Jim Neidhart
Encyclopedia
James Henry "Jim" Neidhart (born February 8, 1955) is an American
professional wrestler
, best known for his appearances in the 1980s and 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation
as Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart. Jim is the father of WWE Diva
Natalya
. Among other accolades, he is a two-time WWF Tag Team Champion with Bret Hart
as part of the original Hart Foundation
.
Neidhart holds dual citizenship
with Canada and the United States.
events. A talented shot put
ter, Neidhart held the California high school record in the event from 1973–1985 for Newport Harbor High School
(a school which was later made famous for its central role in the hit television show The O.C.
). After graduating high school, Neidhart pursued a career in the National Football League
, where he may have played briefly for the Oakland Raiders
and Dallas Cowboys
in practices and preseason games. Although some biographies state that he played in the NFL for those teams, DatabaseFootball.com contains no evidence that Neidhart ever recorded actual playing time in an NFL regular season game. In a shoot
interview, Neidhart said that he spent some time in jail and actually saw Charles Manson
during this period, as well.
Neidhart achieved his nickname from setting a record at the Calgary Stampede
games for throwing an anvil
further than anyone else. Stu Hart had given him $500 to enter and win and from then, Helen nicknamed him the 'Anvil'.
to train with Stu Hart
and pursue a career in professional wrestling. He worked for Stampede Wrestling
, Hart's Calgary based promotion, for several years, during which time he married Ellie Hart, one of Stu's daughters. He thus became the brother-in-law of fellow wrestlers Bret Hart
, Owen Hart
, Ross Hart, Keith Hart, and Davey Boy Smith
, and later the uncle of wrestlers Teddy Hart
and Harry Smith
.
and the World Wrestling Federation
(WWF), Neidhart and Bret Hart were included in the deal. Originally, McMahon had Neidhart slated to perform as a singles wrestler managed by Jimmy Hart
– who has no relation to the Hart family – and Bret Hart was asked to play under a "cowboy" gimmick. But after a short time, Bret requested to drop the gimmick. Hart himself suggested that he be teamed with "The Anvil" and his manager Jimmy Hart
and be called the Hart Foundation.
While in the WWF, Hart and Neidhart formed a highly successful tag team
, "The Hart Foundation
". At first they were a heel
team managed by "The Mouth Of The South" Jimmy Hart
. The Hart Foundation made their Pay-per-view
debut at Wrestlemania 2
when they were the last 2 eliminated by Andre the Giant
in a 20 man invitational Battle royal
.
Jimmy Hart led The Hart Foundation to their first Tag Team Championship in January 1987 by defeating two other former Stampede wrestlers, the British Bulldogs
(Davey Boy Smith and the Dynamite Kid
) on the Superstars of Wrestling
with the help of heel Referee
"Dangerous" Danny Davis
. They would hold the belts until October 1987 when they dropped the belts to Strike Force
(Rick Martel
and Tito Santana
) when Neidhart submitted to Martel's Boston crab
.
Used as mid-carders in early 1988, the Hart Foundation wrestled in another 20 man Battle Royal at Wrestlemania IV
before starting a feud with The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers
. In the summer of 1988, the Hart Foundation fired Jimmy Hart and turned face
when Hart started managing the Foundation's rivals The Rougeau's who, in the storyline, also gained 25% of the Foundations contract and subsequent money. The Hart Foundation unsuccessfully challenged Demolition
(Ax
and Smash
) for the Tag-Team titles at SummerSlam 88
when Ax hit Hart with Jimmy Hart's megaphone
. The Foundation would continue feuding with Jimmy Hart's wrestlers for the next year, teaming with "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan
to defeat Dino Bravo
and The Rougeau's in a two out of three falls match at the 1989 Royal Rumble
before defeating The Honky Tonk Man
and Greg "The Hammer" Valentine
at Wrestlemania V
. They then faced the Tag Team Champions the Brain Busters
in a non-title match at SummerSlam 89
where they lost pushing then further from regaining their titles.
The Hart Foundation was split in late 1989 as both Bret Hart and Neidhart began wrestling singles matches to varying degrees of success. The Anvil was often pitted against other "power" wrestlers such as The Warlord
during this period.
The Hart Foundation re-formed in early 1990 and started challenging for the titles almost immediately. At Wrestlemania VI
in Toronto
, Canada, they defeated The Bolsheviks
(Nikolai Volkoff
and Boris Zhukov
) in just 19 seconds following which they started a second feud with champions Demolition, who by this time had added Crush
due to Bill Eadie's ongoing health problems. They won their second Tag Team Championship by defeating Demolition at SummerSlam 90
in a two out of three falls match. Jimmy Hart was also instrumental in ending the team's second championship reign at WrestleMania VII
when he led The Nasty Boys
(Brian Knobbs
and Jerry Sags
) to the titles against his former team, after Jimmy's distraction of the referee allowed Sags to knock out Neidhart with a helmet.
