April 28th 1987. The Edmund P Joyce Center in South Bend, Indiana is our stage for the evening, as a 2 out of 3 falls tag team match is showcase bout. The Hart Foundation and The British Bulldogs have been tied to each other’s hips for months at this point. Generational talents bound by blood and marriage, these four men are not only setting the tag world on fire, but the entire wrestling industry, as well. So, how did we get here?
Grab a figgy pudding and some poutine, coz we gotta roll this one back, with a Rewind
*water*
Please drink some.
Make sure to follow us on all social media platforms @feudrewind
Email: feudrewind@gmail.com
Thank you!
April 28th 1987. The Edmund P Joyce Center in South Bend, Indiana is our stage for the evening, as a 2 out of 3 falls tag team match is showcase bout. The Hart Foundation and The British Bulldogs have been tied to each other’s hips for months at this point. Generational talents bound by blood and marriage, these four men are not only setting the tag world on fire, but the entire wrestling industry, as well. So, how did we get here?
Grab a figgy pudding and some poutine, coz we gotta roll this one back, with a Rewind
*water*
Please drink some.
Make sure to follow us on all social media platforms @feudrewind
Email: feudrewind@gmail.com
Thank you!
EP.15
TITLE: Hart Foundation vs British Bulldogs
INTRO:
April 28th 1987. The Edmund P Joyce Center in South Bend, Indiana is our stage for the evening, as a 2 out of 3 falls tag team match is showcase bout. The Hart Foundation and The British Bulldogs have been tied to each other’s hips for months at this point. Generational talents bound by blood and marriage, these four men are not only setting the tag world on fire, but the entire wrestling industry, as well. So, how did we get here?
Grab a figgy pudding and some poutine, coz we gotta roll this one back, with a Rewind.
theme music
Chapter 1:
Welcome to the Feud Rewind, I’m your host Benza Lance
So far with this podcast, we’ve been able to relive classic feuds and rivalries across many eras of wrestling, and across different promotions. One aspect of wrestling that we haven’t really touched on before is tag team wrestling. My initial instinct is to do a rewind on the Hardy vs Dudleys vs Edge and Christian feud that gave us the birth of the TLC match; that one is planned and is being worked on, but it’s such an iconoclastic rivalry involving three teams, it really demands time and attention, which it’s getting. To wet our beaks, if you will, i instead submit to you this week a quarrel from the Golden Era of WWE that helped define the tag team division at that time; The Hart Foundation vs The British Bulldogs.
The Hart Foundation was a stable that was founded in 1985. For some more info on the Hart family, and Bret specifically, take a listen to Wpisode 4, where we break down the feud he had with his brother Owen a few years after the events we’ll be discussing today. So, let’s shine a light on Bret’s tag team partner instead. Jim Neidhart was born in 1955 in Montebello, CA, and would go on to hold the California High school record for the longest shot put, holding the record he set in 1973 until 1985, coincidentally the year our feud starts. After a short lived football career with the Dallas Cowboys, the 6’2” 280lb Neidhart would travel to Calgery, Alberta, Canada, to train under the legend Stu Hart and start is career in professional wrestling. During his time in Calgary wrestling for Stampede Wrestling, promotor Stu Hart promised Neidhart $500 to enter and win the anvil throwing contest at the *actual* Calgary Stampede; The Stampede being a rodeo that bills itself as “the greatest outdoor show on earth”. Neidhart wins the throwing contest, and his nickname “Anvil” is born. It was also during this time that Jim would marry one of Stu’s daughter’s, Ellie, officially becoming a part of the greater Hart family. Anvil is a powerhouse built in a similar vein to much of the former athletes of this time, but he brought a level on intensity that wouldn’t become more commonplace industry wide until years later. Pre 1985, Anvil is perhaps