A Forgotten Classic

[Lil' Bitch 0]

Forgotten Classic: "Rowdy" Roddy Piper vs. Bret "The Hitman" Hart WWF Intercontinental Championship - Wrestlemania VIII - April 5, 1992 - Indianapolis, Indiana

 

Backstory: In January of 1992, Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart was coming to the end of his WWF contract, and not wanting to have the title on Bret while they worked out a new deal (this sound familiar to some of you?), Hart dropped the title to The Mountie (Jacques Rougeau, Jr.) at a house show in Springfield, Massachusetts on January 17th. Using the excuse that Bret, after wrestling with a high fever in his title loss, needed time off, Rowdy Roddy Piper challenged the Mountie at the Royal Rumble on the 19th, winning the gold. This set up a natural match between Piper and Hart, and it was signed for April 5, 1992 at Wrestlemania in Indianapolis, Indiana at the Hoosier Dome. That is, it would seem natural today.

 

Remember, this is 1992 WWF, where babyfaces rarely wrestled each other. In fact, there had not been a face vs. face title match since two years earlier, when Ultimate Warrior faced Hulk Hogan. In the weeks leading to the match, WWF made the surprising decision to not turn either wrestler into more of a crowd favorite. They would face off during interviews, with both getting their shots in at the other, but neither crossing the line into becoming a heel. Piper would talk about being invited into the Hart home for lunch, then toss in a shot that Bret's mother only put one slice of baloney on the sandwiches. Bret would say that Roddy Piper looked good with the title belt, but then remind everyone that Piper never beat him for the title. In one memorable interview, Bret turned to leave,

and Piper held the belt as if to bash Bret over the head. Bret

turned and Piper smiled at him and said "I could have had you", once again showing that neither man was going to take a shortcut to beat the other.

 

Finally, during a pre-match interview, the sparks began to fly.

Piper went to playfully pinch Hart on the cheek, and Bret told him to "keep his hands to himself". Bret tried to recreate Piper's "I could have had you moment", but Piper was ready for it, and shrugged Hart away. The battle of "good guys" now had a new element: Which one would lose their cool first?

 

Pre-Match: Bret Hart came to the ring first, while Bobby Heenan, on color commentary, referred to the match as being a "streetfighter" vs. the "excellence of execution". Piper, looking very focused, walked to the ring, only occasionally reaching out to slap five with fans. Hart gave his trademark glasses to a fan at ringside. Gorilla Monsoon, doing play-by-play, predicted that the bout would be more of a "knockout, drag down" affair than a scientific encounter.

 

Match: The bell rang, but Piper took his time taking off his T-

shirt and kilt. The referee called them into the center of the

ring, and Piper and Hart went nose to nose, neither saying

anything. They circled the ring, and locked up. Piper turned it

into an armdrag, and sent Hart to the mat. Hart circled Piper, but seemed tentative to lockup again. They did, and this time Hart armdragged Piper to the mat. Piper backed up to a corner. They locked up again, and Piper tripped Hart to the mat. Piper went for a waistlock as Hart tried to move out of it, but Piper stayed on the ride. Hart got his feet under him, and Piper held the waistlock. Hart dropped down, and flung Piper off his waist and through the ropes to the floor. Piper, aggravated, rushed back into the ring and got in Hart's face. Hart shoved Piper, and Piper spit his gum at Hart. The tempers were starting to flare.

 

Piper called for a test of strength, and Hart agreed. After staying with the knucklelock for a moment, Piper stepped over one arm to break the hold, then twisted the other. Hart reversed with an armtwist of his own, and put the pressure on the arm. Hart hit the arm twice, an Piper tried to chop his way out of the armwringer. Hart maintained the hold. Piper took Bret to the corner, rammed him facefirst into the top turnbuckle, and continued to chop, but Hart would not let go of the arm. Hart rode Piper to the mat with the armwringer, then turned it into a hammerlock. Piper got to his knees, and Hart went into an armbar. Piper managed to whip out of

it. Hart rebounded off the ropes and Piper missed a clothesline.

Hart hit a dropkick, but clutched his shoulder as he landed on the mat. Piper got to his feet, but Hart was still down on the mat. The referee told Piper to back off, and he did. Hart then reached up and grabbed Piper in a small package for the first two count of the bout. Piper and Hart sprung to their feet, and Piper slapped Hart for the trick he had just pulled.