After Bret split off into singles competition, Neidhart went to the announce table, commenting for Wrestling Challenge, alongside Gorilla Monsoon
and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
. In the fall of 1991, he returned to the ring, but only to be injured by Ric Flair
during a match held on the November 9 episode of Superstars, followed by an ambush by the Beverly Brothers
. Neidhart was removed from the annual Survivor Series 1991, but returned soon after teaming up with Owen Hart
(Bret's little brother) as "The New Foundation." The New Foundation saw moderate success including a win over The Orient Express
(Kato and Tanaka
) at the Royal Rumble 92
Pay-Per View. Following the win, Neidhart would leave the WWF.
in 1993, competing in lower card matches and teaming with The Junkyard Dog
on occasion.
as the mystery cornerman of Bret in his WWF Championship
defense against Intercontinental Champion
Diesel
. The finish saw Diesel Jackknife Bret to the canvas, which would have assured him of capturing the Federation championship. Neidhart, however, interfered, costing Bret the match, but allowing him to retain his title. Following the match, Bret was subject to a beatdown at the hands of Diesel and Shawn Michaels
, but Neidhart did not come to Bret's aide. Later in the night, Neidhart reappeared at ringside during Owen's match against Razor Ramon
in the finals of the King of the Ring tournament. Neidhart assaulted Ramon behind the referee's back, allowing Owen to become the second WWF King of the Ring (after his brother Bret, who was King in 1993) on pay-per-view
.
Owen was mired in a feud with Bret stemming from the 1994 Royal Rumble
. Neidhart believed Owen when he said that Bret had been holding him down all his life and sided with him against his former tag team partner. Usually seconding Owen in his matches throughout the summer of 1994, Neidhart was seated in the third row at SummerSlam 1994
behind members of the Hart family, as well as Davey Boy Smith
for the steel cage match pitting Bret against Owen for the Federation championship; this was the title that Neidhart had saved for Hart back at the King of the Ring so Owen could claim it at SummerSlam. Following a grueling match-up, Bret emerged triumphant, but was later subject to another beating at the hands of Owen and Neidhart, who locked themselves inside the caged ring while members of the Hart family tried to climb over the top to get in and help Bret. Neidhart joined Owen as part of Shawn Michaels
' "Teamsters" team at Survivor Series 1994
. After eliminating all the members of Razor Ramon's "Bad Guys" team except for Razor himself, Michaels inadvertently hit Diesel with the Sweet Chin Music. This move split up their tag team, as Diesel chased Michaels down the aisle. This cost their team the match as Neidhart and Owen were counted out along with the rest of the "Teamsters". Following Survivor Series, Neidhart disappeared from the WWF.
In 1996, he had a very short stint as the masked wrestler named Who, a gimmick purely designed for commentators Vince McMahon
and Jerry Lawler
to make Abbott and Costello
"Who's on First?
" jokes during his matches. He last wore the mask at SummerSlam 1996
as part of the "Bikini Beach Blast-Off" party held during the Free For All pre-show.
In 1996 Jim Neidhart wrestled for the independent New York based promotion Ultimate Championship Wrestling or UCW,where he wrestled with the likes of Tatanka
, his brother-in-law Bruce Hart
, Falcon Coperis
Louis Velazquez, King Kong Bundy
and Marty Jannetty
.
, Neidhart followed him to World Championship Wrestling (though not immediately, as he would be beaten up and humiliated, on the November 24 episode of Raw, by D-Generation X
prior to his departure) where he formed a tag team with The British Bulldog
, who also followed Bret there. Although this was his first true big-money deal, they were rarely utilized by WCW. They achieved little in-ring success, and he was eventually released and returned to the independent circuit
.
special on December 10, 2007, Neidhart participated in the 15th Anniversary Battle Royal, eventually making it to the final five before being eliminated by Skinner
.
on the November 12, 2009, edition of Impact!
winning against Jay Lethal
in his initial open challenge thrown out to the legends of professional wrestling.
.
Neidhart and wife Ellie have three daughters – Jennifer, a gourmet chef and caterer, Natalya
, and Kristen ("Muffy"), who was married in early June 2007. Natalya is also a professional wrestler and is currently signed to WWE.
released Hart & Soul: The Hart Family Anthology, which is a 3 DVD
set featuring a documentary on the Hart wrestling family (including Jim Neidhart) as well as 12 matches. It is unique in that it also features previously unseen home movies from the Harts as well as candid interviews from surviving family members.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
, best known for his appearances in the 1980s and 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
as Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart. Jim is the father of WWE Diva
WWE Diva
Diva is a term used by World Wrestling Entertainment , an American professional wrestling promotion, to refer to its female talent. The term is applied to women who appear as wrestlers, managers or valets, backstage interviewers, or ring announcers....
Natalya
Nattie Neidhart
Natalie "Nattie" Katherine Neidhart is a Canadian professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE on its SmackDown brand under the ring name Natalya....
