The Hart Family are one of the royal bloodlines of professional wrestling, alongside the likes of the Guerreros, the Anoa’i, Von Erichs and Funks. Based out of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Stu Hart created a dynasty, with his own family – sons, daughters, grandchildren – and through the training in his world famous Dungeon and through his long-running promotion Stampede Wrestling. On Friday, January 11, a former promotion relaunches once again, as Hart Legacy Wrestling (HLW) reboots in 2019, beginning with their first show since 2016, at the Bowness Sportsplex in Calgary.
I never got to have my first match in Calgary. I wasn't ready they said… But this Friday I am MORE THAN READY to make my debut in the city that TRAINED me Calgary, Alberta Canada!!! pic.twitter.com/az9HnnWEKW
— King (@LexisKingWWE) January 10, 2019
Hart Legacy Wrestling originally launched in 2012, holding their first event in early 2013, featuring a card that reads like a who’s who of today’s top stars – Brian Cage, El Generico (WWE’s Sami Zayn), Samuray Del Sol (WWE’s Kalisto), Trent Baretta, Teddy Hart, The Killer Elite Squad (Davey Boy Smith Jr. & Lance Archer), Bobby Lashley, Jack Evans, Australian Suicide, Konnan, plus many wrestlers trained by the Hart Family from the area. Sadly, the promoter working with HLW at the time caused some controversy and the promotion folded shortly after the debut show.
In 2015, it was resurrected by Smith Hart, the eldest son of Stu and Helen Hart, alongside his son, Matt Hart, who is also a Canadian indie wrestler. They ran three events between 2015 and 2016 before Smith Hart’s health began to decline – in January of 2016, Smith announced he was battling prostate and bone cancer. Smith Hart passed away in July of 2017 from his illness.
HLW looks to become a strong revamped promotion in 2019, with shows lined up every other Friday in Calgary, and announced plans to tour across Canada throughout the year, starting off in the Prairies and Central Canada. Teddy Hart is bringing his Hart Foundation stable from Major League Wrestling (MLW) to HLW, and HLW has also announced emerging West Coast indie star Jungle Boy (who’s now working for Game Changer Wrestling) and Mexico’s Laredo Kid working with the promotion, plus the return of former alumni Jack Evans, Kato The Asian Adonis, Renegade and Australian Suicide to future events. Also slated to wrestle is another Hart family member, Torrie Hart (son of Bruce Hart). HLW’s head promoter and trainer is former Stampede wrestler Steve Gillespie (also known as Dr. Hannibal), who was trained by Stu Hart in the Dungeon (alongside Bruce Hart and Les Thornton) and who runs Dungeon Discipline Wrestling School, where Teddy Hart also works as a trainer.
