 Neidhart in 2015 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | James Henry Neidhart (1955-02-08)February 8, 1955 |
| Died | August 13, 2018(2018-08-13) (aged 63) Wesley Chapel, Florida, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Head injury caused by aseizure resulting in a fall[4] |
Spouses | |
| Children | 3, includingNatalie |
| Family | Hart |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart[1] Who[2] |
| Billed height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)[3] |
| Billed weight | 281 lb (127 kg)[3] |
| Billed from | Reno, Nevada[3] "Who Knows Where" (as Who) |
| Trained by | Stu Hart[1] |
| Debut | 1978 |
| Retired | 2016[1] |
James Henry Neidhart (February 8, 1955 – August 13, 2018)[6] was an Americanprofessional wrestler known for his appearances in the 1980s and 1990s in theWorld Wrestling Federation asJim "the Anvil"Neidhart, where he was atwo-timeWWF Tag Team Champion with his real-life brother-in-lawBret Hart in theHart Foundation. He also won titles inStampede Wrestling,Championship Wrestling from Florida,Mid-South Wrestling,Memphis Championship Wrestling and theMid-Eastern Wrestling Federation. He was part of theHart wrestling family through marriage to his wife Ellie Hart, teaming with various members throughout his career, and appearing with his daughterNatalya Neidhart on the reality television showTotal Divas.
AtNewport Harbor High School, Neidhart first gained athletic acclaim for his success in strength-orientedtrack and field events. He set a California high school record inshot put in 1973 which stood until 1985. After graduating from high school,[7] Neidhart pursued a career in theNational Football League (NFL), where he played for theOakland Raiders andDallas Cowboys in practices and preseason games.[8]
Following his release from the Dallas Cowboys, Neidhart traveled toCalgary to train withStu Hart and pursue a career in professional wrestling.[9] He worked for Hart'sStampede Wrestling from 1978 to 1983, and again in 1985, during which time he married Ellie Hart, one of Stu's daughters.[10] He was a two-time Stampede International Tag Team Champion, withHercules Ayala in 1980 andMr. Hito in 1983. Stu Hart, seeking publicity for Neidhart, promised him $500 to enter and win ananvil toss at theCalgary Stampede. He did, throwing it 11 feet, 2 inches. This earned him the nickname "The Anvil", replacing his prior nickname, "The Animal".[11][12]
In September 1981, Neidhart appeared in Germany with theCatch Wrestling Association, taking part in the World Catch Cup. From April to May 1982, Neidhart wrestled in Japan forNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) on its Big Fight Series tour as part of Stampede Wrestling's working relationship with NJPW. In January 1983, he made a second tour with NJPW, competing in its New Year Golden Series.[13]
Neidhart teamed twice withKing Kong Bundy forGeorgia Championship Wrestling in November 1983. From September 1983 to February 1984, he worked forMid-South Wrestling, where he andButch Reed held theMid-South Tag Team Championship for two and a half months.[13] In March 1984, he made a third tour of Japan with NJPW. From April to August 1984, Neidhart worked for theContinental Wrestling Association. In August 1984, he moved toChampionship Wrestling from Florida, winning theNWA Southern Heavyweight Championship andNWA United States Tag Team Championship. In January 1985, he left Florida to join theWorld Wrestling Federation.[13]
When Stu Hart sold Stampede Wrestling toVince McMahon, owner of theWorld Wrestling Federation (WWF), Neidhart andBret Hart were included in the deal. Initially a singles wrestler, managed byMr. Fuji, Neidhart debuted on January 21, 1985, inMadison Square Garden, defeatingTony Garea.[14] He wrestled Hart, who had a cowboy gimmick, to a draw twice. Bret, upset with his gimmick, suggested to McMahon that he form atag team with Neidhart.[15]