 

Bret shoved Piper, and Piper grabbed Hart in a sideheadlock after a short right hand. Bret reversed the hold, and Piper shoved Hart to the ropes. Hart came back with a flying cross bodyblock, and Piper caught Bret, but Roddy stumbled backwards towards the ropes. They both flipped over the top and landed on the floor. Piper went back into the ring first, then held the ropes open and invited Hart back in. Hart warily entered, and there was no double-cross, getting applause from the fans. Piper pointed at Hart's untied bootlace,

and when Bret and the referee bent over to fix it, Piper clipped

Hart with an uppercut. Hart was laid out on the mat, and as he got up, Roddy attacked, hitting punches and stomping Hart on the back of the head. Piper lifted Hart off the mat, and Bret was bleeding from the head. Piper hit another right, then rammed Hart into the top turnbuckle. Piper grabbed a side headlock and delivered another right. Piper hit a running bulldog from the corner and scored a two count.

 

Piper argued with the referee briefly about the count, then went back to Hart. Piper bit Hart on the head, then whipped him hard into the opposite corner. Piper slapped Hart, and executed a kneelift for a two count. Piper punched the wound again, and went for a backdrop, but Hart countered with a sunsetflip for a two count. Piper hit a series of jabs, knocking Hart to the mat for a two count. Piper lifted Hart again, and fired off another shot. He and Hart exchanged punches, then Hart bounced off the ropes and hit a flying forearm, sending Piper to the floor. Piper ran back into the ring, and he and Hart clotheslined each other. Both men were down, and although Piper's head was resting on Hart's side (and all four shoulders were down) no pinfall count was made. The referee

began a ten count, but Piper was getting up at six.

 

Piper went to the top rope, but Hart, playing possum, sprung up and ran to the corner. Hart hit Piper in the midsection, then held him by his hair and pulled him so that Piper was stretched out from the corner, with his feet hooked over the top rope. Hart drove Piper face first into the mat. Hart hit a reverse atomic drop and a vertical suplex for a two count. Hart delivered a side Russian legsweep for another two count. Hart delivered a side backbreaker and grabbed Piper's legs for the Sharpshooter. Piper kept grabbing Hart's foot so that he could not step over his legs and apply the hold, so Hart instead drove an elbow into Piper's head. Hart went to the second rope and went for another elbow, but Piper got his

foot up to catch Hart in the face. Piper and Hart, on their knees, exchanged punches. They worked their way up to their feet, continuing to throw punches. Hart hit a headbutt and grabbed a side headlock. Piper shoved off Hart, who slammed into the referee, knocking him down. Piper then hit Hart with a clothesline, knocking him to the floor.

 

Piper followed Hart to the floor, and rammed Hart face first into

the ring steps. Piper tossed Hart into the ring, then grabbed the ring bell and followed. Piper stood over Hart, poised to hit Hart with the bell. Hart grabbed at Piper's foot, but Roddy kicked him away. Hart was on his knees in front of Roddy, but Piper hesitated, and didn't swing the bell. Piper looked at the crowd, who was starting to boo his action. Piper raised the bell again, then decided against it and tossed the bell to the floor. The fans cheered the move.

 

Piper hit Hart with a right hand. Hart took a swing, but Piper

ducked, and then clamped on a sleeperhold. Hart, near the corner, jumped up and kicked off the turnbuckles, sending himself and Piper backwards to the mat. Hart flipped over, and with Piper still holding the sleeper, Hart was cradled above his upper body. Piper's shoulders were on the mat, and the referee counted three. Bret Hart was the new Intercontinental Champion.

 

Post-Match: Hart was bloody on the mat, while Piper sprung up, realizing he had just been pinned. Piper took the Intercontinental Title belt, and placed it over Hart's shoulder, then picked him up off the mat. Piper secured the belt around Hart's waist, and the two embraced. Piper and Hart then walked away from the ring together.

 

Aftermath: Roddy Piper would leave the WWF for another sabbatical from wrestling. He would make a surprise appearance at Summerslam that year, then would make appearances at Wrestlemania X and XI as a special referee. He would come back for another brief run in early 1996, then in October of 1996 would show up in WCW to renew his

classic feud with Hulk Hogan. ... Bret Hart had a busy year, losing the Intercontinental Title to Davey Boy Smith at Wembley Stadium, but bouncing back to win his first WWF World Heavyweight Championship by defeating Ric Flair via submission on his way to becoming "the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be".

 

Credit: Buck Woodward

[MillenniumMan831 0]

Awesome match indeed! I don't know how forgotten it is though, but good stuff.

 

A real forgotten classic involving Bret Hart has got to be The Hart Foundation vs. Strike Force from 11/87 at MSG. The Harts pull out all the stops to try to get the belts back and fall just short. Great F'N match! To my knowledge, it's not available on any CV or comm release, but it should've been. Completely blew the title switch match away. Maybe this weekend I'll do a summary of the match.

[Steviekick 0]

Hart/Piper was propably my favorite Piper match ever. Great stuff.

