WWE Classic of the Week: Bret Hart vs. Jean-Pierre Lafitte from in Your House

To say that 1995 was not particularly kind to Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment would be an understatement of massive proportions. Diesel was tanking tremendously as heavyweight champion, though the competition for his title was hardly what one would consider first-rate. Cartoon characters dominated the landscape, and questionable booking decisions led to lifelong midcard acts like Mabel and Tatanka main eventing pay-per-views.

There was a bright spot in the otherwise dark landscape, though, and that was Bret "Hitman" Hart.

The consummate professional, he was in the midst of his hottest streak as a worker, delivering phenomenal performances against the likes of Hakushi, Jerry Lawler and the aforementioned Diesel. He even worked a match with Isaac Yankem that was better than it had any right to be.

Though he was not a consistent main event talent at that point, a victim of The Kliq's backstage political power plays, he did not allow that frustration to adversely affect his work between the ropes.

In September, he was faced with the challenge of a relative newcomer to WWE.

His name was Jean-Pierre Lafitte, and though fans may have recognized him as Pierre of The Quebecers, he was working under a pirate gimmick that even the youngest of fans would have found lame. But his athleticism and ferocity made up for it, leading to a lost classic between him and Hart at the third In Your House pay-per-view.

The Background

Hart and Lafitte had history with each other prior to the arrival of the swashbuckler (best word ever).

In January 1994, The Hitman teamed with brother Owen to battle Pierre and partner Jacques Rougeau at the Royal Rumble for The Quebecers' tag team championships.

During that bout, Hart suffered a crippling knee injury that led the referee to call off the match. An irate Owen betrayed his brother on that night while Pierre and Jacques celebrated the successful retention of their titles.

Fast-forward a year and a half later, and the agile heavyweight returned to the company as Jean-Pierre Lafitte, an eye patch-wearing pirate who thought the best way to make a name for himself was to steal Hart's leather jacket.

Not only that, but Lafitte began wearing said jacket to the squared circle, antagonizing the greatest hero wrestling had at that point. 

The reasoning for the rivalry was stupid—a stolen ring jacket leading to what was supposed to be a heated and highly personal match at the third In Your House pay-per-view.

Thankfully, the performers were up for the task of stealing the show.

The Match

The Analysis

The best match on the show, the bout between Bret Hart and Jean-Pierre Lafitte featured two pros wrestling a match that was devoid of flashiness but employed the old formula of a brute villain punishing and pummeling a smaller babyface, only to fall to the more resilient competitor.

Hart was brilliant here, almost willing him and his opponent to a great match in response to The Kliq's continued run atop the company. Knowing Diesel and Shawn Michaels would headline the show, he and Lafitte stole the show right out from underneath them, delivering a legitimate four-plus-star match.

Hart won clean, bringing the story to a crowd-pleasing conclusion.

The Aftermath

Hart would challenge Diesel for the WWE Championship at the 1995 Survivor Series in a No Disqualification match.

In what would be Big Daddy Cool's finest match, Hart regained the heavyweight championship.

It was a suitable conclusion to the year for The Hitman, who was the one consistent among the madness.

As for Lafitte, he would be gone from the company shortly after his loss to Hart. It would be years before he returned to WWE television by the side of Jacques Rougeau as the reunited Quebecers. In the meantime, he and Rougeau would compete in World Championship Wrestling, an enhancement team for more prevalent duos such as Harlem Heat, The Nasty Boys and The Steiner Brothers.