The new team was dubbed the Hart Foundation and was managed byJimmy Hart (no relation to Bret). They made theirpay-per-view debut atWrestleMania 2, where they were the last two eliminated from a 20-manbattle royal byAndré the Giant.[1] The Hart Foundation won their firstWWF World Tag Team Championship on the February 7, 1987, episode ofWWF Superstars (taped January 26) fromThe British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith andThe Dynamite Kid), with the help ofrefereeDanny Davis, who was continually "distracted" by checking on Dynamite (laid out of the match early by a megaphone shot from Jimmy), allowing the challengers to double-team Smith.[1] Davis was subsequently fired as referee and began wrestling, aligned with The Hart Foundation. They lost the titles on the November 7 episode ofPrime Time Wrestling (taped October 27), toStrike Force (Rick Martel andTito Santana).[1]
The Hart Foundation wrestled in another 20-man battle royal atWrestleMania IV.Bad News Brown attacked and eliminated Hart to win. Neidhart eventually joined Bret's side in the feud with Brown causing a rift between the team and manager Jimmy Hart. This led them to fire him and before starting a feud withThe Fabulous Rougeau Brothers. In the fall of 1988, Jimmy Hart began managing the Rougeaus. The Hart Foundation unsuccessfully challengedDemolition (Ax andSmash) for the tag title atthe 1988 SummerSlam, when Ax hit Hart with Jimmy Hart's megaphone for the pin (Hart accompanied Demolition's manager, Mr. Fuji, solely to further his feud with the challengers).[1] The Hart Foundation continued feuding with Jimmy Hart's wrestlers for the next year, teaming withJim Duggan to defeatDino Bravo and The Rougeaus in a2/3 falls match at the1989 Royal Rumble, then defeatingThe Honky Tonk Man andGreg Valentine atWrestleMania V.[1] In April 1989, both Hart Foundation members began wrestling singles matches athouse shows. Neidhart also had a few shots atRavishing Rick Rude'sIntercontinental Heavyweight Championship in August.[14]
The Hart Foundation reformed full-time in March 1990 inLas Vegas.[14] AtWrestleMania VI inToronto, they defeatedThe Bolsheviks (Nikolai Volkoff andBoris Zhukov) in 19 seconds. They started a second feud with champions Demolition, who at this point addedCrush.[1] AtSummerSlam 90 on August 27, The Hart Foundation won the title for a second time in a 2/3 falls match.[1] On October 30, 1990,The Rockers (Shawn Michaels andMarty Jannetty) defeated The Hart Foundation in a two out of three falls match inFort Wayne,Indiana, to seemingly win the title. During the match, the top rope broke by accident, and the match did not air on television.[16] The Rockers defended the WWF Tag Team title againstPower and Glory (Paul Roma andHercules) on November 3, 1990.[17] Shortly after November 3, the WWF decided to not air the title change and that the title would revert to the Hart Foundation. In his book, Shawn Michaels claims that the Hart Foundation had politicked to keep the title.[18] The WWF has never officially recognized The Rockers' reign.[19] The Hart Foundation soon reignited their feud with Jimmy Hart via his team,Rhythm and Blues (Honky Tonk and Valentine). Jimmy Hart once again cost The Hart Foundation the tag titles atWrestleMania VII, in a match with his new team,The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobs andJerry Sags), when he distracted the referee, allowing Sags to knock out Neidhart with his motorcycle helmet.[1] Hart and Neidhart again split up, though they reunited for a title rematch with The Nasty Boys on the July 29Prime Time Wrestling, losing by disqualification when Bret hit both champions with a helmet, again introduced by Jimmy Hart. Neidhart also commentated onWrestling Challenge alongsideGorilla Monsoon andBobby Heenan from March until August 1991.
Neidhart returned to WWF television on the November 9, 1991 episode ofSuperstars of Wrestling, donning newparachute pants with checkerboard designs. He suffered a loss toRic Flair, who continued to apply hisfigure-four leglock after winning the match. While hobbling away to the back, Neidhart was attacked and further injured bythe Beverly Brothers.[20] This resulted in him being replaced in the 1991Survivor Series bySgt. Slaughter.
