Let us say for example, nothing is wrong and Bret Hart back in 97 was to stay in WWE with the extension that he wanted. Pretend that the screwjob never happened, Bret Hart is happy, Vince is happy. How long do you think Bret's career would have lasted had he stayed and not been forced out? Since we all know his career was ended by Goldberg (he's good at doing that). I believe Bret Hart would have wrestled all the way until about 2002 possibly winnning a couple more world titles. We would have seen great main events like Bret Hart-The Rock, Bret Hart-Kurt Angle and Bret Hart-Triple-H. So what is your opinion, how long would Bret Hart have stayed in WWE and what would he have accomplished?
Had the screwjob not happened, how long would Bret Hart had stayed in WWE?
- Thread starter RBH
- Start date
dd23beatlesfan1
Getting Noticed By Management
I'm sure RBH didn't mean specifically just the "Screwjob." He meant the poor situation and relationship between Bret and Vince that led to Bret's departure.
Well, anyways to answer the question, it's hard to say. To start off with, Bret wasn't very thrilled with the direction that the WWE went in around 97. I don't think he would've been so against it that he would've left, but who knows? By 98/99 when it was far more edgier and racier than it was in 97, he may have left?
Then again if Bret hadn't left, he was such an important and influential figure in the WWE, that he may have been able to influence some of the direction that Vince went with the WWF (much as HBK and Triple H did), and maybe it wouldn't have went as hardcore as it did.
But I think Bret would've stayed for sure, at least until May of 99 and the tragic death of Owen. Now if Bret was with the company, as he has stated many times, he would've seen to it that Owen would've never done the stunt. But if he somehow didn't stop it and Owen did the stunt and died, that would've definitely been the end of Bret's relationship with the WWE and Vince. Ultimately it would've tore him up much more than the Screwjob did.
But....if the accident never did happen, Bret probably would've went on wrestling, perhaps into today. I think if all of the tragic events that have occurred for Bret in the last decade (the screwjob, Owen's death, his career-ending concussions, and ultimately his stroke, not to mention the drama he's had with his family) hadn't happened, then Bret would probably not be trying to move on from the last 10 years like he is currently. He would still happily be in the wrestling business.
Bret always said that he never wanted to leave the WWE. And I think ultimately even though he was not a supporter of the more "Attitude Era"-styled product, he would've stayed. Especially if everything with Shawn Michaels went as it has. If Shawn would've suffered his back injury and retired after Wrestlemania XIV, the whole "The WWF is too big for Shawn and Bret both" problem would've been solved, and Bret would've been more content in the WWF without Shawn there.
As long as the accident with Owen would've been stopped, Bret might still be wrestling today, as long as he was healthy and didn't get injured. Bret would've enjoyed wrestling the new guys that came into the company from 98 on (Edge, the Hardyz, Angle, Tazz, Jericho, Big Show, Christian, Benoit, Guerrero, Malenko, Mysterio, Lesnar, Cena, Batista, Orton, etc.)
And I don't think you have to worry with Bret still being there, would Austin and the Rock have made it to the top? They would've. Bret would've stepped aside to let them two and Foley and even Triple H (though he would've hated it
shine. Actually the plan originally was for Bret to fight Austin at Wrestlemania XIV and lose the title to him. Bret would've had no problem putting the new guys in the company over.
It's a real shame things didn't turn out differently.
Well, anyways to answer the question, it's hard to say. To start off with, Bret wasn't very thrilled with the direction that the WWE went in around 97. I don't think he would've been so against it that he would've left, but who knows? By 98/99 when it was far more edgier and racier than it was in 97, he may have left?
Then again if Bret hadn't left, he was such an important and influential figure in the WWE, that he may have been able to influence some of the direction that Vince went with the WWF (much as HBK and Triple H did), and maybe it wouldn't have went as hardcore as it did.
But I think Bret would've stayed for sure, at least until May of 99 and the tragic death of Owen. Now if Bret was with the company, as he has stated many times, he would've seen to it that Owen would've never done the stunt. But if he somehow didn't stop it and Owen did the stunt and died, that would've definitely been the end of Bret's relationship with the WWE and Vince. Ultimately it would've tore him up much more than the Screwjob did.
But....if the accident never did happen, Bret probably would've went on wrestling, perhaps into today. I think if all of the tragic events that have occurred for Bret in the last decade (the screwjob, Owen's death, his career-ending concussions, and ultimately his stroke, not to mention the drama he's had with his family) hadn't happened, then Bret would probably not be trying to move on from the last 10 years like he is currently. He would still happily be in the wrestling business.
Bret always said that he never wanted to leave the WWE. And I think ultimately even though he was not a supporter of the more "Attitude Era"-styled product, he would've stayed. Especially if everything with Shawn Michaels went as it has. If Shawn would've suffered his back injury and retired after Wrestlemania XIV, the whole "The WWF is too big for Shawn and Bret both" problem would've been solved, and Bret would've been more content in the WWF without Shawn there.
As long as the accident with Owen would've been stopped, Bret might still be wrestling today, as long as he was healthy and didn't get injured. Bret would've enjoyed wrestling the new guys that came into the company from 98 on (Edge, the Hardyz, Angle, Tazz, Jericho, Big Show, Christian, Benoit, Guerrero, Malenko, Mysterio, Lesnar, Cena, Batista, Orton, etc.)
And I don't think you have to worry with Bret still being there, would Austin and the Rock have made it to the top? They would've. Bret would've stepped aside to let them two and Foley and even Triple H (though he would've hated it
shine. Actually the plan originally was for Bret to fight Austin at Wrestlemania XIV and lose the title to him. Bret would've had no problem putting the new guys in the company over.It's a real shame things didn't turn out differently.
agentmichaelscarn
Old School
I dont think he would have lasted much longer than he did in WCW wrestling wise. Cause if I remember correctly he signed a 20 year contract in 96 and I think he said the first 5 he would wrestle then the next 15 he would be doing behind the scenes things. So that would have brought him to 2001 and his last match with WCW was early 00. So even though we all blame Goldberg for cutting Bret's career short in reality I dont think Bret was gonna wrestle much longer anyway(Im not trying to down play what Goldberg did cause it did have a serious effect on Bret's life Im just pointing that out) I think his WCW contract was up in November of that year and he was probably gonna retire after it was over anyway. Cause watching "Wrestling with Shadows" when he was talking about the WCW contract he said something like "I always wanted to make enough money to retire and live comfortably and this would provide that". I know that quote probably isnt close to the exact one but that's basically what he was getting at. I think when he signed that contract he figured that would be his last contract atleast as an active wrestler.
Anyway Im starting to drift away from the subject a bit but the bottom line is that unlike alot of the legends Bret managed his money well so he didnt need to wrestle forever and come back for these appearances to make money. I think he showed that when Vince reportedly offered him a shitload of money to make an appearance at Wrestlemania a few years ago and he turned it down if he really needed the money he would have like most other "legends" do. Plus Bret prides himself on being the best, he stated many times that he didnt want to be one of those guys that looked old or slow and looked past his prime and basically looked like a slob or just flat out old out there. He wanted to leave on a high note so I think he may have lasted to 01 but that would be it. By that time he would have made enough money to live comfortably and he would still have his health two things that he wanted. He would then probably be a road agent/trainer and maybe have an on air role like a GM or Commissioner and maybe wrestle once in a blue moon like Vince does.
Anyway Im starting to drift away from the subject a bit but the bottom line is that unlike alot of the legends Bret managed his money well so he didnt need to wrestle forever and come back for these appearances to make money. I think he showed that when Vince reportedly offered him a shitload of money to make an appearance at Wrestlemania a few years ago and he turned it down if he really needed the money he would have like most other "legends" do. Plus Bret prides himself on being the best, he stated many times that he didnt want to be one of those guys that looked old or slow and looked past his prime and basically looked like a slob or just flat out old out there. He wanted to leave on a high note so I think he may have lasted to 01 but that would be it. By that time he would have made enough money to live comfortably and he would still have his health two things that he wanted. He would then probably be a road agent/trainer and maybe have an on air role like a GM or Commissioner and maybe wrestle once in a blue moon like Vince does.
Well this is kind of silly. I think you phrased this very wrong ... because screw job or not he was gone that not ... that was the entire reasoning for the screw job.
Now ... if Vince had paid him and gave him the extension (which he could not even compete with the WCW money really) then none of the falling out would have even happened.
I think that Bret would likely still be wrestling in some capacity today. Hell ... it is the butterfly effect. Owen probably has better spots on the card and more feuds with Bret ... leading to him never coming in on the the zipline ... and Owen and Bret are still wrestling.
Bret would have had a couple of great feuds with The Rock, HHH and maybe even be one of the guys who really put over Cena and Batista. Also, just think about the idea of another Hart vs. Michaels match at Wrestlemania.
It really is a shame that WCW had so much money to throw around and screw Bret Hart up for good. He obviously should never have left the WWE, but guaranteed money is too good to pass up.
Now ... if Vince had paid him and gave him the extension (which he could not even compete with the WCW money really) then none of the falling out would have even happened.
I think that Bret would likely still be wrestling in some capacity today. Hell ... it is the butterfly effect. Owen probably has better spots on the card and more feuds with Bret ... leading to him never coming in on the the zipline ... and Owen and Bret are still wrestling.
Bret would have had a couple of great feuds with The Rock, HHH and maybe even be one of the guys who really put over Cena and Batista. Also, just think about the idea of another Hart vs. Michaels match at Wrestlemania.
It really is a shame that WCW had so much money to throw around and screw Bret Hart up for good. He obviously should never have left the WWE, but guaranteed money is too good to pass up.
I think bret & vince would have had a falling out eventually anyway just maybe not as bad as it was. but i dont think the mr Mcmahon charicter would have been born. so whos to no what would happen, as a kid bret was my fav wrestler loved him. but i also loved the stone cold V mcmahon feud n i think that wouldnt of happend :-(. & who knows what would of happened with with owen.
John Stamos' Pubic Hair
Dark Match Jobber
If Bret stayed HHH would not be where he is today. As for Bret how long would he be in WWE?? Well he did sign a 20 year deal or something didn't he? I think he'd be a booker or something similar. Also Owen would more then likely still be alive, as he would still be teaming up with the Hart Foundation. Add to the fact that HHH would have probably went to WCW sooner or later aswell, and I see that WCW would probably still be around, and there would be no TNA....
That last year with Bret in the WWE, created so much it's unfathimable to imagine.
- Vince McMahon coming out of the closet so to speak as the Owner of the WWE
- The whole Mr. McMahon character
- The Rise of Stone Cold
- The Death of Owen Hart
- Rick Rude appearing on both Raw & Nitro on the same night
- Mike Tyson appearing at WrestleMania 14.
- D-Generation X
- Shawn Michaels retiring after WM 14. Bret would of held onto the title till atleast WM 14, and probably would have dropped it to Austin. Michaels would have stuck around....
- Early death of Davey Boy. Davey went to WCW and hurt himself on a trap door that was for 'The Warrior' if Bret had stayed in WWE, Davey would not have gotten so hooked on the drugs he needed to take after the injury. Still I'd expect him to be gone by now probably, just it wouldn't have been so heavily on the drugs he had to take because of that trap door.
- In fact alot of deaths may not have happened or been postponed because of the Screwjob. Crush, Bulldog, Owen, Rude, Mr. Perfect, Benoit.... All were pretty close to Bret, were in his family or good friends of his. I'm sure alot of them would have turned to Bret had he been there for knowledge. Also a few left to WCW with Bret, and there things happened that wouldn't of happened in WWE, plus with there closeness with Bret, and with everything that had happened, rejoining WWE later on was not an option, or as successful as it would have been if the heat between Bret/WWE existed.
- The Attitude Era. Sure Austin would be the catalyst of it all, but I doubt if Bret had had the power he was to have got after signing that contract, we would have seen incest angles, necrophilia, and hand shaped ***** come out of Mae Young's Vagina or Boss Man driving Big Show's Casket around or whatever that shit was...
Bret would still be around now. I'd say he would have retired probably at WM 20 actuallly.
Lets face it, that moment was just as big as Hogan's Heel turn. It created so much, and was the major factor for WWE eventually buying out WCW.
That last year with Bret in the WWE, created so much it's unfathimable to imagine.
- Vince McMahon coming out of the closet so to speak as the Owner of the WWE
- The whole Mr. McMahon character
- The Rise of Stone Cold
- The Death of Owen Hart
- Rick Rude appearing on both Raw & Nitro on the same night
- Mike Tyson appearing at WrestleMania 14.
- D-Generation X
- Shawn Michaels retiring after WM 14. Bret would of held onto the title till atleast WM 14, and probably would have dropped it to Austin. Michaels would have stuck around....
- Early death of Davey Boy. Davey went to WCW and hurt himself on a trap door that was for 'The Warrior' if Bret had stayed in WWE, Davey would not have gotten so hooked on the drugs he needed to take after the injury. Still I'd expect him to be gone by now probably, just it wouldn't have been so heavily on the drugs he had to take because of that trap door.
- In fact alot of deaths may not have happened or been postponed because of the Screwjob. Crush, Bulldog, Owen, Rude, Mr. Perfect, Benoit.... All were pretty close to Bret, were in his family or good friends of his. I'm sure alot of them would have turned to Bret had he been there for knowledge. Also a few left to WCW with Bret, and there things happened that wouldn't of happened in WWE, plus with there closeness with Bret, and with everything that had happened, rejoining WWE later on was not an option, or as successful as it would have been if the heat between Bret/WWE existed.
- The Attitude Era. Sure Austin would be the catalyst of it all, but I doubt if Bret had had the power he was to have got after signing that contract, we would have seen incest angles, necrophilia, and hand shaped ***** come out of Mae Young's Vagina or Boss Man driving Big Show's Casket around or whatever that shit was...
Bret would still be around now. I'd say he would have retired probably at WM 20 actuallly.
Lets face it, that moment was just as big as Hogan's Heel turn. It created so much, and was the major factor for WWE eventually buying out WCW.
I think Bret would have limited his wrestling role around 2003, as he was getting up there in age. I could have then seen him shift from being a WWE Wrestler to a WWE office man. He would have made short appearances at big named events. He would have created a legacy for himself that few if any could match.In reality, his wrestling career would have been a smooth sailing ship. In fact, He could have retired at Wrestlemania 20 in a huge celebration. It would have made that special Wrestlemania even better. But if Bret Had wrestled, maybe some other talents may not have been able to have developed like they did.
FoleyIsGod
Hardcore Legend
Id have said not very long, purely for the fact Vince could not afford to give him the money he had promised. So he gave Bret permission to speak to WCW.
Anyway, if he didnt get screwed, the WWe would have probabaly got blown out of the water by WCW. No heel Mcmahon for Austin to face, no Helmsley-Mcmahon, well, any storyline from 1997 to nowadays probabaly wouldnt have happened if a; vince wasnt turned into a megaheel and b; if the wwf went out of buisness, which it was darn close to doing)
Anyway, if he didnt get screwed, the WWe would have probabaly got blown out of the water by WCW. No heel Mcmahon for Austin to face, no Helmsley-Mcmahon, well, any storyline from 1997 to nowadays probabaly wouldnt have happened if a; vince wasnt turned into a megaheel and b; if the wwf went out of buisness, which it was darn close to doing)
TheOneBigWill
[This Space for Rent]
This is pretty much the sum of everything.
Bret Hart wanted to stay with the company. He signed a deal that McMahon more or less blew his load on, and then realized that it'd hurt him more in the end, because it was far too much money for a guy of Bret's age. (my opinion) So instead of trying to reconfigure the contract, (ie. disrespectful) he likely just said he wanted out of it.. and he'd work with Bret, to get him a deal with Ted Turner and W.C.W.
The screwjob solely and only happened because Bret Hart didn't want to lay down, and willingly lose his Championship. In several noted documentaries regarding the subject, through Bret's own words.. he said he wanted to lose via DQ, come out the following night and FORFEIT the Championship. How is that helping anyone other than himself? Especially when they wanted the title on Shawn Michaels, via a credible way.. instead of a meaningless "vacant title match/battle royal" type of situation.
Some will shoot back with "Well, H.B.K. didn't lay down for Bret and faked a knee/back/eye/wife injury" wah, fucking wah. Get over it. So he was immature, too. That doesn't change the fact that the situation was slightly just a little bit different.
Mainly because Shawn Michaels wasn't leaving the company to try and put you out of business, via going to your top rival.
Having Bret Hart remain Champion, when his contract came up, could've easily stirred up bad memories and horrible situations similar to Medusa and the Women's Championship. And you definately can't argue that Eric Bischoff wouldn't of pushed Bret to bring the title with him, and trash it, completely ruining the image of the W.W.F.'s Heavyweight Championship.
So.. in the end, the screwjob was truly unavoidable, unless except Bret Hart would've been a man, and just laid down, showing that he's truly better than Shawn Michaels. Not spitting, and punching the owner of a company, all because you didn't get your way. Way to show real maturity, Hart, you ********.
Slam Master
Pre-Show Stalwart
Its hard to say because a lot of things would have happened that result from the chain reaction of Bret not leaving:
He still would have been unhappy in the direction of the company and not being "the guy".
HBK would have continued the program with Hart and most likely not wrestled the Undertaker in the Casket Match that broke his back.
Owen would have never passed cus Bret wouldn't have let him do that stunt.
Egos still would have got the best of HBK and Bret. Then with new guys moving in like the Rock, Austin, Kane, HHH, the Undertaker, Bret would have been ultimately pushed out to the "Cal Ripken" role anyways.
He still would have been unhappy in the direction of the company and not being "the guy".
HBK would have continued the program with Hart and most likely not wrestled the Undertaker in the Casket Match that broke his back.
Owen would have never passed cus Bret wouldn't have let him do that stunt.
Egos still would have got the best of HBK and Bret. Then with new guys moving in like the Rock, Austin, Kane, HHH, the Undertaker, Bret would have been ultimately pushed out to the "Cal Ripken" role anyways.
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