most known from his work in Mid South, where he and Butch Reed held the Mid South Tag Team Championships for two and a half months. Anvil would make constant tours of New Japan, wrapping up his territory tour with a stop at Championship Wrestlng from Florida, winning the NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship and the NWA United States Tag Team Championships, before leaving in January 1985 to join the WWE. Part of this was that Stu Hart had sold Stampede Wrestling to Vince McMahon, and both Anvil and Bret Hart we included in the deal. Although initially managed by Mr Fuji and being pushed as a singles wrestler, Anvil would circle the low and mid card ranks alongside Bret, occasionally being put together to put on outstanding matches against the team we’ll get to in a second. Bret could see that their single runs at this time werent working at the time, and being that he himself was attempting to rock a sweet cowboy gimmick bestowed upon him by Vince McMahon, Bret insists to either be put into a tag team with his brother a law, or to be future endeavored. Cooler heads prevail, and Anvil brings his manager, the Mouth of the South Jimmy Hart, along with him, to form the new villainous heel stable; The Hart Foundation. Combining the cocky and smarmy attitudes that you’d typically find in a high school locker room with the crisp technical prowess of Hart and the muscular strength of Anvil was a genius move. Weighing in at a combined 515 lbs, or just over 38 stone for my British listeners, I see you guys!, The Hart Foundation would make their debut at Wrestlemania 2 in 1986 as participants in a 20-man battle royal; they were the final two men eliminated, being eliminated by Andre the Giant. The Foundation would go on to quickly cement themselves firmly in the mid card, engaging in a feud with The Killer Bees, the team of Jumpin Jim Brunzell and B Brian Blair. However, it would be a rivalry with team that they were familiar with on a very personal level, that would elevate the Hart Foundation to the legendary status that they are today; The British Bulldogs
Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid were legit first cousins from Wigan, England. Kid being born in 1958, Smith in 1962, both would begin their careers in the late 1970s being trained under the watchful eye of “Dr Death” Ted Betley. While being scouted by Bruce Hart, talent scout from Stampede Wrestling. Kid went over to Canada first, and immediately made an impression with his effortlessly fluid technical wrestling style. Smith would join him shortly thereafter, and the two started their careers by feuding with each other. This feud spilled over into New Japan; during their time in New Japan, Kid would also have a memorable moment against a debuting Tiger Mask, embarking on a rivalry that is often credited with putting the Junior Heavyweight style of wrestling on the map. If I had a video version of this podcast where we could due watch along feuds, Dynamite Kid vs Tiger Mask from New Japan during the early 80s is iconic and jaw dropping. Kid and Smith would settle their differences and join forces, naming themselves The British Bulldogs, and went about competing in both Stampede and New Japan, before making a jump to New Japan’s rival All Japan in late 1984. The British Bulldogs were exhibiting a new style of wrestling that we hadnt seen before; the level of athleticism that blended together styles from British freestyle wrestling, Mexican Lucha Libre, Japanese puroresu, and Canadian strong style was a unique melange that would literally set the table for the modern wrestling style. While both were explosive in the speed, Dynamite Kid is definitely one of the prototypes for what would become of wrestling over the next few decades; a technical master and had death defying high flying manuevers. Smith was a budding powerhouse of talent, showcasing strength usually reserved for men the height nearer of Hulk Hogan, not Smith’s graciously billed 6’ height. Pairing these two together in 1984 was a bold move; in 2024, this would be a perfect pairing. Talent truly ahead of their time.
