Bret Hart's First Championship Win

[Moneyinc]

I am just curious about a couple things

Bret Hart beat Ric Flair for the WWF Heavyweight title in Canada on 10/12/92. Was this just a regular house show? Did WWF have a lot of belt changes that weren't shown on TV during the late 80s and early 90s? Was Flair headed to WCW? It makes sense that the WWF wanted to give the belt to Bret Hart in front of his home fans, but how does the rest of the world react when Bret is champion next time WWF aired on national TV?

I watched this match on youtube last night. A nice little 25 minute match. Bret Hart obviously had the crowd at his back and I think they were almost too shocked when Bret actually won the title. Flair actually submitted to the sharp shooter and Flair tapped rather quickly. Almost had a screwjob feel to it because Bret winning the belt at that time just seemed sort of unexpected.

 

[The Brain]

I don’t know anything for fact so don’t take what I say here as anything more than my opinion.

Say what you will about Bret Hart’s drawing ability in the States but he was wildly popular overseas. The WWF was starting a global expansion in the early 90s and were making far more frequent trips to Europe. Bret was the most popular guy on the roster in those countries. Hogan was gone, Flair was leaving soon, and Savage was being phased out as part of the New Generation campaign. Bret was the next most logical guy. Plus with the steroid scandal going on and powerhouses like Hogan and Warrior leaving, the company was going in a new direction of more competitive chain wrestling instead of power struggles in their main events. Bret was a steroid user too but he didn’t look like one and people didn’t speculate about him like they did Hogan and Warrior.

I’ve never heard this anywhere but I always thought SummerSlam 92 was kind of an audition for Bret Hart. He was able to be in the main event because he was wrestling Davey Boy Smith in England and I think it was a test to see how he could do in the main event. Vince loved that match and six weeks later Bret was world champion. It’s weird using this term when discussing Ric Flair but I think he was just a transitional champion taking the belt from Savage (who I mentioned was being phased out) to the leader of the New Generation.

As for the house show title change, it was rare but not unheard of back then. As a matter of fact Flair took the title from Savage in a non televised match just a few weeks before losing it to Hart. With Hart it worked out. It was in his father’s hometown and it was on Thanksgiving day in Canada if I remember correctly. Plus there weren’t as many pay per views back then and Saturday Night’s Main Event was at the very end of its run. I remember watching Superstars when Bret Hart was introduced as the new champion. Mean Gene came out on that interview platform they used to have and told the audience to welcome the new world champion. I couldn’t believe what I heard. It was only a few seconds before Hart came out but time seemed to stand still as I wondered who the champion was. Hart coming out was a big surprise. Personally I thought it was pretty cool. Back then you could watch a few weeks of Superstars in a row with nothing of note happening regarding storylines. Anytime someone did something as simple as a run in it felt special and exciting. To have a new world champion announced out of nowhere was a cool surprise. It gave the feeling that anything could happen on any given night.

 

[Moneyinc]

I don’t know anything for fact so don’t take what I say here as anything more than my opinion.

Say what you will about Bret Hart’s drawing ability in the States but he was wildly popular overseas. The WWF was starting a global expansion in the early 90s and were making far more frequent trips to Europe. Bret was the most popular guy on the roster in those countries. Hogan was gone, Flair was leaving soon, and Savage was being phased out as part of the New Generation campaign. Bret was the next most logical guy. Plus with the steroid scandal going on and powerhouses like Hogan and Warrior leaving, the company was going in a new direction of more competitive chain wrestling instead of power struggles in their main events. Bret was a steroid user too but he didn’t look like one and people didn’t speculate about him like they did Hogan and Warrior.

I’ve never heard this anywhere but I always thought SummerSlam 92 was kind of an audition for Bret Hart. He was able to be in the main event because he was wrestling Davey Boy Smith in England and I think it was a test to see how he could do in the main event. Vince loved that match and six weeks later Bret was world champion. It’s weird using this term when discussing Ric Flair but I think he was just a transitional champion taking the belt from Savage (who I mentioned was being phased out) to the leader of the New Generation.

