Page 5 - Top 5 WWE Moments - Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart

Tragically, Jim &quot;The Anvil&quot; Neidhart passed away yesterday morning after a fall in his Florida home. TMZ reported that Neidhart went to adjust the thermostat and abruptly found himself on the floor, struggling to maintain consciousness. Emergency dispatch services reported that Neidhart suffered a seizure and died before emergency crews could assist him. He was 63 years old.The passing marks the end of an era. Bret Hart is now the only surviving member of the famed Hart Foundation stable. Owen Hart, &quot;British Bulldog&quot; Davey Boy Smith, and Brian Pillman precede Neidhart in death. The passing stirs memories of the golden era of tag team wrestling, an era Neidhart flourished in along with his partner Bret.The two, clad in pink and black, were better known as The Hart Foundation. Once managed by Jimmy &quot;Mouth of the South&quot; Hart, the team is known as being one of the very best tag teams in an era of legends. The duo feuded with the likes of; Demolition, The British Bulldogs, The Rockers, The Fabulous Rougeaus, and The Nasty Boys, all legends in their own right.Neidhart will be remembered as a staple of what is arguably the greatest era in tag team wrestling and should one day be forever memorialized in the WWE Hall of Fame. He was also a Hall of Fame family man.Neidhart, a former NFL player for the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys, found himself pursuing professional wrestling at the conclusion of his football career. It was in his pursuit of wrestling superstardom that he found a family. He was a sensation in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling where he met and fell in love with Ellie Hart, Stu's daughter and Bret Hart's sister. The two married and have three daughters including WWE Superstar Natalya.Neidhart is deserving of memorials and this will only be one of many. As one half of the Hart Foundation, Neidhart was the powerhouse to Bret Hart's technical prowess. It was Neidhart who cut the better promo, stroking his trademark goatee, as he struck fear into the hearts of opponents and fans alike.As a kid growing up in the 80s and 90s, there was a time when Neidhart was arguably the more popular of the two. He succeeded where Bret often failed, with loads of charisma, charm, and personality. After all, Bret Hart had not yet had a singles run and the Hitman character was years away from fully developing. In terms of personality, Hart was often dwarfed by his larger than life and raucous tag team partner.When the words Hart Foundation were uttered, two iconic images came to mind: Bret Hart's shades and Jim Neidhart's goatee. It shouldn't be understated that it was also Neidhart who introduced the iconic pink and black colors to the Hart Foundation, a move that withstood the test of time and is now forever etched in wrestling lore.No memorial will ever truly capture Neidhart's full glory. How can one accurately and fully depict the life of a legend? We can only hope to try in short segments, giving a frustratingly fragmented look into the soul of a man larger than life and mere words. This particular memorial will focus on Neidhart's WWE moments. It was in the WWE after all that Neidhart became a household name among wrestling fans.Whether he was teaming with Bret &quot;Hitman&quot; Hart, Owen Hart, or the Hart Foundation stable, The Anvil's WWE career isn't short on moments. We do our very best to narrow it down to the top 5.#5 Neidhart's Teaming With Owen HartThe New FoundationOwen Hart was every bit as talented as his older brother Bret &quot;Hitman&quot; Hart and arguably more charming, charismatic, and all around better on the microphone. However, when Owen first came to the WWE, the company inexplicably put a mask on his handsome face and labeled him The Blue Blazer. When that forgettable era ended, Owen was known as The Rocket, a high flying in-ring stunt man of sorts; but, still couldn't find a way to get over with the WWE Universe.The powers that be in Stamford decided to do for Owen what they once did for big brother Bret Hart and teamed The Rocket with The Anvil. The newfound team was conceived as the next generation of the Hart Foundation and aptly named The New Foundation. While the New Foundation didn't exactly translate to championship success, it allowed for Owen Hart to develop his skills under the tutelage of a familiar and trustworthy mentor, Jim Neidhart. The move allowed for Owen to take the very first steps of development into becoming one of the greatest all-time wrestlers.After the New Foundation reached its conclusion, Owen was a well rounded WWE Superstar and found himself primed for a major feud with his brother Bret. The two put on two of the best matches of 1994 at WrestleMania X and SummerSlam. One can argue that neither would have been possible if Owen didn't have time to develop at Neidhart's side.As the feud between the two brothers continued to intensify, The Anvil rejoined Owen Hart and added logs to the proverbial family fire when he too turned on the Hitman. In a stunning move, Neidhart chose Owen Hart and sanctioned him as his preferred tag team partner. The move shocked the WWE Universe and added intensity to the already deeply personal feud between Bret and Owen.

Top 5 WWE Moments - Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart

#1 WrestleMania 2 - Battle Royal