After the rise of the Hart Foundation as a team and faction, they would move on to singles success, introduce family members, and the group would move on into different directions.
However, as mentioned in the previous part of this Hart Foundation forever series, the faction would come to an end after one faithful evening.
Hart Foundation Forever – Montreal Screwjob
Being the WWF Champion, the Hitman had a target on his back. Around November 1997, it was becoming clear that Bret did not like the direction the WWF was taking.
It was announced that at the Survivor Series that year, the main event was Bret “Hitman ” Hart defending the WWF Championship against Shawn Michaels.
The month before Survivor Series at One Night Only, Shawn defeated the British Bulldog for the European Championship in Birmingham, England. The war between the Harts and DX was reaching its peak. To top that off, Survivor Series ’97 would be held in Montreal, Canada.
The Hitman didn’t know it, but behind his back, Vince had other ideas. Somebody convinced Vince McMahon that Bret was going to take the WWF Championship with him to WCW.
The decision was made that if Bret would not lose the title to Shawn, then it would be taken from him. Bret had no intention of bringing the WWF Title to WCW.
Survivor Series had arrived, and everyone knew by now that this was Bret Hart’s final match in the WWF. Tonight was going to be history.
At one point, Shawn Michaels actually got Bret Hart in his own move, the Sharpshooter. Bret was about to reverse the move, which was the next spot, when someone rang the bell.
The Hitman did not even tap. Bret looked confused. Honestly, HBK looked confused, too. Bret looked up and saw Vince McMahon. Earl Hebner, the referee, most likely in fear for his job, called for the bell.
Shawn Michaels was the new WWF Champion. The rest of the Foundation came to the ring to try to calm down The Hitman. Legend has it that in the locker room, Bret Hart made a Stu Hart judgment call and knocked out Vince McMahon.
After that altercation, McMahon had a black eye. Not only did Vince McMahon have a black eye, but the sport as a whole also had a black eye. Bret “Hitman” Hart was headed to WCW, and the WWF was embracing a new “attitude.”
Raw is Owen
Unfortunately, the rest of the Hart Foundation were still under WWF contract. After a few weeks off TV, Owen Hart returned and attacked DX, standing up for his family.
Owen did get a few chances at HBK but never a title match. He was instead relegated to fighting Triple H for the European Title. Owen eventually went on to join the Nation of Domination in their feud against DX.
He also formed a successful tag team with friend Jeff Jarrett. Together, they became WWF tag team champions. Owen knew his contract was ending in a few years, so he was content to stay mid-card.
Soon, the decision was made to revisit a character Owen portrayed in the 80s called the Blue Blazer. The whole point of this character was to make fun of superheroes, reflecting the WWF’s new attitude.
Owen would give corny promos and be clumsy on purpose. Owen was set to challenge The Godfather for the Intercontinental title and In Your House Over the Edge in 1998.
As part of his entrance, he was going to zip line into the ring. Unfortunately, that night would be Owen Hart’s last match. The stunt went wrong when Owens’ Blue Blazer gear got caught.
Owen Hart fell to his death that fateful night in Kansas City . On the next Raw the WWF said goodbye to Owen Hart with a tribute called Raw is Owen.
WCW
By that time, Bret Hart had been in WCW for almost two years. At first, Bret was with WCW, challenging the NWO. The British Bulldog and Jim the Anvil Neidhart essentially paid to get out of the WWF.
They then jumped ship to WCW as well. Here, WCW had three of the Hart Foundation under contract and did nothing with them.
The Hitman eventually became an NWO sympathizer, helping Hollywood Hogan keep the WCW Championship. Bret Hart had a few really good matches with Ric Flair, Sting, and Booker T.
During his feud with Flair, The Anvil, Jim Neidhart, made his WCW debut. Flair attacked the Anvil after he said Bret was a better wrestler than Flair. Bret Hart won that match as Flair tapped out to the Sharpshooter.
The Hitman also captured the United States Title. Bret was absent from WCW television a lot. Briefly, the British Bulldog and Jim Neidhart would tag together on random episodes of WCW Thunder.
Things turned from bad to worse for the Bulldog. He injured his back severely during Fall Brawl 1998, where a trap door was put in the ring so the Ultimate Warrior could appear during the main event that night.
Davey Boy awkwardly landed on the trap door. He developed a spinal infection that paralyzed him for months. His WCW contract was terminated due to his inability to wrestle.
Jim the Anvil Neidhart was his tag team partner during that fall brawl match . Without his partner Neidhart wrestled a few WCW house shows then was released as well.