. Among other accolades, he is a two-time WWF Tag Team Champion with Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
as part of the original Hart Foundation
The Hart Foundation
The Hart Foundation referred to several teams or stables in the World Wrestling Federation , usually consisted of members or close friends of the Hart wrestling family from Canada....
.
Neidhart holds dual citizenship
Multiple citizenship
Multiple citizenship is a status in which a person is concurrently regarded as a citizen under the laws of more than one state. Multiple citizenships exist because different countries use different, and not necessarily mutually exclusive, citizenship requirements...
with Canada and the United States.
Early life
Neidhart had an athletic career prior to his entrance into the world of professional wrestling. He first gained acclaim during high school for his success in many strength-oriented track and fieldTrack and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
events. A talented shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
ter, Neidhart held the California high school record in the event from 1973–1985 for Newport Harbor High School
Newport Harbor High School
Newport Harbor High School is a public high school in Newport Beach, in Orange County, California, in the United States. It is part of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.-History:...
(a school which was later made famous for its central role in the hit television show The O.C.
The O.C.
The O.C. is an American teen drama television series that originally aired on the Fox television network in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 21, 2007, running a total of four seasons...
). After graduating high school, Neidhart pursued a career in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, where he may have played briefly for the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
in practices and preseason games. Although some biographies state that he played in the NFL for those teams, DatabaseFootball.com contains no evidence that Neidhart ever recorded actual playing time in an NFL regular season game. In a shoot
Shoot (professional wrestling)
A shoot in professional wrestling is a term that refers to any unplanned, unscripted or real-life occurrence within a wrestling event. Contrary to popular belief, the name does not originate from "shooting in" for a takedown, as in amateur wrestling - rather it is a carny term shortened from...
interview, Neidhart said that he spent some time in jail and actually saw Charles Manson
Charles Manson
Charles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...
during this period, as well.
Neidhart achieved his nickname from setting a record at the Calgary Stampede
Calgary Stampede
The Calgary Stampede is an annual rodeo, exhibition and festival held every July in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The ten-day event, which bills itself as "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth", attracts over one million visitors per year and features one of the world's largest rodeos, a parade, midway,...
games for throwing an anvil
Anvil
An anvil is a basic tool, a block with a hard surface on which another object is struck. The inertia of the anvil allows the energy of the striking tool to be transferred to the work piece. In most cases the anvil is used as a forging tool...
further than anyone else. Stu Hart had given him $500 to enter and win and from then, Helen nicknamed him the 'Anvil'.
Early career
Following his release from the Dallas Cowboys, Neidhart traveled to CalgaryCalgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
to train with Stu Hart
Stu Hart
Stewart Edward "Stu" Hart, CM was a Canadian amateur wrestler, professional wrestler, promoter and trainer. Hart founded Stampede Wrestling, a promotion based in Calgary, Alberta, and was the father of famous wrestlers Bret and Owen Hart...
and pursue a career in professional wrestling. He worked for Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
, Hart's Calgary based promotion, for several years, during which time he married Ellie Hart, one of Stu's daughters. He thus became the brother-in-law of fellow wrestlers Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
, Owen Hart
Owen Hart
Owen James Hart was a Canadian professional and amateur wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , and most notably, the World Wrestling Federation , where he wrestled under both his own name, and ring name The...
, Ross Hart, Keith Hart, and Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith was a British professional wrestler, better known as "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, who was born in Golborne in North West England, United Kingdom. Smith is known for his appearances with Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling...
, and later the uncle of wrestlers Teddy Hart
Teddy Hart
Teddy Annis , is a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Teddy Hart. He is currently working on the American independent circuit for promotions such as Jersey All Pro Wrestling and Dragon Gate USA...
and Harry Smith
Harry Smith (wrestler)
Harry Smith is a Canadian professional wrestler of English descent. He is currently working for Inoki Genome Federation and is best known for his tenure in WWE, where he won the Unified Tag Team Championship along with Tyson Kidd before being released from his contract on August 5, 2011...
.
World Wrestling Federation (1985–1992)
When Stu Hart sold Stampede Wrestling to Vince McMahonVince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
and the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF), Neidhart and Bret Hart were included in the deal. Originally, McMahon had Neidhart slated to perform as a singles wrestler managed by Jimmy Hart
Jimmy Hart
James "Jimmy" Ray Hart is a professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician currently signed with WWE. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling under his nickname "The Mouth of the South." He has managed many professional...
– who has no relation to the Hart family – and Bret Hart was asked to play under a "cowboy" gimmick. But after a short time, Bret requested to drop the gimmick. Hart himself suggested that he be teamed with "The Anvil" and his manager Jimmy Hart
Jimmy Hart
James "Jimmy" Ray Hart is a professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician currently signed with WWE. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling under his nickname "The Mouth of the South." He has managed many professional...
and be called the Hart Foundation.
