What If Bret Never Retired?

[cmedge]

The Best There Is, Was and Ever Will Be. Bret 'The Hitman' Hart one of the greatest wraslers (Wrestlers or Sports Entertainer whatever you call it) to ever lace his boots. A Canadian Hero if you may say. Bret Hart was a hot commodity in the 90's. He had one of the most heated feuds in WWE history but his epic career came to an end when Botchberg (Goldberg) speared the hell out Bret. But what if that never happened? What would have happened when WCW ended? Would Bret Hart would have somehow returned to the WWE (If Vince and him patched things up) How would this have played out?

Question 1) Who in WCW would Bret have feuded with if he didn't retire?
Question 2) What would have Bret done when WCW was over?
Question 3) How would you have felt if Bret returned to WWE in 2001?
Question 4) Who would have Bret feuded with if he didn't retire (List dream matches)
Question 5) How long would have Bret Hart lasted in the WWE for?
Question 6) What Brand would he be on Raw or Smackdown

 

[thebarber]

Firstly, Goldberg kicked Bret in the head, causing the concussion that ended his in-ring career. A spear did not give Bret a concussion.
Now to answer your questions:


Question 1) Who in WCW would Bret have feuded with if he didn't retire?
Bret would obviously have continued his money making feud with Goldberg. This was cut short when Bret could not compete anymore. But tghen again, if you remember, Goldebrg put his arm through a car window and missed 6 months of in-ting action, so the next big star at the time was Sid Vicious, so Bret vs Sid would no doubt have been the main feud in early 2000.
Question 2) What would have Bret done when WCW was over?
Well Bret would not have returned to WWE thats for sure. Those wounds were real, and it took Bret top suffer a stroke in 2002 for Vince to extend the hand of friendship and the pair started to repair their relationship. Bret more than likely would have continued doing what he did, tour with the WWA around Australia and Europe as their Commisioner, getting great cash for doing so little and seeing the world AND HIS FANS. Bret not getting injured would not have saved WCW, he was buried the day he started in the company.
Question 3) How would you have felt if Bret returned to WWE in 2001?
If Bret had somehow returned to WWE in 2001, it would have bee great. A ready made feud with Helmsley as HBK was out still with hios injured back. HHH could have defended his friends pride. Hart and Angle could have torn the house down also.
Question 4) Who would have Bret feuded with if he didn't retire (List dream matches)
Obviously, if Bret was still in ring shape in 2003, he would have had great fueds with Kurt Angle, a returning Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit to name afew
Question 5) How long would have Bret Hart lasted in the WWE for?
Cannot answer that, we dont know if Bret would have still had the stroke in 2002, if he had, he would have been finished then and there. We then have to assume that if Bret did not get the conmcussions, he would not have had the stroke, so it really is a guess. Bret would have wrestled however long his body let him.
Question 6) What Brand would he be on Raw or Smackdown? Who knows and who cares, would depend on the other guys on the roster and where the best matches and storylines were. Id suggest Hart would have become more of a figurehead on Raw.

What the OP is forgetting though is despite the ill will and feelings between hart and McMahon, Owens death in 1999 put paid to Bret ever wrestling in WWE again around that time. Bret Hart would never have returned to WWE in those times, so this is all just pure fantasy.

 

[P. Nut Butters]

Question 1) Who in WCW would Bret have feuded with if he didn't retire?
I can't really speak for this as I wasn't much a fan of the WCW product. I would have more preferred that he leave WCW regardless, as even he knew they were tarnishing his legacy with misuse.

Question 2) What would have Bret done when WCW was over?
Probably some of the things that he eventually did do. Bret was in WWA and would have likely been a top player along with Sting, Jarrett and Rick Steiner. I do think he would have returned to the WWE eventually.

Question 3) How would you have felt if Bret returned to WWE in 2001?
He wouldn't have returned to the WWF in 2001, and my feeling is that the WWF didn't really need and wouldn't really have any use for Bret at that time aside from possibly continuing the gripe under which he left.

Question 4) Who would have Bret feuded with if he didn't retire (List dream matches)
* KURT ANGLE
* Chris Benoit
* Edge
* Chris Jericho
* RVD

The list goes on, but those guys in particular would have been dream Bret Hart feuds for me personally.

Question 5) How long would have Bret Hart lasted in the WWE for?
I think that it would have been all situationally dependant on how he re-entered the WWE and on what terms and morale. Things would have had to be worked over and ironed out, so I believe that if Bret would have returned, it would have ended up being for one more lucrative run, just like what Shawn had.

Question 6) What Brand would he be on Raw or Smackdown
Both at different points. But this question is rather irrelevant.

I enjoyed envisioning these scenarios and I don't think that an eventual Bret Hart active in-ring return to the WWE would have been as farfetched as what some believe. Things change, just like the relationships between Bret, Vince and Shawn ultimately did.

Seeing Bret compete in an early-to-mid 2000's WWE would have been amazing!

