For The Record 6.07.09: Hart Dynasty as Tag Champs

There are plenty of reasons to watch ECW. It’s the home of such established veterans as Christian and Tommy Dreamer. It also has such future standouts as Evan Bourne, Jack Swagger, and Vladimir Kozlov. But the most intriguing development in the past few months has been the development of the Hart Dynasty. Tyson Kidd, David Hart Smith, and Natalya Neidhart seem to be destined for big things.

They certainly have the pedigree. David Hart Smith is the son of the legendary British Bulldog. Natalya Neidhart is the daughter of the famed Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart. Both of them can call Bret Hart their uncle. Neidhart and Smith come from wrestling royalty. They are joined by Tyson Kidd, the final product of “The Dungeon.” Kidd might not be a Hart by blood, but he is somewhat of a Hart by adoption. Together, they form quite a trio.

Tyson Kidd is talented on many levels. He can go aerial, wrestle a mat-based style, and cut quality promos. David Hart Smith proved on the May 19th edition of ECW that he is a talented, fundamentally sound wrestler as well. The young grappler showed a lot of promise in his match against Finlay, proving that he can make use of both a technical and power game.

The glue of the group is Natalya Neidhart. She’s the mouthpiece and pulse of the Harts. Neidhart combines the beauty of a WWE Diva with the prowess of a Women’s Champion. She’s doing a great job of putting over the most exclusive stable in wrestling.

The problem with the Hart Dynasty competing on ECW is that they’re not getting much exposure. ECW is one of the lowest rated mainstream wrestling shows on television. It’s quite a shame. ECW is arguably the best hour of wrestling in all of WWE.

Some might argue that a year in ECW will aid the Hart Dynasty in there development. While that may be true, there’s also something to be said for giving exposure to a group with a recognizable brand name and solid in-ring abilities. One way for the Hart Dynasty to make appearances on Raw and Smackdown while remaining on the ECW roster is to become tag team champions.

It worked for Miz and Morrison. Miz and Morrison were all over the place from 2007 through the 2009 Draft, despite being ECW stars. Their reigns gave them exposure to the wider WWE audience. Their time as tag title champions and contenders also kept them relevant. During that period, fans developed an appreciation for John Morrison’s star potential and the Miz’s gift of the gab. Both of those stars are presently enjoying success on their respective brands. The Miz will most likely begin a program with John Cena before summer’s end. John Morrison is ascending up the ranks of Smackdown and participating in a quality mini-feud with Shelton Benjamin. Both Miz and Morrison benefitted from being tag champs and traveling from brand to brand.

Kidd and Smith could enjoy similar successes if they formed a team. Their pairing would (ideally) open the door to a tag team division that showcases WWE’s most talented second, third, and fourth generation stars. The current Unified Tag Team Champions, Carlito and Primo Colon, are second generation wrestlers. Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase are the sons of wrestling legends Dusty Rhodes and Ted DiBiase Sr. Together, those three teams could give WWE a true tag team division, pay tribute to the past, and point to the future.

Of course, the whole tag team division thing probably has a 0% chance of happening. Therefore, I’ll refocus my argument that Kidd and Smith should win the tag titles.

It is assumed that the Unified Tag Team Champions are allowed, or even occasionally required, to wrestle on other brands. It would certainly benefit Kidd and Smith to appear on Raw or Smackdown once and a while. Interaction between the Hart Dynasty and Shawn Michaels would be interesting (even if only for one show). Keeping in mind the rumors that HBK may retire at Wrestlemania XXVI, the window of opportunity for a Michaels/Dynasty encounter seems slight and limited.

There’s another reason why a tag championship run would be ideal for the young stable. The ECW Title picture is somewhat bloated. There are plenty of viable and believable contenders for the “gold.” Christian is currently engaged in a feud with Jack Swagger and Tommy Dreamer. There are also other potential contenders including Vladimir Kozlov, Evan Bourne, and Mark Henry. It seems highly unlikely at the moment that Kidd or Smith will challenge for the ECW Championship before the 2010 Draft.

The Hart Dynasty looks to be a group on the rise. In my view, they are already more interesting than Legacy. In Legacy, there’s Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and Ted DiBiase. However, the only person who’s not treated like a glorified jobber is Randy Orton. DiBiase and Rhodes seem to be routinely fed to main eventers… or subject to Shane McMahon’s jabs of doom. It may take a while for them to gain credibility as legitimate stars in WWE. The Hart Dynasty, on the other hand, is a group of capable wrestlers who are probably not going to job every other week. They may not be hanging around with the WWE Champion. But at least they’re not portrayed as lackeys.

Not to disparage Legacy, but I would say there’s more richness in the Hart name than in the Orton, Rhodes, and DiBiase names. The Hart family is arguably the most respected family in wrestling history. There are several reasons why. For starters, from that family came Bret Hart, one of the greatest wrestlers of all-time. He formed an iconic tag team with Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart. Attached to the Harts was Davey Boy Smith. The British Bulldog was one of WWE’s most beloved international stars. Owen Hart was a gifted wrestler who produced some of the best matches of the 90s. Stu Hart was a tough and rugged wrestler who later opened the famous Hart Dungeon. In Canada, the Harts are still highly heralded to this day. And yet, with all their fortunes and glory, they’ve still experienced immense suffering through numerous tragedies. In the midst of their trials, they may have also become among the most endeared families in all of wrestling lore. The Hart story, much like the Von Erichs, is one of blood, tears, and triumphs.

The Orton, DiBiase, and Rhodes names are quite compelling in their own rights. But no other wrestling family quite has the history of the Harts. The Hart Dynasty is a part of a very powerful wrestling lineage. Kidd, Smith, and Neidhart can use that name to become major stars. All three of them are talented, and all three of them should be showcased. In today’s WWE brand structure, the only way they can theoretically show up on all brands to maximize their exposure will be to become the Unified Tag Team Champions. Being the champions would broaden their visibility and prevent them from stagnating in ECW.