While in the WWF, Hart and Neidhart formed a highly successful tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
, "The Hart Foundation
The Hart Foundation
The Hart Foundation referred to several teams or stables in the World Wrestling Federation , usually consisted of members or close friends of the Hart wrestling family from Canada....
". At first they were a heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
team managed by "The Mouth Of The South" Jimmy Hart
Jimmy Hart
James "Jimmy" Ray Hart is a professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician currently signed with WWE. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling under his nickname "The Mouth of the South." He has managed many professional...
. The Hart Foundation made their Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
debut at Wrestlemania 2
WrestleMania 2
WrestleMania 2 was the second annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation...
when they were the last 2 eliminated by Andre the Giant
André the Giant
André René Roussimoff , best known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. His best remembered acting role was that of Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride...
in a 20 man invitational Battle royal
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
.
Jimmy Hart led The Hart Foundation to their first Tag Team Championship in January 1987 by defeating two other former Stampede wrestlers, the British Bulldogs
British Bulldogs
The British Bulldogs were the team of cousins Davey Boy Smith and Tom Billington , professional wrestlers who competed through most of the 1980s in both North America, England, and Japan and is by many considered one of the top tag-teams in history.-Early years :In the 1970s, Dynamite Kid and Davey...
(Davey Boy Smith and the Dynamite Kid
Dynamite Kid
Thomas Wilton Billington , best known by the ring name Dynamite Kid, is a retired British professional wrestler who competed in the World Wrestling Federation, Stampede Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling in the mid- to late-1980s...
) on the Superstars of Wrestling
WWF Superstars of Wrestling
WWF Superstars of Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It debuted on September 6, 1986...
with the help of heel Referee
Referee (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling referee is the official figure that makes sure that wrestling matches move smoothly in an attempt to maintain kayfabe. The referee also has the ultimate power in the ring...
"Dangerous" Danny Davis
Dan Marsh
Dan Marsh is a former professional wrestling referee and wrestler most famous as Danny Davis of the World Wrestling Federation. He also competed in the WWF for several years as Mr. X, a masked wrestler....
. They would hold the belts until October 1987 when they dropped the belts to Strike Force
Strike Force (professional wrestling)
Strike Force was a professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation composed of Rick Martel and Tito Santana.-History:...
(Rick Martel
Rick Martel
Richard Vigneault is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation between 1980 and 1995 under the ring name Rick Martel...
and Tito Santana
Tito Santana
Merced Solis better known by his ring name Tito Santana, is an American professional wrestler whose heyday spanned from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, though he continues to appear on the independent circuit. He is best known from his time in the World Wrestling Federation...
) when Neidhart submitted to Martel's Boston crab
Boston crab
The Boston crab is a professional wrestling hold that typically starts with the opponent lying supine on the mat, with the wrestler standing and facing them. It is a type of spinal lock where the wrestler hooks each of the opponent’s legs in one of his arms, and then turns the opponent face-down,...
.
Used as mid-carders in early 1988, the Hart Foundation wrestled in another 20 man Battle Royal at Wrestlemania IV
WrestleMania IV
WrestleMania IV was the fourth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on March 27, 1988 at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey....
before starting a feud with The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers
The Fabulous Rougeaus
The Fabulous Rougeaus was the professional wrestling tag team of real-life brothers, Jacques Rougeau and Raymond Rougeau, best known from their time in the World Wrestling Federation , from 1986 to 1990....
. In the summer of 1988, the Hart Foundation fired Jimmy Hart and turned face
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
when Hart started managing the Foundation's rivals The Rougeau's who, in the storyline, also gained 25% of the Foundations contract and subsequent money. The Hart Foundation unsuccessfully challenged Demolition
Demolition (professional wrestling)
Demolition is a professional wrestling tag team most prominent during the late 1980s / early 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation made up of Ax , Smash , and later Crush . In WWF, Demolition were three-time Tag Team Champions, and hold the records for both the single longest tag title reign...
(Ax
Bill Eadie
Bill Eadie is a professional wrestler who has competed under the names of Ax as part of Demolition and The Masked Superstar...
and Smash
Barry Darsow
Barry Darsow is a former American professional wrestler who is known as Smash, one half of the tag team Demolition, and as Krusher Kruschev, Repo Man, and The Blacktop Bully...
) for the Tag-Team titles at SummerSlam 88
SummerSlam (1988)
SummerSlam was the first annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event. It was produced by the World Wrestling Federation and took place on August 29, 1988 in Madison Square Garden, located in New York, New York. The pay-per-view was created to help the company compete against rival...
when Ax hit Hart with Jimmy Hart's megaphone
Megaphone
A megaphone, speaking-trumpet, bullhorn, blowhorn, or loud hailer is a portable, usually hand-held, cone-shaped horn used to amplify a person’s voice or other sounds towards a targeted direction. This is accomplished by channelling the sound through the megaphone, which also serves to match the...
