10 Fascinating WWE SummerSlam 1989 Facts
9. The Hart Foundation Had A Contentious Meeting With Vince That Day
It had been more than a year since the Harts turned babyface, and nearly two years since they last held the Tag Team belts. Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart would open SummerSlam against the reigning champions Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard, The Brain Busters. The match was curiously a non-title bout, and on the day of SummerSlam, the Harts found out they would be losing.
The two had what "The Hitman" called a "long, tense discussion" with McMahon hours before the show, where they felt losing a non-title match would be highly damaging to their value. McMahon held his ground, and the Harts ultimately complied, with Bret taking the fall. Still steamed about the way things had gone down with Vince, both Foundation members left the arena long before the show was over, drowning their frustrations at a hotel bar.
Hart admitted that he feared he and Neidhart had pissed McMahon off during their heated appeal, but was relieved when McMahon lavished praise upon he, Neidhart, and The Rockers the following day, after the four put on an incredible match at the TV tapings.