7. 9/11/97 - Bret Hart vs. Terry Funk (INDY @ Texas)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGJNPk_VtwY How Can I Watch It: - Terry Funk's WrestleFest (DVD) Such was the level of respect the wrestling industry afforded Terry Funk that WWF honcho Vince McMahon had no problem allowing his reigning WWF Champion Bret Hart to work on the Texan veterans 1997 retirement show. Surprisingly in what was a time of intense paranoia, Vince allowed Hart to defend his championship in the cards headline attraction opposite Funk himself. Rarely in history had the WWF Championship been defending on a non-WWF card against non-WWF talent due to the ever-present possibility of a double-cross, so it was even more astonishing that McMahon allowed it during the middle of an intense promotional war. It wasn't out of the realms of possibility that Funk, a former NWA Champion, could have been paid off by Eric Bischoff to try and take the WWF Title away from Hart. Not that Funk would have, such was the respect that he had for the Hitman. The match is interesting visually, as there is something very jarring about seeing Hart compete in an ECW ring (granted, without the insignia) in a setting that feels a million miles removed from the polish of the WWF. The match itself is a belter, with the two great ring generals going toe-to-toe in an old-school Southern style match-up that harks back to an era that even in 1997 was all but dead.
The author of the highly acclaimed 'Titan' book series, James Dixon has been involved in the wrestling business for 25 years as a fan, wrestler, promoter, agent, and writer. James spent several years wrestling on the British independent circuit, but now prefers to write about the bumps and bruises rather than take any of them. His past in-ring experience does however give a uniquely more "insider" perspective on things, though he readily admits to still being a "mark" at heart.
James is the Chief Editor and writer at historyofwrestling.co.uk and is responsible for the best-selling titles Titan Sinking, Titan Shattered, and Titan Screwed, as well as the Complete WWF Video Guide series, and the Raw Files series.