Jim Cornette's Watch-Along: Bret Hart vs. Roddy Piper (Wrestlemania 8)

[@85futureshock]

This was art. Plain and simple. This was like a morality play put into a 13 minute wrestling match. Bret Hart matches are the closest thing wrestling has to Picasso paintings.

[@pleaseshutup7053]

They are better than Picasso painting. Picasso is a scam everyone can understand a Bret match

[@SalsBrain]

Hart truly was the artist painting on the canvas making every thing look amazing and any mesz up easily fixed without anyone noticing

[@sstrykert]

Well said. Bret even brought some color to the canvas🤔😉

[@-CONSIGNED_TO_OBLIVION-]

If only you marks put your passion into REAL sports. How does it feel to love something that hates you and wants nothing except your money. Neck beard losers

[@coreypoirier8531]

Corny is so excited by this match he is giving Shawn compliments - it may also be that now that you compare Shawn to current wrestlers you realize just how good he really was.

[@theyinkaquadri]

Piper also had a pin fall loss to Flair at their first television match in the WWF at MSG in 1991.

[@GDMFSOBlarg]

very cool watching along takes me back

[@WitsEnds]

Can you please do a watch along of Badd Blood ‘97 HBK vs Taker one oh the best matches ever

[@bobdobbs7828]

So ummm why is Jim making the White Power symbol in the drawing for this video?

[@sonofapreacherman7328]

Bret Hart vs Piper and Naitch vs Macho Man stole the show at WrestleMania 8. WrestleMania 8 is sooooo underrated!! Bret Hart is the goat!!

[@xenaluck]

Bret Hart for Prime Minister

[@MilMaska]

"And Roddy said. You know what would make this match special ? A little blood. And the question wasn't if I could do it. But if I could get away with it" - Bret Hart

[@ricosalvaje5802]

This match has one of the best stories ever told in a match. Roddy was excellent and really put Bret over in a huge way.

[@anamekian1742]

In WWF yes

[@truu-dl8rp]

I agree !

[@ricosalvaje5802]

@@michaelunderhill8847 Bret Imo has at least six matches that I would rate at *****.

[@retrosportsvision5873]

Indiana had lost in the Final 4 the day before. Brain: I'm Indiana's favorite Bobby, I could have got that high school team a win last night, not that guy they had running the ship. Monsoon: You couldn't carry Bobby Knight's towel! Brain: Who? These two were on fire during this show, made it even that much more great. My favorite Wrestlemania.

[@neandercarl]

They only worked one more PPV together (Rumble 93) after this. Cut down in their prime!

[@CaptainColdyron222]

Heenan was on fire for this whole period of WWF history. Once Flair showed up Heenan really kicked it into high gear. He was fantastic at the Royal Rumble that year too.

[@retrosportsvision5873]

@@CaptainColdyron222 Agreed. He would go into hysterics during any high profile Flair match. It's too bad they couldn't have done more together.

[@EwanCumia]

Heenan was the best commentator of all time. No one put over talent, and made people laugh quite like Bobby.

[@jonathanr4160]

I want to see a watch-along with Bret vs Bulldog from the In Your House where Jim was managing Davey. Also Wikipedia says the referee was Roger Ruffen? Never heard of him but I do remember him standing out since this was the first PPV I ever watched as a kid.

[@kellijones6481]

I’ve seen that before, that’s the match where Bret got a little too carried away with the blade. Vince is doing commentary and you can almost hear in his voice how unhappy he is.

[@anitafloyd2554]

@@kellijones6481 Bret played it off well, though. The commission ruled that it was from the steps after a hard Davey Boy forearm into the back.

[@guardian08527]

Pro Wrestling Wiki says Roger Ruffen was with the WWF for about 15 years then in 1998 he became owner of Northern Wrestling Federation. 15 years in the WWF, but for the life of me I can't remember seeing him outside of the years 1991-1992.

