Bret Hart - The Best There Is, Was, and Ever Will Be

On October 20th, Bret “Hitman” Hart was notified through his management team that World Championship Wrestling had terminated his contract. That afternoon, Hart received his pink slip through Federal Express. Two days earlier, Hart had been informed that his contract would be rolled over for an additional two years.

Hart, 43, a former WWF and WCW Champion, told a Canadian radio talk show that WCW “couldn’t even fire me in an organized way.” The termination notice ended Hart’s nearly three-year association with the promotion.

In December 1997, Hart joined WCW after the now infamous Montreal double cross. The five time WWF champion was red hot, yet, WCW failed to utilize “The Hitman,” causing Hart to lose the momentum he brought with him from New York.

During the same interview, Hart recalled that Vince McMahon once told him “WCW wouldn’t know how to use a Bret Hart.” Those words turned out to be prophetic. Hart so eloquently stated that the WWF “turned a negative into a positive,” using the Montreal incident to turn his character full fledged heel, developing into the evil Mr. McMahon persona.

WCW should have made Hart their world champion upon entering the company, billing him as the WWF champion that never legitimately lost the gold. Instead, Hart spent much of his time in WCW chasing the inferior U.S. title. Hart commented that WCW “wouldn’t know a good idea if it hit them in the head.”

Hart suffered brain damage at last year’s Starrcade pay-per-view from an arrant kick in a match with a still green Bill Goldberg. “The Hitman,” unaware of his full medical condition, continued to work and wrestle for the company. The concussion proved to be a career ending injury. Despite an injury that occurred in the ring, WCW cut Hart’s salary in half, without warning.

“The Hitman” never wanted to leave the WWF, in fact, at the eleventh hour; Hart asked McMahon to persuade him to stay. McMahon, claiming financial hardship, encouraged Hart, a loyal company man, to take WCW’s lucrative contract offer.

In the final analysis, both the WWF and WCW mistreated Bret “Hitman” Hart, one of the most beloved wrestling superstars. Hart was willing to forfeit the WWF title the day after the Survivor Series in Montreal on “Raw,” yet McMahon opted not to trust someone whose word is as good as gold. WCW also chose against doing the right thing by not allowing Hart to leave of his own accord.

With no other options open to “The Hitman” in professional wrestling, Hart announced his retirement from the business six days after being released by WCW. With the squared circle firmly behind him, Hart plans to pursue a career in acting. I sincerely wish Bret all the best!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Bret Hart for the matches and the memories. Thank you for always giving it every once you had to give, and not selling out. Thanks for making wrestling an art form, and for the passion you brought to the sport. Thank you again for the interview you granted me in June. Bret, you truly are the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.

Tidbits: The Hart Family and the WWF settled out of court in the Owen Hart case for a reported $18 million … Steve Corino, 27, won the “Double Jeopardy” match in the main event at November 2 Remember to capture the ECW World Heavyweight title match … Scott Hall has expressed an interest in working for New Japan … The British Bulldog has been suspended without pay by the WWF.

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