Express Hall of Fame: Bret Hart

In wrestling there are few wrestling names that carry more weight then the Hart family. Stu and Helen Hart had twelve total kids one of which was the "Hitman" Bret Hart. Bret would be the eighth child within the Hart family lineage and would follow his father's footsteps into amateur wrestling like his dad having success wrestling in college before striking into the wrestling ring. Originally Bret would work as a referee for his father in Stampede before being asked to fill in for a wrestler who missed the show on a specific night and the rest as they say is history. 

Hitman would quickly rise through the ranks of Stampede Wrestling as the tag team partner of his brother Keith and they would hold gold on four separate occasions. Bret would become one of the promotions top stars until the promotion was sold to the WWF in August 1984. Fortunately Bret, The Anvil, Davey Boy, Dynamite were brought along for the ride when the company was sold. Upon his arrival he would start exclusively teaming with his brother in-law Jim Neidhart as the top team in the Hart Foundation (Jimmy Hart's stable). Bret and Jim would become one of the top teams in the company during this era which is in many ways known as the golden age of tag team wrestling in WWF. 

The New Generation of WWF took the lead with names like Shawn Michaels, Diesel, Scott Hall and others to bring in the new era of WWF following the departure of Hulk Hogan. Bret was one of the most stable member of the roster constantly giving the best match on the show with anyone and everyone. During the new generation Bret would have two of the most underrated feuds of the era with Jerry Lawler and of course a year long blood feud with his brother Owen Hart. Fast forward to 1997 when Bret turned heel to reform the Hart Foundation with Davey Boy, Owen, Jim Neidhart, and Brian Pillman. Hart would become a Canadian hero denouncing American and becoming a rare start that was a heel in one country and a face in another. 

In 1996, Hart started his first blood feud in a few years fighting relative newbie "Stone Cold" Steve Austin who would become a star thanks to the "Hitman." The other feud began in early 1996 and would be more backstage then on camera against Shawn Michaels. We ain't going to talk about Montreal! Bret would head south in late 1997 to join WCW and a lot has been made of his run in WCW not much of it was good. Bret would hold the WCW Tag titles, United States Title twice, and World Title during his run with the company that was cut short due to a concussion he sustained against Goldberg at Starrcade 99. 

It can't be understated the legacy that Bret Hart has left behind on the world of wrestling as he made it cool to be a technical wrestler. Truly "Hitman" was the "Excellence of Execution" and it is my honor to induct Bret Hart into the Wrestling Express Hall of Fame Class of 2021.