[@MCAWESOME19]

I’m glad the Watch-Alongside are coming back more frequently

[@atrainn]

For real its great 😎

[@Ghostface88]

Agreed. There's little fun in trashing AEW now so I would rather they focus on these.

[@maxxdahl6062]

@@Ghostface88 There's a LOT of fun trashing AEW.

[@DLRX]

@@maxxdahl6062 It's becoming redundant though

[@maxxdahl6062]

@@DLRX But still a lot of fun, because 99.9% of it is stupid shit that wouldn't have happened if absolutely anyone back stage had any experience.

[@VULGARxRM]

One reason why a story like this couldn't work in AEW, is that when anyone grabs a weapon, the fans will cheer for them to use it regardless of any reasoning.

[@muhyee294]

Because no Bret and no piper then it’s who cares. Lol

[@VULGARxRM]

@@muhyee294 I think there are a handful of great wrestlers today that the people care about. My point was that there's been too much use of weapons over the years, and the fans have become jaded by spot fests and weapon use, so they don't really care about story anymore.

[@muhyee294]

@@VULGARxRM true, I stopped watching wrestling in 03-04 after religiously watching it from 86 but for some reason I just stopped, I still listen to clips from all the podcasts about something or someone I know about lol. I have tried getting back into it a few times over the years but I constantly find myself rolling my eyes or being cringed out and just not really caring. Maybe it’s just me.

[@VULGARxRM]

@@muhyee294 Almost the same exact years for me... I started watching in 1991, stopped in 2003. I got back into it in 2010 when I started watching older AJPW, certain Crockett promotions and other territory promotions from the 70s and 80s. Started listening to JC in 2013, and found him to be a good perspective to keep while attempting to watch modern day stuff.

[@mlo009]

Nowadays, people are so used to seeing weapons. Some wrestlers can even kick out after the weapon is used.

[@christhickson7950]

This match had one of The Brain's best lines, what the hell, use the bell.

[@mellome83]

"Two ugly people looking at each other. That's fun."

[@aaroncrawford930]

“Give the bell to me, I’ll hit him”

[@nickm2483]

I remember when I was champion Monsoon

[@mikeprince2036]

Brain was amazing in this era

[@ryanbracius9066]

@@nickm2483 Monsson: of what? Bobby: the neighborhood!

[@FaLaN69]

I also love this match very much. The way Piper looks at the fans and doubts himself and decides not to use the bell is iconic.

[@BBoy4040]

I completely forgot about that. The babyface almost turning to cheating but deciding they don't need it is an all time spot that never gets used enough, although when Sami did it was even better because Sami was a pure babyface at that point.

[@mattm6580]

Piper also lost clean to Mr.Perfect in1990 when Perfect was IC champ. He pinned Piper with the perfect plex 123. It's a rare match. Likely only on some Coliseum video cassette.

[@patrickmullin1205]

Wasn't ever put on Colisseum. Was taped but never released. A version with no commentary surfaced in 2021

[@depechegirl02]

Another Bret Hart watch-along! Thanks Jim & Brian - love listening to you guys watch Bret matches.

[@graham.2547]

The matches chosen for these watch alongs are just second to none. Great selection

[@graham.2547]

Although I think it would be cool if he did a Royal Rumble watch along haha

[@minechaftgamer288]

Bret vs whomever = ratings :)

[@maxxdahl6062]

@@minechaftgamer288 I'd like to see him do Curt Hennig vs. Nick Bockwinkel for the AWA title. But either one would likely be way too long. lol Both go about an hour.

[@accnt22]

I really hope watch alongs become a regular thing again.

[@anamekian1742]

Ditto

[@korubi_eCSTatic]

These are so fun and informative, I hope they become more frequent segments as well!

[@Daminous_Games]

The pre-match was hilarious as were Roddy's stories always to rub people the wrong way. The match itself was so great, hooked you in, hooked the audience in and kept you engaged all the way through by great story telling. A true WrestleMania and match of the year.

