WCW Monday Nitro, Jacksonville, FL
This is the first-ever match between Hart and Benoit. Bret is officially nWo Hollywood at this point, coming out to the music and everything. Benoit recently turned down a Hart offer to join the nWo — maybe not turned it down but ignored it on an episode of Thunder.
C&E to start, Benoit takes him over with a quick armdrag. Tony would love to see a great scientific match, but thinks we may not get that. Bret pushes Benoit into the corner, gives a clean break. Well, clean-ish. Billy Silverman got in there and separated them. I think a few people are chanting “USA” at two Canadians.
Top wristlock and a takedown from Benoit, grabbing an armbar now. Bret up with a scoop slam and a hard elbowdrop that misses by just a second, and then Benoit takes him over with the armdrag into the armbar again. Benoit moved away from the elbowdrop s suddenly, so late in the move, that Tony didn’t even notice it missed.
Benoit holding an armbar. Hart stands it up and tries to wrestle his way out, instead drives Benoit to the corner for a break. Bret with cheapshots on the break. Hard DDT from Hart. He talks a little at the crowd, something he did more and more as a heel. Bret scrapes Benoit’s eyes across the top rope. Benoit with a kick and a chop, Hart back with a punch.
Hart choking Benoit in the corner. Headbutt from Hart as Heenan breaks down Bret’s character, “a habitual liar” who pits others against one another. Benoit fights back with chops and kicks. Hart backs down but catches a stalking Benoit with a kick. European uppercuts from Hart. He threw a great European uppercut.
Benoit whips Hart to the corner, Hart with a boot up. Inverted atomic drop and a clothesline from Bret. Up to the second rope, elbowdrop misses. Chop from Benoit, chop, headbutt, chop. Hart goes down. Hart stunguns Benoit over the top rope in response. Fight goes to the floor with Bret in control. Hart picks Benoit up and drives him into the post.
Hart talking, cussin’. Bret with rapid fire rights to a downed Benoit. Billy Silverman comes out to try and restore order. Bret going back in, Benoit down on the floor and Bret soaks in the boos.
Benoit in, Hart hits a piledriver. Tony calls it a tombstone piledriver, which it decidedly was not. Hart covers and only gets two. Again, like in the Savage match at Slamboree, Bret is covering arrogantly, no hooked leg, not executing excellently. We go to a break as Bret is in control.
We come back to Bret still in control, going for a cover and getting two. Russian legsweep, lateral press for two. Hart growing frustrated again. Jawing with fans. Hart rakes the eyes with his boot laces, then stomps down on Benoit’s midsection. Benoit sent off the ropes, slides over the top of Bret, but Bret holds the ropes and pushes Benoit down again for two. Bret getting pissy with Silverman, misses a wild swing, and Benoit hits the German! Another German! Hart blocks the third, goes to a waistlock, Benoit counters with a dragon suplex! Crowd really into Benoit’s comeback.
Benoit up first, Hart staggered and stunned on the mat. Benoit with a stomp to the head, snap suplex! Benoit calls for the finish! Benoit going up top — diving headbutt misses! Bret drives a headbutt down into Benoit’s midsection this time, now he’s gonna go up top. It’s a mistake, Benoit is up and crotches him on the top turnbuckle.
Benoit up top now with Hart, hits the superplex! Cover, kick at two! Benoit arguing with Silverman about the count. Short arm lariat from Benoit, another two count. Hart up and rakes the eyes, Benoit gets him in the crippler crossface! Hart can’t reach the ropes — but then he does.
Benoit drags him out to the middle, but now it’s fuckin’ Stevie Ray on the apron distracting Silverman. Hart busts out his KNUX and cracks Benoit in the back of the head. Then he pulls Benoit on top of himself for a two count. Benoit is KO’d, though, and Hart is up and going for the sharpshooter. He turns it, Benoit is limp, and Silverman drops the arm three times.
Rating: 4/5. Terrific match, just a taste of what they would be able to do together, really, but excellent all the same. I like the finish fine, I like Hart’s shitty heel character, I like Benoit as the underdog babyface, and the crowd really bought into his rally after Hart dominated the bulk of the match. Also Bret Hart takes a dragon suplex in this match which is dope.
Tape Machines Are Rolling 
Checked this out due to reading this review awesome match didn’t know it even existed before great stuff