As for the house show title change, it was rare but not unheard of back then. As a matter of fact Flair took the title from Savage in a non televised match just a few weeks before losing it to Hart. With Hart it worked out. It was in his father’s hometown and it was on Thanksgiving day in Canada if I remember correctly. Plus there weren’t as many pay per views back then and Saturday Night’s Main Event was at the very end of its run. I remember watching Superstars when Bret Hart was introduced as the new champion. Mean Gene came out on that interview platform they used to have and told the audience to welcome the new world champion. I couldn’t believe what I heard. It was only a few seconds before Hart came out but time seemed to stand still as I wondered who the champion was. Hart coming out was a big surprise. Personally I thought it was pretty cool. Back then you could watch a few weeks of Superstars in a row with nothing of note happening regarding storylines. Anytime someone did something as simple as a run in it felt special and exciting. To have a new world champion announced out of nowhere was a cool surprise. It gave the feeling that anything could happen on any given night.

Awesome stuff man. Really cool that you remember Hart on SNME. Yea I have noticed that not only in Canada of course, but at the WWF Rampage in London in 92, the crowd went CRAZY for Bret Hart. There really weren't any other options on the roster at that time to take the belt it seems.

 

[wrestler36]

Bret Hart beat Ric Flair for the WWF Heavyweight title in Canada on 10/12/92. Was this just a regular house show?

Yes, this was a regular house show, but also at the time, they released Coliseum Home Video VHS tapes, which this match was on a few months or year later.

Title changes at house shows were uncommon but they did happen. I remember at the beginning of '92, the Mountie beat Bret Hart for the IC title with a small package. This was a house show, and they used what looked like a handheld camera to show footage on SNME.

Diesel won the world title from Bob Backlund at a house show at Madison Sq Garden near the end of '94. I think this was the week after Backlund beat Bret Hart at Survivor Series.

 

[xavyer]

So that's how it hapenned, i thought i missed something, i remember a few days after the Macho Man defeated Ric Flair for the title, a week later i was grounded for a month or so, so i wasn't allowed to watch wrestling, and i remember the first weekend after my punisment was over, i naturally started watching wrestling again, and i remember Bret's introduction from Men Gene as the new WWF champion, naturally i thought at first that he took it from the Macho Man, but then i found out that he took it from Flair, and i allways wondered how that hapenned, now i know, thank you guys.......

 

[lil bitch Kid]

It wasn't a house show. It was a TV taping. They used to tape weeks of Superstars, Wrestling Challenge, Prime Time Wrestling at the same time. The switch was done at one of these tapings. Interestingly, it was a late minute decision since about 4-6 weeks before, while taping in Winnipeg, Flair as champ did a number of interviews for a program with Savage again which was meant to be a last hurrah for Randy before phasing into announcing. That all got scrapped.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Davey had also been considered for the spot, his IC run was kind of a test (that he failed once he got involved in the roid scandal with Warrior). Bret was someone who fit what Vince needed, knowing the Steroid indictment was coming, who he could point to and say "This guy is the best WRESTLER in the world, he isn't a monster..."

I remember when I heard Bret was champ, I was lining up for a year 10 music lesson and still basking in my "top dog status" that I had been to Summerslam 92... Then someone told me and I said they were a liar... and that status was gone... I didn't see it at the time but Bret was a logical choice for the time, not the best but the most logical. Ironically, the best choice was then US champion in WCW... yep Rick Rude...

Vince clearly was experimenting in the year/18 months previous by putting belts on a range of people from The Mountie to Piper to Flair and Savage... all were smaller, all were athletic compared to the usual. Davey was relatively small compared to a Hogan or Warrior (as he was) and make no mistake, from someone who was there... Davey sold out Wembley... NOT Bret, he was 2nd choice from the euro fans... they wanted Davey as their hero but Warrior fucked it up by being indiscreet.

As for the win itself, Flair by then was clearly disillusioned and had activated his "gentlemen's agreement" with Vince... if he wasn't top guy he could walk... and Bret was be best of a bad lot he could put over... If truth came into play (not R) Flair knew he was found out in the ring by a Bret Hart, so he did a deal and probably said, "I'll drop it in the smallest, no name Canadian town and it doesn't get shown"...so he didn't get shown up. For that favour, he put Perfect, who was 3rd choice and backup over on the way out. That Vince got a hard on for Luger and Yoko and wavered from the plan was unfortunate... but Bret v Perfect v Davey was a wasted opportunity. With Davey's heel performance's later he could easily have gone against Savage in 92/93 and then faced the winner of Bret v Perfect and sold out arenas... but sadly VKM was going to jail...so anyone who ever took roids was gone... even guys like the Warlord who did have potential...

