Bret Hart vs Kidman (WCW, 11-15-1999)

tapemachinesarerolling

Screen Shot 2018-09-14 at 3.37.43 AM.png

WCW Monday Nitro, North Little Rock, AR

A quarterfinal mach in the WCW world heavyweight title tournament! The one and only Bret-Kidman match! I am stoked for this because Kidman in 1999 was one of the best fuckin wrestlers in the world, even though I know the match is less than four minutes long.

Kidman is a member of the Filthy Animals, so he’s got Torrie Wilson, Konnan, Eddie Guerrero, and Rey Mysterio Jr in his entourage. Tony gets a boner over Torrie.

Bret’s limp has mostly recovered at this point. Rey joins commentary.

C&E to start, Hart shoves Kidman to the corner. Clean break. Hart with a knee to the gut after another C&E. Inverted atomic drop, big clothesline and Kidman takes a Hennig-style twisting bump. Boot to the midsection. Side backbreaker from Hart.

Kidman lands on Bret trying a slam, gets a quick one count, and slingshots in from the apron with a sunset flip. Hart rolls through, Kidman blocks the sharpshooter, so Bret slingshots him ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE FLOOR. ’99 Kidman rules!

Eddie checks on Kidman. Torrie looks vaguely concerned. Hart arguing with Konnan a little, it appears. Kidman rolls back in finally, Hart gets right back on him. European uppercuts from Hart. Kidman reverses a whip to the corner, then hits the ropes and connects with a clothesline for two.

Kidman up quickly, bulldog out of the corner for two. Hall and Nash make their way to ringside, and Hall sexually harasses Torrie quickly. Tony says he’d do the same thing! Eddie punches Hall in the face, Konnan comes over, too, and they fight the Outsiders. They fail at it, but they do it.

Anyway, back in the ring, Kidman goes for a rana on Hart, Hart blocks and gets the sharpshooter on! Kidman gives it up.

Rating: 3/5. Four minutes long, one nasty bump from Kidman, a few neat things, worth a look if you’re bothering with WCW ’99 at all. And you can feel in these recent matches that Bret is feeling legitimately reinvigorated and more like himself again, heading toward better things in The WCW.