[@mangrove]

This might be one of my favorite WMs to rewatch, in terms of commentary. Gorilla and The Brain were hilarious throughout the entire show.

[@jacobjones3916]

Just watched WM8 a couple of weeks ago!!!! Absolutely right!!!!

[@DoktaVenom]

Heenan was on fire…he was the highlight of WWE ppv’s in that era

[@sourdeez5558]

"What the hell, use the bell!"

[@catastrophecookies6066]

“Oh good. Two ugly guys just staring at each other.”

[@sourdeez5558]

Along with being funny as hell, Bobby sold the matches really well too. Even being a kid I remember watching this live and being blown away and I still recall agreeing and believing Bobby when he said, "I knew it was going to be good. I didn't know it was going to be this good."

[@KingKhanate1997]

This match is so underrated. Happy to see Corny give it a spotlight

[@pleaseshutup7053]

Underrated has lost its meaning

[@TheMartinTD]

Underrated by who exactly ?

[@kellijones6481]

I’m not sure you know what the definition of underrated is, just about every wrestling fan universally agrees that this was a brilliant match

[@damian_cross]

I love hearing Cornette get excited seeing this stuff for the first time. He knows the history and the spots but you still hear the fan in him just loving what he's seeing.

[@MarLenBo]

Listening to Jim Cornette watch old wrestling is better than watching any wrestling from the past 25 years.

[@ricosalvaje5802]

Please do Bret vs Perfect at Summerslam 1991 next.

[@nygblue24]

The promo before the match was classic also. Roddy talking about Bret as a kid.

[@TheeCoachg]

This is the match that made me a wrestling fan at 4yrs old! Up until this point I had seen Summerslam 91 and Royal Rumble 92 but THIS was the first match where I was like “HOLY SHIT I LOVE WRESTLING!” Ironically,the Macho Man vs Ric Flair match was the other side of the coin and was the storytelling aspect that got me into wrestling. Man I can watch old Bret Hart stuff all day and never get tired. My favorite Mania 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@Bandana_Boi]

Everything about Bret Hart's work, I just loved. When he has an arm, it wouldn't just be a lame "rest hold". Bret would be wrenching it. He'd be punching the arm, kickin' it, wringin' it, constantly working. Always in motion, everything is quick and believable. Athletic wrestling at it's absolute believable peak. Bret Hart.

[@fumpr84]

He's a GOAT for a reason, everything he did and said you believed, you didn't see a character when watching him.

[@DarkAndAvid]

One of the best IC Championship match and WrestleMania match of all-time. One of my favorite matches. Piper helps make The Hitman.

[@chuckdawg1999]

That spot with the bell was telegraphed the week before in a double interview with Piper and Bret. This was the one where Piper spoke so lovingly of Bret's mom. At the end, when Piper was going to forfeit, only to be informed that Bret gets the belt, he almost hit Bret with it. The line at the end was classic, "I could've had you Bret, and at WrestleMania I will."

[@agedinthesun6689]

Love those guys. Piper was such a rare gem.

[@bloodeagle6458]

The way cornett breaks down a match from actual pros to break downs of modern matches is night and day God do I miss real wrestlers

[@simonbenjamin9463]

Some of the cleanest play by play I’ve ever heard in any sport.

[@gary_stavropoulos]

A little known fact about Kentucky, it is where the toothbrush was invented. If it was anywhere else it would be called the teethbrush

[@impacking]

LMMFAO!!!🤣🤣🤣

[@stevenpettit]

This was my first proper WM watched on Sky (UK) never forget this,

[@johnjedennett2206]

Brilliant match. Please stick to the watchalongs especially Bret Hart matches

[@CraigCairney83]

The Rockers v The Orient Express from the ‘91 RR would be a great watch along. That’s an absolute classic opener.

[@alexpayne5914]

The Express vs Owen and Anvil the next year was great, too. The Express seemed to bring their A game to Rumbles.