. The Foundation would continue feuding with Jimmy Hart's wrestlers for the next year, teaming with "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan
Jim Duggan
James Edward Duggan , better known by his ring name "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment in the 1980s, when it was known as World Wrestling Federation , and World Championship Wrestling...
to defeat Dino Bravo
Dino Bravo
Adolfo Bresciano was an Italian-born Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his work as Dino Bravo, self-proclaimed as "Canada's Strongest Man".-Territories:...
and The Rougeau's in a two out of three falls match at the 1989 Royal Rumble
Royal Rumble (1989)
Royal Rumble was the second annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation , and the first one to be held on pay-per-view. It took place on January 15, 1989 at The Summit in Houston, Texas....
before defeating The Honky Tonk Man
The Honky Tonk Man
Roy Wayne Farris , better known by his ring name The Honky Tonk Man, is an American professional wrestler. A 1975 graduate from University of Memphis with a B.S. degree in Education. Coached high school football 2 seasons at Munford High School in Munford, Tennessee...
and Greg "The Hammer" Valentine
Greg Valentine
John Wisniski, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. He is the son of wrestler Johnny Valentine.-Training:...
at Wrestlemania V
WrestleMania V
WrestleMania V was the fifth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on April 2, 1989 at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey...
. They then faced the Tag Team Champions the Brain Busters
Brain Busters
The Brain Busters was the World Wrestling Federation name for the professional wrestling tag team of Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard. Anderson and Blanchard adopted this name after joining the WWF in 1988 from Jim Crockett Promotions, where the two men had wrestled as part of the Four Horsemen...
in a non-title match at SummerSlam 89
SummerSlam (1989)
SummerSlam was the second annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 28, 1989 in the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey....
where they lost pushing then further from regaining their titles.
The Hart Foundation was split in late 1989 as both Bret Hart and Neidhart began wrestling singles matches to varying degrees of success. The Anvil was often pitted against other "power" wrestlers such as The Warlord
Terry Szopinski
Terry Scott Szopinski is an American professional wrestler. He is best known by his ring name The Warlord and for his tenures in Jim Crockett Promotions and the World Wrestling Federation as one half of the Powers of Pain alongside The Barbarian.-National Wrestling Alliance / Jim Crockett...
during this period.
The Hart Foundation re-formed in early 1990 and started challenging for the titles almost immediately. At Wrestlemania VI
WrestleMania VI
WrestleMania VI was the World Wrestling Federation's sixth WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event and the first to be held outside of the U.S...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada, they defeated The Bolsheviks
The Bolsheviks
The Bolsheviks were a professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation from late 1987 until the spring of 1990.The team was composed of Nikolai Volkoff and Boris Zhukov portraying a pair of Russian Communist bad guys. Volkoff was born Josip Peruzovic on October 14, 1947. Although...
(Nikolai Volkoff
Nikolai Volkoff
Josip Nikolai Peruzović , better known by his ring name of Nikolai Volkoff, is a professional wrestler who is best known for his performances for the World Wrestling Federation...
and Boris Zhukov
Jim Barrell
James Kirk Harrell is an American professional wrestler best known as Boris Zhukov in his time with the World Wrestling Federation.-Professional wrestling career:...
) in just 19 seconds following which they started a second feud with champions Demolition, who by this time had added Crush
Brian Adams (wrestler)
Brian Keith Adams was an American professional wrestler. Adams gained fame in the 1990s while performing for the World Wrestling Federation , under the name Crush, and for World Championship Wrestling under his given name.Trained in Japan by Antonio Inoki, Adams was a two time WCW World Tag Team...
due to Bill Eadie's ongoing health problems. They won their second Tag Team Championship by defeating Demolition at SummerSlam 90
SummerSlam (1990)
SummerSlam was the third annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 27, 1990 at The Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The card featured ten televised matches, including two main events...
in a two out of three falls match. Jimmy Hart was also instrumental in ending the team's second championship reign at WrestleMania VII
WrestleMania VII
WrestleMania VII was the seventh annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on March 24, 1991 at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California...
when he led The Nasty Boys
The Nasty Boys
The Nasty Boys are a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags, active from the mid to late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. Their gimmick was that of anti-social punks who specialized in hardcore wrestling and brawling...
(Brian Knobbs
Brian Knobbs
Brian Yandrisovitz , better known as Brian Knobbs, is an American professional wrestler, best known as one half of the tag team The Nasty Boys along with Jerry Sags.-The Nasty Boys:...
and Jerry Sags
Jerry Sags
Jerome Saganovich is an American professional wrestler best known as Jerry Sags. He is one half of the tag team The Nasty Boys along with Brian Knobbs.-Career:...
) to the titles against his former team, after Jimmy's distraction of the referee allowed Sags to knock out Neidhart with a helmet.
After Bret split off into singles competition, Neidhart went to the announce table, commenting for Wrestling Challenge, alongside Gorilla Monsoon
Gorilla Monsoon
Robert James "Gino" Marella , better known by his ring name of Gorilla Monsoon, was an American professional wrestler, play-by-play announcer, and booker...
and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
Bobby Heenan
Raymond Louis "Ray" Heenan , better known as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan , is a former American professional wrestling manager and color commentator, best known for his time with the American Wrestling Association , World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation...
