Bret Hart’s decision to leave WWF for WCW in 1997 was a huge turning point in the world of professional wrestling. Hart made the switch following WWF Chairman Vince McMahon’s confession that he could not honour a clause in Hart’s WWF contract which would keep “The Hitman” employed for twenty years.
One year after signing this contract, the WWF found itself in financial trouble, hence its need to go back on this agreement. This action led to Bret Hart signing a contract with rival promotion WCW, with the infamous “Montreal Screwjob” following shortly after, and then ultimately the unfortunate end to Bret Hart’s career a couple of years later.
Why Does Bret Hart Wish He Never Left WWE?
Twenty-five years after the Montreal Screwjob, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels took part in an interview with The Ringer about this memorable period in wrestling history. When asked about his thoughts and feelings surrounding the incident and his relationship with Shawn Michaels, Hart said the following:
Me and Shawn making up in the ring (in 2010) and shaking hands and all that, that was all very real and very moving for me. And was not something that was orchestrated. Shawn wanted that off his back and I was in a position to take it off his back and that was the best resolution for both of us. We’ve been friends ever since. And I’m grateful that he’s in a better place today. I wish that none of the bad history that we had-had ever happened. I wished I’d never left for WCW because I probably wouldn’t have had a stroke and I probably wouldn’t have had to wrestle Bill Goldberg.
Bret Hart famously had his in-ring career ended by a stiff kick from Bill Goldberg at Starrcade 1999. This kick caused Hart to suffer a severe concussion, leaving him with post-concussion syndrome. Though Bret would compete in a handful of matches after the incident, he was not the Bret Hart of old, and he has held Goldberg personally accountable for this on several occasions.
If Bret Hart didn’t leave WWF for WCW in 1997, it’s arguable that there never would have been an Attitude Era, which was founded directly off the back of Mr. McMahon “screwing” Hart at Survivor Series. You can hear Hart open up about the Goldberg incident in his interview with Inside the Ropes here.
H/t to The Ringer