Bret Hart Sentenced, Goodbye Forever
💥 The Hitman’s Tragedies: Betrayal, Loss, and the Curse of the Hart Dynasty
The story of Bret “The Hitman” Hart reads like an epic tragedy, marked by extraordinary professional heights, a career-defining betrayal, and a devastating series of personal losses that nearly claimed his life. From the “dungeon” beneath the Hart family mansion in Calgary to the global stage of the WWF, his life has been a relentless battle against opponents both in and out of the ring.
💔 The Montreal Screwjob: The Death of Trust (1997)
Bret Hart, known for his technical precision and integrity as the “Excellence of Execution,” was the WWF’s backbone during the mid-1990s “New Generation” era. By 1997, caught in the escalating Monday Night Wars between WWF and WCW, Hart was forced to sign a three-year, $9 million deal with the rival WCW, as WWF could no longer afford his $1.5 million contract.
The final match of his WWF run was scheduled for November 9, 1997, at Survivor Series in Montreal, Quebec, against his real-life rival, Shawn Michaels.
The Plan
The Betrayal (The Screwjob)
The Fallout
Bret, using his creative control clause, suggested a simple disqualification finish to protect his dignity and avoid forfeiting the title in his home country. Vince McMahon agreed.
McMahon, Michaels, and a handful of insiders secretly plotted to force the title change. Midway through the match, when Shawn Michaels put Bret in his own finisher, the Sharpshooter, referee Earl Hebner—acting on McMahon’s direct orders—signaled for the bell even though Bret had not submitted.
Bret was double-crossed, humiliated on live pay-per-view. He spat in McMahon’s face and smashed ringside monitors. Backstage, he threw a single punch that knocked McMahon out cold. The incident ended Bret’s 14-year WWF career and led to a deep-seated bitterness.
The goal was to maintain Hart’s integrity while leaving the WWF for WCW on good terms.
The plan was executed to prevent Hart from potentially showing up on WCW television with the WWF World Heavyweight Championship belt.
McMahon embraced the villainous “Mr. McMahon” persona, using the betrayal to launch the highly successful “Attitude Era,” ironically saving the WWF from financial ruin.
💀 The Curse of the Harts: Loss and Collapse (1997–2003)
Hart’s time in WCW was disappointing, marked by chaotic booking and disillusionment. The betrayal haunted him, and he struggled to find meaning in a business that had violated his core beliefs. The personal and physical tragedies that followed were unrelenting:
Career-Ending Concussion (December 19, 1999): During a match against Goldberg at Starcade, Goldberg landed a mule kick directly to the side of Hart’s temple. Bret suffered a Grade Three Concussion and later developed Post-Concussion Syndrome. He continued to wrestle for months, unaware his career was over, eventually retiring due to the traumatic brain injury.
Brother Owen’s Death (May 23, 1999): Bret’s younger brother, Owen Hart, tragically fell 78 feet to his death during a live WWF pay-per-view (Over the Edge) when the quick-release mechanism on his harness, used for a comedic entrance from the arena rafters, malfunctioned. The impact caused an aortic rupture, killing him instantly. This emotional rupture split the Hart family, with Bret fully supporting Owen’s widow, Martha, in a wrongful death lawsuit against WWF, which settled for $18 million.
Massive Stroke (June 2002): While cycling near his home in Calgary, Hart lost control and hit his head, suffering a massive stroke caused by a blood clot in the brain’s right parietal lobe. Doctors feared he would never walk again. Through relentless therapy, he slowly regained mobility, though the left side of his body was permanently damaged, leaving him with tremors and numbness.
Further Losses: His father, Stu Hart, passed away in 2003, and several close family friends and fellow “dungeon” trainees, like Davy Boy Smith and Brian Pillman, had already died young due to drug-related heart attacks.
🎗️ Survival and Redemption (2009–Present)
After years of public condemnation and refusing contact with WWE, Bret Hart began the slow process of redemption and reconciliation.
Forgiveness and Closure (2010): In January 2010, Hart returned to WWE television after 12 years. In a highly emotional segment, he stood face-to-face with Shawn Michaels, and the two men publicly shook hands and embraced, bringing closure to the most famous real-life rivalry in wrestling history.
WrestleMania Revenge: This led to a match against Vince McMahon at WrestleMania XXVI in March 2010. Supported by his family at ringside, Hart beat McMahon into submission before locking him in the Sharpshooter. McMahon tapped out, giving Bret Hart a symbolic final revenge and, more importantly, peace.
Cancer Survival (2016): In early 2016, Hart was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He underwent a successful robotic prostatectomy and was declared cancer-free by 2017.
Legacy Immortalized: He transitioned into a role as an advocate for stroke, concussion, and cancer awareness. His place in history was cemented through two inductions into the WWE Hall of Fame: as a single competitor and again in 2019 as part of the Hart Foundation tag team.
Today, Bret Hart, at 68, continues to live in Calgary, running a bar and restaurant and working on historical projects, including a documentary, The Last Hart. Though physically affected by his injuries, his story is one of unwavering determination, demonstrating that true greatness is defined not by how hard one falls, but by the will to stand again.
