I Feel Screwed: Why Bret Hart vs. Hulk Hogan not happening at SummerSlam 1993 Sucks

[Shocky]

So just randomly thinking about matches that I've heard were going to happen, and eventually didn't happen. This match always comes to the top of my mind. Summerslam 1993, the long lost rumored match of Bret Hart vs. Hulk Hogan for the WWF title.

Why I think it sucks that this match didn't happen, for several reasons. Obviously the big one would be the symbolic passing of the torch. The story goes that Wrestlemania 9 finishes as is. Yoko defeats Bret for the Gold with Hogan coming down to save the day and win the title. This is where history and rumor collide. The story was supposed to be Hulk Hogan defeating Yokozuna at King of the Ring 1993, and Bret Hart winning the tournament, setting up a mega main event for that years Summerslam, The Former Champion and Current King of the Ring (and the Heir Apparent to the WWF Franchise) Bret Hart vs. the Current Champ Immortal Hulk Hogan.

This was supposed to be the fairwell match of Hulk Hogan. As we all know, Hogan tried to pass the torch before to the Warrior, but the fans didn't buy it and refused to let him go, wanting Hogan to remain the champion. This pretty much crushed any of Vince's plans of a WWF without Hulk Hogan. The fans simply refused to let him go at that point. But 3 years had advanced, and it was becoming very clear with an aging roster that Bret Hart was indeed going to be the man to lead the WWF ahead. Bret was an established mega star in the international market, but needed only a little something to solidify himself as the real deal stateside.

Enter Summerslam 1993. This is where Hart's personal dislike for Hogan takes place (granted Hart recognizes Hogan as the greatest ever, but it doesn't mean he has to like the guy.) Hogan didn't want to lose to Bret, which was a real shame. If Hogan would have tapped to the Sharpshooter, a huge torch would have been passed. Hogan wouldn't have looked bad, he simply lost to the young lion that was ready to take his spot. Instead, the politicking (this will be exactly one of two incidents where I despise Hogan for his backstage tactics, this and Starrcade 1997), led to a big man defeating Hogan in Yokozuna, and a franchise losing it's main star without establishing a legit new star. We were stuck with Lex Luger vs. Yokozuna, ya-awn.

I feel cheated as a fan for not getting this match. Sure we got a crap watered down version on Monday Nitro five years later, but that was beyond the point. I feel cheated because Bret Hart was the obvious leader of the WWF at that point, and Hogan didn't do what he was asked to do. I feel this leads to a bunch of Bret Hart's bad feelings about passing the torch to Michaels at Survivor Series. The torch wasn't passed to him by the man before him, so therefore why should he do the same thing that someone wasn't willing to do for him? Overall, this was truly an opportunity lost by the WWF, and it's a damn shame.

 

[Slyfox696]

I think a match between Hogan and Hart would have been outstanding. Hart was so good at telling a story with his offense, and Hogan was SOO good telling the good guy heroic comeback story, this match could have been one for the ages. Like you said, Shocky, it's unfortunate it did not happened.

However, one thing I DO want to say. It would not have been Hulk Hogan turning it over to "the young lion". Despite his youthful appearance, by the time Summerslam '93 would have come around, Bret Hart would have been 36 years old. While Bret was generally a safe working wrestling, he still was past his physical prime, and by traditional wrestling standards, would have been entering the downhill portion of his wrestling prime. So, not laying down for Bret MIGHT have made sense for Hogan since Bret may not have been able to lead the company for that much longer. After all, it's not like Hogan's thinking was unique as Vince McMahon, just a few years later, chose Shawn Michaels over Bret Hart. So, obviously Hogan's thinking wasn't too far off the mark. Also remember, that Bret Hart in '93 was not the Bret Hart of '97. He didn't have the same credibility as a top guy.

Plus, Hogan then went on to lead the second great boom period in WCW in '96. If he had laid down for the WWF champion in '93...who was still main-eventing in '96, that would have been a real credibility issue as well, which means we might not have seen the 90s boom period we did.