We had just talked about spectacles last episode, and these two stood out in the wrestling crowd like sore thumbs. The British Bulldogs were starting to make a global name for themselves, and well, remember that sale of Stampede Wrestling I mentioned a few minutes ago? Bret and Anvil werent the only talent to make the trip over to the WWE; in fact, most of the top of the Stampede roster was joining the Fed, and the British Bulldogs were no different. 1984 and 1985 saw the Hart Foundation and the British Bulldogs constantly circling each other; considering the history and the family ties that all these men have, the chemistry is beyond palpable, and then you add in generational talent ON TOP of that? Do yourself a favor, and go watch any of these matches from this time period. We’re not focusing on these matches this rewind, however; most of these bouts are meant to showcase the otherworldly skill that these men possess, and it doesnt take crowds too long to rally behind our babyface team, The British Bulldogs. The Dogs are able to ascend the ladder of the tag team division, with their brass ring being held above Wrestlemania 2 in 1986. For the better part of a year, The British Bulldogs have been nipping at the heels of the current WWF World Tag Team Champions, “The Dream Team”; Greg “the Hammer” Valentine and Brutus Beefcake, managed by Luscious Johnny Valiant. Many times the titles were withing the grasp of the Bulldogs’ paws, but they could never secure the 1-2-3 victory. They were set up for a final showdown of sorts at Wrestlemania 2; the infamous Wrestlemania held in three different locations simultaneously. Our main event for the Chicago card was The British Bulldogs vs The Dream Team. Adding into their corner Captain Lou Albano and Chicago Legend Ozzy Osbourne, The Bulldogs are finally able to taste sweet, sweet victory, and they capture the tag team championships.
This milestone in the Bulldog’s career cemented them at the top of the tag team division. They would continue to feud with The Dream Team for a little bit, but it only took about a month for their Calgary brethren to come knockin at their door for their shot at the titles.
Chapter 2
The British Bulldogs soon would embark on what would be a spoiler alert 294 day title reign as the Worlds Tag Team Champions. While The Hart Foundation became a major focus just a month into their reigns as champions, Smith and Kid would take on all comers, and the grueling schedule of 1980s WWE saw them defending their titles dozens of times. Hell, across the house show loop and televised events, The British Bulldogs successfully defended against just the Hart Foundation almost 30 times! This should be used as a harbinger of things to come, if you will, as it’s on during a defense of the tag championships against Cowboy Bob Orton and Don Muraco, that Kid suffers a serious, albeit freak, back injury. It’s so serious, that he cant even get out of bed. There would be a few fill in tag partners for Davey Boy while Kid was recuperating and ultimately receiving surgery, but the charade of sorts wasnt to be kept up for long, and Vince McMahon demanded that the Bulldogs drops their belts. Kid has only once retort to this request; that works as long as it’s to the Hart Foundation.
On February 7, 1987, I’m 3 years old, and watching WWF Superstars of Wrestling. Nah, I’m probably watching Thundercats in 1987, but i’m 3. The British Bulldogs are set to defend their tag team championships against The Hart Foundation. Kid and Smith arrive down the rampway when Bret attack’s Kid out of nowhere with Jimmy Hart’s megaphone; this is to allow Kid to stay outside the ring ostensibly knocked unconscious; due to his back injury, years of being on the road, and doing all of the illicit activities that old school wrestlers lived off of, Kid is in no position to wrestle, and this matches barely lasts 4 minutes, as The Hart Foundation comes out on top. There is some very questionable calling from referee “Dangerous” Danny Davis, which is going to lead the zebra joining the Hart Foundation, and giving The Bulldogs a cover as to why this match seemed so one sided.
Kid is given some time off to build back up his strength, as the new tag team champions go about creating their own legacy. The Foundation’s first defense is on Saturday Night’s Main Event X, on March 14th. The team of Golden Boy Danny Spivey and Tito Santana are the challengers, and everything is going all well and fine until referee Danny Davis hits Santana with Jimmy Hart’s trademark megaphone. Tito starts to feud with Davis at this time; there is even a little bit of retconning, as it’s now inferred that Davis is to blame for Santana’s loss to Randy Savage in a match for the Intercontinental Championship earlier in the year. The elements of revenge that Santana has planted really only leave a few logical partners for him to utilize in his pursuit against Davis. A few people with a rich and storied history with The Hart Foundation. Tito does the logical thing, and enlists the help of fellow tag champions The British Bulldogs in his revenge tour. Our arena for this multilayered blood feud is Wrestlemania III.
