Few WWE rivalries from the middle of the 1990s were as bitter and heated as Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler and Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart.
The two wrestling veterans were at war with one another for years in a story that spanned countless major pay-per-views.
Introduced to WWE audiences initially as a commentator in late 1992, Lawler was already a huge name in wrestling with a storied career in the ring behind him.
Hart, meanwhile, was barely in his prime despite having already racked up a reign as WWE Champion by the time the two finally clashed at the climax of King of the Ring in 1993.
The Hitman had won the tournament – the first televised version in WWE history – to be crowned ‘King’, the accolade drawing the ire of Lawler who, claiming he was the only real regal sort in town, attacked the new incumbent.
Leaving him laying as the event went off the air, Lawler was standing tall and continued to berate the Canadian and his family throughout much of the rest of the year.
The two battled again at SummerSlam and in the lead up to Survivor Series in ’93, renewing their rivalry again in 1995.
Memphis native Lawler recruited a new wrestler in the character of his own personal dentist, Isaac Yankem (yes, really) to pummel Bret on his behalf – that man later going on to become one of WWE’s top stars in Kane.
A brace of non-televised world title matches in each of 1996 and 1997 effectively closed out their rivalry, but the bitterness with which they fought will be etched in the minds of a generation of fans.
Hart’s poor mother, Helen and father, Stu, were regularly subjected to verbal tirades at live events, though the fan favourite never made a secret of the fact that his dad – himself a major wrestling promoter in his day – got a major kick out of Lawler’s lines which included: “Why don’t you put your false teeth in backwards and eat yourself to death?”
Over the years since their brutal battles, Hart and Lawler have endured their own health battles. The five-time WWE champ suffered a stroke in 2002 and has battled cancer, while Lawler had a heart attack whilst commentating live on an episode of WWE Raw in 2012.
Lawler suffered strokes of his own in 2018 and 2023, though both retain a keen interest in the industry that shaped their lives and careers. Hart will become a three-time WWE Hall of Famer this month when his iconic match with Stone Cold Steve Austin in 1997 is inducted in its own right, while his former foe remains active in wrestling punditry.
The rivals were reunited recently and snapped in a photo at what appears to be fan convention of sorts. Though largely unrecognizable purely due to the passage of time – Hart is now 67 while the King is 75 – the pair look remarkable well given the trials and tribulations life has thrown their way.
Looking thinner in the face, Lawler stayed committed to his wrestling gimmick by attending the event in his full ‘King’ outfit, complete with lapelled jacket and crown.
Hart, meanwhile, has his now grey hair tied tightly in a ponytail and sports a pink Muhammad Ali shirt, the colour in-keeping with the pink and black theme that stayed with him throughout his career.
Praising their ‘chemistry’ and status as ‘artists’, fans were quick to shower the two with love one on social media, one saying: “Two GOATs,” while another echoing: “One of the first rivalries I was invested in. GOAT Squad.”
Plenty joked, too, about seeing them battle in the ring once more. One quipped: “I’m ready for this match to main event [WrestleMania] night two.”
Another jested: “Hey hey, get someone between them before they start brawling.”
Perhaps most suitably of all, a further fan commented: “Legends of the game. Many thanks for the beautiful memories.”
Lawler had continued to wrestle until 2023, while Hart last worked a match in 2011. The Excellence of Execution worked a limited schedule with WWE at that time and wowed fans at non-televised events with moves he couldn’t use on TV.