 

[ServantofTwilight]

Flair had injured his inner ear in a match with The Ultimate Warrior in Pheonix. He was going to be shelved for awhile so the WWF needed to take the belt, as everyone else has pointed out a big roided guy was not in the best interest; Hart had just had two runs with the IC title and was over. It had to be quick so they did it at a Superstars taping, most likely choosing Canada to give Hart the home crowd and insure a big pop when he won.

 

[thebarber]

the belt was switched from Savage to Flair due to a real life knee injury Savage suffered in his match at Summerslam 92 against Warrior. On the flight back to the States, it flared up and he was unable to walk. The title switch match was that bad due to Savages knee, the ending had to be re-filmed as it was taped and apparently very poor. With Vince looking at going in a different direction, and how impressed Vince was with Bret Hart in his main event match with a drugged out Bulldog was in England at Summerslam 92, Vince decided the best way to elevate Hitman was to have him beat Flair clean. Flair only agreed to dump the title in what he viewed as being buried, in a non-televised match and immediately asked for his release,. as he had in his contract that if he ever felt he was not being used to the level he felt he should be, Vince would agree to let Flair go on his terms. Thus why the title switch happened in a non-televised way, but held in Canada so Bret would still get the rub and plaudits he deserved. Flair did the honours for Hennig on the way out.

 

[Wald]

This was also around the time that the WWF started to introduce the idea that anything can happen in the WWF at any moment, tied in to the New Generation, so it played into that new PR move.

 

[Jonyboyuk2]

I remember it well as I was a HUGE Bret Hart fan at the time (still am). After the steroid scandal of 1991, Vince had a trial set for 1994. In the meantime, Vince had to become very strict with steroid testing. This was evident from watching WWF in Summer 1991 compared to the Fall of 1992. Hogan had gone to Japan to wrestle and Ric Flair was interested in returning to WCW as he felt there was nobody left in WWF to draw against.

After Summer Slam 1992, Vince was looking for his next star and the match Bret had made him the ONLY person who was worthy of the belt at the time. Then one evening, October 12th 1992, Vince told Bret he had chosen him to be the new champion - from that night. There was two reasons for that - Ric Flair was leaving in January/February 1993 and Vince wanted Flair removed from the title scene so Ric was not associated closely to the WWF title in WCW. In return Ric didn't want to have a high profile loss of the WWF title on a PPV (which is completely understandable).

Bret won the title, and it went out in the USA on Wrestling Challenge and Superstars.

In the UK, it showed highlights but we had to watch the title swap hands on Coliseum video.

Bret was the best.

 

[Just Do It]

This was also around the time that the WWF started to introduce the idea that anything can happen in the WWF at any moment, tied in to the New Generation, so it played into that new PR move.

Nice try, but you are talking nonsense my friend. The New Generation campaign was a direct response to Hogan joining WCW which was 2 years later, and the phrase "anything can happen" wasn't thrown around for years after.

Besides, considering the bout to this day has never aired on television, it would be a pretty shit way to show "anything can happen" if it were to go along with "but you'll never see it."

 

[Wald]

Nice try, but you are talking nonsense my friend. The New Generation campaign was a direct response to Hogan joining WCW which was 2 years later, and the phrase "anything can happen" wasn't thrown around for years after.

Besides, considering the bout to this day has never aired on television, it would be a pretty shit way to show "anything can happen" if it were to go along with "but you'll never see it."

Nice try, but you are talking nonsense my friend.

First off, Hogan left less than a year after Bret won the title (Bret won in Oct 1992, Hogan left in June 1993) which is when most believe the new generation started.

Anything can happen directly ties in with titles changing hands at house shows (which Vince pushed hard as advertising fell).

And I said it was the start of the introduction of all of this, not the high point of it.

 

[HBKperfect23]

This is when I enjoyed Bret the most. 1992 was an unbelievable year for Bret Hart. His matches with Roddy and Bulldog are two matches I still enjoy watching 20 years later. I will argue to death that Bret/Bulldog is the greatest match in pro wrestling histroy....bar none.

