HART FOUNDATION/DAVIS VS. BRITISH BULLDOGS/SANTANA

 In January 1987, Danny Davis was the referee when the British Bulldogs lost the WWF Tag Team Championships to the Hart Foundation. He was also the referee when Randy Savage beat Tito Santana for the WWF Intercontinental Championship. As Davis was instrumental in both of these title changes, that brings us to this match. Dynamite Kid had injured his back before the tag title match, so he took a couple of months rest to recover for the “revenge match.”

Before the match, “Mean” Gene Okerlund is backstage with the heels. I’m sure Jimmy says “Gino Santana” but the interview says nothing. British Bulldogs, Tito Santana and Matilda are seen making their way down in the mechanical ring. Matilda makes a beeline for Jimmy Hart as a six-man brawl breaks out. The Hart Foundation are sent into each other before Tito gets in the ring. British Bulldog press slams Davis over the ropes onto the Hart Foundation, and all of this before the bell rings.

Gorilla Monsoon, Bob Uecker and Mary Hart are crowding the commentary table for this match. Howard Finkel is our ring announcer.

 

HART FOUNDATION & DANNY DAVIS VS. BRITISH BULLDOGS & TITO SANTANA

WWF WrestleMania 3 (29^th March 1987)

  Tito Santana starts with Bret Hart, they exchange right hands and Bret is backed into the corner. Tito sends Bret across the ring but is caught in a headscissors, no he just drops Bret like a sack of shit.

  We see Jesse Ventura stealing Matilda as Bret’s head meets British Bulldog’s boot. Bulldog is in but Neidhart also gets the tag. They lock up to a stalemate as Mary Hart makes it clear that she’s not related to Jimmy. British Bulldog works a headlock and is sent off the ropes. Neidhart goes prone, Bulldog stops himself from running into Bret on the apron and swings the momentum sending Hart Foundation’s heads together. Danny Davis does not look excited to be involved in the match, luckily he doesn’t have to worry for a while as Davey Boy brings Neidhart the faces’ corner. Dynamite Kid gets the tag and the British Bulldogs headbutt Neidhart. Tito Santana gets the tag and tries to work Neidhart’s arm but he’s forced across the ring. Jim Neidhart distracts the referee as Bret and Davis choke Tito in the corner. Jim Neidhart connects with clubs to Tito and sends him across the ring. Tito is able to leapfrog Neidhart, who ducked too early and he tags in British Bulldog.

 British Bulldog kicks Neidhart in the midsection and connects with right hands before sending him off the ropes for a back body drop. Jim Neidhart begs off in the corner before attacking Bulldog from behind and tagging Bret in. Neidhart slams British Bulldog in place for Bret to hit an elbow drop from the middle rope, but Davey rolls out of the way and tags Dynamite Kid back in. Dynamite Kid lifts Bret by the hair because why not? Bret Hart hits the turnbuckles chest-first and Dynamite Kid lifts him up for a clothesline. Dynamite Kid covers after a falling headbutt, Jim Neidhart breaks it up and Tito Santana beats him back to the corner. Bret Hart connects with right hands in the corner but asks Danny Davis to tag in, which allows Dynamite to shake the cobwebs and set up a suplex. Jim Neidhart cuts it off with an ax handle to Dynamite Kid’s back before making the tag. Jim Neidhart has Dynamite Kid in a chinlock and stands over him before hitting him across the chest.

  Bret Hart hits the elbow drop from the middle rope this time, as Dynamite is across Neidhart’s knee before Danny Davis tags in to stomp on Dynamite Kid. Bret Hart is back in within seconds, as you would imagine, and he lays in right hands on Dynamite Kid before holding him for a free shot from Neidhart, who makes the tag. Jim Neidhart clubs at Dynamite’s back in the heels corner before tagging Bret in. Bret Hart kicks Dynamite in the ribs and connects with right hands before tagging Davis back in for a couple of kicks. Back to our scheduled programming as Bret Hart headbutts Dynamite and knocks him down with some more shots. Danny Davis gets a third chance at fame and the Hart Foundation slingshot Davis into the ring. Danny Davis lands on Dynamite’s knees as the Hart Foundation celebrates on the apron, none the wiser. Dynamite Kid crawls to his corner and tags in Tito Santana who lays into Davis as the fans wake up.

  Danny Davis is sent off the ropes into a backdrop, Tito Santana knocks both members of the Hart Foundation down on the apron and hits the Flying Forearm on Davis! Tito Santana rains punches down on Danny Davis, not wanting to end the match yet. Jim Neidhart interrupts the Figure Four attempt, so Tito Santana makes the tag to British Bulldog. Bulldog sends Davis off the ropes into a clothesline then sends him into Dynamite Kid’s head. British Bulldog hits a jumping Tombstone piledriver and hits a delayed suplex. British Bulldog hits a running Powerslam on Danny Davis and chaos ensues. Bulldog covers, but Jim Neidhart breaks it up. Tito knocks Neidhart out of the ring with a Flying Forearm but is cleared from the ring by Bret. Dynamite Kid doesn’t want to be left out so he goes after Bret, backing him into the corner as the referee tries to find some form of order in the match.

  Danny Davis hits British Bulldog with Jimmy Hart’s megaphone and covers before shouting over the referee to make the 3 count.

WINNERS: HART FOUNDATION & DANNY DAVIS

 This was a solid match, Danny Davis was in there for the bare minimum to get some heat and the Bulldogs and Tito lost nothing with the cheap finish. Danny Davis must have had mega heat for the house shows following this. It’s difficult to do this wrong, but this was a solid match in WrestleMania history. [***] 5.75/10