 

[lowandmighty]

The most overrated there is, was and ever will be. Bret Hart was truly a two faced jabroni if there ever was one. He earned respect from fans and management but behined closed doors and after he was retired disrespected any other wrestler who's generally held in a higher regard than him such as Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair. He thinks he knows better than these guys but its really him who just can't listen to reason.
His main qualm is that he thought Hogan would drop the wwf title to him at king of the ring 1993 something he thought vince had told him but in actuality hadn't. Despite Vinces stance on the matter Bret still thinks vince told him that and he blames Hogan of convincing Mcmahon otherwise. He also accuses Ric Flair of being impossible to work with and blames him for having bad spots in his matches with him.
Despite all that and my "qualified privilege" views of Bret I'm still going to answer the questions.

Question 1) Who in WCW would Bret have feuded with if he didn't retire? Apart from having a few jobber matches on thunder or nitro the only main guy he would've feuded with would be sting. He refused to work any more with flair or Hogan let alone Goldberg who actually gave him the bad injury with a kick to the skull.
Question 2) What would have Bret done when WCW was over? He probably would've gone to the independent circuit and done anything to avoid going to wwe.
Question 3) How would you have felt if Bret returned to WWE in 2001? I would've been excited to see him back in wwe and 2001 was a great year and the roster became quite deep but he still could have done some damage with his star power.
Question 4) Who would have Bret feuded with if he didn't retire (List dream matches) He would've had unfinished business type matches with the likes of stone cold steve austin. His match against Vince definitely would've come earlier. 2001 might have been a bit early for it but I can see him putting edge over.
Question 5) How long would have Bret Hart lasted in the WWE for? He would'nt have lasted that long. he'd have stayed as long as his big pops lasted. He probably would've been crushed by the big show or something so mcmahon could get rid of him shortly before Hogan made his wwe return in 2002 to make way for the nwo angle.
Question 6) What Brand would he be on Raw or Smackdown. I imagine him as more of a smackdown wrestler. Raw had a great roster at the beginning and smackdown's was thin so I think he would've ended up there to bulk it up.

 

[Master_MIND]

1.) In WCW Bret should have had a big money Main Event with Hollywood Hogan. I'm sure Hogan could have been convinced to come back for a big payoff. (I know doesn't sound like the Hogan you know). Before Bret retired they had him turn heel and form yet another new nWo. Bret should have stayed face and Hogan should have came back to reform the original nWo with Hall and Nash. Imagine they booked this properly on a PPV in a stadium (ex. Skydome in Toronto?) Why did WCW always squander those big pay days?
Any other possible matches in WCW are irrelevant and uninteresting to me.

2.) Don't think Bret would have come back in 2001. Apparently Vince really did offer Bret big money (think it was like a million) to appear at WM18 and really punch him. Obviously that never happened.

3.) Timing is everything. 2001 would not have been it. Imagine Bret returned to face Shawn Michaels at WM 20 in New York City! Shawn could have said that he wants to apologize to Bret face to face. If Bret comes back and gives him that chance then he will give Bret what he wants....to fight him at WrestleMania! This would have been huge. Finally Bret and Shawn would have a well built big money match. Vince would've obviously been involved in the angle and match, and I would have liked Shane to be the one on Bret's side. He could say he never agreed with the Screwjob and he could have taken out Vince when he interfered in the match. Seeing Shawn tap to the Sharpshooter would have been amazing, especially for all the fans in Canada. They had 2 PPVs and a bunch of Raw's in Canada in 2004 after Benoit won the strap. With Bret on those cards they would have drawn even more.

4.)
Kurt Angle - no brainer

Brock Lesnar - this wouldn't have worked given my above scenario but nonetheless would have been a great match for both guys.

Randy Orton - this was the Legend Killer days. Bret v Orton at SummerSlam that year in Toronto would have been sick.

Edge - could have really helped Edge get his heel character over. They could have played in the Canadian thing and had Edge turn on Bret. Simple booking.

Other guys who Bret could have had great matches and feuds with:
Eddie Guerrero
Chris Jericho
Chris Benoit
HHH
Rey Mysterio

Bret could have also worked with the young guys at that time, like Cena and Batista, and really put them over. Bret got great matches out of everyone.


I do wonder what kind of reactions Bret would have got in many American cities. He would have been over huge in the hardcore markets in the Northern states but I'm not sure about some of the southern "republican states" as I call them. Those fans may have sided with HBK more. Could have been a really interesting dynamic if they continued to feud past WM20 that year. I would have loved to see a series of matches between them. Imagine the heat from the crowd if Bret and Shawn worked in Calgary and then worked again in San Antonio?

 

[Pedigree1]

Question 1) Who in WCW would Bret have feuded with if he didn't retire?
Question 2) What would have Bret done when WCW was over?
Question 3) How would you have felt if Bret returned to WWE in 2001?
Question 4) Who would have Bret feuded with if he didn't retire (List dream matches)
Question 5) How long would have Bret Hart lasted in the WWE for?
Question 6) What Brand would he be on Raw or Smackdown

1) Easy question for me Hollywood Hogan. To my knowledge those two have never had a match together in the ring and that feud would have been just pure gold!! People knock hogan as a wrestler but to me hes not half bad.

2) Now this is a tough one WCW ended in 01 TNA wasnt around till like 05 or something so between then i would like to think he could patch it up between himself and vinnie mac. 4 years of inactivity would have been alot to overcome there wasnt much choices for him at that point.

3)I would have loved it if Bret returned in the E in 01! I just dotn think it would have happened there were still alot of bitter and angry feelings and rightfully so! Just dont see it happening although i would like to think it could

4) Dream matches easily an iron man match between himself and Angle!! Put that on any WM card and guaranteed classic.

5)I see Bret if he did return to the E in 01 lasting 4 years at least. Having the best send off any superstar could ask for

6)RAW baby thats the only brand the hitman belongs on IMO!!

 

[HBKperfect23]

3.) Timing is everything. 2001 would not have been it. Imagine Bret returned to face Shawn Michaels at WM 20 in New York City! Shawn could have said that he wants to apologize to Bret face to face. If Bret comes back and gives him that chance then he will give Bret what he wants....to fight him at WrestleMania! This would have been huge. Finally Bret and Shawn would have a well built big money match. Vince would've obviously been involved in the angle and match, and I would have liked Shane to be the one on Bret's side. He could say he never agreed with the Screwjob and he could have taken out Vince when he interfered in the match. Seeing Shawn tap to the Sharpshooter would have been amazing, especially for all the fans in Canada. They had 2 PPVs and a bunch of Raw's in Canada in 2004 after Benoit won the strap. With Bret on those cards they would have drawn even more.

Couldnt agree more.

Obviously the dream match is with Angle.....even lesner. I also would have liked to see Hart work with Jericho,Edge, Christian, and Benoit. The first feud would be with HBK/HHH. I think Bret would have been around a long time.

 

[theBec2101]

1)The feud with Goldberg could of kept going a little longer. I wouldn’t of minded seeing Scott Hall and Bret. Him and Lex could have had a feud saying what happened at the Royal Rumble in the other company was BS, and settle it once and for all. Chris Beniot could have had a couple matches. Kurt Hennig, DDP, Konnan, and I think him and Booker T would have been great.

2)If he went to finish out in WWE, He would have been the leader of the invasion angle. It might if even played out longer and not so one sided. And to his career from there because Shawn was out for a couple of years. If he didn’t go to WWE we would be where we are at now, but he could actually came back like he did and have good matches with VKM. I also know for sure Bret wouldn’t of let his brother Owen be the Patriot, and there for would be alive.

3)I would have enjoyed it. Question 2, 4, and 5 kind of fit into this. Sooo, Ummmm.

4)Bret Hart vs(+ storylines/Promo):
Undertaker – you got the dark side I got the pink side.
Kane – You’re the big red monster, I’m the excellence of an Execution.
The Rock – battle of the sharpshooter.
Austin – It was a brutal feud the first time.
Cena – “C” nation my ass I’m from Canada
Jericho – this would just be a great match
HHH – why not, he was in on the screw job
Edge – just another great match that could have been
CM Punk – not sure why, but it wouldn’t disappoint.
Owen – could have had these matches to as well
HBK – maybe finally he would put him over for once
*** There are plenty others but that’s just a few.

5)Well HBK just retired and Bret is only 7 years older and didn’t take as many hard bumps like Shawn did(i.e. his back). So for awhile if he wanted to.

6)I don’t like the brand split, hopefully it wouldn’t of happened, if he could be on both. They do a draft anyway to rotate everyone besides Cena. So does it really matter.

Also NWO(black/white) vs NWO(red/black) vs NWO(pink/black) Or his fraction against DX

 

[HBKperfect23]

CM Punk – not sure why, but it wouldn’t disappoint.

Not sure how I missed this one. I really think thier styles would have complimented each others very well.

Bret was always such a durable wrestler. He may have just been finishing up his carrer around this time. Since I have seen this thread my mind has been playing out all of his would be feuds/matchs. Bret coming back in around that time frame never really crossed my mind before. I think we really missed out on would could have been some great stuff.

 

[theBec2101]

Not sure how I missed this one. I really think thier styles would have complimented each others very well.

Bret was always such a durable wrestler. He may have just been finishing up his carrer around this time. Since I have seen this thread my mind has been playing out all of his would be feuds/matchs. Bret coming back in around that time frame never really crossed my mind before. I think we really missed out on would could have been some great stuff.

I was meaning for the feud. I agree the match would be great, but Punk is very good and aggressive with promos, not saying Hart is bad at proms. He wasnt known for snappy come backs and cut throat promos. Thats all i ment for a storyline. But it would be a great match.