[Guest Trivia247]

forgotten stuff would be the matches you see on the old WWF Coliseum tapes like Invasion of the Bodyslammers and Grudges gripes and grunts lo

 

I been collecting those type of tapes there are alot of cool older matches well older 89-90's

 

like Ric Flair & HBK vs Bret Hart & Randy Savage

[JHawk 0]

A forgotten classic would be the Rockers-Orient Express match from Royal Rumble 1991. Easily the second or third best WWF match of the year (behind Hart-Perfect from SummerSlam and possibly Savage-Warrior from WrestleMania VII).

[Gert T 0]

A forgotten classic would be the Rockers-Orient Express match from Royal Rumble 1991. Easily the second or third best WWF match of the year (behind Hart-Perfect from SummerSlam and possibly Savage-Warrior from WrestleMania VII).

No, doubt, it seemed like the Orient Express always had their 'A' game at RR's.

 

I was hoping they were going to be back in the WWF and get thrown around by the Steiners at RR 93.

[Youth N Asia 0]

Forgotten my ass! I love that match, and the crowd is way into it.

[Drury37 0]

FAVORITE MATCH EVER, I have that and The Rockers Vs. The Orient Express match from WWF Royal Rumble 1991, both great matches, haha!!!

Thanks.

[JHawk 0]

Which match are you referring to, YNA? If it's the Rockers-Orient Express match, I'd say it's been pretty much forgotten except by those of us who go to message boards like this. Outside of reviews of that PPV, nobody ever talks about it.

 

If you're referring to Bret-Piper, then calling it forgotten is rather silly since even the Aptermags bring it up nearly every WrestleMania issue.

[WrestlingDeacon 0]

I love that Rockers vs. Orient Express match. It's damn near five stars in my book and probably the hottest opener I've ever seen for a WWF show.

 

Piper vs. Bret is hardly forgotten, but I don't think I love it as much as most. It seemed disjointed to me in spots and Piper trying to play that he was going to turn heel didn't rope me in like it should have.

[Guest MideonMark]

Agreed the Rockers vs OE match doesn't get anywhere near the mentions it should, cause its a great match. The finish to match was awesome as well.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

I enjoy both tremendously, and give them both right around **** to ****1/4. Rockers/OE is chock full of boring resting, though, and Janetty looked like dogshit for the most part. Quite good otherwise.

[Guest The Old Me]

I don't think Hart vs Piper was forgotten, as I watched it the other day and it's on a Wrestlemania for christs sake.

[Youth N Asia 0]

Hart/Piper might by my favorite Mania match ever. I know it's cheesy now, but I love how the crowd kept Piper from going heel on Bret.

[EL DANDY~! 0]

A TRUE forgotten classic:

 

I think it was Clash XVI, but it could have been XIV...anyways, it was supposed to be The Enforcers, Zybysko and Anderson vs. The Texas Boys, Windham and Dustin Rhodes. Windham got his hand broken by Zybysko weeks before, so Rhodes had to go and get a replacement: RICKY STEAMBOAT.

 

This match is probably the most forgotten classic tag match of the 90s, and it's a crying shame, because Steamboat changes his last name to Morton and the Enforcers cheat like HELL to try and win. It's just a helluva match, seeing heel tactics that are just classic and whompass in nature. Rhodes does what he does best, and that's be the hot tag man, and boy HOWDY does he ever whoop ass. Steamer skins the cat and hits the bodypress for the win. Somebody needs to get that match so I can see it again. Just southern tag brilliance...

[Guest BAR]

A great match. One of my WWF top 20. It was overshadowed by Savage/Flair though. One of my top 5 from the WWF.

[Drury37 0]

That WCW Tag Team Title Match was actually from WCW Clash of the Champions XVII, it is a great match, I almost won it on EBay like yesterday but got out bid pretty late and then the price just kept going up so I decided not to go for it, haha!!!

Thanks.

[Guest Choken One]

If you want a copy...you could get pretty easy via Kazaa or at the local suncoast...It's in a nifty box that says

 

"WRESTLEMANIA VIII".

 

It's easy to find.

 

How is it a Forgotten Classic? It's brought all the time...

[SteakGrowsOnUecker 0]

July 1994 Raw. HBK vs. Razor Ramon

It was the return match from Wrestlemania 10 and was Shawn's first match back from Wrestlemania 10. I always thought this was a great match. No outside interference from Diesel because he was kicked out by the ref, and Shawn picked up the win cleanly.

 

1998 SummerSlam Rock vs. HHH IC Title Ladder Match

This match probably isn't forgoten by most but it was a great match. HHH won the match also, so you've gotta love that.

 

1994 SummerSlam Bret vs. Owen inside a steel cage

An EPIC match. I'm stating this because if you forgot about it you NEED to watch it.

