Bret Hart Bret Sargeant Hart ( July 2 , 1957 ) is a Canadian writer and professional and amateur wrestler , currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment ( WWE ) and appearing on the " Raw " brand . He is best known for his work in WWE , its previous incarnation , the World Wrestling Federation ( WWF ) , and World Championship Wrestling ( WCW ) as Bret " The Hitman " Hart . He is also known by the monikers " The Pink and Black Attack " , in reference to his ring attire , " The Pink and Black Attack , and " The Excellence of Execution . " He is a member of the famous Hart wrestling family . Following success in amateur wrestling tournaments in high school and throughout Calgary . Hart debuted in professional wrestling in 1976 with his father , WWE Hall of Fame r Stu Hart ' s promotion , Stampede Wrestling , and would wrestle alternately as a fan favorite and a villain for the duration of his career . In 1984 , he signed with the WWF and was soon paired with brother - in - law Jim Neidhart to form the successful tag team The Hart Foundation , while also enjoying a singles career . WWF management separated the team in 1991 , with Hart winning his first WWF Championship the following year , and becoming arguably the most popular professional wrestler in the world . Hart made appearances in the United States Wrestling Association ( USWA ) and Extreme Championship Wrestling ( ECW ) during his tenure , and eventually left the WWF for a lucrative World Championship Wrestling ( WCW ) contract following the Montreal Screwjob in 1997 , where he enjoyed continued championship success until his retirement in 2000 , due to injury . He continued to make non - wrestling appearances in promotions such as World Wrestling All - Stars ( WWA ) , One Pro Wrestling ( 1PW ) and Ring of Honor ( ROH ) for the remainder of the decade . He returned to WWE for live appearances and professional wrestling matches in 2010 , where he has achieved further championship success , and briefly served as the General Manager of the " Raw " brand . He will compete at SummerSlam . Widely regarded within the industry as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time , Hart has held championships in every decade since the 1970s , with a total of thirty - two held throughout his career . He is recognized by WWE as a seven - time World Champion : a five - time WWF Champion and two - time WCW World Heavyweight Champion , and the second WWF Triple Crown Champion . Also a five - time WCW / WWE United States Champion ( his four WCW reigns being the most in the history of the organization ) , he is tied for most reigns in history . In addition to championships , he is the 1994 Royal Rumble co - winner ( with Lex Luger ) , and the only two - time King of the Ring in WWE history , having won the 1991 tournament and the first King of the Ring pay - per - view in 1993 . Hart was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006 by former on - screen rival Stone Cold Steve Austin . Early life . The eighth child of wrestling patriarch Stu Hart , Bret Hart was born in Calgary , Alberta into the Hart wrestling family . His introduction to professional wrestling came at an incredibly early age . As a child , he witnessed his father training with future wrestling stars like Billy Graham in the Dungeon , his household basement which served as possibly the most notorious training room in the world of wrestling . Before school , Hart ' s father , also a wrestling promoter , had him hand out fliers to local wrestling shows . In the 1998 documentary , " " , Hart reflected on his father ' s discipline , describing how Stu inflicted excruciating submission holds while uttering morbid words to his teenage son . The suffering endured in these sessions even left broken blood vessels in his eyes . Hart also , however , cited his father ' s otherwise pleasant demeanour and growing up in the professional wrestling atmosphere . Amateur wrestling career . At high school , Hart gained experience and success in the amateur wrestling division , despite being " skin and bones , " as Hart refers to his teenage physique . He won significant championships in tournaments throughout Calgary , including the 1973 Calgary City Championship . This later offered credibility to his career in professional wrestling as being " legit " . Hart considered trying out the Commonwealth Games during the mid - 1970s , but decided to pursue a college degree instead . He enrolled in Mount Royal College . Professional wrestling career . Stampede Wrestling ( 1976 – 1984 ) . At the age of 19 , Bret Hart began working for his father ' s Stampede Wrestling promotion in Calgary , with his father serving as his manager for a time . Hart first began helping the promotion by refereeing matches , but at one fateful event , a wrestler was unable to perform his match . This forced Stu to ask his son to stand in as a replacement , paving the way for Hart ' s very first match in Saskatoon , Saskatchewan . Before long , he became a regular contender , eventually partnering with brother Keith to win the Tag Team Championship four times . Earlier on , however , he was still unsure he wanted to make a career of professional wrestling and continually contemplated the idea . Hart gained some of his most prominent experience with Japanese combatants and real - life trainers Mr . Hito and Mr . Sakurada , later praising them as his most significant teachers . Before long , Hart was amazing crowds with his high - impact matches against the Dynamite Kid . In the midst of wrestling alongside his brothers and even his ageing father , Hart made a point not to ride on the shoulders of his elder as other sons of promoters have . Hart faithfully jobbed as requested of him , taking pride in the believability of his performances . As he said himself , " no one could take a shit kicking like Bret Hart . " Although he dreaded partaking in interviews and speaking in front of a crowd , Hart went on to win the promotion ' s top titles , including two British Commonwealth Mid - Heavyweight Championships , five International Tag Team Championships , and six North American Heavyweight Championships . Hart also wrestled the famous Tiger Mask in New Japan Pro Wrestling and remained one of Stampede ' s most successful performers until the promotion , along with several wrestlers , was acquired by the World Wrestling Federation in August 1984 . World Wrestling Federation ( 1984 – 1997 ) . Hart Foundation and early singles matches ( 1984 – 1991 ) . Hart was asked to start out in the WWF with a cowboy gimmick but refused , citing that where he comes from " if you say you ' re a cowboy , you ' d better be one " . He instead requested to be paired with his brother - in - law Jim " The Anvil " Neidhart who was being managed by Jimmy Hart and asked to be called the Hart Foundation . He made his first televised WWF debut in August 1984 , in a tag team match where he teamed with his brother - in - law , The Dynamite Kid . In 1985 , he was eventually partnered up with another brother - in - law , Neidhart , to build the promotion ' s tag team division . Originally a heel team , they joined manager Jimmy Hart ' s Hart Foundation stable but soon the name stuck with the team of Bret and Anvil , due to the similar family names of both team members and their manager . At WrestleMania 2 , they participated in a 20 - man battle royal which was eventually won by Andre The Giant . Bret ' s agile , technical style — which earned him the moniker " The Excellence of Execution " ( coined by Gorilla Monsoon ) created an intriguing contrast with his partner Neidhart ' s strength and brawling skills . Hart rose to fame in the WWF in the mid - 1980s , and the Hart Foundation won the WWF Tag Team Championship twice . Their first reign started on the February 7 , 1987 edition of " Superstars " when they defeated the British Bulldogs to win the title . They lost the title to Strike Force on the October 27 edition of " Superstars " . Eventually , they turned face and adopted the nickname " The Pink and Black Attack . " At SummerSlam in 1990 , the Hart Foundation began their second reign by defeating Demolition members Crush and Smash in a two out of three falls match with some help from the Legion of Doom . On October 30 , the Hart Foundation lost the title to The Rockers ( Marty Jannetty and Shawn Michaels ) , but a few days later , President Jack Tunney returned the title to the Hart Foundation because the decision had been reversed due to a rope coming off of the turnbuckle during the match and the win was never acknowledged on television . The Hart Foundation ' s reign lasted from August 27 , 1990 to March 24 , 1991 . During his time in the Hart Foundation , Hart also competed occasionally as a solo wrestler . At WrestleMania IV , he was the last man eliminated in a battle royal by the eventual winner Bad News Brown . Brown also defeated Hart in a singles match at Wrestlefest 88 . In May 1989 Hart won a 16 - man battle royal in Hamilton , Ontario . He would also compete in singles matches with the likes of Ricky Steamboat , Curt Hennig , Randy Savage and Shawn Michaels throughout the late 80 ' s and early 90 ' s . During his WWF career , Hart increasingly described himself as " The best there is , the best there was , and the best there ever will be " ( derived from the 1984 film " The Natural " ) , which he would later justify through three claims : he never injured an opponent through any fault of his own ; through the entire course of his career he missed only one show ( as a result of flight difficulties ) ; and that he only once refused to lose a match — his final WWF match with long - time adversary Shawn Michaels at the Survivor Series event in 1997 , which culminated in the now infamous Montreal Screwjob . Solo success ( 1991 – 1992 ) . Following a loss to The Nasty Boys at WrestleMania VII , the Foundation split and Hart went on to pursue a singles career . He won his first WWF Intercontinental Championship by defeating Mr . Perfect with the Sharpshooter at SummerSlam in 1991 . Hart was then placed in a feud with the Mountie . This feud came about when the Mountie ' s manager , Jimmy Hart , threw water on Hart . Then , the Mountie proceeded to shock Hart with a cattle prod . Following the loss , Roddy Piper defeated Mountie with a sleeper hold at the 1992 Royal Rumble , and Bret would later pin Piper for his second Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania VIII later that year . Rise to main event status ( 1992 – 1993 ) . Hart dropped the Intercontinental Championship to his brother - in - law , Davey Boy Smith , in the main event of SummerSlam in 1992 held before over 80 , 000 fans at Wembley Stadium . It was his first main event pay - per - view match , and he subsequently maintained main event status , being pushed as a contender to the WWF Championship . He won the WWF Championship from Ric Flair at Saskatchewan Place in Saskatoon , Saskatchewan on October 12 of that year , in a match not originally broadcast on WWF television — the match was instead available on a Coliseum Video release . Hart dislocated one of the fingers on his right hand during the match and popped it back in himself so it would not affect the rest of the match . Hart defended the title against contenders such as Papa Shango , and former champion Ric Flair before losing the title to Yokozuna at WrestleMania IX after Mr . Fuji threw salt into his eyes , enabling Yokozuna to pin Hart . Mr . Fuji then challenged Hulk Hogan , who had come out to help Hart , to compete for the title ; Hogan then won his fifth WWF Championship from Yokozuna after causing Mr . Fuji into accidentally throwing salt into Yokozuna ' s eyes before pinning him . Shortly after , however , Hart won the first pay - per - view King of the Ring tournament in 1993 , defeating Razor Ramon , Mr . Perfect , and Bam Bam Bigelow ( prior King of the Ring tournaments were just house show events ) . After being crowned as the King of the Ring , Hart was attacked by announcer Jerry " The King " Lawler . Lawler claimed he was the rightful King and began a barrage against Hart and his family . The feud culminated in a match between the two at SummerSlam in 1993 , where Hart originally won the match by submission , via the Sharpshooter . Hart , however , would not let go of the hold and the decision was reversed to a Lawler victory by disqualification . According to Hart , the original plan for SummerSlam was to pit WWF Champion Hulk Hogan against Hart in a passing of the torch . Hart also claimed that promotional photos were even taken of the two playing tug of war with the belt before the plans were dropped . Instead , Hogan dropped the belt to Yokozuna in his last WWF appearance at the King of the Ring PPV , which inspired some genuine animosity between the two as Hart felt that Hogan didn ' t respect him enough to drop the belt and put Bret over as the leader of the " new WWF Generation . " Bret Hart and his brother Owen would also feud with Lawler during 1993 in the United States Wrestling Association ( USWA ) , with Lawler notably defeating Owen for the USWA Championship . Family problems ( 1993 – 1994 ) . It was at this point that Bret Hart entered into a feud with his younger brother , Owen Hart . The storyline involved Owen becoming jealous of Bret . It began at Survivor Series , when the Harts ( Bret , Owen , Bruce , and Keith ) took on Shawn Michaels ( a last - minute substitution for Lawler ) and his knights . All of the brothers survived the match except for Owen , the only Hart family member eliminated . Owen blamed Bret for his elimination and in the weeks ahead , blamed Bret for holding him back . Owen demanded a one - on - one match with Bret , which Bret refused to accept . In the storyline , Bret , along with his parents , worked over the Christmas holidays to reunite the family and to settle their rivalry . At the Royal Rumble in January , Bret and Owen took on The Quebecers for the WWF Tag Team Championship . Referee Tim White stopped the match after he considered Bret unable to continue after he sustained a kayfabe knee injury during the match . After the match , Owen berated his brother for costing him a title opportunity and attacked the injured knee , setting the feud between the two . Later on , Hart managed to participate and win the 1994 Royal Rumble match amid controversy . Hart and Lex Luger were the final two participants and the two were eliminated over the top rope at the same time . Therefore , both men were named co - winners of the 1994 Royal Rumble match and received title shots at WrestleMania X . Luger won the chance to face Yokozuna first , with Hart having to wrestle his brother Owen , who still demanded a match , before receiving his title shot . Owen won the match . Hart lost his match against Owen but went on to defeat Yokozuna for his second WWF Championship . Hart continued to feud with his brother Owen while he also started feuding with Diesel . Hart ' s friend and former tag team partner Jim Neidhart returned to the WWF and reunited with Hart . At King of the Ring , Hart defended the WWF Championship against Diesel . When Hart was winning the match , Shawn Michaels interfered on Diesel ' s behalf . Diesel appeared close to victory after he delivered a Jackknife Powerbomb yet before he could pin Hart , Neidhart interfered . Diesel won by disqualification but Hart retained his title . Neidhart left when Diesel and Michaels attacked Hart following the match . Neidhart ' s motivation was made clear when he helped Owen win the tournament that night , so that he could receive a title shot against his brother . At SummerSlam , Hart successfully retained the WWF Championship against Owen in a steel cage match . This match would get a 5 - star rating from Dave Meltzer . Hart eventually lost his WWF Championship at Survivor Series in a submission match against Bob Backlund where the manager of either competitor ( Davey Boy Smith for Hart , Owen for Backlund ) would have to ' throw in the towel ' for the wrestler they were representing . When Hart was in Backlund ' s Crossface Chickenwing and Davey Boy was kayfabe knocked out , Owen persuaded his mother Helen to throw in the towel for Hart , giving Backlund the championship victory . Bret ' s feud with Backlund would continue at WrestleMania XI where he would defeat Backlund in another submission match . Various rivalries and Hart Foundation reunion ( 1995 – 1997 ) . Bret would then go after Diesel ' s WWF Championship in 1995 . After their match at the Royal Rumble was continually marred by outside interference , Bret won his third WWF Championship at Survivor Series in a No DQ match against Diesel . After Hart ' s real life rival Shawn Michaels won the 1996 Royal Rumble , a 60 - minute Iron Man match was set up between the two at WrestleMania XII . The wrestler with the most decisions during the 60 minutes would win the match and the WWF Championship . With less than a minute left on the clock and the score still 0 – 0 , Michaels jumped from the middle rope ; his legs were caught by Hart , and Hart locked in his Sharpshooter . However , Michaels did not submit in the last 30 seconds so the match ended in a tie . President Gorilla Monsoon ruled that the match would continue in sudden death overtime . Michaels hit a superkick to win the gold . After WrestleMania , Hart took a hiatus from television . Hart would consider offers of employment from both WCW and the WWF , but would ultimately re - sign with the WWF . Over the summer , Steve Austin , who was fresh from winning the 1996 King of the Ring , continually taunted Bret and challenged him to come back and have a match . After eight - month hiatus from television , Bret returned and defeated Austin at Survivor Series . The feud continued at the Royal Rumble , when Hart tossed Austin out of the ring , only for Austin ( unbeknownst to the referees ) to climb back into the ring and win the Rumble . In order to deal with this controversy , a Fatal Four - Way between Austin and the participants he eliminated after reentering the ring was set up for , with the winner becoming the number one contender . After current champion Shawn Michaels