I think Bret deserved it and was the right choice. From what I heard, (forget where from, but I think it was from Bret) Vince wanted to get the belt off of Flair immediately and had 4 guys in mind.....Bret, Savage, Michaels, and maybe Bulldog. And Bret didnt know he was going to win it until the day of the event. I think Bret was the best choice at the time (with the only other realistic possibility being Savage). Bret did a great job in his first run as champion. The fighting champion, taking on all comers approach to his title run really worked. Great matches with Michaels, Razor, and Papa Shango.

Since someone brought up the start of the new generation, I personally think it started at Survivor Series 1992 with Bret/Shawn having the title match and being the focal point of the WWF while the Flair/Perfect/Savage angle was ending at the same time.

 

[FlairFan2003]

1st Flair was not leaving WWE at the time of the title switch. That wasnt decided until the very end of the year when VKM told him he didnt have any main event storyline plans for him in the near future.

2nd Savage wanted off the road after his separation and divorce from Liz. The "knee injury" was an angle concocted at SummerSlam to explain him not beating Warrior out right AND losing in the figure four to Flair at the next show. Savage did not get to leave the road right after the loss, he spent a month after dropping the title putting over Scott Hall, who had just debuted from WCW and was briefly alligned with Flair in the story as a way to help get him over as a heel with fans.

3rd WWE was banking on continuing the Flair vs Warrior angle they started before SummerSlam. If Savage wanted off the road and wasnt right due to personal problems he would be used in the story briefly to help establish Flair vs Warrior with Flair conning Warrior into thinking he was working with Savage (and vice versa, making Savage think UW & Flair were allies) to confuse both men and completely screw up the S-Slam bout between them were Flair causes Savage's knee injury leading to his screw job title win. UW understandibly would be upset, cheated by the title obsessed Flair out of his title opportunity. On WWE TV they began hyping Flair-Warrior almost immediately after S-Slam. Flair did a short series of matches overseas vs Savage & Hart and a short series vs Taker in the US before starting house show bouts vs Warrior. Hart was not involved in the story at all except for a couple of title bouts won by Flair on The European Tour that got no attention on WWE TV (but were covered in US wrestling magazines).

Warrior messed up the press slam spot vs Flair in a house show match in Phoenix. Flair has taken partial blame over the years saying he was calling a lot of high impact spots in their match because Charles Barkley was attending and he wanted to impress him (the two were friends, Barkley even did a pro Flair promo on Nitro a few years later). Flair did this despite Warrior's rep for sloppy ring work, although by this time they were wrestling on a regular basis and he thought UW would be OK. Warrior dropped Flair on his head, dislodging bone fragments in his ear, causing severe vertigo. Flair has credited ref Earl Hebner with saving him in the match, saying UW missed signs he was legit hurt and wanted to continue the match but Hebner stopped him, did a count out and ended the bout. The problem was the injury, hard to diagnose at first, wasnt going away. Certain movements would cause the fragments to dislodge after falling back into place causing unexpected vertigo, sometimes severe. Flair, who even went to the Mayo Clinic for treatment, couldnt keep wrestling. The idea of a blow off match vs UW at S-Series was in doubt with no time table for when Flair could return. UW however was having issues with WWE, causing a turn in booking. Instead of just expediating Warrior's title win now and getting Flair off the road they went with Hart. Hart was very popular with fans and had excelled during his IC Title push. He was also someone who would go on the road extensively, a major asset in the post Hogan era with live gates falling off. Finally, with Warrior falling out of favor, Flair injured, and Savage not interested in the work, Hogan & Piper gone with the federal steroid investigation heating up, Hart was the best option as World Champ. Due to Flair's injury the title switch was booked ASAP. It was taped for TV but not shown because Flair, struggling to maintain his balance and equillibrium, can barely move.

The title switch happening as quickly as it did had nothing to do with Flair refusing to job to Hart or not wanting to lose on TV. Once he returned healthy a month later (WWE TV never explained his injury, stating after Hart won that he was taking time off with an injury and then promoting his return a month later) Flair initially wrapped up his feud vs UW (beating him up on SNME, causing unspecified injuries that forced him out of a tag match involving Flair at S-Series) and then proceeded to put over Hart several times on tour while also feuding with Curt Henning culminating in the Loser Leaves Town Match that Flair lost cleanly in thd main event of Monday Night Raw, about as a high profile loss a guy could take in his last appearance with the company. Flair by then had already helped establish a Hall - Hart feud and the decission was made booking wise that Henning would benefit more from a big win over Flair on his way out, immediately establishing him in the main event scene in his return.

