The Smack Addict Podcast

Truly a pay-per-view that needs no introduction, as the Hitman’s Last Great Year slams into the endpoint of that year. But there’s more to the card than just Bret being stripped of his dignity and WWF Championship, right? Well, sort of. Don’t worry, a super team of Matt, Daniel, AND Will break it all down and try to end the podcast with a bang. And we even have a bonus match so you’re not bummed out, hopefully!

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Rick Steamboat, Boston Garden, March 8, 1986

Bret Hart is… not on this episode of Raw outside of a video package, and neither is Owen Hart, but their opponents at Sunday’s Survivor Series are here to fight… uh, other people. It’s not the best way to build to a match that will ‘never happen again’, but there are some pretty famous circumstances that lend to this odd Raw. Join Matt and Will as they break it down!

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels, Survivor Series 1992, November 25, 1992

Bret Hart wrestles his final match on Raw on this episode, defending his WWF Championship against Ken Shamrock. Who comes out on top? Well, you know. Right? Like, obviously? You wouldn’t be surprised to hear Shawn Michaels gets involved, right? This is wrestling, after all. Join Matt and Joel as they break it all down!

Some issues just don’t line up well with wrestling, and racism might just be one of them. On this episode, there’s more that is interesting about what has been cut out of this show rather than what was put in, with the Nation of Domination upset about their locker room being trashed, with Bret Hart and his boys seemingly responsible for it. Join Matt and Will as we navigate thorny issues infinitely better than WWF did at the beginning of the Attitude Era!

On this episode, D-Generation X gets named and stirs the pot, the Hart Foundation barely get a chance to speak, and Jerry Lawler says an all-time racist joke on the show, yikes. But the biggest news: The Legion of Doom are in the main event challenging for the tag titles, and if they don’t win, they’ll retire! So that’s something. Kris and Matt break it all down, including the tiny historic moments!

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Jean Pierre LaFitte, In Your House 3, September 24, 1995

It’s the night after Badd Blood, and we have to grapple with the death of Brian Pillman and the tough-to-watch interview that takes place on this show with Pillman’s widow. But we also have to contend with proto-DX, a nameless group of children who sneer at all things authentic and might just be undercutting the show. Also, Faarooq picks way too man fights, and lumberjack matches are embraced and loved. Join Matt and Daniel as they hack their way through a show that is heavy on Attitude Era!

It’s the debut of the Hell in a Cell gimmick, and it might just be the best one they’ve ever done. Also, there’s a pretty significant debut (that really shouldn’t work, but does) toward the end that Matt and Will dig into. Also on the card: Bret’s in a tag team flag match (if you can call it that) and several matches get added or elongated as the WWF grapples with Brian Pillman’s sudden death. Join us for one legendary match and several other non-legendary bouts!

Badd Blood is coming right up, but first, here’s a Raw where almost nothing happens! Sure, Steve Austin is called to the carpet to answer for his stunner to Vince McMahon last week, but that’s just an excuse to have ol’ Stevie around the building. Matt and Will break all the exciting non-action down, plus they discuss the mechanics of No Mercy 64’s cage match, which is not easy!

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels, steel cage match, WWF Superstars TV Taping, December 1, 1993

This may just be one of the most important Raws ever, as Stone Cold kicks, whams, and stunners Vincent Kennedy McMahon, kicking off a feud that would bring the WWF to pro wrestling dominance for decades to come. Also, Dude Love and Mankind conspire to bring a third option up against HHH, and Bret Hart just beats up on Goldust’s knee before all hell breaks loose in the main event. Join Matt and Daniel in Madison Square Garden as they take in this seismic episode of Raw is War!

In this infamous show, British Bulldog defends his European Championship against Shawn Michaels in front of Bulldog’s countrymen (and women), and boy is the result rough. Also, Bret Hart wrestles what may be his last great match, and Owen Hart and Vader put on a really solid big-man-little-man match. Join Matt and Joel as they confront the ugly reality of One Night Only and the questionable decisions therein!

