasty of Tyson Kidd, David Hart Smith (Davey Boy Smith Jr.), and Natalya, Bret's brothers Bruce & Smith, and his sister Diana, who's presence allows me to throw up this image.
Bruce doesn't stop at ringside, however. Instead, he gets in the ring and unbuttons his shirt, revealing a referee's shirt. Somewhere in Ireland, the OSW Review boys are marking out.
Bret takes the mic and lays into his family for backstabbing him...OR DOES HE? Hart says his family told him about the deal, and that they're on his side tonight. Bret & Bruce hug before the bell rings. Bret immediately floors Vince with punches. They don't look anywhere as good as they did when Hart was in his prime, but they're not the worst I've ever seen. Bret drags Vince's face across the top rope before stomping away at him in the corner. Vince crawls out of the ring, where all of the Hart Dynasty and even Smith Hart beat down Vince before Kidd & DH Smith hit a Hart Attack, with Kidd diving off the top rope for the clothesline. The Harts throw Vince back in the ring, Bret locks in the Sharpshooter and Vince immediately taps out, giving Bret the win and closure after over 12 years.
The Verdict
...
Yeah...the match isn't over. It really should've just ended there, it didn't need to go on a second longer...but it didn't, and it keeps going. Instead, we get more of Bret beating down Vince, who rolls out of the ring and tries to crawl under the ring. The Harts drag Vince back out, only for Vince to threaten them with a crowbar. Vince enters the ring and tries to hit Bret, but Bret dodges and it beats down Vince. Bruce proceeds to hand the crowbar to Tyson Kidd...who then hands it to Bret, who beats Vince down with it for over a minute uninterrupted. Bret calls for the Sharpshooter and locks it in, and Vince taps out.
The Verd-
Except he doesn't, instead teasing the Sharpshooter, then just hitting him with the crowbar a few more times. Bret teases the Sharpshooter again...only to instead stomp Vince in the gut. Bret slowly stomps away at Vince for over a minute before DH Smith slides him a chair. Instead of hitting him, Bret decides to take a timeout and takes a seat as Vince crawls around in pain. This is actual agony. As Vince gets to his feet, Bret smashes Vince with some pretty brutal chair shots. But even then, this goes on for way too long, as Bret spends TWO WHOLE MINUTES just beating the shit out of Vince with a chair. It borders on uncomfortable, which is not the feeling you want to convey when a man is fighting the man who screwed him over a decade ago. Mercifully, Bret finally ends the match with the Sharpshooter for the submission win after over 11 minutes. Bret celebrates by stepping on Vince...so Bruce does the same because why not.
The entire Hart family gets in the ring and celebrates to close out this segment.
The Verdict
This match should've been a maximum of two minutes. Bret should've gotten his shots in, Vince tries to escape, the rest of the Harts gets their licks in, and then Bret submits Vince with the Sharpshooter. There was absolutely zero reason for this match to go any longer than two minutes, let alone 11. What we get is an uncomfortably long beatdown. This is legitimately the only match in the history of WrestleMania that I think can actually compete with Michael Cole vs Jerry Lawler for the worst in the show's history. Is it worse than Cole vs Lawler?..No. It's bad, and it's going towards the bottom of the list, but it's still better than Cole vs Lawler. That being said, don't watch this match. There is no enjoyment to be gained from this.