But I agree. Seeing a Bret Hart vs. Hulk Hogan match would have been incredible.

 

[Shocky]

I agree with a lot of what your saying. Bret Hart however, was young as far as main event exposure goes. Look at someone like Chris Benoit, who was damn near pushing 40 when his time came in the WWE. Bret Hart was safe, and very new to the main event scene. He was the only logical choice in making sure the WWF was going to succeed when Hogan was gone.

I think that if Hogan would have passed the torch to Hart, and Hart became an even bigger star then what he did become, then there wouldn't have been the rush to get the belt onto Michaels in 1996. You said it yourself, the Bret Hart of 97 is far more credible then the 1993 Bret Hart, but if Hart beats Hogan at Summerslam, then there is a very good argument that that statement is incorrect.

There are a ton of what if's with this scenario though, and it's fascinating to try and figure out, but the bottom line is, that match not happening sucks.

 

[jcd61309]

I remeber 1993 so wanting Hogan vs Hart and being disappointed at KOTR, when it became obvious that it wasnt going to happen. The one thing that played a quiet roll in all this, was when in Japan, Hogan basically trashed the WWE title. I personally have wondered if Hogan did that to cheapen Hart's potential win over Hogan. If Hogan had never power played in '93, the mistake that was the Lex Express thank god would of never happened. But I bet my bottom dollar that if Hart beat Hogan in 93, then at some point, like the first night he appeared in WCW, that Hart would of had to lay down for Hogan. Also, if Hart beats Hogan in 93, and assuming Montreal 97 still happens, then HBK would be known as the guy who beat the guy (Hart) who beat Hogan when Hogan still mattered.

 

[DMan23]

This would have been an amazing match if it happened and I do feel it should've happened. However, I think Hogan gets knocked way too much for holding people back or not putting them over. Hogan's spot at the top of the WWF was so big and he carried the company on his back for so long he didn't want just anybody taking his spot or somebody he felt wasn't capable of carrying the load. Was he always right in that thinking? Probably not and I think in Hart's case he was wrong. I also think he looked at what he did for Warrior and always had that in the back of his mind.

The setup for a great match at Summerslam '93 was there and Hogan messed it up, no doubt. Hindsight is always 20/20.

 

[klunderbunker]

This would've been the ultimate passing of the torch. Hart was clearly going to be the next top guy in the company and beating Hogan would've cememted this idea. Hogan was used to fighting bigger more powerful wrestlers and that sort of match had gotten stale to me. Putting him in the ring against an average sized guy that was a technician would've been interesting. Without knowing anything at all about the backstory, I've always thought that was part of the reason Hogan left. Hart was a style that Hogan wasn't used to and maybe Hogan thought he couldn't have a good match with him. They met later on in WCW, but there wasn't that fire or hype to it. If I remember right it was on a Nitro. That happened so many times in WCW: wasting a huge match on free TV. This match could've been epic, but it was slightly above average at best.

 

[AnthonyMango/NoFate007]

So just randomly thinking about matches that I've heard were going to happen, and eventually didn't happen. This match always comes to the top of my mind. Summerslam 1993, the long lost rumored match of Bret Hart vs. Hulk Hogan for the WWF title.

Why I think it sucks that this match didn't happen, for several reasons. Obviously the big one would be the symbolic passing of the torch. The story goes that Wrestlemania 9 finishes as is. Yoko defeats Bret for the Gold with Hogan coming down to save the day and win the title. This is where history and rumor collide. The story was supposed to be Hulk Hogan defeating Yokozuna at King of the Ring 1993, and Bret Hart winning the tournament, setting up a mega main event for that years Summerslam, The Former Champion and Current King of the Ring (and the Heir Apparent to the WWF Franchise) Bret Hart vs. the Current Champ Immortal Hulk Hogan.