Raw returns to Muncie and the big question is this: who will Stone Cold stun next? Someone eats it tonight, rest assured. Also, Bret Hart and the British Bulldog take on the Headbangers for the tag titles, and they… have a hard time? Weird. Also, Shawn Michaels cuts a promo that required some significant editing, because he’s such a pain at this point in his career. Listen now as Matt and Will break it all down!

The road to Badd Blood starts here! Steve Austin is here to cause yet another ruckus, Bret is taking on Vader in a No Holds Barred match, and a strange special cage match in announced for Badd Blood. Also, there’s a pointless midcard triple threat main event!  How fun. Matt and Will break it all down, so avoid a Stone Cold Stunner and pop this into your ears!

It’s the last In Your House PPV with the house set, but it’s also the first In Your House PPV that is over 2.5 hours, and you can just feel the need to stretch it all out. Yep, lots of filler here. But there’s also Bret Hart defending his WWF Championship against The Patriot, in the least subtle title defence of Bret’s ‘Canada vs. US’ era. Also, the main even between Undertaker and Shawn Michaels is wild, even if it doesn’t feature the most conclusive and satisfying ending. Join Matt and Daniel as they arrive at ground zero and talk to you in your house! (Or wherever your ears are, I suppose.)

Bret’s facing The Patriot at the upcoming PPV, so he takes some shots at him during the show, but there’s more to the show than that: Shawn Michaels and HHH team up for the first time (but certainly not the last time) and Brian Pillman drops a bomb on Goldust. Join Matt and Will as they break down the chaos!

BONUS MATCHES: Bret Hart vs. Vader, Friday Night’s Main Event, August 29, 1997, and Owen Hart vs. The Patriot, Friday Night’s Main Event, September 5, 1997

Shawn Michaels is back in action tonight, but he’s got some insurance in the form of a random old wrestler returning. Also, a very crucial member joins the Nation of Domination, and the Hart Foundation sets their sights on the Patriot, who may not be that bright a bulb. Join Matt and Kris as they break it all down and wonder aloud about Commissioner Slaughter’s loyalty!

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect, SummerSlam 1991, August 26, 1991

Bret Hart is back on top of the WWF, but he’s got a new commissioner to contend with, plus a PPV match against the Patriot. Shawn Michaels is here, and he’s got a few things to say, jack. Plus: Brian Pillman in a dress! Join Matt and Alex as they break it all down!

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog, SummerSlam 1992, August 29, 1992

It’s one of the biggest shows of our entire podcast run, it’s time for SummerSlam, and it’s time for Bret Hart to try to beat the Undertaker while keeping an eye on the special guest ref, Shawn Michaels. That match has an all-time fantastic ending, but there’s the other side of that coin with the Owen Hart-Steve Austin match, which famously ends in disaster. Join Matt and Will as we climb the blue steel bars of a classic cage match and break down the biggest party of the summer!

Bret Hart takes on the Patriot in Pittsburgh, but he’s still stewing about Shawn Michaels being the guest referee for his impending match against the Undertaker at SummerSlam. There’s also a tag title match AND an arm wrestling match, so join Matt and Daniel as they break it all down! 

Raw is in Halifax, Nova Scotia, which means the Hart Foundation is back in Canada, and the fans are rabid. The Harts headline the show in a six-man flag match, but who is going to step up against them? Also, Shawn Michaels has an announcement that leads to a dramatic confrontation between Bret Hart and Vince McMahon. Join Matt and both(?!) his brothers, Alex and Will, as they break down a historic show that happened in their hometown!

We’re back in San Antonio, the hometown of a certain boytoy, and he is back! As is Sid! Sort of. We also have old man Jerry Lawler teaming up with his so to take on an even older Ivan Putski and his son, which I guess is what we’re looking for? But ultimately, it’s all about Steve Austin and the tag tournament final, and who steps up to be his partner. Hey, wait is that disco music I’m hearing? Hmm… Join Matt and Daniel as they tap their toes and break it all down!

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart, SummerSlam 1994, August 29, 1994

We remain in Canada for Raw this week, and the Hart Foundation is here to gloat. But they won’t be able to celebrate for long, because Steve Austin is here, and he is in several segments. Also, we get more Japanese wrestling action, but now with more irritating commentary, and the main event has a whole locker room of guys watching from all over the arena. We’re on the road to the SummerSlam, so join Matt and Will as they roll their way there!

