Would Bret Hart get over in early 90s WCW?

[wildojinx]

There were all the rumors in the early 90s about Bret going to WCW, what if they were legit and Bret came in around early 1992? Would he have gotten over?

[fw91]

Sure, why not? Pre-Hogan and no Flair sounds like a great fit.

[jason1980s]

I feel like Bret would have done as well as Greg Valentine and Jake Roberts who came in the same year. I feel like Bret was a WWF guy. WCW couldn't make his run work in the late 90s and they sure probably couldn't make it work in the early 90s.

[thecrusherwi]

WCW’s crowd almost always appreciated good workers. Had they let Bret work with the guys they let Steamboat work with, he would’ve gotten over just fine. Though he was much better off in the WWF, because nearly everyone save for maybe Sting, Vader, Flair, and Rick Rude was booked inconsistently in that era and then Hogan came and everyone got disrupted. But I think he would’ve gotten over big time and produced some good stuff. Can you imagine him vs guys like Vader, Barry Windham, Brian Pillman, Rick Rude, Steven Regal, and Stunning Steve Austin in 1992-93? It would’ve been awesome.

[Deleted]

Great until Hogan got there.

[jason1980s]

Bret may have had a lot better competition but WCW until Hogan came was a face chases heel company so even pre Hogan he wouldn't have gotten a title run and I don't think he would have liked that. He would wind up trying to return to Vince who probably wouldn't put him back in the top title spot.

[petef3]

Jun 13, 2021 19:40:58 GMT -5 jason1980s said:

I feel like Bret would have done as well as Greg Valentine and Jake Roberts who came in the same year. I feel like Bret was a WWF guy. WCW couldn't make his run work in the late 90s and they sure probably couldn't make it work in the early 90s.

Jake burned out quickly but was a huge success for his brief time in WCW. Halloween Havoc did excellent numbers on PPV compared to everything else WCW was running out in the time period.

[Deleted]

Jun 13, 2021 21:17:52 GMT -5 petef3 said:

Jun 13, 2021 19:40:58 GMT -5 jason1980s said:

I feel like Bret would have done as well as Greg Valentine and Jake Roberts who came in the same year. I feel like Bret was a WWF guy. WCW couldn't make his run work in the late 90s and they sure probably couldn't make it work in the early 90s.

Jake burned out quickly but was a huge success for his brief time in WCW. Halloween Havoc did excellent numbers on PPV compared to everything else WCW was running out in the time period.

Also nobody gave a shit about Greg Valentine in 1992.

[petef3]

Jun 13, 2021 21:27:00 GMT -5 @uppitynerd said:

Jun 13, 2021 21:17:52 GMT -5 petef3 said:

Jake burned out quickly but was a huge success for his brief time in WCW. Halloween Havoc did excellent numbers on PPV compared to everything else WCW was running out in the time period.

Also nobody gave a shit about Greg Valentine in 1992.

Yep. He's not comparable to Bret at all.

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

Oh absolutely. He would've been a perfect guy for the likes of Vader, Rude, and Flair. And if he ever did turn heel, he would have been great with the likes of Sting and Steamboat. In some ways it would've been a perfect fit work wise, at least until Hogan got there. But he probably could've rode out that era like Sting and Savage did with decent undercard feuds (maybe working with Austin when he was there) until the nWo came around and been a solid Luger level face working on the WCW side.

[Milkman Norm]

Was anyone really over in early 90s WCW?

[jason1980s]

Jun 14, 2021 8:59:38 GMT -5 Milkman Norm said:

Was anyone really over in early 90s WCW?

WCW never seemed to know what to do with anyone unless those people knew what to do with themselves and in WCW 1990s Bret didn't seem to know. I was just watching Ron Simmons beat Vader for the title the other day and WCW sure didn't capitalize on it. Vader was back to being champ not long after and Ron was pretty much a curtain jerker. He either didn't make PPVs or the ones he did were cut off the VHS release (Beach Blast).