Rankings (Best to Worst)
- Rick Rude vs Jake Roberts-WrestleMania IV
- Too Much vs Al Snow & Head-King of the Ring 1998
- Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns-Greatest Royal Rumble
- Ernest Miller vs Norman Smiley-Fall Brawl 1998
- Shane McMahon vs Eric Bischoff-SummerSlam 2003
- The Tag Team Gauntlet-Extreme Rules 2010
- Randy Orton vs Bray Wyatt-WrestleMania 33
- Vampiro vs Sting-Great American Bash 2000
- T&A vs Head Cheese-WrestleMania 2000
- Triple H vs Sgt. Slaughter-D-Generation X: In Your House
- Konnan vs One Man Gang-SuperBrawl VI
- Ultimate Warrior vs Hercules-WrestleMania IV
- Rick Rude vs Hawk-Clash of the Champions XXV
- Shelton Benjamin vs Viscera-New Year's Revolution 2006
- Steve McMichael vs Reggie White-Slamboree 1997
- Lars Sullivan vs Lucha House Party-Super Showdown 2019
- Alexa Bliss vs Bayley-Extreme Rules 2017
- The Tag Team Fatal 4-Way Match-WrestleMania 13
- Tag Team Battle Royal-WrestleMania XIV
- The Chamber of Horrors-Halloween Havoc 1991
- The Natural Disasters vs Money Inc.-WrestleMania VIII
- Ivan Koloff vs Paul Jones-Clash of the Champions IV
- ODB, Taylor Wilde, and Roxxi vs The Kongtourage-Genesis 2009
- Ivory vs Tori-SummerSlam 1999
- Giant Baba vs Bulldog Bob Brown-WrestleRock
- The Reverse Battle Royal-Impact! (10/26/2006)
- Jerry Blackwell vs Boris Zhukov-SuperClash II
- Nikita Koloff vs Bobby Eaton-Bunkhouse Stampede
- Alex Wright vs Steve McMichael-Halloween Havoc 1997
- The Great Khali vs Kane-WrestleMania 23
- Savio Vega vs Crush vs Faarooq-Ground Zero: In Your House
- The Shockmaster vs Awesome/King Kong-Starrcade 1993
- Total Divas vs Other Divas-Survivor Series 2013
- The Oddities vs Kaientai-SummerSlam 1998
- Hulk Hogan vs Sid Justice-WrestleMania VIII
- Paul Ellering vs Teddy Long-Capital Combat
- Dusty Rhodes vs Big Boss Man-Saturday Night's Main Event (10/31/1989)
- Konnan vs Scott Hall-Fall Brawl 1998
- Tyson Tomko vs Stevie Richards-Unforgiven 2004
- Kane vs The Great Khali-SummerSlam 2009
- Rick Steiner vs Scott Steiner-Fall Brawl 1998
- Hollywood Hogan vs The Giant-Hog Wild
- Hollywood Hogan vs The Giant-Souled Out 1997
- Dustin Rhodes & King Kong vs Awesome Kong & The Equalizer-Battlebowl
- Finlay & Little Bastard vs The Boogeyman & Little Boogeyman-No Way Out 2007
- Jake Roberts vs Andre the Giant-WrestleMania V
- Yokozuna vs King Mabel-In Your House 4
- Dusty Rhodes vs The Honky Tonk Man-SummerSlam 1989
- Sting & Hawk vs Meng & Kurasawa-Clash of the Champions XXXI
- Hulk Hogan vs Randy Savage-Uncensored 1998
- Al Snow vs Big Boss Man-Unforgiven 1999
- Mickie James vs Ashley-Royal Rumble 2006
- Christy Hemme vs Big Fat Oily Guy-Against All Odds 2007
- British Bulldog & Jim Neidhart vs The Dancing Fools-Fall Brawl 1998
- Stevie Ray vs Konnan-World War 3 1998
- Vampiro vs The KISS Demon-Bash at the Beach 2000
- Team WCW vs nWo Wolfpac vs nWo Hollywood-Fall Brawl 1998
- Vampiro vs Oklahoma-Starrcade 1999
- Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant-WrestleMania III
- Jinder Mahal vs Randy Orton-Battleground 2017
- Van Hammer vs Terrance Taylor-Clash of the Champions XVI
- Junkyard Dog vs Moondog Spot-Wrestling Classic
- Chris Jericho vs "Goldberg"-Fall Brawl 1998
- Roman Reigns vs The Undertaker-WrestleMania 33
- The Undertaker vs Goldberg-Super ShowDown 2019
- Hiroshi Wajima vs Tom Magee-All Japan Pro Wrestling 1988
- Jim Duggan vs Big Boss Man-Royal Rumble 1990
- Meng vs Jim Duggan-Uncensored 1995
- Jim Steele vs The Equalizer-SuperBrawl IV
- The Undertaker vs Giant González-WrestleMania IX