Neidhart returned once more on the December 1, 1991 episode ofWrestling Challenge, teaming withOwen Hart (Bret's younger brother) as the New Foundation, defeating the Executioners (Executioner #1 andExecutioner #2).[20] The New Foundation's highlight was a win overthe Orient Express (Kato andTanaka) at the January 1992Royal Rumble. The team also had matches with the Beverly Brothers,the Nasty Boys,the Natural Disasters, andthe Powers of Pain throughout late-1991 and early-1992, but had little success overall. The New Foundation wrestled their final match on February 15, 1992; Neidhart was fired the next day after refusing to take a drug test and throwing a television monitor backstage.[21]
After leaving the WWF in February 1992, Neidhart wrestled a handful of matches on theindependent circuit, including two bouts forEastern Championship Wrestling (ECW). Beginning in August 1992, he made three tours withNew Japan Pro-Wrestling: TheG1 Climax in August (losing in the first round toKensuke Sasaki), theSuper Grade Tag League II in October (teaming withTom Zenk and finishing with 0 points) and Battle Final in December.[22][13]
In February and March 1993, Neidhart wrestled in Australia for the "Wrestling Down Under" promotion, working three matches withJake Roberts.
In December 1993, Neidhart promoted several shows in Florida under the banner "Anvil Promotions".[23]
Throughout early 1994, Neidhart wrestled for various independent promotions.[24]
In April 1993, Neidhart began wrestling forWorld Championship Wrestling (WCW), making his debut on the May 15 episode ofWCW Worldwide, beating ajobber, Todd Zane. After defeatingMustapha Saed on the next episode, Neidhart teamed withJunkyard Dog for the next, again beatingChick Donovan andRip Rogers. Neidhart and The Junkyard Dog beatPaul Orndorff andDick Slater by disqualification on the June 5WCW Saturday Night. Eleven days later, he beatShanghai Pierce in adark match beforeClash of the Champions XXIII.[25] After losing toMaxx Payne at a house show in Kokomo, Indiana, on October 7, Neidhart left WCW.[13]
On November 13, 1993, Neidhart wrestledThe Sandman to ano contest at ECW'sNovember to Remember in theECW Arena.
Neidhart returned to the WWF atKing of the Ring in June 1994 asBret Hart's cornerman for hisWWF Championship match defense againstIntercontinental ChampionDiesel. After Diesel hit Hart with hisJackknife finisher, Neidhart interfered to prevent the pin, and disqualifying Hart, but allowing him to retain the title. After the match, Diesel andShawn Michaels beat down Hart, and Neidhart didn't intervene. Later that night, Neidhart reappeared at ringside again during Owen Hart's King of the Ring tournament final againstRazor Ramon. He attacked Razor outside the ring, behind the referee's back, before Neidhart throwing Razor back for Hart to elbow drop and pin to become "The King of Harts", turning heel for the first time since 1988.[1] Owen had been feuding with Bret since theRoyal Rumble. Neidhart, believing Bret had held Owen back from his potential, sided with Owen, and usually cornering him in matches through the summer. Neidhart claimed he'd only helped Bret keep the WWF World Heavyweight Championship at King of the Ring so Owen could take it from him. This opportunity came in asteel cage match atSummerSlam. Neidhart sat in the third row during the match, behind other Hart family members. After Bret won the match, Neidhart entered the cage, locked it and helped Owen beat him down, while the Hart family members tried to climb over it and save him. Following SummerSlam, Neidhart teamed with Owen to face Bret andRandy Savage/The British Bulldog in a series of tag team bouts.
Neidhart joined Owen on Shawn Michaels' team, The Teamsters, to face Razor Ramon and The Bad Guys in an elimination match atSurvivor Series.[1] After they eliminated every Bad Guy except Razor, after Michaels inadvertently hit Diesel with theSweet Chin Music. This caused an argument and the tag team partners split up, before Diesel chased Michaels down the aisle. As the other Teamsters tried to intervene, and all were counted out. Because Diesel and Michaels were WWF Tag Team Champions when they split, the title was vacated and a tournament held. Neidhart and Hart lost toThe New Headshrinkers (Fatu andSionne) in the first round on the December 31Superstars, by disqualification. By the time it aired, Neidhart had left the WWF.Bret Hart wrote in his autobiography that the original plan was for Owen and Neidhart to win the tournament and the WWF Tag Team Championships, but Neidhart was officially fired due to no-showing events. Hart wound up winning the WWF Tag Team Championship atWrestleMania XI with new partnerYokozuna.