[@desisdosis473]

Or Rockers vs Brainbusters

[@televiper11]

If you are taking Watch Along requests, please consider the Bob Backlund vs Ken Patera Texas Death Match from MSG in 1980. It was the WON match of the year that year.

[@stewieg8824]

This match is an absolute masterpiece in psychology and character work 👏👏👏

[@Gibson343088]

This match is staggeringly good.

[@jasonrichard981]

Rewatching the finish they give Piper an added out. The ref is still down when he locks in the sleeper so it makes sense that when Bret kicks off and rolls back through his instinct is to focus on holding on to the sleeper rather than worry about the pinning predicament. Then the ref comes up, hits the 3 count, and Piper sells it with a “where did you come from?” look when the bell rings. Given the talent involved it isn’t surprising but it is very impressive 20 years later that the psychology of this match is still water tight.

[@jayteegamble]

AND when they were both out his head was on Bret with both shoulders down for 3 seconds! 'I actually won!' is a good one they could come back to if needed.

[@GMMANN419]

Piper also said the ref counted the pin instead of checking brett who was still in the sleeper. Yet another out. Classic in every way.

[@Booey51]

My favorite match of all time. My two favorite wrestlers of all time. Just awesome.

[@distantandvague]

Piper was pinned by Mr Perfect on an episode of Wrestling Challenge in 1990. I cannot think of any other instance. That's crazy.

[@ShaunKarisma]

And that’s how you tell a wrestling story and selling it all real Bret hart was and always will be one of my favourites simply cos he was real and the technician and roddy is a legend that made such a good dance partner shame wrestling today is rarely presented like this.

[@4ArchieLee]

This was the one Match that got away from me. I should do a watch party myself on this one. Nothing tops Bret ❤️💀🤘🏾

[@pleaseshutup7053]

Agreed I have to watch the entire wm 8 before I watch this video

[@jbellflower83]

Absolutely, Bret was the most fundamentally sound wrestler I've ever seen. Piper was Piper obviously, the best damn heel (except for maybe Flair) of all time.

[@oneanotherstudios]

That was the only Wrestlemania I've ever attended, and this was my favorite match. Not sure how I convinced my mom to get tickets and drive us from Maryland to Indianapolis, but it's an experience I will never forget.

[@doctormeatball7618]

Hey now! This isn't Curryman and Shark Boy vs. The Dudley's in a Fish Market Street Fight!

[@marqryan5218]

Listening to Jim describe these matches is the highest form of edification.

[@jesterr7133]

I have seen so many matches over the years that I rarely remember specific matches anymore, but this one is one of my favorites. I loved the finish. It just isn't one that you see very often. I love this match, and it is one of the greatest ever.

[@v.v.7522]

She be mine!

[@ADAMdinho1]

This was a great match, great to go back & enjoy it again. This was one of those unforgettable Intercontinental Championship matches.

[@officespace7777]

I hate peacock. Thumbnails so you can go straight to the match you want.😤 You have to scan through the whole event in order to find what you want. 👎🏻 There is a match between Roddy Piper and Mr perfect. It's called Roddy Piper's unreleased matches DVD. I was surprised but Piper was pinned in that match with the perfect Plex. Looks like the match was around 1990?

[@TimCrocker94]

Please do Bret v Owen at WM 10

[@maxand.1462]

please do Bret vs. everybody

[@chadalpha7983]

this is one of my favorite matches, I think it's timing, I really didn't care for WWF until they got Flair, except Brett but mainly due to his feud with Perfect, so here's a match with wrestlers I like on a show I'm already excited to see Flair vs Savage and it had a good story leading up to it (the best build up on the show) this is my favorite Wrestlemania because I only have to watch the first half to get all the wrestlers I like

[@TheSBleeder]

I was there in the Hoosier Dome. This was my favorite match on the card.

[@JPLeonhart]

This is my favorite match of all time. Made me fall in love with technical wrestling and the art of in ring storytelling/psychology. Is probably the reason i despise WWE/AEW "sports entertainment".