- Sting vs Tony Palmore-Battle 7
- D-Generation X vs Brothers of Destruction-Crown Jewel
- Wendi Richter vs Leilani Kai-WrestleMania
- Goldberg vs Brock Lesnar-WrestleMania XX
- Edge vs Triple H vs Vladimir Kozlov-Survivor Series 2008
- Kevin Sullivan vs Dave Sullivan-SuperBrawl V
- Steve McMichael vs Brian Adams-Road Wild 1998
- Scott Hall vs Roddy Piper-SuperBrawl IX
- Boris Zhukov vs Paul Samson-Beach Brawl
- Roddy Piper vs Hollywood Hogan-Halloween Havoc 1997
- Kane vs The Great Khali-Breaking Point
- Hollywood Hogan & Dennis Rodman vs Diamond Dallas Page & Karl Malone-Bash at the Beach 1998
- PN News & Bobby Eaton vs Steve Austin & Terrance Taylor-Great American Bash 1991
- Scott Steiner vs Sid Vicious vs Jeff Jarrett vs Road Warrior Animal-Sin
- Hollywood Hogan vs Roddy Piper-SuperBrawl 1997
- Batista vs The Great Khali-SummerSlam 2007
- Sable vs Tori-WrestleMania XV
- Super Invader vs Todd Champion-WrestleWar 1992
- Brock Lesnar vs Cain Velasquez-Crown Jewel 2019
- King Kong Bundy & Jim Neidhart vs Yokozuna & Jake Roberts-Heroes of Wrestling
- Sid Vicious vs The Nightstalker-Clash of the Champions XIII
- The 8-Divas Tag Match-Survivor Series 1999
- The Fabulous Freebirds vs The Renegade Warriors-Halloween Havoc 1990
- The Knockouts Gauntlet-One Night Only: Live! 2016
- AJ Styles vs Frank Trigg-No Surrender 2008
- Rick Rude vs Masahiro Chono-Halloween Havoc 1992
- Mike Awesome vs Vampiro-Halloween Havoc 2000
- Bray Wyatt vs John Cena-Extreme Rules 2014
- Brothers of Destruction vs KroniK-Unforgiven 2001
- Mabel vs The Undertaker-King of the Ring 1995
- Wendi Richter vs The Fabulous Moolah-The Brawl to End it All
- David Flair vs Kimberly Page-Mayhem 1999
- The Truth Commission vs The Disciples of Apocolypse-Survivor Series 1997
- Daffney vs Miss Hancock-Bash at the Beach 2000
- The Bushwhacker vs The Fabulous Rougeaus-WrestleMania V
- The Beverly Brothers vs The Bushwhackers-Royal Rumble 1992
- Teddy Long vs Eric Bischoff-Survivor Series 2005
- Greg Valentine vs George Steele-Heroes of Wrestling
- Abdullah the Butcher vs One Man Gang-Heroes of Wrestling
- Major Gunns vs Miss Hancock-New Blood Rising
- Bradshaw & Trish Stratus vs Christopher Nowinski & Jackie Gayda-RAW (7/8/2002)
- Triple H vs Scott Steiner-Royal Rumble 2003
- Goldberg vs "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt-Super ShowDown 2020
- Santina Marella vs Vickie & Chavo Guerrero-Extreme Rules 2009
- Kevin Nash vs Scott Steiner vs Goldberg-New Blood Rising
- Hollywood Hogan vs The Warrior-Halloween Havoc 1998
- Mr. T vs Roddy Piper-WrestleMania 2
- The Royal Family vs Clowns R' Us-Survivor Series 1994
- The House of Horrors Match-Payback 2017
- The Blacktop Bully vs Dustin Rhodes-Uncensored 1995
- Team Dos Caras vs Team El Canek-Leyendas Mexicanas 2017
- Pat Patterson vs Gerald Brisco-King of the Ring 2000
- The Wyatt Swamp Fight-The Horror Show at Extreme Rules
- The Four Doinks vs Team Bigelow-Survivor Series 1993
- Sting vs Jeff Hardy-Victory Road 2011
- Bret Hart vs Mr. McMahon-WrestleMania XXVI
- Oz vs Tim Parker-SuperBrawl
- Brock Lesnar vs Braun Strowman-Crown Jewel 2018
- Brock Lesnar vs Ricochet-Super ShowDown 2020
- The Mighty Maccabee vs The Iron Sheik-Maccabiah Mania II: Shekel Slam
- Van Hammer vs Doug Somers-Halloween Havoc 1991
- Ultimate Warrior vs Andre the Giant-Saturday Night's Main Event (11/25/1989)
- Jeff Jarrett vs Sting-Halloween Havoc 2000
- The Doomsday Cage Match-Uncensored 1996
- Kane vs The Undertaker-Judgement Day 1998
