This match can be found on the Hart & Soul: The Hart Family Anthology WWE DVD release. We begin with Sean Mooney interviewing the challenger. Mooney asks Bulldog about the family pressures. Davey says the pressures are certainly there between the family and have been since Jack Tunney made the match, but when he and Bret meet in the ring for the Intercontinental title he doesn't know Bret, he's never met him. He does hope that after the match the families can reunite. Mooney asks about the pressure of having this opportunity in front of 80,000 of his countrymen. Bulldog says that's a dream, not a pressure, with his second dream being winning the championship. We cut straight to Mean Gene standing with Bret Hart. The Hitman says he's shown he works well under pressure when asked about the match. He's pissed off that Bulldog claims during this match he doesn't know Bret since Bret introduced him to Diana. He takes credit for Bulldog being where he is in the company. He says Bulldog will wake up tomorrow thinking he's in the Dungeon (awkward pause) at Windsor Castle. That could have been awesome with a bit better timing. Third pre-match interview with Diana Hart Smith and it has to be one of the worst I've ever seen. I have no idea how this doesn't come up in "worst Pay-Per-View moments" lists more often. She stumbles through saying she's here to support both her brother (Bret) and her husband (Davey) and that the bond the family has is bigger than the Intercontinental championship. It's overly long and I just genuinely hate it.
(C) World Wrestling Entertainment
Vince McMahon and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan are on commentary for this match. British Bulldog enters first, lead to the ring by Lennox Lewis waving a Union Jack and he gets a roaring ovation on his home soil. Bret gets a similar reaction. Both these athletes are very popular amongst the crowd. Bret hands the championship over to Earl Hebner and gifts his sunglasses to a child in the crowd. The bell rings to start the match and they circle each other in the middle of the ring. There's a tense staredown before Bret lightly shoves Davey. Bulldog not messing around, shoving Bret back hard. A collar-elbow tie up starts us off and Davey uses his strength advantage to shove Bret back into the corner. Bret right back with another lock up, and Bulldog grabs a headlock, Bret backs him to the ropes to get out. Bret drops down, leap frogs Davey then a shoulder block sends Bret out to ringside. The ring's on a raised platform and it's the first time I've ever noticed that. Bret quickly back in the ring, and he takes Davey down with a headlock of his own, Davey grabs a headscissors but Bret kicks out. Second headlock takedown by Hart and this time he avoids the headscissors. Davey gets back to his feet in the headlock and sends Bret across the ring. Bulldog lifts Bret up but The Hitman slides out the back and rolls Davey up! Davey kicks out just as it gets to 2. Small package by Bret Hart gets him another 2 count.
Bret goes back to the headlock takedown but Bulldog slips out of it into a hammerlock and drives his knee into Bret's arm. Bret fights to his feet, hitting Davey with a back elbow to the face and taking control of an arm. Bret wrenches on it, keeping Bulldog at bay for the time being, but Davey rolls out and brings Hart to the mat, keeping hold of the arm. We see Diana looking on as Bret fights to his feet again, he pushes Davey back to the ropes to release his grip and sends him across the ring. Davey avoids the trip then catches The Hitman in midair, catapulting him into the corner! Davey grabs the arm again and brings Bret to his feet. Bulldog hoists him in the air, slamming him down on his back. Bulldog brings Bret back to his feet, but Bret is able to leverage Bulldog away, Bulldog sent off the ropes but he ducks a clothesline, crucifix gets 2 and both men are immediately to their feet. Bulldog was the quickest grabbing control of Bret's left arm again. Bret fights to his feet and slams Bulldog but the hold is still applied. Bulldog switches to bending Hart's wrist, moving down the arm. Bret rolls out but Davey rolls with him, going back to the shoulder. Bret sends Davey across the ring again and goes prone, Hart quickly to his feet and he connects with a knee to the gut, flipping Bulldog over.
The fans have constantly been cheering for Bulldog all throughout the match, and Bret stomps on Bulldog's knee. Knee drop by The Hitman and he applies a chinlock. Bulldog makes his way to his feet and elbows out but is caught with a back elbow by Bret. Bulldog brought to his feet for an inverted atomic drop, and Bret sends him off the ropes, Bulldog attempts another crucifix roll up but Hart drops to the mat. Hart covers for 2 and goes back to the chinlock. Bulldog slowly fights back to his feet and he sends Bret off the ropes but gets decked with a shoulder block. Bulldog goes prone, leapfrog, Bret gets flipped over with Bulldog's feet. The crowd loved that and Bulldog headbutts Bret into a corner, before sending him to the other side of the ring. Bret gets launched hard into the turnbuckles but he gets the boot up, really looking like it caught Bulldog. Hart hits a bulldog out of the corner and climbs to the top rope, but British Bulldog's on his feet and he launches Hart across the ring. Bulldog deciding to go to the top, Hart rolls out of the way of a splash attempt, sending Bulldog's head into the mat. Hart slams his head into the mat again before bringing him to his feet. Bulldog slips out the back and tries to shove Hart into the ropes, but Bret ducked, sending Bulldog out to the floor!