Hart was in the right place at the right time due to a confluence of events he was not involved in. Sometimes that happens. He worked hard and was a good champion, held back more due to lousy booking and VKM's initial preoccupation with the federal steroid investigation. Warrior's many issues probably cost him a chance to be the standard bearer of WWE in the post Hogan era. Savage eventually returned to full time wrestling but with WCW, the exact reason for his WWE departure (and exclusion from the HOF) subject to much debate. Flair left on good terms with VKM. In retrospect he should have stayed.

 

[HBKperfect23]

I think it was pretty obvious that they were going with Flair/Warrior. I still think the original plan was Fair/Ramon v Warrior/Savage at Survivor Series, with Flair/Warrior main eventing the rumble.With Flairs injury they had to get the title off of him right away, which would be my guess for the Hart win coming instantly with no build.

By the time 93 came around, I think Vince was done with Flair and wanted to let him go. It would be interesting to see how he fit in if he didnt go back to WCW. I understand him wanting to get the new stars in main event positions but I never understood him wanting Flair and eventually Savage out of the company.

As for Flair refusing to job? No way. The guy as made a carrer out of putting everyone over.

 

[Just Do It]

Nice try, but you are talking nonsense my friend.

First off, Hogan left less than a year after Bret won the title (Bret won in Oct 1992, Hogan left in June 1993) which is when most believe the new generation started.

Anything can happen directly ties in with titles changing hands at house shows (which Vince pushed hard as advertising fell).

And I said it was the start of the introduction of all of this, not the high point of it.

Read posts properly. I stated when when Hogan joined WCW, not left WWE. Hogan had already left the WWE for the first time by that point anyway. For all purposes, he was gone, and working in movies. He came back to help promote his movies before Wrestlemania 9.

What title changes at house shows? There had only been one remotely close to that period (Mountie / Hitman) and that was for contractual reasons to get the belt of Bret ASAP as WCW negotiations were taking place (confirmed by Meltzer, completely ignored in bret's book). The show in Canada wasn't a house show - it was a television taping. The event was filmed (and released in 1993 on the Smack em Whack em VHS) complete with full production. So to say this happened to promote a house show is stupid, and ill informed.

 

[The Brain]

Flair had injured his inner ear in a match with The Ultimate Warrior in Pheonix. He was going to be shelved for awhile so the WWF needed to take the belt, as everyone else has pointed out a big roided guy was not in the best interest; Hart had just had two runs with the IC title and was over. It had to be quick so they did it at a Superstars taping, most likely choosing Canada to give Hart the home crowd and insure a big pop when he won.

I heard this too (forgot where) but had completely forgotten about it until you brought it up.

What title changes at house shows? There had only been one remotely close to that period (Mountie / Hitman) and that was for contractual reasons to get the belt of Bret ASAP as WCW negotiations were taking place (confirmed by Meltzer, completely ignored in bret's book). The show in Canada wasn't a house show - it was a television taping. The event was filmed (and released in 1993 on the Smack em Whack em VHS) complete with full production. So to say this happened to promote a house show is stupid, and ill informed.

Actually titles did change hands at house shows on occasion in the early/mid 90s. Sometimes they changed right back a couple days later on another house show, but it did happen. Hart vs. Flair may not have technically been a house show but I think we all get the point. It was a non televised event that was unadvertised outside the local market in which it took place. Yes, it was eventually released on video but that was months later.

There is something else I find interesting but I doubt if there is any truth to it. According to Tito Santana he was being considered for the title instead of Hart. The WWF was looking to expand into Mexico and thought making Santana champion would have been a good move. Instead they toured Canada and Europe more often making Hart the better choice. Honestly, I can't picture Santana as champion at all. For as much as I liked him there's no way he was championship material by 1992. He had been jobbing for a couple years at that point and even an IC title run would have been a stretch. So many former wrestlers say they were supposed to be champion at some point so I'm not putting much stock in this but I thought it was worth a mention.