Diana Hart
Encyclopedia
Diana Joyce Hart-Smith is the youngest daughter of Canadian wrestling
promoter
Stu Hart
and now his youngest living child. She is also the former wife of wrestler "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith
and mother of former WWE superstar David Hart Smith. She was also the 1997 Mrs. Calgary Stampede
.
at the age of 17 when Davey, 18, was training under her father. They married on October 7, 1984. The couple had two children together, Harry (born on August 2, 1985) and Georgia (born September 26, 1987). In early 2000, Diana divorced Davey and focused on her children. She helped her son, Harry, become a professional wrestler.
in 1992 where her husband won the WWF Intercontinental Championship
from her brother, Bret Hart
, in the night's main event at Wembley Stadium
. At the end of the match, Diana embraced both her brother and her husband to signify the family's unification. Diana occasionally accompanied her husband to the ring, including his WWF Championship
match against Bret at the December 17, 1995 In Your House
pay-per-view
, which Davey lost.
In April 1996, the WWF began a storyline where Diana claimed that she was sexually assaulted by Shawn Michaels
backstage at In Your House: Good Friends, Better Enemies
in an attempt to play mind games with Michaels as her husband prepared to challenge him for the WWF Championship at In Your House: Beware of Dog
. The angle culminated with an in-ring promo on an episode Monday Night Raw
where Diana slapped Michaels, leading to a brawl between Michaels and Bulldog. When their match at In Your House led to a draw, a rematch was signed for King of the Ring
, which the Bulldog ultimately lost. After that, the storyline was dropped.
At Wrestlemania 26, Diana returned as a lumberjack for the No Holds Barred Match between Bret Hart and Mr. McMahon. McMahon had paid the Hart Family to screw Bret in their match. However, the tables were turned and the Hart Family sided with Bret and helped him win the match.
, in a wrestling accident, Diana became very outspoken about the wrestling industry and wrote a controversial book entitled Under the Mat: Inside Wrestling's Greatest Family, which discussed alleged secrets of the Hart family. Owen's widow, Martha
, sued Diana over the book and the family was further torn apart.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
promoter
Promoter (entertainment)
An entertainment promoter i.e. music, wrestling, boxing etc is a person or company in the business of marketing and promoting live events such as concerts/gigs, boxing matches, sports entertainment , festivals, raves, and nightclubs.- Business model :Promoters are typically hired as independent...
Stu Hart
Stu Hart
Stewart Edward "Stu" Hart, CM was a Canadian amateur wrestler, professional wrestler, promoter and trainer. Hart founded Stampede Wrestling, a promotion based in Calgary, Alberta, and was the father of famous wrestlers Bret and Owen Hart...
and now his youngest living child. She is also the former wife of wrestler "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith was a British professional wrestler, better known as "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, who was born in Golborne in North West England, United Kingdom. Smith is known for his appearances with Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling...
and mother of former WWE superstar David Hart Smith. She was also the 1997 Mrs. Calgary Stampede
Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
.
Family
Diana met Davey SmithDavey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith was a British professional wrestler, better known as "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, who was born in Golborne in North West England, United Kingdom. Smith is known for his appearances with Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling...
at the age of 17 when Davey, 18, was training under her father. They married on October 7, 1984. The couple had two children together, Harry (born on August 2, 1985) and Georgia (born September 26, 1987). In early 2000, Diana divorced Davey and focused on her children. She helped her son, Harry, become a professional wrestler.
World Wrestling Federation
Diana was in attendance at SummerSlamSummerSlam (1992)
SummerSlam was the fifth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 29, 1992 at Wembley Stadium, London, England but was aired in the United States on August 31...
in 1992 where her husband won the WWF Intercontinental Championship
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
from her brother, Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
, in the night's main event at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
. At the end of the match, Diana embraced both her brother and her husband to signify the family's unification. Diana occasionally accompanied her husband to the ring, including his WWF Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
match against Bret at the December 17, 1995 In Your House
In Your House 5
In Your House 5: Seasons Beatings was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation , which took place on December 17, 1995 at the Hersheypark Arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania...
pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
, which Davey lost.
In April 1996, the WWF began a storyline where Diana claimed that she was sexually assaulted by Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
backstage at In Your House: Good Friends, Better Enemies
In Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies
In Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation that took place on April 28, 1996 and emanated from the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Nebraska....
in an attempt to play mind games with Michaels as her husband prepared to challenge him for the WWF Championship at In Your House: Beware of Dog
In Your House 8: Beware of Dog
In Your House 8: Beware of Dog was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation , that originally took place on May 26, 1996 from the Florence Civic Center in Florence, South Carolina. Due to a severe thunderstorm, the power went out during the event,...
. The angle culminated with an in-ring promo on an episode Monday Night Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
where Diana slapped Michaels, leading to a brawl between Michaels and Bulldog. When their match at In Your House led to a draw, a rematch was signed for King of the Ring
King of the Ring (1996)
King of the Ring was the fourth annual King of the Ring professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Federation . The event took place on June 23, 1996 from the MECCA Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin....
, which the Bulldog ultimately lost. After that, the storyline was dropped.
At Wrestlemania 26, Diana returned as a lumberjack for the No Holds Barred Match between Bret Hart and Mr. McMahon. McMahon had paid the Hart Family to screw Bret in their match. However, the tables were turned and the Hart Family sided with Bret and helped him win the match.
Book
After the death of her younger brother, Owen HartOwen Hart
Owen James Hart was a Canadian professional and amateur wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , and most notably, the World Wrestling Federation , where he wrestled under both his own name, and ring name The...
, in a wrestling accident, Diana became very outspoken about the wrestling industry and wrote a controversial book entitled Under the Mat: Inside Wrestling's Greatest Family, which discussed alleged secrets of the Hart family. Owen's widow, Martha
Martha Hart
-Personal life:Hart was born Martha Joan Patterson in 1966, and is the youngest of 11 children. Her mother, Joan, had battled breast cancer before Hart and her sister Virgina were born; her father left her mother when Martha was young. Education is very important to Martha...
, sued Diana over the book and the family was further torn apart.