Bret Hart in 2000 (and beyond)

[wildojinx]

Assuming Bret doesnt get the career-ending concussion at Starrcade 99, how do you see Bret's career going in WCW 2000, and on from there?

[Ben Wyatt]

Dec 30, 2021 15:39:06 GMT -5 wildojinx said:

Assuming Bret doesnt get the career-ending concussion at Starrcade 99, how do you see Bret's career going in WCW 2000, and on from there?

I don't think he was long for wrestling much longer, even if he did stay healthy.  Betweem Montreal, Owen's death and just how his tenure in WCW was going, Just didn't seem that (pardon the pun) his heart wasn't in it anymore.

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

He would've been fine-ish post January if Russo does leave for a few months. That Sullivan led period was boring but Bret could've gotten by with doing some regular feuds with some solid wrestling for a few months. He would've hated working for Russo again come April and likely would've been saddled with the rest of the old timers doing silly feuds with green guys from the Power Plant. But if he could make it through that...he could have really added a lot towards the end of the year. He could have had a lot of fun working/teaming with Lance Storm. He could've been a terrific guy to help establish Booker T as a main eventer. Even a feud with Jarrett would've been fun. By the end of WCW, at least the feuds were simpler and they let them work longer/better matches. He also would've been overseas where he loved to work and they had giant crowds which would've been a lot of fun for him.

[The Ichi]

A short stint in ROH before TNA see how WCW handled him and ask them to hold their beer.

[tafkaga]

Is this assuming he doesn't have the stroke in 2002 as well?

If he stays healthy, I think he goes back to WWE and finishes up. Not immediately, but eventually. He was still in his 40's when he went back for the HoF, so I could easily see him doing a last run in WWE in 2005 and then going into the HoF.

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

Dec 30, 2021 16:26:57 GMT -5 tafkaga said:

Is this assuming he doesn't have the stroke in 2002 as well?

If he stays healthy, I think he goes back to WWE and finishes up. Not immediately, but eventually. He was still in his 40's when he went back for the HoF, so I could easily see him doing a last run in WWE in 2005 and then going into the HoF.

Especially if WWE still ends up buying WCW and all the other tape libraries. He'd want to make sure his legacy was somewhat protected and with one company owning literally his entire career, he'd have to make the same decision he ended up making, just working a little more. 

[nisidhe]

It's hard to say. I don't think he'd have stayed much longer after the Radicalz jumped ship. No re-signing, he's most likely done with wrestling as a whole after that.

Owen's death and the lawsuit, and the betrayal of his siblings against Martha, would have prevented Bret's return to WWE.

[The Thread Barbi]

I maybe mistaken but in his book he mentioned signing a $5m a year extension with WCW for two years after the original deal was up. In his mind, it was his retirement plan.

However, the Goldberg incident meant he never saw the extension nor finished out his original contract.

[BlackoutCreature]

Dec 31, 2021 12:19:50 GMT -5 The Thread Barbi said:

I maybe mistaken but in his book he mentioned signing a $5m a year extension with WCW for two years after the original deal was up. In his mind, it was his retirement plan.

However, the Goldberg incident meant he never saw the extension nor finished out his original contract.

Hmm, I wonder how that $5 million number compares to other guys at the time like Nash or Sting. If WCW was bleeding money like they supposedly were in 2000 there's a good chance that whoever was in charge might've told Bret they couldn't afford him anymore and to start negotiating elsewhere, like Vince did in 97.

[Mochi Lone Wolf]

Floundering in WCW before being in TNA/ROH. Would most definitely have been in New Japan for their Tanahashi-led resurgence. Both because he was a massive fan of Fujinami(who trained Tanahashi), and because Tanahashi would have made an excellent rival to Bret because of Tana’s HBK-like characteristics.

He would have gone back to WWE at some point but, not after being everywhere else.

[MrElijah]

RING OF HONOR WRESTLING PRESENTS

The Stampede
Bret "Hitman" Hart vs. Samoa Joe for the Ring of Honor World Championship

[Deleted]

He would've faced Vince in the Hardcore Match at WM22 instead of Shawn.

And it would've been a lot better than the WM26 one.

[J. Hova]

I think he finishes up with WCW, gets a metric ton of money delivered to him every two weeks after the sale for however long that lasts and is done. I wholeheartedly believe that his stroke is directly related to his concussion, so that probably never happens. If that never happens, then his reconciliation with the WWE is at least delayed, and might never happen. Bret has gone on record to say that the first person who called him after his stroke was Vince and VKM gave him the pep talk of a lifetime and at least opened that door to do business in the future.

[Mozenrath]

Jan 1, 2022 2:23:19 GMT -5 J. Hova said:

I think he finishes up with WCW, gets a metric ton of money delivered to him every two weeks after the sale for however long that lasts and is done. I wholeheartedly believe that his stroke is directly related to his concussion, so that probably never happens. If that never happens, then his reconciliation with the WWE is at least delayed, and might never happen. Bret has gone on record to say that the first person who called him after his stroke was Vince and VKM gave him the pep talk of a lifetime and at least opened that door to do business in the future.

I feel like it happens, anyway, due to Bret's strong desire to control his own legacy and how it is presented, and given WWE owns like his entire career, just about, in footage, he and Vince had to talk eventually.

[Defrebel - White Pony]

Sports Entertainment Xtreme's Bret Hart

[Mozenrath]

Jan 1, 2022 2:45:11 GMT -5 Defrebel - White Pony said:

Sports Entertainment Xtreme's Bret Hart

I don't think I'd have been ready for AJ Styles calling Bret... things... while armed with a chainsaw.

[Oh Cry Me a Screwball]

Jan 1, 2022 2:36:38 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

Jan 1, 2022 2:23:19 GMT -5 J. Hova said:

I think he finishes up with WCW, gets a metric ton of money delivered to him every two weeks after the sale for however long that lasts and is done. I wholeheartedly believe that his stroke is directly related to his concussion, so that probably never happens. If that never happens, then his reconciliation with the WWE is at least delayed, and might never happen. Bret has gone on record to say that the first person who called him after his stroke was Vince and VKM gave him the pep talk of a lifetime and at least opened that door to do business in the future.

I feel like it happens, anyway, due to Bret's strong desire to control his own legacy and how it is presented, and given WWE owns like his entire career, just about, in footage, he and Vince had to talk eventually.

It depends. If Bret's healthy, he has other ways of controlling his legacy that don't involve working with WWE. There is no way that Bret Hart "Screwed" documentary happens if there is a chance it motivates Bret to go to TNA and answer those criticisms by helping put AJ Styles or Samoa Joe on the map.

It's the fact that Bret had no way of fighting back with the platform that Vince had that motivated him to take the Hall of Fame induction and changing the Screwed documentary in a career retrospective.