Bret Hart vs. Ricky Steamboat 03/08/86

Where: Boston, MA

Backstory:

Even though Bret Hart was a midcarder at best he was probably one of the company's best workers in 1986. He didn't have the size or personality of many of the top workers, but wrestling fans always enjoyed his matches. He was slated to wrestle Ricky Steamboat at Wrestlemania II in April, but Vince McMahon changed his mind at the last minute and matched Steamboat up with Hercules Hernandez.

Even though Bret lost a great opportunity to establish himself against a high profile worker like Steamboat, they were matched up in Boston at a house show. According to Bret's autobiography, Steamboat told Bret that they should show the company what they'll be missing at Wrestlemania.

In Ring Analysis:

While Steamboat is being checked by the referee, Hart sneak attacks him to start the action. Bret pounds Steamboat in the corner while he is trying to take off his karate jacket. Steamboat comes back by reversing an Irish whip in the corner were Bret takes his chest first turnbuckle bump. Steamboat then deliberately takes off his karate jacket as anger rages up inside of him and Bret begins to beg for mercy.

Steamboat uses his martial arts chops on Bret in the corner and pounds him down to the mat. Steamboat take Bret down, then goes after Bret's manager Jimmy Hart. This lets the fans know that Jimmy might get involved in the action later. Steamboat goes back to Bret and works an armbar after hitting some strikes.

Bret works his way up, but Steamboat twists his arm to apply more pressure and starts pounding on the arm. this is an art that I feel is lacking in opening match wear down holds today. I feel a lot of times wrestlers put a guy in a headlock or armbar, but the other guy isn't working out of it, and the offensive worker isn't using it to apply more damage.

Steamboat keeps using a series of strikes on the arm while holding the armbar, then gets a great move as he uses leverage to pick Bret up by his arm and drop him to the mat. Steamboat then applies a hammerlock and rams Bret shoulder first into the turnbuckle. Steamboat back to the arm bar but Bret breaks the hold with an Irish whip. Bret tries to attack but Steamboat keeps dodging by sliding through his legs twice and hits a deep arm drag.

Steamboat has the arm drag on by Bret breaks wit a punch to the gut and head. Steamboat reverses an Irish whip and instead of sliding through Bret's legs he leapfrogs Bret twice. He goes for the hiptoss, but this time Bret is ready and blocks it. Steamboat comes back and reverses out of it and hits the hiptoss on the second try. This is a great sequence because it shows that Bret is smart and talented enough to learn from his first mistakes, but Steamboat is quicker and more talented so he can make quick adjustments.

Steamboat back to the arm bar. He hits a legdrop on the arm and reapplies the hold. This time he lets a legdrop and a fist drop to the arm. Steamboat is firmly in control of the action. Bret starts punching out, and on the third try Steamboat releases the hold. Hart then tries for an atomic drop, but Steamboat flips out out of the move and hits a great superkick to the jaw. Steamboat throws Bret to the ropes, but gets caught with a neckbreaker. Bret finally gets some sustained offense in the match.

Bret follows up on the neck with a leg drop. He then gets a headbutt and an elbow to the chest. Bret then starts to focus his offense to Steamboat's abdomen hitting him off an irish whip which sent him to the outside. Steamboat back on the apron an Bret pounds on him. He then gets suplexed back in the ring for a 2 count.

Bret begins working an side headlock. Steamboat battles out but then has a bodyslam attempt blocked into a crossbody block for another nearfall. Bret sends Steamboat in the ropes again but his side backbreaker attempt is reversed and this time Steamboat hits the bodyslam. This is another great sequence that gets the audience to think that the face is down, but he then comes back to show that he is the superior wrestler.

Both men slowly get up, but Steamboat comes to first. He tries for a splash, but Bret puts his knees up and Steamboat's already injured abdomen is further punished. The Hitman sends him to the outside, and slams him on the floor. Steamboat struggles to get back in the ring, but Bret catches him with a running powerslam as soon as he gets in for a nearfall.

Bret then gets the side backbreaker that Steamboat slipped out of last time. Bret then goes for an elbow drop off the second rope, but Steamboat moves before Hart lands. Steamboat makes his big comeback and takes Hart down with a series of martial arts strikes. Steamboad then hit a belly-to back suplex for a nearfall. Steamboat continues to pound on Bret in the corner. The referee tries to get Steamboat to break twice, but The Dragon pushes him off. He tries to whip Bret into the turnbuckle, but after a double reversal, Steamboat gets whipped into the referee which knocks him out.

Bret then hits a flying clothesline, but the ref is out. Bret drags him back up. Bret then goes back on the attack. He whips Steamboat into the ropes and comes back with a crossbody, but Steamboat reverses and the revived ref counts to three giving Steamboat the win.

Winner in 15:10 Ricky Steamboat ***3/4

This was a really fun match wit Steamboat using the arm bar between moves which is very much a staple of Jim Crocket Promotions which Steamboat was a product. This is noted during my review of Brian Pillman vs. Lex Luger.

Steamboat has great timing and all of his offense was crisp. Bret got to showcase a lot of his stuff, but it was never done in a way which made him look like a better wrestler than
Steamboat. Wrestlemania 2 didn't really have any good matches, so it's a shame this match never got a chance.