After leaving the WWF once again, Neidhart returned to the ring in February 1995 for theMid-Eastern Wrestling Federation (MEWF). Over the following months, he wrestled for various independent promotions. In April 1995, he returned to ECW, losing toMarty Jannetty andRon Simmons on consecutive nights. After several more matches on the independent circuit, in July 1995 Neidhart made a one-night appearance with theCatch Wrestling Association inGraz, Austria, competing in theEuro Catch Festival. Later that month, Neidhart appeared with ECW once more, wrestling Marty Jannetty to a double disqualification. Over the following few months, he continued to wrestle on the independent circuit, briefly holding theMEWF Heavyweight Championship. In November and December 1995, Neidhart worked for the Catch Wrestling Association in Germany, competing in the CWA International Catch Cup tournament.[26]
Neidhart wrestled sporadically throughout early-1996, including appearing at theWorld Wrestling Peace Festival in June 1996. He returned to the World Wrestling Federation later that month.[27]
After leaving the WWF once more, in October 1996 Neidhart wrestling in England for Hammerlock Wrestling. In December 1996, he began appearing with the New York-based independent promotion Ultimate Championship Wrestling.[27][28][29] In March 1997, he appeared with theSacramento, California-basedNational Wrestling Conference.[30]
On the July 6, 1996, episode ofSuperstars, Neidhart returned to the WWF as the masked heel "Who", a gimmick designed for commentatorsVince McMahon andJerry Lawler to make "Who's on First?"-style jokes during his matches (all of which he lost). Who last appeared on TV in the "Bikini Beach Blast-Off" party on theSummerSlam pre-show. His last match was a win overAlex Porteau inMiami on September 12.[31]
Neidhart returned to the WWF once more on the April 28, 1997, episode ofRaw is War, attackingStone Cold Steve Austin and reuniting with Bret and Owen Hart as part of the new Hart Foundation, astable of Canadian sympathizers, also including Davey Boy Smith andBrian Pillman. On July 6 atIn Your House 16: Canadian Stampede in Bret's hometownCalgary, The Hart Foundation defeated the American team of Stone Cold Steve Austin,Ken Shamrock,Goldust andThe Legion of Doom.[1][32] Neidhart was part of Team Canada atSurvivor Series inMontreal, teaming with The British Bulldog,Doug FurnasandPhilip Lafon defeated Team USAVader, Goldust,"Marvelous" Marc Mero and the debut of"The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman (Bulldog was the sole survivor, Neidhart was pinned by Vader).[1]
After Bret and Davey Boy Smith left the WWF on bad terms because of theMontreal Screwjob atSurvivor Series.D-Generation X (DX) leader andWWF ChampionShawn Michaels offered Neidhart a spot in the group on the November 24 episode ofRaw Is War. Neidhart accepted, only for it to be revealed as a setup as the group assaulted Neidhart at the end of the show. The following week on the December 1 episode ofRaw is War, DX memberTriple H defeated Neidhart. After the match, DX attacked Neidhart once again and spray-painted "WCW" on his back and signifying him followingBret Hart to World Championship Wrestling.Sgt. Slaughter and Ken Shamrock saved him, before Slaughter and Shamrock attacked D-Generation X at the end of the show. His last match in WWF was when he defeatedThe Sultan at a house show on December 1. WWF announced that Neidhart was released from his WWF contract on December 2, 1997.