Wrestlemania III is thankfully not a multilocation affair. Nope, this is the infamous Pontiac Silverdome Wrestlemania, where over 90,000 Hulkmaniacs showed up to see the Hulkster defend his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Andre the Giant. Yeah, it’s the Andre body slam Mania. The mania that is considered to be the absolute pinnacle of the 1980s wrestling boom. Our featured contest is going to feature The British Bulldogs and Tito Santana in a trios match against The Hart Foundation. Originally, this was meant to be for the Tag Team titles, but Dynamite Kid's injury prevented this. It was then made a six man tag match to cover up his limitations and it does so well. For everyone that’s in this match, from the technical mastery of Bret and Dyanimite, the power of Tito, Anvil, and Davey Boy, for me the linchpin of the match is Hart Foundation member Danny Davis. Danny Davis is fantastic as a chicken shit heel non-wrestler. He tags in when an opponent is down and he takes a shot and tag himself back out. This riles up the crowd and they can't wait to see Davis get taken down. Santana gets the hot tag and isolates Davis and beats him down, much to the roaring approval of the audience. Davey Boy Smith tags in and lays some hard boots down on Davis, hitting him with his patented Power Slam for a 2 count that’s only not a 3 count due to being broken up by Bret. Everyone enters the ring and its pure pandemonium. In the fray, Davis hits Davey Boy with Jimmy Hart’s megaphone while the referee isnt looking, and The Hart Foundation sneaks away with a cheap win. The crowd is utterly deflated at this, but heels are gonna heel, amirite.
After Wrestlemania III is where we receive by far my favorite addition to this story;Matilda the bulldog, who would accompany her hoomans to the ring, but often become a focal point in their feuds when The Islanders tragically dognapped her, for example. Matilda the dog is not in the WWE hall of fame, and that is a fucking travesty. The two teams, The British Bulldogs and The Hart Foundation, would meet up a few more times over the course of the summer of 1987, but it’s at Saturday Night’s Main Event XI that we will see our next canonical encounter.
Saturday Night’s Main Event XI took place on April 28, 1987 at the Edmund P. Joyce Center in South Bend, Indiana. We’re not just going to get a regular ass old wrestling match though; someone is smiling down upon us and bestowing us a 2 out of 3 falls Match for the tag team championships. Davey Boy works the arm on Bret to start, but Bret does a slick reversal into a headlock and Davey reverses into a crucifix for two. Bret cuts him off with a knee to the gut and Neidhart beats on him. Bret with a backbreaker for two and he drops the leg, but Bret misses a blind charge and Kid comes in. Dynamite with a short clothesline for two and snap suplex for two, but Neidhart comes in for a double-team while Tito chases Danny Davis around and the ref calls for the DQ at 4:32 to put the Bulldogs up 1-0.
We take a commercial break, no picture in picture jones for us, but i digress, and return with the second fall, and the Harts do a Demolition elbow on Kid for two. Harts cut off the ring and Bret does some classic heeling, suckering Davey in for the distraction while Anvil cheats and chokes Kid out. Kid appears to have busted his nose somewhere here, so Anvil bites it, but Bret misses a charge and crotches himself. Hot tag Davey Boy and he beats on Anvil with clotheslines for two, and the delayed suplex gets two. Anvil cuts him off again and the Harts double-team him in the corner, but Anvil hits Bret by mistake and Davey brings Dynamite in and presses him onto Neidhart for the pin at 9:47. Vince and Jess Ventura on commentary, as well as the crowd thinks the titles change hands, but the first fall was a DQ so somehow this negates the title change. This was not actually a rule previous to this match, and in fact two very notable tag team title changes happened with DQs in 2/3 falls matches two years later. A little weird, but it was the 80s, shit was hella weird.