. In the fall of 1991, he returned to the ring, but only to be injured by Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
during a match held on the November 9 episode of Superstars, followed by an ambush by the Beverly Brothers
Beverly Brothers
The Beverly Brothers were a professional wrestling tag team comprising Mike Enos and Wayne Bloom in the World Wrestling Federation. They were also known as The Destruction Crew in the American Wrestling Association and the Minnesota Wrecking Crew 2 in the National Wrestling Alliance...
. Neidhart was removed from the annual Survivor Series 1991, but returned soon after teaming up with Owen Hart
Owen Hart
Owen James Hart was a Canadian professional and amateur wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , and most notably, the World Wrestling Federation , where he wrestled under both his own name, and ring name The...
(Bret's little brother) as "The New Foundation." The New Foundation saw moderate success including a win over The Orient Express
The Orient Express
For the full article on Badd Company see Badd CompanyThe Orient Express was a professional wrestling tag team in the World Wrestling Federation in the early 1990s composed of Pat Tanaka and Akio Sato, who was later replaced by Kato....
(Kato and Tanaka
Pat Tanaka
Patrick "Pat" Tanaka is a semi-retired American professional wrestler best known for his work in the American Wrestling Association as one half of Badd Company and the World Wrestling Federation as one half of The Orient Express...
) at the Royal Rumble 92
Royal Rumble (1992)
Royal Rumble was the fifth annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on January 19, 1992 at the Knickerbocker Arena in Albany, New York...
Pay-Per View. Following the win, Neidhart would leave the WWF.
World Championship Wrestling (1993)
After a stint wrestling in Japan, Neidhart had a brief run in World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
in 1993, competing in lower card matches and teaming with The Junkyard Dog
Junkyard Dog
Sylvester Ritter was an American professional wrestler and professional football player, best known for his work in Mid-South Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation as The Junkyard Dog...
on occasion.
Return to the WWF (1994–1997)
Neidhart reappeared in the WWF at King of the Ring 1994King of the Ring (1994)
King of the Ring was the second annual King of the Ring professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on June 19, 1994 at the Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, Maryland. "King of the Ring" is also the name of the tournament that was the focus of...
as the mystery cornerman of Bret in his WWF Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
defense against Intercontinental Champion
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
Diesel
Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
. The finish saw Diesel Jackknife Bret to the canvas, which would have assured him of capturing the Federation championship. Neidhart, however, interfered, costing Bret the match, but allowing him to retain his title. Following the match, Bret was subject to a beatdown at the hands of Diesel and Shawn Michaels
Two Dudes with Attitude
The professional wrestling tag team of Shawn Michaels and Kevin Nash competed in the World Wrestling Federation first between 1993 and 1995 and later in 2003...
, but Neidhart did not come to Bret's aide. Later in the night, Neidhart reappeared at ringside during Owen's match against Razor Ramon
Scott Hall
Scott Hall is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation in the early and mid 1990s under the ring name Razor Ramon, as well as for his period in the mid 1990s and early 2000s with World Championship Wrestling under his real name...
in the finals of the King of the Ring tournament. Neidhart assaulted Ramon behind the referee's back, allowing Owen to become the second WWF King of the Ring (after his brother Bret, who was King in 1993) on pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
.
Owen was mired in a feud with Bret stemming from the 1994 Royal Rumble
Royal Rumble (1994)
Royal Rumble was the seventh annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on January 22, 1994 at the Providence Civic Center in Providence, Rhode Island. The main event was the Royal Rumble match, a battle royal in which...
. Neidhart believed Owen when he said that Bret had been holding him down all his life and sided with him against his former tag team partner. Usually seconding Owen in his matches throughout the summer of 1994, Neidhart was seated in the third row at SummerSlam 1994
SummerSlam (1994)
SummerSlam was the seventh annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 29, 1994 at the newly-opened United Center in Chicago, Illinois, which had opened eleven days earlier.The pay-per-view had two main events...
behind members of the Hart family, as well as Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith was a British professional wrestler, better known as "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, who was born in Golborne in North West England, United Kingdom. Smith is known for his appearances with Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling...
for the steel cage match pitting Bret against Owen for the Federation championship; this was the title that Neidhart had saved for Hart back at the King of the Ring so Owen could claim it at SummerSlam. Following a grueling match-up, Bret emerged triumphant, but was later subject to another beating at the hands of Owen and Neidhart, who locked themselves inside the caged ring while members of the Hart family tried to climb over the top to get in and help Bret. Neidhart joined Owen as part of Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
' "Teamsters" team at Survivor Series 1994
Survivor Series (1994)
Survivor Series was the eighth annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on Thanksgiving Eve, November 23, 1994 at the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Texas...
