"The Hitman" Bret Hart is widely respected as one of the greatest in-ring workers in wrestling history. He was one of the most memorable stars of his generation—a seven-time world champion between WWE and WCW, and a two time Hall of Famer, among other accolades.
Hart’s book, Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling is a sprawling account of his life and his career in the business. While Hart has done his share of interviews and participated in documentaries, there is no other source with as comprehensive a collection of facts about him or recounting of his views on the wrestling world. This article takes a look at ten unique nuggets of information readers will only find in that book.
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10 Diesel Disrespected The Hitman At Survivor Series 1995
1995 was Diesel’s year as the still inexperienced big man got the push of a lifetime. His world title reign had its moments, didn’t live up to what management would have hoped. Between the limitations of the wrestler himself, the business being cold and not having the greatest challengers to work, Diesel struggled.
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Bret Hart took the world title back from him at Survivor Series. The way Hart tells it, Big Daddy Cool wasn’t gracious in defeat, throwing the best at The Hitman’s prone body and telling him to remember who did him the favor. Hart casts the big man as both manipulated by influences like Shawn Michaels and disappointed by the higher hopes Vince McMahon instilled in him that he never realized.
9 Bret Propose The Finish To The WrestleMania 2 Battle Royal
Long before Bret Hart broke out as a singles star, he garnered a noteworthy run in the famous battle royal match from WrestleMania 2. The bout ended with Andre the Giant throwing Hart out of the ring, onto his tag team partner Jim Neidhart.
In his book, Hart claims this was not the original finish but that he personally pitched it to Andre. Between his physical size and his political stroke, the Giant had the final say in the matter and gave the green light to Hart’s concept.
8 Bret Hart Resented Jerry Lawler
Bret Hart had a longstanding feud with Jerry Lawler in WWE. Oftentimes, talents who work together for extended runs actually grow quite close behind the scenes, but Hart makes it clear he had a few bones to pick with The King.
Hart indicates that Lawler hit him hard and recklessly with a scepter at King of the Ring 1993, and had other occasions of being irresponsible with Hart and others’ safety. Additionally, The Hitman comes across as resentful that Vince McMahon loaned out talent for Lawler’s Memphis based promotion in a way that he had not for the Hart family’s company in Calgary. Hart got a taste of revenge for this when he got the Sharpshooter on Lawler at SummerSlam 1993, and applied it as a shoot hold.
7 Owen Confided In Bret That He Wanted Out Of Wrestling
Owen Hart’s untimely passing is one of the great tragedies in wrestling history. From Bret’s telling in his book, the story is made even sadder because Owen had more than once tried to escape the wrestling business.
Related: 10 Facts Fans Should Know About Owen Hart
Bret suggests that Owen wanted a quieter life with his family and had told Bret that he meant to retire altogether with different alternative life plans, including becoming a firefighter. While fans were fortunate to have Owen perform in WWE rings for as long as he did, he would ultimately pass away in an entrance gone wrong at WWE’s Over the Edge PPV.
6 Bret Saw Scott Hall Stiff Fans
The WWE Superstar lifestyle includes participating in meet and greets and autograph signings. Bret Hart clearly took pride in his own connection with his fans but was critical of what he saw from Scott Hall.
Under the Razor Ramon gimmick, Hart reports in his book about Hall stiffing a young fan—keeping him waiting for some time to get to meet him only to ultimately dismiss the kid, with Hall suggesting he was a big enough star that he didn’t have to worry about being nice to fans at that point in his career.
5 Bret Carried The British Bulldog at SummerSlam 1992
The SummerSlam 1992 main event match between Bret Hart and Davey Boy Smith was an instant classic that many fans regard as a paradigm shifter for WWE. Whereas Hulk Hogan had dominated the top of the card in that era of WWE up to that point, after he left the company, Hart ushered in a new era in which a faster pace and more technical style got the spotlight.
The British Bulldog won the match and with it the Intercontinental Championship. Hart takes credit in his book, though, for not only plotting out the match but covering for Smith when he showed up having forgotten the game plan. The Hitman reports walking him through each step of the match and covering for a few key flubs to make the match the success it was.
4 Yokozuna Went Home Early At WrestleMania 9
The WrestleMania 9 world title match between Bret Hart and Yokozuna certainly wasn’t one of Hart’s greatest matches, but it quite arguably was one of Yokozuna’s. The big man looked like a monster as Hart sold for him, while The Hitman also got in some good offense to make the new top heel look vulnerable for the first time.
Hart writes about the match with disdain. He claims that Yokozuna unilaterally chose to end the match early, moving into the closing sequence because he was too gassed to see through the plan. Hart expresses some bitterness about the choice because it both meant the match wasn’t as good as it might have been, and Hart in particular missed out on a lot of the offense he was supposed to get in.
3 The Dynamite Kid Couldn’t Believe Bret Was Champ
Bret Hart writes in his book about his relationship with The Dynamite Kid. That includes The Hitman looking up to the more experienced Dynamite early in his career and then working with him in the ring in Stampede Wrestling, and later in WWE in their respective Hart Foundation and British Bulldogs tag teams.
Dynamite was in rough physical shape by the time he got to WWE and had to leave the company within a few years. By the time Hart reached the top, winning the world title, and toured Europe as the company’s top star, Dynamite clearly hadn’t been following the product. Hart recalls meeting up with him, and the older star expressing shock, then intense jealousy at the revelation that Hart had made it to the top of the business.
2 Bret’s Wife Ruined The Night Of WrestleMania 10
Bret Hart recounts his tumultuous marriage with his first wife Julie throughout his book. The Hitman takes ownership over some elements of their rocky relationship, including his own infidelity. He also, however, paints a portrait of a bitter woman who didn’t support him at key times.
Hart arguably reached the peak of his career when he defeated Yokozuna in the main event of WrestleMania 10 to capture his second WWE Championship. After the match, Hart recalls not hugging Julie backstage, because he was drenched in his and Yokozuna’s sweat and she was dressed nicely. She saw the choice as a snub, leading to a heated argument. Rather than celebrating his victory, Hart had his wife tell him she wanted a divorce.
1 Bret Tried To Help Hakushi
When Hakushi came to WWE, he was introduced as a mercenary working on behalf of Jerry Lawler, first and foremost against Bret Hart. The Japanese star looked terrific in a standout match with Hart at the original In Your House show, and Hart takes credit for both offering advice and letting Hakushi deliver his innovative aerial offense to help him get over.
Hart suggests that other Superstars were not as generous with Hakushi, including not selling for him or letting him deliver as many moves. Hart used the example as a talking point of his own inclination to help get a lot of talent over, while other top performers were more protective of their spots and made smaller wrestlers like Hakushi look like non-threats.
Next: 10 Things You Didn't Know Bret Hart Did After Wrestling
