Bret Hart vs Konnan (WCW, 11-9-1998)

WCW Monday Nitro, Uniondale, NY

This is, on the surface, just a kinda random matchup, but the real life backstory is pretty funny. It  is Bret Hart against Konnan, the man who actually taught him the sharpshooter in real actual life.

I haven’t watched much or any of him on this site yet so if you’ve never followed me anywhere else let me tell you now: I like Konnan as a promo, as an actor within his character, and he seems like a really smart, sharp guy about wrestling in general. And I absolutely hate watching him wrestle.

Konnan spins Hart into the corner right away and unloads with rights and stomps, beating Bret down immediately. Hart off the ropes, Konnan with the rolling clothesline, then more stomps to drive Hart out of the ring. Konnan follows right after him and keeps kicking his ass. Konnan is fired up!

Konnan slams Hart into the steps. Man, Konnan is here for Wolfpac revenge on behalf of Sting. And apparently these two had a fight the week before or something. I’m not watching full episodes. Who has the time? How much of my youth can I relive?

Hart takes advantage back inside the ring and headbutts Konnan in the groin, or at least that’s how Konnan chooses to sell it. Hart rakes the eyes on the ropes. Kick to the ribs. Hart raking the eyes hard, taking a four count. Bret’s nasty at this point, just a mean fucker. Now a choke in the corner.

Heenan says Konnan can do “aerial maneuvers.” OK, Brain. Russian legsweep from Bret. Up to the second rope, Konnan predictably gets a boot up because he wasn’t really in position for Bret’s one flying move. Konnan with more brawling to take Bret down, now a boot choke of his own. Konnan will get mean if Bret wants to get mean. Choke over the second rope.

Konnan mounts in the corner, six punches land. Konnan shoves the referee out of his way twice, then Bret gets a chance and takes out Konnan’s knee, chop blocking him. Leg over the bottom rope and Hart ass splashes it. Elbowdrop into the knee. Then a rolling leg snap. Hart is in control and focused. Ass splash to the knee again.

More work on the leg. Bret drags Konnan over to the ringpost as the crowd chants for Sting. Konnan’s leg gets wrapped around the post. Now Hart pulls on it from the other side, around the post. More leg work in the ring. Total tunnel vision here from Hart, total viciousness.

Hart goes outside and fetches a chair. He does not give a fuck anymore. He’s just out to hurt people. Bret just smacks Konnan in the knee with the chair for the DQ. Repeatedly hitting him in the leg. Eventually Lex Luger ambles out and chases Hart off.

Rating: 3/5. I am really enjoying brutal psychopath Bret Hart. This match was fine, seven minutes mostly focused on Hart taking someone apart again, then just saying “fuck it” and beating him with a chair. Hart was becoming truly unhinged by this point. He’d lost the U.S. title, and now it was just about hurting people. Nothing else.