Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 116: Bret Hart vs. Booker T (Nitro 2/22/99)

Booker was getting really good by this point (he’d already had that good to great series with Benoit the year before), and he’d be a main eventer within the next year. Bret was a mixed bag in WCW, but his highlighted matches are all on this set, and he was an amazingly smooth ring general with the right guy across the ring. I’m expecting a smidge above an average match, and I’ll take anything more as a pleasant bonus.

A really solid vocal crowd for this match to build upon. That’s half your battle right there. Bret is your scoundrel, which he is best suited for, while Booker is your Hero of the day. Both guys facially and gesture-wise play this up before the initial lock up, and I’m again blown away with the way Bret Hart emotes. Only Randy Orton comes close among this new mainstream generation of heels with the way they barely have to say a word, but when they roll out after an exchange (which Hart does early) you know exactly what is going on and react. Hart also moved so well, which is something that you don’t see with the more athletic style and is something more akin to Ric Flair. Great pacing as babyface Booker rules the roost early.

This match is so freaking simple and yet so freakin’ great. Hart uses short cuts and keeps it slow while getting the heat, and Booker comes back and punches it up. Of course this is all killed a cutaway to the truck where Disco Infero is negotiating to pirate the satellite signal for the NWO Wolfpack – don’t even ask, it’s typical short attention span crap – so we have what amounts to a commercial break while they really get going.

Bret is in charge when we get back, and he gets frustrated whenever Booker kicks out of a pin. Booker’s selling was very good here. I’m a believer. Still the greatest side Russian leg sweep, Mr. Hart. Five moves of doom methodically administered by Hart, but no pin fall victory. Booker even kicks out at one after a backbreaker. Booker’s come back is pretty bad ass as he commits to all the moves and Hart bumps well for him. The announcers can’t be bothered to call the match, which is a shame. A very methodical match that was a Hart trademark, but as I get older I find them more timeless than boring, like I did when I was in high school. There’s a great figure Four spot towards the end where Booker wills the crowd back into it (or maybe them willing him), and Booker really sells the knee after. That selling goes nowhere, but the comeback is fun. Hart superplexes Booker in a huge spot that feels just as high spot-tastic as anything Rey Jr would do on a show in terms of impact. Booker catches him in a roll up for the win in 17:30. Very good, but not great, match. Let’s celebrate it for what it was though. 3 ½ and 6.8/10.