For Bret Hart, winning the Intercontinental Championship legitimized any aspirations he had of becoming a singles star. Long one of the most decorated tag team competitors in the sport, Hart had captured gold with partner Jim Neidhart on two separate occasions. His unmatched technical skills earned him the nickname "the Excellence of Execution" from the great Gorilla Monsoon. There were definitely hints that he had the pure skill to achieve success as a lone wolf but he was desperately in need of that one win to convince the audience that he could be "the guy" one day. He got that win at SummerSlam 1991 when he defeated Mr. Perfect in a flawless match to win the coveted Intercontinental title. Hart would add to the legacy of the title, wrestling great matches against a variety of challengers. It was not uncommon to see Hart wrestle Repo Man one week, then defend against Shawn Michaels in a Ladder match the next. He would battle the great Ric Flair, then turn around and wrestle a completely different match against the demonic Papa Shango. At WrestleMania VIII, he helped Roddy Piper to the best basic wrestling match of his career, then did the same for "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith four months later at SummerSlam. A two-time champion, Hart laid the groundwork for his Hall of Fame career during the year-long period in which he served as the centerpiece of the midcard.