Davey Boy Smith returned to the WWE for a short while, feuding with Triple H and The Rock in 2000. He won the European title from Dlo Brown but lost it several days later. Davey Boy left the WWE .
He started tagging with his son, Harry Smith. He was even considering a return to the ring. Tragically, Davey Boy Smith died of heart failure before he could realize that goal.
Bret Hart returned to WCW Nitro shortly after Owen’s death. WCW also paid tribute to the fallen star. That night, Bret wrestled against Chris Benoit.
This match was special. It was also held in the same arena where Owen died. WCW fans had signs that said “Do It for Owen ” and “This one is for Owen”.
In a WWE DVD, Bret said he thinks about the time at SummerSlam ’94 in the cage match with Owen, and the superplex from the top of the cage where he protected his brother on the way down. He wished he could have protected him that night in Kansas City.
A few months later, Bret Hart returned in full force to WCW. He won the WCW championship in a tournament held in, of all places, Montreal.
Bret later went on to have matches with the best WCW had to offer. For some reason WCW decided to not only make Bret Hart a member of the NWO but the leader.
As WCW World Champion, Bret Hitman Hart became leader of NWO 2000. In December of 1998 at Starrcade an awkward mule kick to the temple by Bill Goldberg ended Bret Hart’s legendary career.
Luckily for Hitman fans, Bret Hart patched things up with WWE. In 2010, in a triumphant return on Monday Night RAW, The Hitman was back where he belongs. The return led to a reconciliation with Shawn Michaels and a match at WrestleMania vs Vince McMahon.
Jim The Anvil Neidhart also returned to the WWE in a RAW 15th Anniversary Show participating in a Battle Royal. Tragically Jim Neidhart passed away in 2018. WWE honored The Anvil when they inducted the Hart Foundation into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Hart Foundation Forever – The Hart Dynasty
The Hart Foundation left a lasting impact on wrestling fans worldwide. The Foundation was set , now it was time for the next generation to rise. Natalya Neidhart, the Anvils’ daughter, was the first to arrive in the WWE.
From the time she first trained with her father and uncle Bret, she knew she was destined for this business. Following behind her was David Hart Smith. This was the British Bulldog’s son.
Tyson Kidd also arrived in the WWE soon after. TJ was trained in the Hart dungeon and would later marry Natalya. Collectively they were known as the Hart Dynasty.
Before the Dynasty could compete in a WWE ring they had to prove themselves in Florida Championship Wrestling. FCW was what NXT is today.
The proving ground for future WWE Superstars. The New Hart Foundation, along with Teddy Hart and Ted DiBiase Jr., ruled the locker room at FCW.
DH Smith won a Battle Royal becoming the first Southern Heavyweight Champion. His father the British Bulldog was famous for wining battle royals when he first began his singles career in WWF in 1991.
The WWE always knew they wanted to bring the Hart Family to the main roster. Unfortunately Teddy Hart was released. All the others were called up to Raw and Smackdown, but neither were on the same show.
Smith actually went back to FCW but this time he took Natalia and Tyson Kidd with him. On October 30th 2008 they won the FCW tag team championship.
They held the title until December. After the loss, Tyson Kidd and Natalya were sent to ECW. Luckily David Hart Smith followed them. DH interfered in Kidd’s match, forming the Hart Dynasty.
On June 29th The Hart Dynasty were drafted back to Smackdown. At the WWE PPV Bragging Rights, they proved why they were the best tag team by winning a 14-team match.
They also earned a match against The WWE Unified Tag Team Champions DX . Thats right the rivalry between the Hart Family and Degeneration X was happening again several years later .
The Hart Dynasty almost defeated Triple H and HBK to win the tag titles. On March 28th 2010 after Bret Hitman Hart returned to the WWE, the Hart Dynasty were in Brets corner at WrestleMania against Mr. McMahon.
During the match the Hart Dynasty got to give Vince McMahon the Hart Foundations finishing move the Hart Attack . This was the same finisher The Hitman and The Anvil used back in the day.
Tyson Kidd has said that was his WrestleMania moment that he will never forget. Much like the OG Hart Foundation did in the 80s, The Hart Dynasty went after the Tag Team titles held by The Miz and The Big Show.
On Monday Night Raw, April 26th, 2011, The Hart Dynasty won the WWE Unified Tag Team Championship
Bret Hart wins the US Title.
Immediately, the Miz wanted revenge and challenged Tyson Kidd to a singles match. The Miz was also the current United States Champion. If Tyson Kidd defeated the Miz, the A lister would defend his championship but against any member of the Hart Dynasty he chooses. Kidd picked up the win.
