Sultan of Submission | The Biography - by Rohan | page 6

Bret signed an unprecidented 20 year contract with the World Wrestling Federation that would see him as a major competetor in the ring for a few years and later as part of the WWF's creative team.

Bret Hart returned at the 1996 Survivor Series to take on "Stone Cold" Steve Austin at the historic Madison Square Gardens. Bret had been out of action for over 6 months and seemed to be a bit, as Jim Ross put it - "rusty" in getting all of his timing back. Bret used the Sharpshooter on Austin, but Austin escaped. Austin nailed Bret with the Stone Cold Stunner, but the Hit Man escaped. Eventually, Steve Austin put Bret Hart in the Million Dollar Dream. Bret, still caught in the hold, used the top turnbuckle to flip backward and put Austin in a move he didn't know how to counter. Bret Hart end up winning the match, but this classic rivalry was far from over.

The following month, Bret earned a title shot against Sycho Sid. Bret lost that match, because Shawn Michaels came out to ringside and placed his "business" where it didn't belong. Bret was furious and attacked Michaels at the conclusion of the match. The following month, Bret took part in the 1997 Royal Rumble. The referees never saw the Hit Man eliminate Austin, so Austin crawled back into the ring unnoticed and eliminated Bret, and won the tournament. Bret, extermely upset with the decision, verbally and physically attacked WWF owner Vince McMahon.

Vince McMahon had asked Bret to turn heel. Bret's position as top face had been taken by Shawn Michaels. Bret was initially against the idea because he was perceived as a hero all over the world and didn't want to let his fans down. After much coaxing from Vince, Bret bought the idea, and came up with the entire Anti-American angle.

Bret then took on Steve Austin, Vader and The Undertaker for a shot at the WWF champion at Wrestle Mania. By this time, World Wrestling Federation Champion Shawn Michaels, "lost his smile" (again) and forfeited the WWF title. So the match now was for the WWF title. Bret eliminated Steve Austin and the Undertaker en route to becoming the WWF Champion for the Fourth time. The Hit Man's title reign was short lived, since the very next day, Bret lost the title to Sycho Sid, when Steve Austin viciously attacked Bret with a chair during the match.

Bret Hart had had enough of Austin's constant interference. He wanted to finish Austin off permanently. A very special submission match was planned for Wrestle Mania 13. Neither Steve Austin nor Bret had submitted in their entire careers, and this match would be a first for either of these two men. Ken Shamrock was called to officiate this match. Austin and Bret took it to each other like never before, using everthing they had to destroy each other - chairs, railings, speaker-chords... Eventually, Bret put Austin in the Sharpshooter. For a while, it looked as though Austin would break out of it, but the Excellence of Execution held on and Steve Austin passed out with the pain. Shamrock, sensing that Austin couldn't continue, called for the bell and awarded the match to Bret. Bret refused to let go of the Sharpshooter and had to be restrained by Shamrock. The crowd cheered for Austin. That was also the last time an American audience would ever cheer for the Hit Man in the WWF.

Bret arrived on RAW the next day and made his infamous 'Anti-American' speach..."So from now on, the American wrestling fans, from coast to coast, can kiss my ass!"... Shawn Michaels made a very special guest appearance, and learned the hard way, that it dosen't pay to get in the way of Bret Hart when he's p*ssed. The following week on RAW, Bret reuntied with his brother-in-law The British Bulldog and with his brother, Owen to form an alliance against the United States. More additions came in the form of the late Brian Pillman and Jim "Anvil" Neidhart and the New Hart Foundation was born.