. After eliminating all the members of Razor Ramon's "Bad Guys" team except for Razor himself, Michaels inadvertently hit Diesel with the Sweet Chin Music. This move split up their tag team, as Diesel chased Michaels down the aisle. This cost their team the match as Neidhart and Owen were counted out along with the rest of the "Teamsters". Following Survivor Series, Neidhart disappeared from the WWF.
In 1996, he had a very short stint as the masked wrestler named Who, a gimmick purely designed for commentators Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
and Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
to make Abbott and Costello
Abbott and Costello
William "Bud" Abbott and Lou Costello performed together as Abbott and Costello, an American comedy duo whose work on stage, radio, film and television made them the most popular comedy team during the 1940s and 1950s...
"Who's on First?
Who's on First?
Who's on First? is a vaudeville comedy routine made most famous by Abbott and Costello. In Abbott and Costello's version, the premise of the routine is that Abbott is identifying the players on a baseball team to Costello, but their names and nicknames can be interpreted as non-responsive answers...
" jokes during his matches. He last wore the mask at SummerSlam 1996
SummerSlam (1996)
SummerSlam was the ninth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 18, 1996 at the Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.-Event:...
as part of the "Bikini Beach Blast-Off" party held during the Free For All pre-show.
Chris Chavis
Christopher "Chris" Chavis , is a Native American professional wrestler best known for his work with World Wrestling Entertainment as Tatanka from 1991 to 1996 and from 2005 to 2007...
, his brother-in-law Bruce Hart
Bruce Hart (wrestler)
Bruce Dennis Luis Hart is a retired Canadian professional wrestler. The second son of Stu Hart, Hart is a member of the large Hart wrestling family.Hart substitute teaches for the Calgary Board of Education.-Career:...
, Falcon Coperis
Falcon Coperis
Falcon Coperis, real name Louis Velazquez , is a retired American professional wrestler.-Early career:Louis Velazquez grew up in the Bronx in New York City until the age of 13 when his family relocated to the borough of Queens...
Louis Velazquez, King Kong Bundy
King Kong Bundy
Christopher Alan "Chris" Pallies is an American professional wrestler, stand-up comedian and actor, better known by his ring name, King Kong Bundy.-Personal:...
and Marty Jannetty
Marty Jannetty
Frederick Marty Jannetty is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation as part of tag team The Rockers with partner Shawn Michaels, and later as a singles competitor. While in the WWF, he became a one time Intercontinental Champion and a one time...
.
World Championship Wrestling; Second run (1997–1998,1999)
He later reunited with Bret as part of his stable of Canadian sympathizers in the WWF in 1997. After Bret left the company on bad terms because of the incident in 1997 which would go down in history as the Montreal ScrewjobMontreal Screwjob
The Montreal Screwjob was a controversial, purportedly real life professional wrestling event in which the owner of the World Wrestling Federation, Vince McMahon, double-crossed the defending WWF Champion, Bret Hart, during the main event match of the professional wrestling pay-per-view event...
, Neidhart followed him to World Championship Wrestling (though not immediately, as he would be beaten up and humiliated, on the November 24 episode of Raw, by D-Generation X
D-Generation X
D-Generation X was a professional wrestling stable in WWE . The group originated in the midst of the WWF's "Attitude Era" from 1997 to 2000...
prior to his departure) where he formed a tag team with The British Bulldog
Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith was a British professional wrestler, better known as "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, who was born in Golborne in North West England, United Kingdom. Smith is known for his appearances with Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling...
, who also followed Bret there. Although this was his first true big-money deal, they were rarely utilized by WCW. They achieved little in-ring success, and he was eventually released and returned to the independent circuit
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
.
World Wrestling Entertainment (2007)
On Raw XV, the 15th-anniversary WWE RawWWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
special on December 10, 2007, Neidhart participated in the 15th Anniversary Battle Royal, eventually making it to the final five before being eliminated by Skinner
Steve Keirn
Stephen "Steve" Paul Keirn is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for being part of the tag team The Fabulous Ones, with Stan Lane, and later for a run in the World Wrestling Federation as Skinner, a gimmick that portrayed him as a tobacco spitting alligator hunter from...
.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2009)
Neidhart appeared in TNATotal Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
on the November 12, 2009, edition of Impact!
TNA iMPACT!
Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
winning against Jay Lethal
Jay Lethal
Jamar "Jay" Shipman better known by his ring name Jay Lethal, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to Ring of Honor , where he is the ROH World Television Champion...
in his initial open challenge thrown out to the legends of professional wrestling.
Personal life
Neidhart continues to wrestle all over the world on the independent circuit and is pursuing a career in "micro-asset classes" and real estateReal estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
.
Neidhart and wife Ellie have three daughters – Jennifer, a gourmet chef and caterer, Natalya
Nattie Neidhart
Natalie "Nattie" Katherine Neidhart is a Canadian professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE on its SmackDown brand under the ring name Natalya....