Is this one of the greatest PPVs of all-time, despite being less than two hours long and with only four matches? Well, probably! Join Alex and Matt as they break down a solid opening brawl, an unexpected junior heavyweight exhibition, a decent big-man match, and the legendary 10 man tag match that headlines the show. So sit down, make sure you’re not sitting in the Hart section of the Saddledome, and enjoy!

Bret Hart calls into this show from Calgary, but is he really there? Plus, the Undertaker’s secret is revealed by Paul Bearer, and a tag team debuts in a very random manner, as does a WWE broadcasting legend(?). All this and more with Matt and Daniel on the-very-much-not-final episode of The Hitman’s Last Great Year!

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Ted Dibiase, Saturday Night’s Main Event, April 27, 1991

Ahmed Johnson explains why he joined the Nation of Domination, then promptly scuffles with a bunch of white bikers and gets injured, Owen Hart defends his title in a strange new contest where THREE wrestlers wrestle at the same time, and Mankind campaigns for Steve Austin’s attention. There’s a lot going on, but join Matt and Will and they will break it all down!

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Macho Man Randy Savage, Saturday Night’s Main Event, November 28, 1987

It’s handcuffin’ time, with Steve Austin and Brian Pillman going head to head with three members of the Hart Foundation stuck to the ringposts outside. But Austin also has unfinished business with Ken Shamrock, which may or may not lead to a match on this episode. Also, Faarooq pledge to rebuild the Nation of Domination with two new members, leading to some drama in the final moments of the show. Join Matt and Daniel as they break it all down and do some loving nitpicking.

BONUS MATCH: The Hart Foundation vs. The Rockers, Saturday Night’s Main Event, April 28, 1990

Some backstage drama leads to our hero Bret (as well as our ‘antagonist’, Shawn Michaels) legitimately tossed out of the building before the show starts, so this episode of Raw had elements that were made up on the fly. And it turned out okay! The Nation of Domination is changing in big ways, Austin vs. Pillman is promoted a LOT (and might… not happen), but everything is touched by the HBK-Hitman drama, and Matt and Will break it all down!

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Roddy Piper, Wrestlemania VIII, April 5, 1992

It’s crowning time, as we prepare to crown a new King of the Ring, potentially crown a new WWF Champion (but almost certainly not), and we can crown one half of the tag team champions as better than the other. Spoiler: only one person actually gets crowned. In between, there’s some decent matches and some flat-out snoozes, but it does have the best-ever Shawn Michaels vs. Steve Austin match, so that’s worth something, no?

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels, ladder match, Smack ‘Em Whack ‘Em, July 21, 1992

It’s time to undo a lot of the promises that were previously made for the upcoming King of the Ring PPV, as Bret Hart can’t wrestle Shawn Michaels, but Steve Austin can! Also, Steve and Shawn defend their newly won tag titles against the LOD, but the ending is a bit underwhelming. Really, this is a night of a bunch of odd endings, with strangely decisive victories and other shenanigans. Join Matt and Daniel as they cover the go-home show for King of the Ring, which you will be so eager to buy when you see how the show ends.

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Bam Bam Bigelow, King of the Ring, June 13, 1993

It’s a night of questions: can Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels co-exist long enough to win the tag titles? What will the Undertaker do to keep Paul Bearer from spilling the beans about this mysterious secret? And how can you have Honky Tonk Man AND an Elvis impersonator on the same show? Matt and Will try to uncover answers for these questions and more on today’s episode!

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect, King of the Ring, June 13, 1993

The main event of King of the Ring comes into focus when Bret Hart says he’ll beat Shawn in less than 10 minutes or never wrestle in the US again, and Shawn says he’ll take Bret on as long as the Hart Foundation are handcuffed to the ringposts. Sounds pretty intriguing for a match that never happens, right? And what does Shawn say that ends up being partially responsible for that match never happening? Matt and Daniel break down the upcoming storm clouds that threaten our sunny days on this week’s episode!