This was supposed to be the fairwell match of Hulk Hogan. As we all know, Hogan tried to pass the torch before to the Warrior, but the fans didn't buy it and refused to let him go, wanting Hogan to remain the champion. This pretty much crushed any of Vince's plans of a WWF without Hulk Hogan. The fans simply refused to let him go at that point. But 3 years had advanced, and it was becoming very clear with an aging roster that Bret Hart was indeed going to be the man to lead the WWF ahead. Bret was an established mega star in the international market, but needed only a little something to solidify himself as the real deal stateside.

Enter Summerslam 1993. This is where Hart's personal dislike for Hogan takes place (granted Hart recognizes Hogan as the greatest ever, but it doesn't mean he has to like the guy.) Hogan didn't want to lose to Bret, which was a real shame. If Hogan would have tapped to the Sharpshooter, a huge torch would have been passed. Hogan wouldn't have looked bad, he simply lost to the young lion that was ready to take his spot. Instead, the politicking (this will be exactly one of two incidents where I despise Hogan for his backstage tactics, this and Starrcade 1997), led to a big man defeating Hogan in Yokozuna, and a franchise losing it's main star without establishing a legit new star. We were stuck with Lex Luger vs. Yokozuna, ya-awn.

I feel cheated as a fan for not getting this match. Sure we got a crap watered down version on Monday Nitro five years later, but that was beyond the point. I feel cheated because Bret Hart was the obvious leader of the WWF at that point, and Hogan didn't do what he was asked to do. I feel this leads to a bunch of Bret Hart's bad feelings about passing the torch to Michaels at Survivor Series. The torch wasn't passed to him by the man before him, so therefore why should he do the same thing that someone wasn't willing to do for him? Overall, this was truly an opportunity lost by the WWF, and it's a damn shame.

Excellent post, Shocky. I'd rep you if I was allowed to at the moment lol. Hogan vs Hart would've been great to have. But there also brings up the thought....what would WrestleMania X have become if it wasn't dominated by Yokozuna?

Supposedly, rumor has it that Lex was going to win the title from Yoko, but backstage behavior prevented it, giving the title to Hart instead. Would the WWF have had the same intentions, making it simply Luger who wins the 94 Royal Rumble, taking the title at WMX in a one-on-one between himself and Bret? How would the scope have changed if that was the case? Luger vs Diesel later on? Luger vs Michaels? Wow...lol

 

[Steamboat Ricky]

This is a tough one for me. On a purely surface level, Hogan v. Hart is leaps and bounds a better draw than Luger v. Yokozuna. I was personally never a fan of Yokozuna, and Luger just never seemed to come into his own in the WWF. However, I also dislike Bret Hart and Hogan likely more than any other two wrestlers in history because of their attitudes and unwillingness to do what was best for business as a whole.

But I can see the future ramifications of this match being VERY positive for the business, had it happened. Let's see: the WWF kind of flaundered with Bret as its champion. They didn't do too well, and Bret's lack of star power compared to the giants in WCW was hurting business. However, had Bret gone over Hogan, who knows what kind of legitimacy Hart would have instantly gained.

But had the attitudes of Hogan and Hart not changed as a result of this match, it would have simply delayed the inevitable of both superstars being guilty of having deafening egos.

 

[jcd61309]

If Hart would of beat Hogan, then it would of made Hart more of a draw in 04. As far as Lugar goes, the rumor around at the time here in NYC was that apprently a video was filmed with Lugar with the belt that would of aired on Superstars post WM 20. I think it got out to the NY Daily News the Friday before WM. So over the WM weekend the decision was made to go with Hart. Imagine a Lugar title win at WM, in MSG over the guy that would have beat Hogan. Makes you wonder how things would of turned out then.

 

[FromTheSouth]

I had always heard that the story behind the Luger no go, was that Luger was BS'ing with reporters for the NY Daily News and saying he was going to win. The reporters printed the story on the day of the PPV, Vince saw it, and changed it to Bret.

But anyway, if Hart would have gone over Hogan, I think the boom would have happened anyway. Hogan goes to WCW with the same fanfare. He was an international celebrity. WCW fans wouldn't care about a loss. His turn would be a big deal, no matter what.

I would have loved to see the match. Hart would have had to carry Hogan for 25 minutes, but he was capable. Hogan maybe could have learned a move or two, and they could have made "training" videos for the match. The belt probably would have wound up on Nash sooner, and then Michaels sooner. We might not have had the screwjob, but the Austin/Pillman incident could have ushered the Attitude era just as well. If not, Vince MCMahon could have come out at any point and kayfabe screwed someone to get the point across. nWo was already pushing the boundaries. Granted, an unscripted non kayfabe, nonwork worked the best, and led to the documentary, but the boom still would have happened.

 

[jcd61309]

Would Hogan have really gotten all the WCW hoopla if Hart went over him clean not even a year earlier? I dunno about that. What value is Hogan to WCW if he tapped out to Hart at Summerslam 8 months earlier. Also though if Hart beats Hogan, and Lugar beats Hart, would OWEN have become as big of a star as he did???

 

[FromTheSouth]

Are you kidding me? He has the value of being the most recognizable and over performer in the history of wrestling. Remember, before Hogan came in, WCW's biggest name was Ric Flair, famous for being a heel, the dirtiest player in the game. Hogan was an international meida icon, and a babyface that would be more credible than Sting, who was Ric Flair's personal jobber. A loss to Bret Hart would not have changed that. His coming to WCW would have been huge. If Tom Brady was traded to your favorite team you would shit yourself, whether or not he lost the Super Bowl in January.

 

[schaeffershawn]

It seems to me everybody forgets who put Bret over in the first place. Bret beat Ric Flair, who even then was regarded by many as the greatest of all time. That was all the credibility Bret would need. As another person pointed out though, between Hogan and Bret I am not sure if either of them had one damn clue as to what it ment to do the right thing for the business. yes a win over Hogan would have helped, then again a win over Macho would have helped instead we got Bret fueding with jerry Lawler,and Isac Yankem.

 

[jcd61309]

First off Im A Patriots fan already so Brady is already on my favorite team lol. Think about it though, if Hart beats Hogan in 93, and Hogan goes to WCW, any and every Bret high light and video would show Hogan tapping. Of course WCW would of still grabbed Hogan, but he would of been exposed at every possible time by Vince. as far as Flair being all the credibility Bret needed, I dont know if thats 100% accurate. As better as Flair was as a pure wrestler, if you asked 10 non wrestling fans who they heard of Ric Flair or Hulk Hogan, probably 8 out of 10 would say Hogan. You know damn well Vince would of ran "Our champ beat ur champ" themed videos, ads all over the place. And that right there would of kept WCW in the complex of being 2nd rate to Vince. Also in 96/97 when WCW would beating raw in the ratings and Hart and Hogan both held the straps that fact would be out there during every quater hour segment on raw.

 

[FromTheSouth]

He already ran all those huckster past his prime segments. He attacked the man's character every chance he got. The Huckster and Nacho Man segments ran twice on every Raw. I would even argue that Bret was already positioned as the face of the company anyway. Raw, from the beginning, was Bret Hart's show, not Hogan's. WCW wasn't getting the WWF's top guy, but they were getting the businesses most recognizable and marketable talent.

 

[jcd61309]

Imagine if he had footage of Hart beating Hogan thats all Im saying. I know the Huckster segments and Nacho Man segments aired on Raw in 96, but I was talkin about 94. Hogan parading around MGM, while Vince airs him tapping out to Hart. Everyone more or less has lost to everyone with the small handfull of exceptions. Look at it from the point of 1994 when it would of mattered, not today in 2008

 

[schaeffershawn]

But you forget who we are talking about here. Hulk f'n Hogan a guy who had not put someone over clean, but 1 time in almost twenty years. I mean come on do you really think in his goodbye match he would have lost cleaned let alone tapped out. Of course not. There would have been some bullshit thrown out like Luger screwing him, or in other words Hogan would have looked out for Hogan and Bret would have looked like shit even in the win.