WCW just seemed to build everything around one, two or three stars and just seemed to have everything working itself into place on the middle to lower end of the card. I can see Jim Ross going crazy for Bret in the early 90s and Jesse seemed to love him and Tony would probably be impressed so the commentary staff would be behind him.

[Milkman Norm]

Like Bret would have had great matches for sure because that roster was loaded with talent but I don't think he would have reached superstardom.

[Squirrel Master]

Jun 14, 2021 11:59:35 GMT -5 Milkman Norm said:

Like Bret would have had great matches for sure because that roster was loaded with talent but I don't think he would have reached superstardom.

If we look at the year 1992 WCW had a hell of a roster. Bret Hart versus any of the WCW tough guys would have been great to see. My take is he’d have risen to the top of the card most righteously.

[Mozenrath]

I think he had all the tools to get over just about anywhere, but I do think it was to his benefit to stay in WWF as long as he did.

[toodarkmark]

Bret Hart versus Rick Rude.

Bret Hart versus Big Van Vader.

Brer Hart versus Barry Windham.

Bret Hart versus Steve Austin.

Bret Hart versus Cactus Jack.

Personally, I think he would have been a world champion, and up there with Sting. Ole would have liked him, Dusty would have liked him, and when WCW returned to a more workrate company in Oct of 1991, he would have shined. I don't know about Bill Watts, but he prob would have seen how a great he was, and second generation.

I also imagine Owen would have stayed with WCW, so we get matches with Pillman and Liger versus Owen. Davey Boy comes in 1993, and they probably do an Foundation thing.

Of course, until Hogan comes.

[sfvega]

I would have loved to see him there as well. Prime Vader vs. Bret would have been a feud and a half. Him and Rude, early Austin, Windham, 3tc. It all would have been good, but I wonder how far he would have moved up the card as Sting is immovable as the top face and that was Bret's bread and butter role. I worry that politics would have kept him in a workhorse Steamboat role.

[toodarkmark]

Jun 15, 2021 5:29:23 GMT -5 sfvega said:

I would have loved to see him there as well. Prime Vader vs. Bret would have been a feud and a half. Him and Rude, early Austin, Windham, 3tc. It all would have been good, but I wonder how far he would have moved up the card as Sting is immovable as the top face and that was Bret's bread and butter role. I worry that politics would have kept him in a workhorse Steamboat role.

I think with Steamboat, he never politicked as well as he should have, but he also had a penchant of walking away when he didn't feel the situation was right. Which is something I loved about him, but kept him at a certain place on the card. I feel Bret would have politicked, he was a second generation guy so he would have understood how to work the older school bookers, he would have built friendships, and he wouldn't walk away when he got annoyed by booking. He and Rick Rude were close, and Rude was scary to people backstage. He has Owen and Davey in there, and I think it would have been a great fit, even if his career would have been "smaller". But who knows. I don't know if he gets higher than Sting as the top babyface, but that would be hard for anyone other than Hogan at the time.

[Triangle Lancer]

Jun 15, 2021 0:57:59 GMT -5 toodarkmark said:

Bret Hart versus Rick Rude.

Bret Hart versus Big Van Vader.

Brer Hart versus Barry Windham.

Bret Hart versus Steve Austin.

Bret Hart versus Cactus Jack.

Personally, I think he would have been a world champion, and up there with Sting. Ole would have liked him, Dusty would have liked him, and when WCW returned to a more workrate company in Oct of 1991, he would have shined. I don't know about Bill Watts, but he prob would have seen how a great he was, and second generation.

I also imagine Owen would have stayed with WCW, so we get matches with Pillman and Liger versus Owen. Davey Boy comes in 1993, and they probably do an Foundation thing.

Of course, until Hogan comes.

Ole would have finally gotten to see Bret in person...lol.
(That amusing story in Bret's book about Ole taking a shit during Bret's tryout and his possible push going to Buzz Sawyer instead.)

[msc]

It's an odd What If scenario because if Bret had jumped in 1992, there likely wouldn't have been a WWE today. Or a complete different top wrestling promotion.