Csonka’s WWE’s Most Infamous Lost Match: Bret Hart vs. Tom Magee Review

One of the greatest mysteries in sports-entertainment history has been found and you’ll be able to see it along with a documentary explaining the story on WWE Network after Raw on Monday. In October of 1986, Bret “Hit Man” Hart faced Tom Magee in an untelevised tryout match in Rochester, New York. After the bell sounded and Magee’s hand was raised, he was labeled the next Hulk Hogan, but since the bout was untelevised, footage became lost over time … until today. VHS tape traders tried in vain to chase down the cassette of Hart vs. Magee for three decades to no avail, but it was recently discovered as part of “Hit Man’s” tape library and is available Monday after Raw on WWE Network. Check out this classic match and get the full story on how the tape was discovered, what happened to Tom Magee, and much more by watching The Holy Grail: The Search for WWE’s Most Infamous Lost Match, streaming Monday after Raw.

– We open with Kassius Ohno talking about the match being a holy grail for tape traders. Bret talks about Magee looking the part and his background as a strongman and X-Pac & Tyson Kidd also comment on how great he looked and how much ability he had. Sam Roberts is part of this and talks about him possibly replacing Hogan. Ohno talks about how the match was to se if Magee was worth investing in. Bret says he asked him about his best three moves, and Bret worked the match around that. Bret says Vince loved the match and though Magee as the next world champion.

– Magee was signed through 1990, and had matches with DiBiase, which was also said to be good. Waltman says Magee never really caught onto wrestling, and may have gotten over, but maybe not to be the guy.

– Harry Smith & Tyson Kidd say they asked about the match in 1996 when Bret spoke about it to them. Kidd says you can request matches to watch in developmental, but could never get it.

– Waltman talks about the tape trading community and how it was always talked about but thought it was an urban legend. It’s discussed how the match was found as Bret’s stuff was being transferred to DVD & Digital. A fan named Mary Kate found it, did the transfer and got to keep the tape. Ohno marks out over it being found finally.

– Magee was supposed to be the next big star after working with Bret. As it turned out, Hart was the champion of the future. Waltman praises Bret as being just as good as he said he is.

– Ohno talks about Magee working in Japan and Stampede before leaving the business. Smith talks about meting Magee, and says he was a nice guy. Waltman says there is a market for Magee at conventions an Ohno says it’s an extremely interesting story that’s still talked about.

– Magee joins the show and says he was proud of the match, and says it was euphoric. He says in regards to being called the next Hogan, he never heard that. He thanks Bret for the match and thinks it’s cool that people want to see it.

Tom Magee vs. Bret Hart: JIP as Hart has things grounded. Magee fights to his feet and trips up Hart. He does a cartwheel and back flip and follows with arm drags. Magee grounds things, and works the arm. Hart backs him off, lays in strikes, and Magee hits a back flip off the ropes and dropkicks. They lock up and Hart hits an atomic drop. He follows with elbow drops, and then chokes out Magee in the ropes. Hart lays the boots to him, and grounds things. Hart works him over in the corner, but Magee gets a sunset flip for 2. Hart follows with a back breaker and follows with the second rope elbow drop for 2. Magee counters back and whips Hart to the buckles. the back elbow connects and the small package gets 2. A cradle follows for 2. Magee misses a dropkick and Hart picks him up and dumps him to the floor. Magee then fights off a suplex and gets the O’Connor roll for the win. Tom Magee defeated Bret Hart @ 7:55 via pin [***] There is no doubt that Magee had the look and athletic ability, but there is also no question that this was an all-time Bret Hart carry job. He laid out and worked an almost idiot proof match, and Magee looked good, but I have no idea why they thought he was potentially the future guy to replace Hogan, because it wasn’t that good.

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 19. On the show, the good brother, Jeremy Lambert, joins 411’s Larry Csonka. Today, the guys will look back on the ROH War of The Worlds Tour with full reviews of the three live events and then preview Sunday’s WWE MITB PPV. The show is approximately 110–minutes long.

* Intro
* ROH War of The Worlds Buffalo Review: 3:00
* ROH War of The Worlds Toronto Review: 29:00
* ROH War of The Worlds Grand Rapids Review: 47:30
* WWE MITB Preview: 65:30
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7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

WWE’s Most Infamous Lost Match was a really interesting special and as a former tape trader, a cool match to finally see after never thinking I would. It was well done and an amazing carry job by Bret to make Vince think that Magee was the next Hulk Hogan.