Neidhart returned toWorld Championship Wrestling (WCW) on the January 12, 1998 episode ofWCW Monday Nitro. The week prior,Ric Flair had given an interview in which he claimed to be a better wrestler thanBret Hart. After Neidhart rejected Flair's claim during an interview withGene Okerlund, Flair attacked Neidhart, hitting him with a pair ofbrass knuckles and then applying aringpost figure-four leglock to Neidhart until being driven off by Bret Hart.[33]
Neidhart wrestled his first return match for WCW on the January 20, 1998 episode ofWCW Saturday Night, defeatingWayne Bloom. In February 1998, Neidhart formed a tag team with the British Bulldog, who had also departed the WWF following theMontreal Screwjob. Neidhart and British Bulldog wrestled primarily onWCW Saturday Night andWCW Thunder, facing tag teams such asThe Public Enemy,The Destruction Crew,High Voltage,nWo Japan,Sting and Lex Luger, andBrian Adams andCurt Hennig. In September 1998 atFall Brawl '98: War Games, Neidhart and the British Bulldog defeatedThe Dancing Fools in a tag team match.[34]
Neidhart's final televised match for WCW was on the September 26, 1998 episode ofWCW Saturday Night where he and the British Bulldog lost toStevie Ray andVincent. Neidhart went on to wrestle onhouse shows until being released from WCW in October 1998.[34]
Following his departure from WCW, Neidhart largely retired from the ring, but continued to make sporadic appearances inindependent shows. Notably, he was booked asJake Roberts' singles opponent in the ill-fatedHeroes of Wrestling event in October 1999. In 2000, he wrestled for a few appearances forMemphis Championship Wrestling. From 2000 to 2003 he wrestled in Canada forElite Canadian Championship Wrestling, andBorder City Wrestling. On January 17, 2003, he lost toJim Duggan at Border City's main event atAlgonquin College inOttawa, Canada. On September 23, 2006, he defeatedNorman Smiley at the UXW Florida Debut show in Orlando. He appeared inTNA on the November 12, 2009, episode ofImpact! winning againstJay Lethal in his initial open challenge thrown out to the legends of professional wrestling.[35]
OnRaw XV, the 15th-anniversaryWWE Raw special on December 10, 2007, Neidhart returned to WWE for the first time since 1997, and participated in the 15th Anniversary Battle Royal, eventually making it to the final five before being eliminated bySkinner.[36]
Neidhart's last known match was on March 5, 2016, when he teamed withKoko B. Ware and Frankie the Pizza Guy as they defeatedNikolai Volkoff, Clay Dasher and Shawn Andrews at a BCW event in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
Neidhart usually wrestled in pink attire and the Hart Foundation tag team was nicknamed "The Pink and Black Attack".[37][38] It popularizedthe Hart Attack finisher maneuver.[39]
On April 6, 2010,WWE releasedHart & Soul: The Hart Family Anthology onDVD, which is a three-disc set featuring a documentary on the Hart wrestling family (including Neidhart) as well as 12 matches. Neidhart's daughterNatalie was featured as a main cast member on the reality showTotal Divas, and he made appearances on the show along with his wife.[40]
Neidhart and wife, Ellie Hart had three daughters; one,Natalie Neidhart-Wilson, is a professional wrestler under the ring name "Natalya", currently signed to WWE.[11]
Neidhart was arrested on September 6, 2010, and charged with two counts of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, two counts of trafficking illegal drugs, one count of burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, and one count of third-degree grand theft for property stolen between $300 and $5,000. He was arrested after becoming aggressive with police after ingesting multiple pills outside a gas station.[41] In March 2012, he was sentenced to five months and 29 days in jail. During his sentencing, he was arrested and held in contempt of court.[42] Neidhart completed two stints in rehabilitation paid for by WWE.[41]
According toTMZ, Neidhart's wife Elizabeth told investigators that on August 13, 2018, he was having problems sleeping and got out of bed to adjust the thermostat.[43] As he went to touch it, he "turned weirdly as if he were about to dance", then fell against the wall and floor.[43] She immediately dialed 911, believing he was having a seizure, something for which he took medication. He had a four-inch long gash on his face when emergency services arrived.[43] He died at the scene at age 63, with the Pasco County Sheriff's Office stating to TMZ that their preliminary investigation believed he hit his head and succumbed due to his injuries, with foul play not being suspected.[4][44] At the time, his wife stated his doctors believed he may have hadAlzheimer's disease.[43][9] WWE later paid tribute to Neidhart on their website.[45]
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