A new report has provided more details on Bret Hart’s WWE contract and whether he will be able to appear on AEW television.
On April 22nd, Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that wrestling legend Bret Hart has quietly signed a “lucrative” deal with WWE. At the time, he explained that this was the reason Hart was appearing with AEW stars FTR at an indie event rather than on AEW television.
Now, on the most recent edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Meltzer has provided more details of Bret Hart’s contract, saying that it contains both a legends deal and a merchandise deal. However, he also notes that he is unsure of what is restricted with regard to AEW appearances.
“So I don’t know the whole deal. I was told that AEW believes that Bret can not work for them because of a WWE deal. Bret has a legends contract with WWE, I don’t know what it restricts. So I’m not positive…he definitely has a legends deal and a merchandise deal with WWE. He is under contract there but I don’t know what the stip is as far as it relates to AEW. AEW believes that they can’t use him, but I’ll know if that’s the case or not by the end of the weekend.”
Meltzer also revealed that he has recently spoken to Bret Hart and asked him if he would appear for the Owen Hart Tournament Finals at Double Or Nothing in Las Vegas. Hart responded to say that AEW hasn’t reached out to him.
“I know that Bret and Martha [Hart] have had their issues. I actually asked Bret that when I contacted him a couple of days ago. I was just like ‘can you do it?’ because it would be so cool for him to be in Vegas for the finals of the Owen Hart Tournament. I think it would just be a nice symbolic thing, and he was just like ‘they haven’t asked me,’ that’s what he said. I think that would be something cool. The key is Martha and everything.”
H/T to WrestlingNews.co for the above transcription.