, and Kristen ("Muffy"), who was married in early June 2007. Natalya is also a professional wrestler and is currently signed to WWE.
Media
On April 6, 2010, World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
released Hart & Soul: The Hart Family Anthology, which is a 3 DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
set featuring a documentary on the Hart wrestling family (including Jim Neidhart) as well as 12 matches. It is unique in that it also features previously unseen home movies from the Harts as well as candid interviews from surviving family members.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Anvil Flattener (Front powerslam)
- Anvilizer (Cobra clutch)
- Signature moves
-
- Camel clutch
- Leaping shoulder block
- With Bret HartBret HartBret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
- Hart Attack
- With Owen HartOwen HartOwen James Hart was a Canadian professional and amateur wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , and most notably, the World Wrestling Federation , where he wrestled under both his own name, and ring name The...
- Rocket Launcher
- ManagersManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Mr. FujiHarry FujiwaraHarry Fujiwara is an American former professional wrestler and manager, best known by his ring name Mr. Fuji. He was infamous for often throwing salt in the eyes of face wrestlers...
- Jimmy HartJimmy HartJames "Jimmy" Ray Hart is a professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician currently signed with WWE. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling under his nickname "The Mouth of the South." He has managed many professional...
- Mr. Fuji
Championships and accomplishments
- Championship Wrestling from Florida
- NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version) (1 time)
- NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Florida version) (1 time) – with Krusher KhruschevBarry DarsowBarry Darsow is a former American professional wrestler who is known as Smash, one half of the tag team Demolition, and as Krusher Kruschev, Repo Man, and The Blacktop Bully...
- Memphis Championship WrestlingMemphis Championship WrestlingMemphis Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion run by Terry Golden, based in Memphis, Tennessee. The promotion's first event was on February 20, 2000, and it remained active up until mid-2001...
- MCW Southern Tag Team ChampionshipMCW Southern Tag Team ChampionshipThe MCW Southern Tag Team Championship was the tag team title in Memphis Championship Wrestling from 2000 until the promotion closed in 2002.-Title history:...
(1 time) – with The Blue MeanieBrian HeffronBrian Heffron is a professional wrestler and actor better known as The Blue Meanie or Da Blue Guy.-Early career:...
- MCW Southern Tag Team Championship
- Mid-Eastern Wrestling FederationMid-Eastern Wrestling FederationThe Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation was a Mid-Atlantic independent professional wrestling promotion based in Essex, Maryland. Founded by promoter Dennis Wippercht and wrestler Tim "Lucifer" Burke in 1991, the MEWF was one of the leading independent promotions on the East Coast during the 1990s...
- MEWF Heavyweight ChampionshipMEWF Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship is the highest ranking singles title in the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, one of three in the promotion....
(1 time)
- MEWF Heavyweight Championship
- Mid-South Wrestling
- Mid-South Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Butch ReedButch ReedButch Reed is an American professional wrestler best known for his stints in the World Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance/World Championship Wrestling.-Career:...
- Mid-South Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Butch Reed
- Professional Wrestling Federation
- PWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him # 61 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
in 1994 - PWI ranked him # 189 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003
- PWI ranked him # 37 of the 100 best tag teams of the PWI Years with Bret HartBret HartBret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
in 2003.
- PWI ranked him # 61 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500
- Pro Wrestling Ohio
- PWO Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Greg ValentineGreg ValentineJohn Wisniski, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, better known as Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. He is the son of wrestler Johnny Valentine.-Training:...
- PWO Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Greg Valentine
- Stampede WrestlingStampede WrestlingStampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
- Stampede International Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Hercules AyalaRuben CruzRuben Cruz , known by his ringname Hercules Ayala, is a retired Puerto Rican professional wrestler who has competed in Canadian and international wrestling promotions including the eastern Canadian Grand Prix Wrestling, the Calgary-based Stampede Wrestling and the World Wrestling...
(1) and Mr. HitoKatsuji Adachi, better known as Mr. Hito, was a Japanese professional wrestler who competed in North American and Japanese regional promotions from the 1950s until the mid-1980s. Most notably, he was the tag team partner of Mr...
(1) - Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Stampede International Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Hercules Ayala
- Universal Wrestling Alliance
- UWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- WWF Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Bret HartBret HartBret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
- WWF Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Bret Hart
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Feud of the Year (1997) with Bret Hart, Owen HartOwen HartOwen James Hart was a Canadian professional and amateur wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , and most notably, the World Wrestling Federation , where he wrestled under both his own name, and ring name The...
, Davey Boy SmithDavey Boy SmithDavey Boy Smith was a British professional wrestler, better known as "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, who was born in Golborne in North West England, United Kingdom. Smith is known for his appearances with Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling...
, and Brian PillmanBrian PillmanBrian William Pillman was an American football player and professional wrestler best known for his appearances in the World Wrestling Federation, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling....
vs. Stone Cold Steve AustinStone Cold Steve AustinSteve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
- Feud of the Year (1997) with Bret Hart, Owen Hart