Goody Bag IX: Hitman's Sampler

 

Mr. Perfect v Bret Hart: From Toronto on April 23 1989. Perfect is sporting mismatched kneepads tonight. Tsk tsk. Feeling out process to start, with Hart dominating him. A bodypress gets the Hitman two, and a slingshot sunset flip is also worth two. Bret works a headlock, but Perfect chops his way out, so Hart hooks a crucifix for two, and Perfect bails. He stalls before coming back in to attack Hart with a knee, but he gets swept down as he tries a kick, and Hart stomps him downstairs. A reversal sequence ends in Bret clotheslining him over the top onto the elevated ramp way (Toronto was one of the few venues the WWF ever used those for), and Perfect stalls out there as he regroups. For a while, too. Back in, Perfect rakes the eyes to escape Hart in the corner, and a swinging kneelift puts the Hitman down. Perfect kicks him out of the ring (literally), and he keeps blocking Hart from climbing back in - including using the top rope as a slingshot to send Bret off the apron, and into the guardrail. Hart manages to claw his way back in, so Perfect cruelly tosses him right back out - after giving him a beating first, of course. In again, Perfect cross corner whips him for two, then chucks him out onto the ramp - this time following to ram Bret's face into it. In, Perfect works a spinning-toehold, but Bret sends him shoulder-first into the corner to escape - Perfect doing his usual superb job of overselling. Bret rallies with some abuse in the corner, and a hammerlock-slam follows, as Hart starts working the arm/shoulder. Armdrag puts Perfect down for an overhead wristlock, and Bret drops a leg onto the arm a few times. He pounds on it in the corner, so Perfect tries to bail again, but the Hitman cuts him off with a headbutt. Another crucifix, but this time Perfect counters with a well executed Samoan drop, and he adds a falling headbutt. Perfect starts working the midsection, but Bret reverses an abdominal stretch - only for Perfect to hiptoss free. Rollup gets two, but Bret's kickout sends Perfect flying out of the ring, and the Hitman dives after him with a plancha. Back in, Bret executes a snap suplex for two, and a backbreaker sets up a 2^nd rope pointed elbowdrop - only for time to expire at 20:00. Too much stalling (particularly during the first half), but it was top notch stuff when things were moving. ** ¾

Mr. Perfect v Bret Hart: From Prime Time Wrestling on November 6 1989 (taped October 2). Feeling out process to start, with Hart sending him spinning like a top with a hiptoss that leaves Perfect on the outside. That was one helluva sell. Criss cross is dominated by the Hitman as well, and Perfect is less than pleased. He tries a waistlock, but Hart easily escapes, and takes him down in a mat-based side-headlock. Perfect tries to use the hair to escape, but irony interjects when Hart uses Perfect's hair to keep the hold firmly applied. Bret with a bodypress for two, and a slingshot sunset flip gets two. Crucifix gets two, and Perfect bails to the floor to regroup. Inside, Perfect hides out in the ropes to frustrate Hart, and a cheap shot allows him to take over with a swinging kneelift. He sends Bret to the floor to play the game where he won't let him back in, though the sequence is much shorter here than in April. Perfect with a cross corner whip for two, and he delivers a fucking NASTY hairpull slam – one of the best I've ever seen, in fact. Snapmare sets up a somersault necksnap, and a somersault cradle is quickly hooked for two. Perfect goes up, but takes too long, and Bret crotches him up there, then sends Perfect into an overselling frenzy in the corner. Inverted atomic drop and a standard atomic drop allow Bret a pair of his own hairpull slams (Perfect botched the 'crotch himself on the ring post' spot on the first try), and a snap suplex is worth two. Inside cradle gets two, and a backbreaker for two. Perfect tries a rollup for two, but gets sent to the floor with the force of the kickout, and Bret follows out for a slugfest, but Perfect rakes the eyes on the outside. Perfect tries a vertical suplex in from the apron, but Hart counters into a rollup - Perfect reversing for the pin at 17:20. This one was basically the exact same match as the April time limit draw, but in more compact form, and with some additional spots geared for TV. It also served as something of a prototype for their SummerSlam match from two years later. *** ¼

