Back in March of 1999, Bret Hart called out Goldberg on an episode of WCW Nitro and goaded the former WCW Heavyweight Champion into giving him a spear. However, when Goldberg eventually did deliver his signature spear, he was knocked out as Hart had cleverly tied a metal plate to his chest underneath the Toronto Maple Leafs jersey he wore for the occasion inside the Air Canada Centre.
Hart used his trickery over WCW’s so-called “franchise player” to announce that he was quitting the company, a storyline cover for the fact that he needed to take time off due to a groin injury. Though he has very few fond memories of his time in WCW and has even said he wishes he never went there, Hart considers his steel plate segment with Goldberg to be one of the few highlights. The moment is so iconic that it was recreated on a recent episode of WWE NXT.
Grayson Waller Took Inspiration From Bret Hart When It Came To Outsmarting WWE NXT Champion Bron Breakker
Australian star Grayson Waller is no stranger to making waves in WWE NXT, famously starting feuds with established main roster stars such as AJ Styles and Apollo Crews. After winning the inaugural men’s edition of the Iron Survivor Challenge Match, Waller is guaranteed an NXT Championship opportunity, and on the December 20th episode of WWE NXT he spent the episode planting seeds that he was looking for Breakker to cash in his opportunity.
While Breakker wasn’t initially at the arena due to a media appearance, he arrived later in the night, and charged at Grayson Waller as the brash young Australian called him out in the middle of the ring. Breakker eventually delivered his signature spear, but just like Goldberg before him, he was knocked out as Waller had inserted a metal plate underneath his fur coat.
.@GraysonWWE used @bronbreakkerwwe's own Spear against him! 🤯#WWENXTpic.twitter.com/o7202aEHfn
— WWE (@WWE) December 21, 2022
The next day, Waller posted a video on his social media in which he facetiously claimed to be checking on Bron Breakker before bragging that he was doing well in his high class hotel accommodations. He said he was living the “championship life” unlike Breakker, who has been seen in recent weeks going on fishing trips alongside Apollo Crews. He declared he’d be taking Breakker’s championship on January 10th before saying, “Merry Christmas, idiot.”
A special holiday message for @bronbreakkerwwepic.twitter.com/0L8rvJJjDu
— Grayson Waller (@GraysonWWE) December 21, 2022
Elsewhere on the December 20th episode of WWE NXT, New Day retained the NXT Tag Team Championships when they faced Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen.