Bret Hart as WWE Champion? vince considering the idea

[HatchetMan84]

Partial source: PWTorch.com

- Multiple WWE sources are reporting that Vince McMahon has decided to go a different direction with the Bret Hart storyline and WrestleMania. Believe it or not, the plan as of this weekend was for Bret to win the WWE Title at WrestleMania.

The plan as of Sunday morning was to have either Batista or John Cena walk out of Elimination Chamber with the WWE Title, which obviously Batista won. This should lead to Bret Hart & John Cena vs. Vince McMahon & Batista at WrestleMania with the person who gets the winning pinfall will be new WWE Champion.

The angle has been described as something that would be a "feel-good title win" for Bret. A likely ending for the match would be for Bret to make Vince tapout with the Sharpshooter but that's nothing confirmed.

Vince has gone back and forth on where they're headed with Bret for WrestleMania a few times over the past month but as of this weekend, this was the plan.

http://www.impactwrestling.com/Content.aspx?ID=31504

 

[Theo Mays]

Hmm now there is an interesting idea I hadn't thought of. Being a huge Hart mark I would love to see Bret get the win and the championship. That could open up the gate for a tournament that culminates at Extreme Rules to determine the new champ. I'm probably in the minority when it comes to this, but it would be a great feel good moment and to see the Sharpshooter end Wrestlemania would be pretty awesome.

However I doubt they go with this approach, but it would provide a great feel good moment.

 

[Thriller Ant]

As much of a feel good moment as this would be, I really think it would be a bad idea. Why, do you ask? Well, because that means that Sheamus ultimately lost the title so it could go to someone who shouldn't be wrestling and that is 20 years older than him. The WWE needs to build younger stars, and has been doing a good job of this recently. Making Hart the champion at the expense of Sheamus is the most counter-productive thing they can do at this point.

 

[HatchetMan84]

Well, if this happens, it is obviously designed to set up a long-term storyline for Bret.

There is talk already about signing Bret to a new WWE contract, and according to some WWE insiders, Bret is doing better physically than anyone intended and the possibility remains that he may have a few matches with the company.

Bret himself alluded to this in a recent interview, saying that he was careful in the ring now, and still felt that he could give a good show....

 

[Theo Mays]

Well, if this happens, it is obviously designed to set up a long-term storyline for Bret.

There is talk already about signing Bret to a new WWE contract, and according to some WWE insiders, Bret is doing better physically than anyone intended and the possibility remains that he may have a few matches with the company.

Bret himself alluded to this in a recent interview, saying that he was careful in the ring now, and still felt that he could give a good show....

I'm not sure a title run is as good of an idea as Bret just winning the belt and relinquishing it on Raw the next night. But pretty much it all depends on if Bret can actually still go in a match. I'm looking forward to the whole outcome of the Hitman storyline.

As much of a feel good moment as this would be, I really think it would be a bad idea. Why, do you ask? Well, because that means that Sheamus ultimately lost the title so it could go to someone who shouldn't be wrestling and that is 20 years older than him. The WWE needs to build younger stars, and has been doing a good job of this recently. Making Hart the champion at the expense of Sheamus is the most counter-productive thing they can do at this point.

Hart winning could elevate someone into the main event. If you do it how I proposed in my original post and go with a tournament of sorts and have Bret pick the guys he feels are the most deserved. Someone like Kofi, Ted, Cody, or hell even Sheamus could make a run at the title and surprise a few of us. Hell, get the SD guys involved too. Give Morrison (who had a solid EC match), Ziggler, McIntyre, etc... a chance to go for the gold. It could definitely work and get some youth into the scene.

 

[Phoenix]

Essentially, this idea is to give closure to the whole Montreal Situation, it started with Bret meant to be keeping the title but getting screwed, and this is appears to be the ending where Bret bows out to the WWE as he should have done 12 years ago, with the title around his waist with no hard feelings. That's the impression I'm getting from this, justifying the "wrongs" of Montreal, yet I think fans would be in a mix, I mean it's not the same as Hogan returning and then having the belt, he was an active wrestler still, but even then people rejected him as WWE Champion again. I think while it's a positive for Bret and Vince to end their feud on this closure, I think it would have negative effects on Wrestlemania as Bret has had his moment with Wrestlemania, this won't add to it. Bret Hart/Cena vs. Batista/Vince is ok for a match idea, but a Main Event? No, it shouldn't be there.

 

[ipewrestling.com]

Spoiler

Several sites are reporting that there is a possibility of Bret Hart winning the WWE Title at Wrestlemania, and then forfeiting the title the next night on Raw, as was originally planned back in 1997.

My question is this: do you think its a smart move on WWE's part to put the title on a 50 year old man? Granted he is a legend, and one of the best the wrestling business has ever seen as far as in-ring work goes, but is it a good idea to put him over a younger worker who still has a future, and then just having him forfeit the title the next night? I feel it would make whomever he goes over on look weak, especially if there is no rematch and Bret just hands over the belt. Your thoughts?

 

[SexandWrestling]

Several sites are reporting that there is a possibility of Bret Hart winning the WWE Title at Wrestlemania, and then forfeiting the title the next night on Raw, as was originally planned back in 1997. My question is this: do you think its a smart move on WWE's part to put the title on a 50 year old man? Granted he is a legend, and one of the best the wrestling business has ever seen as far as in-ring work goes, but is it a good idea to put him over a younger worker who still has a future, and then just having him forfeit the title the next night? I feel it would make whomever he goes over on look weak, especially if there is no rematch and Bret just hands over the belt. Your thoughts?

Why not? Do you not remember when Vince McMahon himself won the title over HHH thanks to Stone Cold Steve Austin? That would be a fitting end to the story if that occurred and would tie up all loose ends of the Montreal Screwjob. Too bad Wrestlemania isn't in Montreal.

 

[Alex]

If that happened, it wouldn't surprise me if TNA took a jab at this saying 'they have a 50 year old stroke victim as champion' or something to that effect. A better idea would be for Bret to tag in Cena allowing Cena to win, passing the torch so to speak, this will mean a happy ending with no sillyness

 

[GenMe]

Why not? Give him the Title for a Few weeks and then lose it Vs Vince on Backlash or on a regular TV programing.I know it will suck because theres alot of main event wrestlers that will stay with out a storyline for one month in a half,Because that is what all maineventers are looking for to be RAW's champ,But if Vince is planing on giving the strap to Bret that good,One more title on Brets waist wont be a bad thing.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

I highly, highly doubt this will happen. I don't think Vince would think it's a good idea, and more importantly, I don't think Bret would want it to happen. Unless Bret is planning on coming back to wrestling, and I do not think that is even a possibility (besides the inevitable street fight with the Genetic Jackhammer), this would make no sense.

Bret is probably the greatest in-ring wrestler I have ever seen. I just think that at this point in his life, a title reign would mean nothing. If it happened, I wouldn't be upset. I would rather see Bret Hart, even if he can't wrestle, hold the belt as opposed to some young guy who isn't ready for a title reign (supposing that Bret only holds it for one night). I think if there is any guy over 50 years old who deserves another title, it's him. And I don't care about him putting over some young guy, especially John Cena.

Bottom line, this won't happen. I am not sure where this rumor began, but I guarantee that is exactly what this is, a rumor, and nothing more. Bret is a wrestling-loyalist, a wrestling purist. He wouldn't think this would be a good move, and that is the main reason I don't think it will happen. Even though Vince is going nuts, I think, and he MIGHT actually think this would be a good idea, I doubt it.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

At first I thought this was a terrible idea (even being a HUGE Bret mark myself). But now, with the possibility of Bret submitting Vince, I am not so sure how bad it would be...

If Bret were to beat Vince, make him tap to the Sharpshooter, it would be believable. Can Bret, in his physical condition, beat Batista? Would that be believable? No. But I think him winning the title and giving it back on Raw the next night could be a good move...for some us.

I think their will be a strong backlash from all of the newer wrestling fans who know essentially nothing about bret hart. These kids will cry, and piss and moan, so I'm not sure Vince would go with it. I honestly bet there would be a huge portion of the crowd that might actually boo if Bret won, which would be absolutely disgusting, but it's possible. They would want "a younger guy" to win the belt. I'm telling you, if these younger, new wrestling fans keep going the way they are going in terms of wanting younger and younger champions, ten years from now a 13 year old would hold the belt. There is no patience among these kind of fans..none at all.

But for those of us who like wrestling in the past and present, this wouldn't be so bad. Bret would NOT hold the belt longer than 24 hours. He would give it up on Raw, and I like the idea of setting a 16 or so man tournament to decide te new champ, that kind of thing hasn't been done in a while. I don't care if Bret chooses the competitors or not, just as long as they are good matches we all want to see.

And as far as Sheamus goes, I hope we have seen the last of him as champion. Hell, I dislike the Sheamus character so much, I wouldn't have minded Bret slapping the sharpshooter right onto that bum and retiring him last night.

 

[colalella2891]

This is from Wrestlescoop.com:

"Partial source: PWTorch.com

- Multiple WWE sources are reporting that Vince McMahon has decided to go a different direction with the Bret Hart storyline and WrestleMania. Believe it or not, the plan as of this weekend was for Bret to win the WWE Title at WrestleMania.

The plan as of Sunday morning was to have either Batista or John Cena walk out of Elimination Chamber with the WWE Title, which obviously Batista won. This should lead to Bret Hart & John Cena vs. Vince McMahon & Batista at WrestleMania with the person who gets the winning pinfall will be new WWE Champion.

The angle has been described as something that would be a “feel-good title win” for Bret. A likely ending for the match would be for Bret to make Vince tapout with the Sharpshooter but that’s nothing confirmed.

Vince has gone back and forth on where they’re headed with Bret for WrestleMania a few times over the past month but as of this weekend, this was the plan."

You've got to be kidding me. This is a huge mistake if they would actually consider going this route. WTF would Bret do with the title??

Apparently this is a legit thing they're going for, so discuss your thoughts on possibly Bret Hart becoming WWE champion... Oh... My... God...

 

[californo]

Hey everyone. This is my first post. Anyway I started watching wwe(f) when I was very young, probably around 96/97. I grew up as a huge Rock fan but I started watching just in time to see Bret. I totally stopped watching anything wrestling after The Rock lost to Brock Lesnar at Summerslam I believe, but the current storyline with Bret returning has caught my attention. I really hope they do a Cena/Bret vs Batista/Mcmahon tag match for the title. This may very well be the best Wrestlemania yet and I am half tempted to order it. I mean seeing Bret get revenge for the screwjob would be awesome, especially since HBK's career might end on the same night. As for giving Bret the title, I can't really take a side on that. Seeing Bret lock Vince in the sharpshooter would do enough justice for me, but as much as I hate Cena, he's the face of wrestling now and I respect that. Seeing Bret kind of pass the torch would be a nice end to probably one the most epic shows WWE will ever have. They just need to handle it right.

 

[Morpheus101]

IF (and I mean if) Bret can pull this off, why not? I know he had a stroke, but who is to say that he isn't cut out for it, physically? Only Bret knows this though and if he is fit to have one last stint as champion in the WWE, who in their right mind would oppose? I would just like to see how he carries a proper match first. If he can do it, I would love to see Bret have one last stint as champion.

 

[Razor]

Fucking horrible idea. Pointless championship reigns are pointless.

What would Bret Hart winning the championship prove? How would it help anything? He's just going to have to vacate the title on Raw the next day. There is no way Bret Hart defends that title in anyway, shape or form.

You can have Bret Hart making Vince tap out to the Sharpshooter. You know, like in a Street Fight during WM. Without the title on the line. It's really easy, and has an added bonus of MAKING COMPLETE FUCKING SENSE.

Cena winning the title then losing it to Batista made storyline sense. Batista being the champion who stole the title from Cena makes sense. Hart winning the title then vacating it the next day for a tournament or whatever the fuck the idea is is ******ed.

McMahon, NO. NO. Put that pen down, and step away from the big board. Give me Cena/Batista II and McMahon/Hart Street Fight. I promise you that with that, HBK/Taker, Sheamus/Trips, and Edge/Jericho you will have half a million buys. Easy.

 

[Kenny Powers]

I really hope this is a rumor because that is awful. I highly doubt Bret will win the championship but if he does, I will laugh in the face of everyone talking shit about Hogan and Flair wrestling or even becoming champion in TNA. Let's say the main event is tag which I hope it isn't between Cena/Bret and Batista/Vince. Why would the title be on the line in a tag match? and what would Bret gain from being WWE champion? even for one night if he were to relinquish the title on Raw.

The more important story wasn't that Bret was screwed out of championship at Montreal, because he was going to drop the belt anyway. Bret being screwed out of the finish in his hometown is what this storyline is about. Bret just needs a match against Vince where he puts him in the sharpshooter and gets the win. The end. He doesn't need a WWE Championship to inflate his ego. The man can barely take a blow to the face much less wrestle a match. Even if he could, he has no business in the main event at his age.

I hope these are nothing but rumors because it makes Cena and Batista look weak. Why would the two biggest stars in WWE need Vince and Bret Hart involved in their title match at Wrestle Mania?

 

[The Mark of Zur-En-Arrh]

I know the majority of us hate these stupid throw away title changes, just so can someone can wear a belt over their shoulder for 3 weeks, but i personally think that this idea could have several positive outcomes.

First of all we can appease Canada by having Bret finally get his revenge on Vince McMahon, and maybe we can finally move on from the Screwjob.

Secondly, and more importantly, if Bret won the belt and then vacated it, we could have something that i think we should have done years ago, because it worked so well last time.

A World title tournament! Just like Survivor Series 1998, which saw all the ME guys lose for whatever reason, and saw The Rock and Mankind (2 upper-mid card talents) as the final 2 competitors, and as a result of that outcome, we had an awesome 3 month Rock/Mankind Title fued, that cemented their places in the ME tier with the likes of Austin, Taker, Kane, etc, and gave us some amazing memories, that then led on to one of the greatest fueds of the Attitude Era, Rock v Austin.

Imagine a 16 man tournament on Raw featuring the likes of Cena, Orton, HHH, HBK, and Batista and then the rest would consist of guys like Kofi, Miz, Swagger, Christian, Bourne, Rhodes, Dibiase, etc, and maybe some of the NXt guys could qualify as well.

We could have preliminary matches on a couple of Raw's or a PPV and then the semi's and the finals at another PPV. Isn't one of their new PPVs going to be called 'Wild Cards'? Wouldn't it be fitting to have a tournament which featured Cena, HHH etc, and in the end it was won by say MVP, a true wild card?

Not only could you start new fueds between the losers of the tournament, but you'd also be able to push 2 mid-carders at once both during AND after the tournament, creating 2 new ME'ers! Now wouldn't that be a good idea? If it really worked, you could then have them fued for a while, and THEN have the MiTB winner cash in, and then you've created a 3rd potential ME'er, AND a new fued!

This booking decision could shake up the entire foundation of Raw, and give them several programmes to utilise for up to 3 months, which i'm sure would outshine anything that the Hogan/Bischoff nostalgia act could cook up over the same time frame.

Now i see Razor's already said that setting up a tournament would be 'reterded', so i invite you to explain why a tournament for a vacated title would be such a bad idea razor, because basically you're saying you'd rather watch Batista v Cena AGAIN at the PPV after 'Mania.

 

[Dan E. Inferno]

Well, it would create one hell of a Wrestlemania moment and it's one I actually wouldn't mind seeing for old times sake, but on balance this wouldn't be a good idea. There's no reason Bret can't have a Wrestlemania moment without winning the title. The idea of the tag team match doesn't bother me and it would actually interest me more than Cena vs Batista. However, I would prefer the rules to be if Batista's team wins, he retains and if Cena's team wins, he wins the title. That way Bret can win the match by making Vince tap out and Cena can be the champion. So I have no problem with Bret having a big role at Wrestlemania but winning the championship is going a bit too far.

 

[hatehabsforever]

Sounds a little too TNA-ish to me. I cannot imagine putting the WWE Championship belt on a 50 year old man, regardless of his history and any past storylines, including the Screwjob. TNA are the ones who wouldn't hesitate to put the strap on such guys as Hogan, Flair, Sting, etc., I cannot see WWE doing such a thing. And I cannot see Bret Hart wanting it, to compromise his legacy with such a silly gesture, it would cheapen the significance of the WWE title.