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna, Wrestlemania X, March 20, 1994

The road to King of the Ring begins here, with the eventual winner of the 1997 King of the Ring losing in the first round. Huh? Well, that’s okay, because Mankind is here with Paul Bearer, who looks like a mummy, and Bret Hart ends the show by insulting Shawn Michaels until the show simply has to go off the air. But did he do it on purpose? Join Matt and Joel as they try to break it all down.

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Hakushi, Monday Night Raw, July 24, 1995

If you’ve ever wondered what Steve Austin’s first world title main event on a PPV looked like, search no further than this iteration of the In Your House shows! Taker defends against Stone Cold, but both men are defending against the hooligans at ringside, the Hart Foundation. Also, Vader and Ken Shamrock really punch each other, and Rocky Maivia and Mankind collide for the first time, too!

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Kevin Nash, WCW Monday Nitro, January 10, 2000

The Hart Foundation is on the prowl, looking for Shawn Michaels, but they can’t track him down. That’s going around these days, as apparently the Undertaker has lost the WWF Championship? It’s a bad look for the Dead Man, but he’s on the case. Listen as Matt and Kris break it all down, plus a…

BONUS MATCH: The Hart Foundation vs. The British Bulldogs, 2/3 Falls Match, Saturday Night’s Main Event, May 1987 

Brian Pillman spends most of the show praying for the success of Bret Hart and the newly formed Hart Foundation `97, but do they receive divine assistance? Owen certainly hopes so, as he takes on Rocky Maivia for the Intercontinental Championship as his injured brother Bret watches on from his wheelchair. Also, even though Steve Austin has a WWF Championship match in two weeks, he’s still intent on coming after the Hart family, but will he pay for it? Matt and Will break down another show that is a stepping stone toward the Attitude Era!

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Chris Benoit, Owen Hart Tribute Match, WCW Monday Nitro, October 4, 1999

You want to hear about a historic episode of Raw? How about a show that kicks off (in part) the Attitude Era? Well, that’s what happens when Steve Austin gets his hands on Bret Hart, and then an ambulance driver. Also, we have a couple surprise returns, and Vader is behind bars in Kuwait! Matt and Daniel break it all down!

There’s no false advertising here: ‘Taker gets his revenge, bringing the fight to Mankind (and Paul Bearer) in a decent brawl, though his spirit of vengeance is thwarted by a less-than-operational lighter. Don’t you hate it when that happens? Also, Bret Hart and Steve Austin tangle once again, this time in the main event of the show, and both men end up hobbling out, but who won? Join Matt and Joel as they break it all down, plus they offer a few thoughtful wrestling gimmick ideas to the world.

This might be one of the worst episodes of Raw ever, as the WWF heads to South Africa and they forget how to record commentary for matches, apparently. There’s a PPV coming up on the weekend, but you wouldn’t really know it. It’s befuddling, it’s baffling, it’s bad, and Matt and Will break it all down for you. But at least there’s a bonus match, right?

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. The Dynamite Kid, Prime Time Wrestling, October 8, 1985

Half the roster is overseas yet again, so just about everyone is pulling double duty on this episode, except Owen and Bulldog, who spend half the show watching the monitor in the back and cutting in. Also, Steve Austin gets one of his first huge reactions from an excited college crowd, and Shawn Michaels is here to vent! Join Matt and Daniel as they break it down, and as they unintentionally create a new mashed-up horror icon.

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart, No Holds Barred, Raw, March 27, 1995

Owen Hart and the British Bulldog are headed for a tag team separation, but wait, what’s Bret Hart doing here? After a tearjerking moment, we move onto wondering about the Undertaker, and his current relationship with Paul Bearer. All this, plus Stone Cold speaks, and Jesses Jammes comes to the ring with a six year old. Join Matt and Will as they forge the bonds of brotherhood, much like a certain family from Calgary…

It’s the night after Wrestlemania, and the big news is Bret Hart’s turn to the dark side the night before, which Bret cements with his (awesome?) actions on this show, and he adds a significant anti-America twist. Also, the next PPV is already in sight, and a rather odd #1 contender has been set for Undertaker’s WWF Championship. Also, this edition of Raw ends abruptly and hilariously, so enjoy as Matt and Joel break is all down.

