By CiaranJames@TheCiaranJames Drew Ortman@DrewOrtman & Mark Worrall@hoohoowozza
The Hart Foundation was my first favourite tag team when I began to watch wrestling when I was a child, mostly due to the fact that Bret Hart was one of the favourite wrestlers. As I grew older and discovered the inner workings of the world of wrestling, I saw the Hart Foundation in a different light, I saw the small technical specialist in Bret Hart, and the powerful dependable partner that Jim Neidhart was. From their pink and Black attire to their in-ring skills, they represented a new style of tag team in the WWF, Bret was the pretty boy and Jim was the rugged, bear like man backing the team up and making sure the job got done. He was paramount alongside Owen as the New Foundation and aside from the on/off singles runs, he was very constant in the summer of 1997, when the landscape of WWF began to change. He was instrumental alongside his family in the war with American audiences, and took part in the infamous Canadian Stampeded main event of July 1997. Jim was the mid-card man every promotion would want, reliable, a good worker, and willing to put others over. He is the father of WWE superstar Natalya, and his memory will forever live on.
Not to sound corny or “punny” right out the gates, but Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart not only set a solid foundation for my love of professional wrestling but was there in many roles throughout the most critical times in my viewing experience. As a young kid, of course, Hulk Hogan was the face that initially drew me in, but it was The Hart Foundation that kept me watching. Could you put together a more perfect tag team? The speed and technical prowess of the Bret mixed with the power and brute strength of Jim. Without the Anvil, The Hart Foundation would never have reached the heights it did. What I find most interesting about Neidhart is his constant presence in the wrestling scene after splitting with Bret. You had The New Foundation with Owen, on and off singles runs, his return to Owen’s side to foil Bret, the reemergence of The Hart Foundation Faction in the late nineties, oh, and there was also…Who? Even after his time in WWE, Jim made his presence known in WCW keeping the mid-card strong with his star power and constant in-ring ability. With all this being said, we can never forget one of his most significant and proudest contributions to the business, Natalya. The Anvil was never a top of the card world champion, but he never needed to be. His role in pro wrestling was robust, impactful and personally one of the most important stars in my learning and love of the squared circle. Thank you, Jim Neidhart, for all you gave us in your time here, you will be greatly missed.
My earliest memories of the Anvil began in 1988 as he teamed alongside his Brother- in-law and long term tag partner Bret Hart, who were joined by Dangerous Danny Davis as they faced the Bulldogs and Tito Santana. The Anvil may be considered the weaker of the Hart Foundation mainly because of Bret’s singles success, however for me Jim could be seen as the backbone of the team, the strongman who would always flurry after a beaten down Bret finally got the fast tag and the Anvil would unleash on the opposing team. A unique character himself, a sort of loose cannon himself, Jim’s career kind of stalled after Bret moved onto singles, although attempts to carry on the Foundation name were made when he teamed with Bret’s younger brother Owen, The Anvil never quite found the success he enjoyed alongside Bret. The Anvil for me was an extremely underrated wrestler who really never got the opportunity to build on his charachter, because the Anvil was a funny and entertaining man and given a chance himself with a mid card title could have flourished! Jim Neidhart’s greatest achievement surely must be his daughter Natalya, who became a WWE longstay herself and continues to keep the Neidhart name relavant, a true reflection on her father. RIP Jim ‘the anvil’ Neidhart.