The fans didn't appreciate that one bit, booing Bret. The referee's count gets to six as Bulldog's on his feet at ringside. The referee tries to keep Hart away, but Hart slingshots himself out of the ring with a plancha, Davey wasn't in position though so Bret had to take him down himself. They cut to Diana looking on concerned before Bret picks Davey up and runs him back first into the ring post. Bret throws Bulldog in the ring as Heenan says he'll do anything to retain his championship. Bret sends Davey corner to corner and hits him with a kidney shot, sending him to the mat. Bret headbutts Bulldog and hits a Russian leg sweep. Bret covers only getting 2. Bret brings Bulldog to his feet and hits him with European uppercuts, Bulldog still on his feet, staggering. Right-hand reels him and a dropkick finally sends him down. Bret sends Davey across the ring for a back body drop, and Bulldog starts favouring his leg. Bret covers for another nearfall. Bret again with a chinlock, not giving Bulldog any chance at a comeback. Bulldog to his feet but Bret hits a quick suplex for another nearfall. Chinlock applied, keeping Bulldog on the mat, but he gets to his feet. Bret hits a headbutt, but Bulldog catches a European uppercut! Backslide gets Davey a nearfall, and the fans wanted that to be it.
We get a small image of Diana looking on again in the corner. After the punishment Bulldog's taken Bret's first to his feet. Backbreaker sends Bulldog down and Hart hits the elbow drop from the second rope. Bret Hart covers but only gets 2. Bret brings Davey to his knees, hitting him with a right hand, and throwing him by his hair, really bringing out all the dick moves out of frustration. Bulldog starts making it to his feet, so Bret hits some right hands, Bret snapmares Bulldog over for another chinlock, realising it's going to take forever to strike Bulldog down enough for a cover. Hart gets bored of the chinlock and brings Bulldog to his feet for more right hands, Bulldog gets one back but Hitman ducks another and locks in a sleeper hold. Bulldog starts fading and ends up on all fours, but he carries Bret to the ropes. Bret gets counted for the disqualification three times before eventually letting go, I don't know if he loosened the hold and the camera missed it or what happened. Bret kicks at Bulldog's face before going back to the sleeper. Bulldog fades, dropping to his arse, eventually, the ref checks his arm and Bulldog finds life on the third drop! The fans go mental for it and he gets to his feet and runs Bret back first into the corner, breaking the hold. Only momentarily as Hart reapplies it! Bulldog sends Bret into the corner again, and this time he slumps down. They slugfest their way to the middle of the ring before Bulldog reverses an irish whip attempt, lifting Bret overhead, Bulldog drops Bret and he gets tangled in the ropes, ouch.
Bulldog sends Bret into the corner, Bret staggers out into a clothesline. Another pair of clotheslines gets Bulldog another nearfall and the first bit of real momentum he's had in a while. Bulldog lifts Bret and hits a military press slam for another nearfall. Delayed vertical suplex by Bulldog gets him his third nearfall and Bret begs off into the corner, Bulldog sends Bret chest first into the opposite corner and covers, but still can't keep the champion down. Bulldog brings Hart up by his ring gear, and hits a running Powerslam! 1, 2, 2.9! Bret Hart still kicked out. Bulldog's now the one getting frustrated and he shoves Bret out to the apron. Bulldog tries to suplex Bret back into the ring, but Bret swings himself round, landing on his feet, Bridging german! 1, 2, NO! They're back on their feet and Bulldog blocks a suplex before crotching Bret hard on the top turnbuckle. Bulldog climbs up to the top and hits a big superplex, but still only gets a nearfall! This is at the time Heenan was managing Ric Flair, so The Brain uses this chance to put Flair over as the only man that could kick out of all these moves.
Bret reverses an irish whip attempt, Bulldog ducks a clothesline, both men down on a double clothesline! They slowly stir, Bret looks like he's setting up the sharpshooter whilst they're still on the mat. He struggles to roll Davey over, but does, and syncs it in getting to his feet. Bulldog slowly makes it to the ropes. We see Dana again and Brain says if she didn't want to see it she shouldn't be here in a brilliant piece of heel work. Bulldog reverses an irish whip and Bret flies over for a sunset flip, Davey kneels down covering Bret, 1, 2, 3!
WINNER: BRITISH BULLDOG (NEW WWF INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION)
This is a classic match and for good reason. Bret had to carry Davey through it since he'd not slept much during the tour and it shows in some places. It shows a lot how Davey was able to get through this match the state he was in. They both worked the best they could, and they didn't let the crowd down, in turn, the crowd kept cheering for their countryman, making every move Bret did seem more vicious, so Bret worked to the heel role. The finish though... I don't like the roll-up/roll-up counter finishes in Hart vs. Hart matches, but that's a personal preference. I'd rate the match 8.6/10.
Diana comes down to ringside as Bret sits on the mat, devastated by the loss. He eventually gets to his feet and Bulldog extends a hand. They embrace and Bret raises Davey's arm. Diana enters the ring to celebrate too and we have a happy Family scene from Wembley Arena. Lennox Lewis enters the ring to wave the Union Jack as the pyro goes off.
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