[@chadk890]

Edge has had good matches since coming back to be fair

[@JPLeonhart]

@@chadk890 I love Edge. Definitely an exception to the rule. It's the newer guys who disgust me most. Just worried about getting their spots in and have no respect for what came before and care less about giving a realistic presentation.

[@nigelgunson2038]

I think bret is better technically, but roddy was damn good.

[@rudyrusso711]

This was a great match. 2 kings going at each others throats. And Piper in the Babyface roll...👍👍👍

[@ericboyd8547]

These watch alongs are something that I could listen to all day long, my favorite thing

[@__RYN__]

18:09 see now there you go "accidentally" got color in a baby vs baby

[@__RYN__]

I was going to say after the Bret Hart vs Razor Ramon watch along. The Bobby Heenan promo on the Narcissist was excellent

[@ericw3038]

SHE USED TO MAKE THEM SANDWICHES 🥪🥪🥪🥪🥪

[@brendanwilliams106]

That pre match interview was outstanding 🤣🤣👏

[@PeterHowe228]

In 2006 WWE released a 3-disc DVD set for Piper this match was one of the matches Piper was the most proud of.

[@Halbared]

1992...must be the best year for the IC belt? Bret, Jaques, Roddy, Davey and Shawn.

[@vandercudo]

Don't have Peacock cos it isn't available in the country i live in, so it's network for me.

[@bimmelhex3025]

As Super Eyepatchwolf said: A full fallen hero / redemption story told just through wrestling

[@willjohnboy]

Roddy choose bret to pass the torch and said many times he couldn't have chosen a better guy than bret to pass the torch to, the ending worked for both bret won by pin but roddy can say he didn't really pin him the ref should have checked the shoulders.

[@soupnatzi788]

Watch-along recommendation: Flair/Funk I Quit match from the ‘89 Clash.

[@MarLenBo]

This is my vote for most underrated WM match ever. Like I'm taking this over the Iron Man match any day. The look on Roddy's face as he's looking at the crowd while holding the bell is about as good as story telling gets. I can listen to Corny explain psychology all day. I bet Jake would be great at it too.

[@retroshane8844]

An underrated excellent match, that doesn't get the coverage it deserves. Great to see Jim put a spot light on it.

[@ericgilbert56]

Man I LOVE THE WATCH ALONGS!!! Go to a show with The Great Brian and JIM CORNETTE!

[@nesaiamon8727]

Love this match! more bret please!

[@ichneumon2776]

Imagine if WWE nowadays had built up Finn Balor with the US Title and then for Theory to beat him at a ppv but they don't care anymore. Sigh.

[@williamthomas5215]

Actually a fun little factoid that I read years ago: Piper hadn’t lost an on screen match in 7 years until this loss

[@wrestlingtapes2036]

Bret > Shawn

[@matrivalries]

One of my favourite matches of all time, even the pre match face off between Bret and Piper was classic.

[@anamekian1742]

Guess Brian didn’t want to mention the MAIN part of storyline, alongside the title… They were Kayfabe COUSINS! It came form the fact that Roddy thought they might be REAL cousins years ago, because of his last name Toombs. But, it turned out, Bret’s family heritage of that surname was spelled differently. But, they brought it in as part of this IC Title WMVIII angle, to spice it up. I think had you actually MENTIONED that, it’s have helped the conversation about & explanation of how it’s difficult to book a Babyface vs Babyface matchup. That was one level that REALLY added to the match. If you two had JUST watched the pre-match interviews, I THOUGHT you’d mention this part of it I also gotta be honest…I hated this match. It may not have been the match so much. But, I just never was a fan of Bret, I was 10-years old, & although I LOVED Piper…I didn’t like this. I saw him as “too old & out of shape” already. Remember…this was a 10-year old me. Jim says that Piper gives Bret the rub..? I actually saw it as the other way around, in a way. My friends & I saw Piper ad an EXTREME Underdog against BRET! I laid thjnk his match against Perfect was the one that DID “make Bret”, or move him higher up the ladder. Not THIS match. Just the way I saw it, & I remember it now looking through the eyes of 10-year old me. Just meaning I remember how I felt back then. And not just myself, but my entire group of friends weren’t into this match…like…at ALL.

