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Bret Hart’s Greatest WWE SummerSlam Matches

By Jay Sichler

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WWF SummerSlam 1997, Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey

WWF Championship Match with Shawn Michaels as special guest referee.
Bret Hart vs. The Undertaker (c)

Result: Bret Hart defeats The Undertaker via pinfall to win the WWF Championship

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 Stars

By 1997 a new type of attitude had taken over the wrestling world. Good wholesome characters were viewed as boring and as things of the past. Stone Cold Steve Austin with his brash and harsh attitude was viewed as a new hero and a character the modern man could relate too.

Bret Hart on the other hand could not understand why fans would cheer for a person like Stone Cold Steve Austin. Austin, had become a thorn in Bret’s side for most of 1997 and their feud culminated in memorable submission match at Wrestlemania 13. Bret won the match but Austin was viewed as the hero, and the fans began to side with Austin and turned on Bret.

Angry at this, Bret turned his back on the American fans and became a villain in the United States. Aligning himself with his family members Owen Hart, The British Bulldog, Jim Neidhart and family friend Brian Pillman, Bret formed the New Hart Foundation. The group was viewed as hero’s in Canada and villains in the United States, starting a Canada vs United States rivalry in wrestling.

Going into Summerslam 1997, Bret Hart was in a feud with both The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels. With Bret and Undertaker slated for the main event, Michaels was brought in to be the guest referee. Bret Hart feeling confident in his ability wagered that if he couldn’t beat the Undertaker at Summerslam, then he would never wrestle in the United States again.

The match begins with Bret Hart snatching the WWE Championship, and knocking The Undertaker in the back with it. This does nothing but anger Undertaker and he then unleashes a fury of punches onto Bret. Undertaker then sends Bret to the outside. The two battle outside for a short period with the Undertaker driving Bret into the ring post twice.

Undertaker then brings Bret into the ring applying pressure to the back of Bret with a back breaker. Undertaker then applies a bear-hug onto Bret continuing to work on the back. Undertaker then tries to land an elbow drop onto Bret, but Bret ducks out of the way giving Bret the opening he needs to jump on the offense.

Bret begins to work on the legs of the Undertaker putting him a figure four leg lock in the middle of the ring. Out of no where Paul Bearer begins to walk down to the ring. Seeing Paul Bearer down at ringside makes Undertaker furious as the two had feuded for the past year. Undertaker breaks out of the figure four runs out of the ring and attacks Paul Bearer until he is attacked from behind by Bret.

Bret continues to work on Undertaker’s leg while Paul Bearer is escorted away from ringside. Bret then uses the ring post to apply a modified version of the figure four. Bret continues to work on Undertaker’s knee when all of a sudden, Owen Hart and Brian Pillman of the Hart Foundation come to ringside.

Seeing them from the ring the Undertaker is able to gain momentum to knock Bret down to get to the outside to attack Pillman and Owen. Undertaker then comes back to the ring and chokeslams Bret for a pinfall. However, Shawn Michaels is outside trying to get Pillman and Owen out of ringside. Angry about this Undertaker grabs Michaels on the apron, thinking Michaels purposely didn’t count for him. With his back turned Bret rolls up Undertaker by behind but only gets a two count.

Bret then goes back on the offense connecting with a suplex and a diving elbow from the second rope. He covers Undertaker again for a two count. Bret then lands a DDT and covers Undertaker again for another two-count. Bret continues landing a Russian leg sweep and a leg drop.

Bret then tries to apply a Sharpshooter but the Undertaker counters and kicks Bret to the turnbuckle. Undertaker tires to gain momentum trying to hit another chokeslam but Bret kicks Undertaker in the leg. Bret then throws Undertaker in to the ropes, but the Undertaker comes flying back land a clotheline on Bret.

Undertaker jumps on the offense landing a big boot and a leg drop covering Bret for a two count. Undertaker then is able to land a chokeslam, he covers Bret, but he kicks out after two. Undertaker then tries to go for old school but Bret knocks Undertaker off the top rope.

Bret then locks in the Sharpshooter on Undertaker, but The Undertaker is able to use his strength to break the Sharpshooter. Undertaker then tries to go for a tombstone but Bret is able to counter it. Bret then locks Undertaker’s leg to the ring post and uses it to do a modified Sharpshooter. Undertaker uses his force to break it, but Bret goes flying to the outside crashing into Shawn Michaels, knocking Michaels out.

With Michaels knocked out Bret grabs a chair from outside and nails Undertaker in the head with it. He pins him with Michaels coming back in the ring but Bret only gets a two count. Michaels then sees the chair that Bret used, they begin to argue. Bret then spits in Shawn Michaels face, angry Michaels swings the chair, but he misses Bret and he hits The Undertaker. Bret then covers The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels has no choice but to count the pinfall as Bret Hart wins the match.

After winning the match, Bret Hart entered his fifth reign as WWE champion. His reign would end in November at Survivor Series to Shawn Michaels due to the infamous Montreal Screwjob. This would be Bret’s last SummerSlam in his incredible WWE run. Through his tremendous WWE run Bret Hart proved that he was undoubtedly the greatest competitor in the history of SummerSlam.

What was your favorite Bret Hart SummerSlam match? Let us know in the comment section below. Like, Share, follow me on twitter @JaySichler.

Next: Reviewing WWE SummerSlam's Greatest Matches

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