In the Stable Division, team Droopy's Dungeon selects
The (New) Hart Foundation
War with United States (1997)
The re-formed Hart Foundation was a pro-
Canadian stable that was born after the events of 1997's
WrestleMania 13, where Bret Hart defeated his then-nemesis
Stone Cold Steve Austin in their
Submission Match.
[5][56] The fans, in the context of one match,
turned on Bret and began supporting Steve Austin, who was the rebellious anti-hero who "flipped the bird", swore on television and did whatever he wanted, when he wanted to. Because of their new-found love for Austin, the fans in the U.S.A. began to turn on Bret Hart, thus causing a "North American war". Bret Hart in response reunited himself with Jim Neidhart and recruited Owen Hart,
The British Bulldog, and
Brian Pillman to form the new
Hart Foundation.
[5]
This stable opposed the
United States, and even degraded the United States and its values whereas they would speak highly of Canada and Europe (where they were beloved). The New Hart Foundation usually brought the
Canadian and
British flags out to their matches, and in their
promos would talk in disgust about the United States and its inhabitants in general, thus causing fan reactions and making the New Hart Foundation (and Bret Hart in particular) unpopular in the States but highly popular everywhere else. Their main feud was with Stone Cold. At
Canadian Stampede, Hart Foundation took part in a historic 10-man tag-team match where the entire Hart Foundation faced the team of Steve Austin, Legion of Doom,
Ken Shamrock, and
Goldust. In the decision, Owen Hart pinned Steve Austin. The entire Hart family came into the ring to celebrate afterwards.
[57]
The stable was highly successful, garnering every WWF Championship title they had to offer at the time, including the
WWF Championship,
[44] WWF Intercontinental Championship,
[43] WWF European Championship[58] and
WWF Tag Team Championship.
[7]
The end of Hart Foundation (1997)
The new
Hart Foundation eventually disbanded in late 1997. Pillman was found dead of an undetected heart condition on
October 5, the day of
In Your House: Badd Blood.
[59] The following pay-per-view,
Survivor Series 1997, Bret (who was leaving the WWF to join
World Championship Wrestling) lost the WWF Championship to Shawn Michaels in the infamous "
Montréal Screwjob".
[60] Both Neidhart and Smith left over the incident, but Owen remained feeling that he may have been sued for
breach of contract if he left.
Members