However, the Miz chose to defend his title against WWE Hall of Famer Bret “Hitman” Hart. Miz figured this version of the Hitman would be an easy win, but he was really wrong.
On May 17th, 2010, Bret Hart defeated the Miz, winning the United States Championship in the process. The Miz forgot one thing Bret Hart is the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be. In reality Mike Mizanin has said that it was an honor just to tap out to the Sharpshooter.
Breakup of Dynasty
Bret Hart was named Raw General Manager. The US title was vacated. They lost the titles to Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre.
After the championship loss, it appeared as though, much like their predecessors, the Hart Dynasty was imploding. The team was not getting along, which was evident in every match.
During a match on Raw, Tyson Kidd refused to tag in Smith. Tyson Kidd slapped him instead. Before this rivalry had a chance to accelerate Tyson Kidd suffered a spinal cord injury in a match with Samoa Joe.
Tyson Kidd officially retired from the ring. Kidd may have been done in the ring, but out of it, he was just beginning. WWE hired TJ Wilson as a producer. David Hart Smith left the WWE but still continues to preserve his father’s legacy as The British Bulldog.
Natalya Dominates Her Division
Natalya Neidhart has been a staple in WWE’s women’s division. Unfortunately she does not always get the respect she deserves. Much like her father and uncle she is a future Hall of Famer.
Debuting in 2008, allying herself with another legend, Victoria. Natalya represents the tradition of the Hart Family by using the Sharpshooter as her finisher.
Besides managing her husband Tyson Kidd and her cousin DH Smith to the tag team titles, Natalya also won the Divas Championship in 2010 by not defeating one but two women Michelle McCool and Layla.
In 2017, Natalya Neidhart defeated Naomi at SummerSlam for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. This made Natalya the first women in history to have captured both titles.
She formed a viscous tag team with another Hall of Famer, Beth Phoenix, calling themselves the Divas of Doom. At WWE Payback Bret Hart was in Natalyas corner against Charollete Flair with her father Ric Flair in her corner.
The highlight of the match was when Bret put the Sharpshooter on Ric while Natalya put the Sharpshooter on Charlotte. She has been with the WWE longer than any current women’s competitor.
Natalya is a huge part of the development of the women’s division in WWE. Just like her uncle Bret, she makes her opponents better.
No one has ever come out of a match with Natalya worse off than before. Nattie and TJ Wilson aka Tyson Kidd have been dating since they were 12.
If you watch In Your House Canadian Stampede you might catch TJ and Nattie in the ring celebrating with the rest of the Hart Family. Natalya Neidhart is in a class by herself. She continues to give back to the business by training future stars.
Lexis King
Someone who we have not talked alot about is another Hart Foundation legacy. Brian Pillman Jr. aka Lexis King has just as much ‘hart” as all the other members.
His father the late great Brian Pillman was an integral part of the 1997 Hart Foundation. Pillman Jr is mostly known for competing in Major League Wrestling and All Elite Wrestling.
In MLW Pillman joined forces with DH Smith and Teddy Hart. They did capture the MLW Tag Team Championship . They called themselves the New Era Hart Foundation.
This, however, did not last long as Pillman went to work for AEW. In 2023 Pillman was signed to NXT. He now calls himself Lexis King.
He has won the NXT Heritage Cup. Lexis King has yet to debut on the main roster but you can bet you will see some similarities to his father.
Wrestling has always been about respect. The Hart Foundation took it to another level. From the dungeon of Stampede Wrestling The Hart Family has become legendary.
The debut of the Hart Foundation in WWF as the pink and black attack set the standard. The Hall of Fame careers of Bret Hitman Hart, Owen Hart, Jim The Anvil Neidhardt, The British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith and Brian Pillman will be talked about for years to come.
In 1997, the WWF was a land of factions. The Harts were always one step ahead of the game because they were a family, not a faction. Blood truly was thicker than water as the Hart Foundation t-shirt said.
In modern wrestling, the Hart Foundation lives on through Natalya Neidhart in the women’s division. In 2010, The Hart Dynasty carried on the tag team legacy.
Tyson Kidd continues to keep the Hart legacy alive as a WWE producer. If that was a five star match most likely Kidd produced it.
Lexis King keeps fans glued to their seats in NXT. Wrestling and the Hart Foundation have always been one in the same.
Just like every family, they have disagreements, but they always come back together. They truly are the Foundation of wrestling. This was the Hart Foundation forever.
