Wednesday Night Bootleg: Bret v. Vader

Bret Hart v. Vader Stockton 1/4/97


Bret Hart vs. Vader by Stinger1981

PAS: This is another one of those missed opportunity match ups. These guys had really great chemistry with each other, although they never really had much of a one on one feud. This is a really fun brawl, which kept a brisker pace then many of Hart's matches. Vader was flying all over the ring, including a second rope shoulder tackle which I don't remember him doing before. Hart also catches a flying bodypress into a powerslam. Vader also took a couple of chairshots and slams into the rail and stairs. Finish was fun as Austin came barreling out of nowhere to clip Bret in the knee and he and Vader stomp him up a bit. Cool discovery.

ER: I really liked heel Bret, and loved the moment of him just kicking Vader right in the balls. A real great equalizer that wouldn't have made sense in any other Bret matches. Vader was so awesome here, just mauling Bret with his cool bear paw attacks. Vader punching dudes in ring corners is one of my favorite things ever. Phil's right about the shoulder tackle: I remember seeing him hit a 2nd rope tackle before, but he always landed much more vertical with it. Here he just launches himself as the world's biggest torpedo. Him taking that same move and bumping off a powerslam was insane, and he also goes up for an awesome back suplex. 14 minutes flies by, and then Austin goes and one-ups everybody with the greatest leg tackle ever. Vader and Bret are brawling and Austin just barrels in and blasts through Bret's knee from behind. Bret bumped it huge like he didn't even know it was coming. I love this match-up.