Bret Hart v Undertaker: From MSG on January 31 1992. Undertaker jumps him at the bell, and immediately starts choking in the corner. And lots of it, too. Cross corner charge misses, however, and Hart pops off an inverted atomic drop, then a pair of clotheslines. A running dropkick sends Undertaker over the top (in a hilarious spot, as 'Taker tries to do hit standard 'land on his feet' spot, but is out of position, and nearly takes out the announcers in the process!), and Bret dives after him with a plancha! A distraction by Paul Bearer quickly turns the tide back around, however, and Undertaker tosses the Hitman into the steps before bringing it back in. More choking immediately commences, so Hart tries a sunset flip, but Undertaker blocks, so Bret uses a turnbuckles smash, and unloads in the corner - only to have a cross corner whip reversed! Ropewalk forearm gets two, and a jumping clothesline is worth two. Nervehold, but Bret starts slugging, so Undertaker tries another ropewalk - only to get pulled off this time! Bret with an inverted atomic drop and a running clothesline to soften 'Taker up for a Russian legsweep for two. Snap suplex gets two, and a backbreaker sets up a 2^nd rope pointed elbowdrop, but Undertaker sits up. Hart reroutes with a 2^nd rope flying clothesline instead, but gets distracted by Paul Bearer on the apron, and the referee ends up getting bumped as Undertaker attacks. Bret sweeps him down for the Sharpshooter, but there's no referee. He lets off to go revive him, but that allows Undertaker to bash him with the urn for the pin at 12:27. This wasn't a very good match, but it was well booked, with plenty of hope spots from Hart at the right times to keep things moving. * ¼

Bret Hart and Mr. Perfect v Razor Ramon and Lex Luger: From MSG on March 21 1993. This is actually their second performance of the day, after working this same bout during a matinee in Boston. Razor jumps Perfect while Luger distracts him, but Perfect manages to hiptoss Ramon during a criss cross, and the Bad Guy bails to the floor to regroup. Back in, Perfect tries a headlock, but Ramon shoulderblocks him, so Perfect takes him down with a drop-toehold, and Razor bails again. In, Razor sends Perfect into oversell mode with a right hand and a backelbow, and he passes out to Luger. Lex bounces Perfect around with turnbuckle smashes, but an Irish whip gets reversed, and Perfect puts him down with a swinging kneelift. Dropkick sends Luger to the outside, and he stalls out there for a bit. Perfect passes to Bret in the meantime, and the Hitman works a wristlock on Luger, but Lex bodyslams him to escape, and tags. Razor comes in hot, but Bret quickly sweeps him down, and tags to Perfect for a wishbone. Perfect works the leg, then back to Bret for more of the same. Figure four is applied, but Luger breaks it up with a pointed elbowdrop, and he gets the tag as well. Bret quickly rolls him up for two, then tags out to Perfect - Perfect delivering both versions of the atomic drop, and clotheslining Lex. Corner whip and a slingshot into the corner leave Luger woozy, and Perfect delivers a ten-punch. Lex tries escaping with an inverted atomic drop, but Perfect clotheslines him right back down, and adds a swinging neckbreaker for two. Criss cross allows Ramon to pull down the top rope to send Perfect over the top, however, and Razor rams him into the steps out there. Inside, Luger cross corner whips him (earning a full somersault bump from Perfect), and the heels cut the ring in half with impressive energy for a house show match - let alone the second go around of the day. Perfect manages a sunset flip on Luger for two, and he tries gaining control with a sleeper, but Lex drops him into the corner to escape, and the double-teaming commences - only for Luger to accidentally hit Ramon with the Running Forearm Smash! Tag to Hart, and Roseanne Barr the door, we've got a kettle on! Bret knocks Razor to the floor and gives Luger a Russian legsweep to setup a 2^nd rope pointed elbowdrop, and it's Sharpshooter time! Hart gets it applied, but Ramon saves, so Bret fires back with a side suplex on the Bad Guy. The referee gets bumped in the process, and there's no one to count as Bret hooks an inside cradle. That allows Luger to roll it over, but while he's helping the referee recover, Perfect hustles in and rolls it back - Bret scoring the pinfall at 18:48! Hard work all around, good stuff here! ***