[Drury37 0]

If you want a copy...you could get pretty easy via Kazaa or at the local suncoast...It's in a nifty box that says

 

"WRESTLEMANIA VIII".

 

It's easy to find.

 

How is it a Forgotten Classic? It's brought all the time...

Was this a response to my message because if so I want you to know I already have WWF WrestleMania VIII on video along with the other 18 WWF or WWE WrestleMania's on video, I was talking about WCW Clash of the Champions XVII!!!

Thanks.

[bob_barron 0]

A TRUE forgotten classic:

 

I think it was Clash XVI, but it could have been XIV...anyways, it was supposed to be The Enforcers, Zybysko and Anderson vs. The Texas Boys, Windham and Dustin Rhodes. Windham got his hand broken by Zybysko weeks before, so Rhodes had to go and get a replacement: RICKY STEAMBOAT.

 

This match is probably the most forgotten classic tag match of the 90s, and it's a crying shame, because Steamboat changes his last name to Morton and the Enforcers cheat like HELL to try and win. It's just a helluva match, seeing heel tactics that are just classic and whompass in nature. Rhodes does what he does best, and that's be the hot tag man, and boy HOWDY does he ever whoop ass. Steamer skins the cat and hits the bodypress for the win. Somebody needs to get that match so I can see it again. Just southern tag brilliance...

The match is a tad overrated- It's a great match but not ***** MOTY or anything like that. There are a couple rest spots in the match that get pretty boring.

 

Sting/Luger v. Steiners from the same year is a better match

[Guest Choken One]

If you want a copy...you could get pretty easy via Kazaa or at the local suncoast...It's in a nifty box that says

 

"WRESTLEMANIA VIII".

 

It's easy to find.

 

How is it a Forgotten Classic? It's brought all the time...

Was this a response to my message because if so I want you to know I already have WWF WrestleMania VIII on video along with the other 18 WWF or WWE WrestleMania's on video, I was talking about WCW Clash of the Champions XVII!!!

Thanks.

No.

 

The thread in question was what I was refering to

[Guest Dmann2000]

How about Hollywood Blondes vs Douglas/Steamboat from COTC XXII, that's a great match with great heat. But cause it's from a COTC it's rare and not easily accesible.

 

'cept for me cause I've got that clash along with 3 others from 92 on 1 tape

[bob_barron 0]

Seen it-

 

It's amazing. Every Blondes v. Douglas/Steamer match was great

[Drury37 0]

How about Hollywood Blondes vs Douglas/Steamboat from COTC XXII, that's a great match with great heat.  But cause it's from a COTC it's rare and not easily accesible.

 

'cept for me cause I've got that clash along with 3 others from 92 on 1 tape

Does that video also have WCW Clash of the Champions XVIII, XIX and XX? If so I have the same one, awesome video, one of my favorites, haha!!!

Thanks.

Edited August 16, 2003 by Drury37

[Guest Dmann2000]

How about Hollywood Blondes vs Douglas/Steamboat from COTC XXII, that's a great match with great heat.  But cause it's from a COTC it's rare and not easily accesible.

 

'cept for me cause I've got that clash along with 3 others from 92 on 1 tape

Does that video also have Clash of the Champions XVII, XIX and XX? If so I have the same one, awesome video, one of my favorites, haha!!!

Thanks.

It's XVIII (Jan 92) but yeah, that's the tape.

[JHawk 0]

July 1994 Raw. HBK vs. Razor Ramon

It was the return match from Wrestlemania 10 and was Shawn's first match back from Wrestlemania 10. I always thought this was a great match. No outside interference from Diesel because he was kicked out by the ref, and Shawn picked up the win cleanly.

 

August 1, 1994, actually. I remember being pissed off because that taping was like 30 minutes from home and I couldn't find anybody who was willing to go (I was 15 at the time). I remember that being pretty good but I only ever saw it on first airing.

[Drury37 0]

How about Hollywood Blondes vs Douglas/Steamboat from COTC XXII, that's a great match with great heat.  But cause it's from a COTC it's rare and not easily accesible.

 

'cept for me cause I've got that clash along with 3 others from 92 on 1 tape

Does that video also have Clash of the Champions XVII, XIX and XX? If so I have the same one, awesome video, one of my favorites, haha!!!

Thanks.

It's XVIII (Jan 92) but yeah, that's the tape.

That is what I meant, it all fixed, thanks for noticing that, haha!!!

Thanks.

[bob_barron 0]

Why in every post do you write haha!!! ?

 

Regarding Piper v. Bret-

 

Piper holding up the bell and hearing someone yell: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO is just great stuff

[Drury37 0]

It is not in everyone but if I make a funny comment or like a sarcastic comment I sometimes do it, it almost like a bad habbit, MUST STOP DOING THAT!!!

Thanks.