The New Hart Foundation were the rule-breaking rebels from up north and the Hit Man tried his best at every oppurtunity to put down the United States. The Hart Foundation took on Stone Cold / The Nation of Domination in a Flag Match in Calgary, Alberta. Eventually, Owen pinned Stone Cold and raised the Canadian Flag. In a few weeks time, Owen challenged the Intercontinental Champion, The Rock for the title, ina match he dedicated to his brother Bret. Owen scored the big win and won his first singles title. The Hart Foundation, by now had every major title in the WWF - The European Title (Bulldog), The Intercontinental Title (Owen), and The Tag Title (Owen / Bulldog). The only missing title was the World Title itself. Bret Hart was given a special world title shot against the reigning WWF Champion - The Undertaker. Vince announced that the speacial guest referee for that match would be none other than Bret's rival Shawn Michaels. Bret managed to nail the Undertaker with a steel chair behind the back of Michaels. But when Michaels confronted Bret about the chair, Bret spat straight into his face. Michaels grabbed the chair to nail Bret, but nailed the Undertaker. The Hit Man raised the World Wrestling Federation Title for the fifth time, Hulk Hogan was the only other man to have as many WWF titles to his name.

Montreal!

Shawn Michaels quickly turned heel and formed the Degeneration X, with Chyna and Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Bret's spot as the number one heel was taken away from him and all the spotlight was given to D-X. Vince McMahon then bluntly told Bret that he could no longer afford to pay Bret Hart what he had promised him (Hart was the highest paid WWF wrestler for more than 4 years), and that he was intentionally going to breech the contract. He encouraged Bret to take up the offer the WCW had made almost a year ago. With nowhere to go, Bret approached the WCW and to his surprise, Eric Bischoff offered Bret the biggest deal (financially) he had ever got, which was more than twice his WWF salary. In further trying to humiliate Bret Hart, Vince McMahon placed Bret in every major Pay-Per-View in the penultimate match, whereas Shawn Michaels, even though titleless, was given the Pay-Per-View main event.

Shawn Michaels and Bret were booked for the mainevent at Survivor Series 1997 in Montreal, Canada for the WWF World Title, in what was to be Bret's last match in the WWF. McMahon then appoached Bret about losing to Shawn Michaels at Survivor Series. Bret refused, saying that he was regarded as a hero in Canada, and would not like to drop the title to Shawn Micaels since Bret never got along with Shawn and that Shawn had previoulsy refused to drop the title to Bret at WrestleMania XIII. Making him lose in Montreal was like killing the Hit Man character. Bret had the creative control in his contract to object on anything that he felt would ruin his character. Under mutual agreement, Vince McMahon and Bret agreed this match would end on a double disqualification and that Bret would vacate the title the following day on RAW IS WAR.

The match started with Shawn's entrance. He came in with the Canadian flag, laid it down on the canvas and humped it. The Hit Man came into the ring and the battle ensued inside the ring and outside. Somewhere during the match, Shawn grabbed Bret's legs, just as it was scripted, and placed him in the Sharpshooter - Bret's own move. According to the script, Bret was expected the reverse the hold. In a flash of a second, the referee Earl Hebner called for the bell, and Vince McMahon screamed - "Ring the f_cking bell!". The match ended and Bret hadn't submitted. Within the next few seconds, Triple H came down to ringside, and got Shawn Michaels and the WWF title out of there. It was then that Bret realized that all that he had worked for and all that he had given the company in the 12 years he was there had just been washed down the drain. Bret spat at Vince, and destroyed all the broadcasting equipment. Bret had to be escorted out of the ring. Backstage, Vince McMahon locked himself up in his room, and it was after the Undertaker told him to go and apologize to Bret, that he went into the Hit Man's locker room. Meanwhile, when Bret contronted Shawn about his part in all of this Shawn said "..as God as my f_cking witness... my hands are clean of this one, I swear to God". On the confrontation that ensued between Bret and Vince, the WWF owner tried to apologize and Bret repeatedly asked him to get out of his face. At some point of time, the confrontation grew physical, and Bret punched out Vince McMahon. Vince snarled and tried to get up, but obviously couldn't. McMahon had a broken jaw and would'nt be on WWF TV for two weeks. The impact of the punch also broke Bret's hand. That was the last Bret Hart would have to do with the WWF.

Next : The WCW - the beginning of Bret's end