[@xPhenomenal1]

Hopefully we can get a Watch-Along of Punk vs Lesnar at Summerslam 2013. I think Jim would love the storytelling in that match, especially with Heyman

[@t.c.8299]

Let’s gooooo!!! Watch alongs are my favorite form of Corny content.

[@minechaftgamer288]

We need a Bret v Lawler watchalong next , feel like Bret loved their feud and was still working years later when writing on it.

[@specialk9424]

Roddy's other out, that he talks about in his book, he says that because he was using an offensive move, with the sleeper, the ref should have checked to make sure Bret was still awake, before counting the pin. Piper's reasoning, "How do I know to release the hold, if the ref doesn't tell me 'He's out'? I might be holding onto an unconscious man, in which case, I win."

[@B3WorldPictures]

The start of Bret’s rise. I loved this match, my favorite finish ever.

[@jbellflower83]

And he used it again 3 years later against Austin at Survivor Series 96. Bret was so damn good.

[@anitafloyd2554]

@@jbellflower83 4 and a half years later, but point taken.

[@djangofett4879]

I'm listening to this funky Wrestlemania dvd menu music as you set up the story here at the beginning

[@nirvanajunkie19]

The match ended and as a 39 year old man I squirted out a few tears. I sincerely doubt that any modern match will evoke a similar emotional response STILL 30 years from now.

[@davey3884]

Enough Bret Hart already...do one on HBK/Undertaker from WM25

[@desisdosis473]

Won't happen because Bret Hart marks pretend that HBKs second run (which btw lasted 2 years longer than his first) never happened lol.

[@PTminatoPT]

@@desisdosis473 Just like you being a Shawn mark?? funny how it works hun?

[@leecastro5348]

Popped when he called ref Jr from Problem Child 🤣 🤣 🤣

[@HistoricallyRomantic]

Two expert psychologists stole the show. Absolutely brilliant.

[@ericmaumaryjr137]

The way bret wins it was so creative and cool

[@rudyrusso711]

I remember the good old days when you looked forward to Wrestlemania. Unfortunately, it hasnt been that way for years.

[@yomedeer2695]

Bret Hart was just sympathy great and awesome the best wrestler in my opinion!

[@DuceQuestionMark]

Thanks Jim and Brian. I just watch this along with your commentary. God this was awesome. They don't do matches like this anymore.

[@bryonhulcher851]

Bring back watchalongs !! Invisible man vs invisible stan .. I'd love to hear jim''s take on an absolute classic lol

[@andrebdd5818]

Not going to lie I was rooting for Roddy to hit him with the bell

[@televiper11]

Piper did lose a match prior to this at MSG to Ric Flair. Good match, on KZbin.

[@jackkottwitz5236]

Will never forget this one. Had to faniggle things to see it in college.... it was worth every penny

[@L_Train]

as a former track and field guy I wish Brian would just say on your mark, get set, go

[@randalstilskin5266]

Wow think I saw this in 8th grade Piper forcing himself to take the high road was a brilliant play to those of us who saw him over the years.

[@tbx59]

What the hell, use the bell! Gorilla and The Brain made a lot of cartoon bullshit watchable.

[@sportsdebatearena]

I want Vader vs. Stan Hansen (the one with the eye) next

[@meekcheeks]

My first wrestlemania and first wrestling show. This introduced me to wrestling. Never will forget. Bret v Piper and Ric Flair v Macho Man remain my two favourite matches. Glad it wasn't Ric v Hogan. That would have sucked balls

[@masoudcohen]

4 horsemen sign in 92 is baddass

[@jeffreygunn3150]

Hot Rod was, and is, the greatest!