- Rebel vs Shelly Martinez-One Night Only: Knockouts Knockdown
- Kaitlyn vs Maxine-NXT (10/19/2010)
- Sabu vs The Sandman-November to Remember 1997
- Seth Rollins vs "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt-Hell in a Cell 2019
- Michael Cole vs Jerry Lawler-WrestleMania XXVII
- The Bushwhackers vs Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff-Heroes of Wrestling
- James Storm vs Chris Harris-Lockdown 2007
- John Laurinaitis vs John Cena-Over the Limit 2012
- Hulk Hogan vs The Giant-Halloween Havoc 1995
- Ultimate Warrior vs Goldust-In Your House 7
- Los Villanos vs Los Psycho Circus-Triplemania XXIII
- Jenna Morasca vs Sharmell-Victory Road 2009
Thanks for reading! Be sure to share if you enjoy and leave any suggestions for matches you'd like to see covered in the Worst in the World in the comments. Next time, I'll be taking a look at a New Japan show, which featured the least "New Japan" match you could ever think of. Until then...
Yo man, I think you mean XXVI.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, thank you, I totally missed that
DeleteAll good my man. Also, you're Irish right? I've read a few of these and never picked up on it until you used "give out". Dead giveaway.
DeleteNot Irish, just watch a lot of OSW Review and stuff like that just kind of became a part of vocabulary.
DeleteI'm not from Ireland is what I meant, but my family is Irish
DeleteI have to completely disagree on you with the concept this should have been a two minute match. This one is about the storytelling: a man that was robbed and ridiculed by his nemesis finally getting the chance for revenge. McMahon never gave Hart mercy, and with a long beatdown like this, it is retribution for Bret and the entire family. Plus, from the "smark" perspective, it is Vince willing to take a prolonged beating to allow Bret Hart to get out the anger built up in him for years from various sources caused by Vince McMahon.
ReplyDeleteIn the present, when I see/hear discussions of what it would take for CM Punk to come back, I think back to this match, and that maybe Punk wants/deserves/needs a Bret Hart at Wrestlemania XXVI moment in order to get out his resentments toward Vince, Triple H, or whomever.
PS: On a rankings note, I feel this should NOT be ranked worse than when Jeff Hardy ruined the main event of a PPV by getting high/intoxicated.
Understandable. Maybe two minutes was being a bit harsh, but I still think 11 minutes was too long for an uninterrupted beatdown like this. A length somewhere in the middle still probably wouldn't have been good, but not as bad as what we actually got.
DeleteAs for ranking it worse than Hardy vs Sting, while Hardy/Sting is also incredibly bad, The thing that puts Bret vs Vince below it is the length. I feel like if I had to re-watch one of these matches (not that I want to), I'd be more willing to watch Hardy/Sting despite it being really uncomfortable. Both matches have nothing good in my opinion, but I'd rather watch a minute and a half of bad wrestling than 11.
Miss Wrestlemania Battle Royal from WM25 was absolute trash
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestion! This match 100% deserves an entry. I have a few of entries written already and scheduled, so after those are up, I'll get to work on this one
DeleteAnother potential dud to have on the list: Starrcade 1997's main event. That is, of course, if you can stomach another Hulk Hogan match/political maneuver.
DeleteThanks for the suggestion! And yes, I'm always willing to make fun of Hogan
Delete