Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart has made a career of teaming with his brothers-in-law — members of the famous Hart Family. While he has been successful teaming with Bret “Hitman” Hart, Owen Hart and “The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith, he is about to embark on the most personal tag team of his career — with his daughter Nattie.
The duo will be in Edmonton Saturday night for the Prairie Wrestling Alliance, teaming for the first time against Apocalypse and Belle Lovitz.
A promotional picture of Team Neidhart – courtesy Nattie Neidhart
“We are just warming up with the match in Edmonton. We are starting off with the PWA, this will be the first time I’ve teamed with Nattie,” “The Anvil” told SLAM!Wrestling. “Then on November 3rd, 4th and 5th we are wrestling as a team at the Great Canadian Expo in Toronto. It is similar to what Bob Orton and his son Randy are doing, we are going to warm up with Edmonton and Ontario and take it from there.”
For his daughter, teaming with her father is something she is has been anticipating for quite awhile.
“I am really excited about this, it is special to be working with my dad because I am still very new to the business, and to be able to have the influence of my Dad and team with him, and to do it in our home province of Alberta with the PWA is great. I am so lucky that I work with great people and get to have my Dad here, if I ever needed anyone’s help in the ring as a partner, who better to ask then my Dad? Not only has he been in the business for a long time but also he is half of one of the greatest tag teams of all time in The Hart Foundation. He has the knowledge and the background to teach me so much.”
The duo hopes to take the show on the road, since it is a unique opportunity for fans to see two generations team up of different sexes.
“I think there is a lot of potential. We want to get our names out there and showing the fans and promoters that to have us together is such a novelty. This has never been done before, Vince McMahon wrestled his daughter Stephanie but they didn’t team up. For us it is about keeping a connection with wrestling because it is the tie that binds us. I am so glad that I have my dad with me, hopefully this will lead to other work and people will sit up and take notice,” said Nattie. Jim agrees.
“I can’t imagine anything in the business that has never been done before. Vince and Stephanie is the closest Father/Daughter wrestling thing. Nattie had some problems with Apocalypse up in Edmonton and interfered with her match with Belle Lovitz. So we are going to feel it out and see what happens. I think its going to be really good, it seems to have gotten a lot of attention right of the bat, especially with Nattie being so pretty and such a good wrestler and me being so good looking.”
Nattie has taken the advice and feedback of her father to heart, and teaming with him will give both a new outlook.
“This is a new spin on the Hart Foundation style, which can never be duplicated. I am excited to see what the end result will be because I think we will have some great chemistry. My Dad has a lot of natural charisma, who he is in the ring is who he was in our kitchen. When Bret was putting together footage for his upcoming DVD, we watched several hours of Hart Foundation interviews and Jim had so much energy. The interviews inspired me in my own speaking because he has such a natural presence. It can be hard to get criticism but my Dad gives me good advice. I remember being in Japan and he had told me to make the most of my strikes and make sure they have an impact, that everything is quality. Jim has always emphasized a style of simple but effective. He has taught me how to slow down. His style was very methodical but agile. When Bret would slingshot Dad over the ring, he’s 300 pounds and floating over like a fairy. With him everything makes sense, his advice has been invaluable.”
“It’s very different nowadays. In my day we went through territories and you learned to talk. Now you start in New York and they hand you a script. We were never scripted, we knew who we were wrestling and made it up on our own,” said Jim. “Someone in their early 20’s like Nattie can find it hard to get started in the business. Nattie has a good chance as anyone to make a name for herself.”
Where things go from here remains to be seen, but for the younger Neidhart this is one of the most important things she has done in her short career. Regardless of what happens in the future, she got to spend time with her Dad in the ring, and that is all that matters.
“I really think that we can take this team and fly with it. Our family eats, sleeps and breathes wrestling and I think a lot of fans will be interested to see this unique team. Also it will bring us closer while showing the wrestling world that you can blend two generations and styles and be very authentic and not able to be duplicated. Fans want to see something different and special. We’ll find out if it works, and if it doesn’t we will still be friends. Not only was he a shot-putter and a football player, his athletic background and what he has accomplished, where he has come from and where he is now, there have been a lot of trials and triumphs with wrestlers in the past few years. Dad has risen above those and is stronger then he has ever been before. We can take the ball and run with it, I am so glad that I have him to work with and it is an honor. I am lucky that I have this chance to work with my Dad.”
See Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart team with his daughter Nattie for the first time October 8th in Edmonton for the PWA.
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