Cannonically for us, this bring us to the end of our feud. After this, the two teams would touch gloves again here and there, most notably at both 1987 and 1988’s Survivor Series PPVs; since our two teams were in matches with out teams, i dont consider those necessarily canonical to what we’ve discussed today. While on paper, this feud might seem to only last a handful of months, but these performers have ties going back years that so that payoff in the ring. It truly is nothing short of tragic that Dynamie Kid suffered the injury that he did; one could only imagine the type of run both the tag team and himself as a singles start could have had if he had stayed healthy. I would suggest that at least for both iterations of these two stables, this would be their pinnacles, as they would never reach the same time of heights collectively, mostly due to various injuires. Separately, entirely different story.
Bret’s latter career we began to cover in episode 4, which covers his feud with his brother Owen. I humbly suggest you go listen to that episode for more Bret goodness. Unfortunately, when we’re rewinding feuds, rivalries, and moments from eras and decades that are well behind us now, it can lead us to some somber endings.
For the rest of the three gentlemen in our feud, it is indeed a bittersweet part of their endings to this episode.
For Jim the Anvil Neidhart, he would stay in the WWE with the Hart Foundation and then the New Foundation, which he formed with Bret’s younger brother Owen. He would continue wrestling for WWE and WCW until 1998, after which independent promotions until 2016. I always loved Anvil, particularly for his laugh, and he was the much needed heavy for the Hart Foundation. He was a big brick shithouse of a man with tremendous power and an infectious smile. The Anvil unfortunately passed away in 2018 at the age of 63; his legacy lives on our screens to this day in the form of Natalya, his daughter.
Both Davey Boy and Dynamite Kid would leave WWE in 1988 before Davey Boy would return in 1990 as The British Bulldog. Singular. I would imagine some of you listening are now having that realization moment about why I was referring to two men being The British Bulldogs, where most of us of a certain age are probably more familiar with just the man The British Bulldog. Davey Boy had trademarked the name during his first run in the fed when he was a tag team champion with Dynamite Kid; this would lead to such a deep and dark rift between the two, that Kid himself would never return to the WWE. The British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith would see his career highlight being him winning the Intercontinental Championship from Bret Hart during Summerslam at Wembley Stadium in 1992; due toe WWE’s becoming a ratings hit on Sky Sports in the UK, this made for one of those movie moments that are best seen to believed. Undoubtedly the high point of his career, Smith would bounce around the WWE and WCW, much like Neidhart, until the latter part of the 2000s. Unfortunately, Smith suffered a heart attack in 2002, passing away tragically. He was 39 years old.
Dynamite Kid, for all of the flowers that he has received post career, never really received them during it. After leaving WWE, he returned overseas to Japan and his native England to finish out his career, which ended far too soon in 1996. Due to the large number of back and leg problems that he sustained during his career, Kid would lead the rest of his life in both extreme pain and deepend bitterness towards the business that largely forgot about him. He passed at the age of 60 in 2018. Posthumously, he is remembered as an innovator of style, and a progressor of the artform and craft that we love so much. Unfortunately during his time, personal demons and untimely injuries kept his star from shinning as bright as it could have.
The feud between the Hart Foundation and the British Bulldogs is a resounding example of what could have been. Four top notch workers with undeniable chemistry with a blank canvas to work upon is an enviable position to be in. We were given literally dozens of matches that could main event a lot of today’s current cards, and while this feud not only just focuses on two, but unfortunately two post Dynamite Kid injury, the backstory of those matches going into our feud is really what laid the foundation for our story. I would contend that this backstory and feud would be a perfect illustration of how to build a feud more around in ring work as opposed to heavy character work. I’m just saying, these guys figured it out almost 40 years ago, what are we doin
To all of the numerous family and friends touched by the lives of Jim Neidhart, Davey Boy Smith, and Dynamite Kid, i extend my gratitude to you.
To Bret Hart, you’re still the man, and to hell with goldberg.
This brings us to the end of the rewind for the week!
I appreciate you spending some time with me this week to relive some classic wrestling drama.
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Fellow fan, im’ your host Benza Lance, and i’ll see ya next with when we roll it back with another feud, to rewind