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart, Wrestlemania X, March 20, 1994

It’s the granddaddy of them all! Sort. It’s pretty much a one-match Wrestlemania this time around, with Bret Hart taking on Steve Austin in the legendary submission match. Daniel and Matt break down all the glory, including how glad we are that it isn’t an I Quit Match, how fighting in the crowd was still very novel, and how hard the commentators push the famed double-turn. Elsewhere on the show, the main event gets interrupted several times, maybe for its own good. So check out a very non-Wrestlemania-feeling Wrestlemania! It’s the only one we got!

It’s the Raw before Wrestlemania 13, and our guy Bret Hart is in a steel cage match against Sycho Sid for the WWF Championship, which adds a lot of *~*intrigue*~* as Steve Austin and the Undertaker try to help their Wrestlemania opponents! Also, we get a fairly historic Bret Hart rant afterward, and Will and Matt discuss (and decide) on who in the WWF is ‘daddy’.

This week, we go to the battlefield, as Monday Night Raw becomes Raw is War. It’s the 200th episode of the show (though it’s never remarked upon), and the visual look of the show has taken a big step forward, with another piece of the Attitude Era snapping into place. But is there more to the show than several jobber matches and an unnecessary debate? Matt and Joel look the show up and down and break it down for you.

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Diesel, In Your House: Rage In A Cage, February 18, 1996

We get international on the podcast, as the first ever European Champion is crowned in Berlin, Germany, in one heckuva match. Also, Bret Hart opens the show against HHH, and Steve Austin calls in from the good ol’ US of A with some complaints about air travel. Matt and Daniel cross the Atlantic to talk about all the action and break it all down!

Raw gets EXTREME when the Paul Heyman’s hardcore fanatics stream into the Manhattan Center on a night where most of the WWF roster is overseas. Vince McMahon promises and delivers a big surprise, a significant Attitude Era mainstay pops up in the front row, and an all-time classic tribute video debuts. Matt and Will jump through proverbial flaming tables to bring it all to you!

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Terry Funk, Terry Funk Presents Wrestle Fest, 1997

Bret Hart is the WWF Champion, but he has no time to waste, because he’s got to defend the belt against Sycho Sid! He’ll try to stave off the big Arkansan at the beginning of the show, then the middle, then at the end, but that damn Texas Rattlesnake, Steve Austin, is causing a ruckus. Also, a very famous tag team is on the show a couple years before they became stars, and Jerry Lawler starts an extreme feud. Join Kris and Matt as they cover the fallout from Final Four!

The WWF Championship is up for grabs in a star-studded and chaotic main event, pitting four top superstars against each other for the recently-forfeited title. Also, the tag titles are defended by feuding champions, and Jerry Lawler insinuates something horrible and hilarious about Rocky Maivia’s deceased family members. Join Matt and Will for a real one-match PPV, if there ever was one!

It’s like Raw, but on a Thursday! But actually, this is an historically significant show, with Shawn Michaels forfeiting the WWF Championship just before the Final Four PPV on the weekend, due to smile-loss-related reasons (and maybe a knee injury). Also, Rocky Maivia goes for his first bite of championship gold, and the four guys who are now vying for the WWF Championship on Sunday run into each other. Join Matt and Daniel for a fun (and for one San Antonian, emotional) Raw on a Thursday.

It’s time for Royal Rumble Raw, but conspicuously absent from the show: the Royal Rumble. But what we do have is a stadium full of people in Toronto, and two title matches! Join Matt and Will for the first two hour Raw and the last ‘normal’ Raw of 1997, before things go haywire next week.

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Chris Benoit, Mayhem 1999

A week after his big WWF Championship win, Shawn Michaels is finally back on Raw, and he’s going to confront several of the men involved in the Final Four match at the next In Your House PPV. Also, Ahmed Johnson is wandering around backstage with a 2x4, and Joel and Matt question the stopping power of a Heart Punch.

BONUS MATCH: Bret Hart vs. Ric Flair, Souled Out 1998