You can achieve sufficient closure, and a sufficient "feel-good moment" simply with Bret facing Vince in the ring and having him tap out to the sharpshooter. No need to involve the belt at all.

If I wanted to see 50 year olds hobble around the ring trying to re-capture old glory, I'd change the station to Spike TV.

 

[Buford]

I think it's a great idea, as long as Bret isn't the champion for long term. If they go down the route of what was supposed to happen in 1997, it would be fine by me. Have Bret make Vince tap out to the sharpshooter, that would be believable, Bret making Vince a non-wrestler tap out with John Cena on his side. If it's Batista that's tapping out, then no, it's not a good idea.

This would be one of those "feel good" moments, where in the end, Bret getting screwed over 12 years ago. Bret comesback gets screwed by Vince again getting kicked in the groin, gets attacked by Batista, and then gets hit by a car. In the end, he stands tall at Wrestlemania, essentially making his comeback worth it. He makes essentially the man he hates the most tap out, and is a champion once more. He then goes out on Raw the next night, and officially says his goodbye, just the way he wanted to 12 1/2 years earlier. I wouldn't have a problem with this at all.

 

[Dave]

At this point, any answer I give is merely speculation, as is the case for everyone here. However, this is not something that I think will happen. Don't get me wrong, it definitely could but I don't think it will at the end of the day. I want to believe that something like this should happen and that Bret will be able to retire from the WWE with his head held high and the memories of Survivor Series 1997 to be extinguished, if not deleted from time. However, it is not something that I see them doing. I try and imagine in my head the scene of Wrestlemania and the main event. Only for it to be won by Bret Hart... To me, that just seems insane. It would make all of what has happened over the last few months (with Sheamus, Cena and now Batista) pretty much redundant.

For me, it will end with Bret Hart lifting John Cena's arm and proclaiming him the Champion. It will give Bret his moment again, delete the memories of 1997 and give John Cena a mighty Bret Hart rub. That seems like the most logical thing to do. However, with the WWE you can never tell and I might be far from the truth.

 

[Shocky]

I don't mind this happening actually, just not a Wrestlemania. The title at Mania should never be involved ina gimmick. Wrestlemania and the Title match itself sells the pay per view, adding more to it takes away from the Match.

As far as the idea, I have no problem with it myself. If Vince is even contemplating this move, then to me it tells me he has a guilty conscious over what happened at Montreal and is looking to atone for what he did. Bret Hart deserved better then what has happened to him over the last dozen years, and this would be the ultimate pay back.

What is exactly wrong with this? Bret Hart beats Vince McMahon, not an established star, and then forfeits the title. This means that, in theory, you have a completely fresh slate to run a title program after that, which is always interesting.

 

[aluren]

I think this would work. I would not mind Bret winning the title in a tag match. It would be unrealistic if he went 1 on 1 against Batista, but in a tag match, anyone can be pinned. Imagined if Cena gave the FU to Vince and then instead of going for the pin to win the title, he tags Bret and Bret gives Vince the sharpshooter for the title. That would put Cena over big time, even more so than Cena winning the title. Then when the smoke clears, HBK comes out and raises Bret's hand as the ultimate end to WM. Then the next night on Raw, Bret can relinquish the title and say that's what should have happened in 1997 and walk out of the WWE with his head up and on a positive note. That would put an end to a spectacular career and settling everything there is to settle.

 

[maar130]

Well, it could work if Vince taps. It will also extend the program between Batista and Cena, it will give real closure to the Montreal deal from a storyline stand point (although Bret defeating Vince in a streetfight also works for me) and it will give you two matches in one with a lot of drama, I mean Batista and Cena can beat the living Hell out of each other and in the last 5 minutes Bret would make Vince tap, I mean if the want to take care of Bret and Vince (who is also no spring chiken any more) they can go that way and maintain Cena and Batista away from a real winner and give nostalgia fans what they want.

Does it helps anyone? not really but it will be a nice moment for some people and makes some interest television since Batista arguement could be that Cena can't beat him so he allowed Bret to win as an easy way out of the match since in reality he knows he is afraid of Batista, and that will lead to match in the next PPV.