relinquished the belt , though , the match officially became one for the WWF Championship . Hart defeated Austin , Vader , and The Undertaker in the Fatal Four - Way . However , Austin made sure Hart ' s reign was short - lived , costing him a match against Sycho Sid the next night on " Raw " . The two had a steel cage match shortly before WrestleMania 13 ( Hart ' s twelfth consecutive and final WrestleMania until WrestleMania 26 ) , which saw Austin actually attempt to help Hart win , in order to make their match at WrestleMania 13 a title match . Concurrently , The Undertaker , who had a scheduled match with Sid at WrestleMania , attempted to help Sid win . Sid ultimately retained , leading to a pure grudge match for Hart and Austin . At WrestleMania 13 , Hart and Austin had their rematch in a Submission match that would later get a 5 - star rating from Dave Meltzer . In the end , Hart locked the Sharpshooter on a bloody Austin , who refused to give up . In fact , Austin never quit , but passed out from the blood loss and pain . Ken Shamrock , the special guest referee , awarded Hart the match , after which he continued to assault Austin . This turned Austin face , and Hart became a heel . The original plan for WrestleMania 13 was a Hart versus Michaels championship rematch in which Michaels was slated to drop the belt to Hart . However , Michaels injured his knee two weeks after the Royal Rumble . Rumors immediately began flying that Shawn did not want to drop the belt to Bret . Hart actually came out during the main event at WrestleMania 13 and challenged Michaels to step in the ring and stated ( in a shoot promo ) that Michaels has a " pussy foot injury . " McMahon , commentating at ringside alongside Michaels , immediately got up from his seat and tried to keep Michaels calm . Hart would face Austin in a no - disqualification street fight on " Raw " , in which Austin injured the now - heel Hart ' s ankle with a steel chair . The match ended with Austin refusing to release Hart from his own finishing move , the Sharpshooter . Austin continued to beat Hart while on a stretcher in the back of an ambulance . They would meet once again at : this marked the first and only time a match between the two would be a pay - per - view main event . Austin had Hart locked in the Sharpshooter in the middle of the ring when The British Bulldog interfered on Hart ' s behalf , resulting in disqualification and giving Austin his only victory over Hart . In the ensuing weeks , Bret " The Hitman " Hart denounced American fans , because of their negative reaction to him in the recent weeks in contrast to his continued popularity through the rest of the world , and reunited with brother Owen and brothers - in - law Davey Boy Smith and Jim Neidhart . The family members formed a " new " Hart Foundation with Brian Pillman ; this incarnation was an anti - American stable which was popular within Canada and Europe . During an angle in which it appeared that the Hart Foundation had vandalized the locker room of the African American stable , the Nation of Domination ( in the storyline , DX framed the Hart Foundation ) . As kayfabe retaliation , during a promo with DX , Hart called both Triple H and Shawn Michaels " homos " . After leaving the WWF , Hart apologized for the angles and said that he had been pressured into going through with them . He said , " I am not in any shape or form a racist . And I don ' t believe it is anything to kid around about . I also want to apologize for any remarks I made about gay people . It was a stupid mistake on my part . " Hart ' s reluctance to use such references was cited on " Wrestling with Shadows " , where he points out that while Shawn Michaels wanted Bret to use these insults against him to further their on - screen rivalry , Bret was extremely reluctant to do so . Hart captured his fifth WWF Championship at SummerSlam after spitting in guest referee Shawn Michaels ' face ; Michaels swung a steel chair in retaliation , which accidentally struck the Undertaker and allowed Hart to get the pin . Hart made a notable appearance in Extreme Championship Wrestling ( ECW ) in September 1997 , defeating and retiring Terry Funk . Montreal Screwjob and departure ( 1997 ) . Around this time , Hart ' s on - air rivalry with " announcer " Vince McMahon also escalated . A heated ringside altercation between the two led many fans to dislike McMahon , who at the time was being exposed as owner of the WWF more and more frequently on - air . Although Hart was signed to a 20 - year contract back in 1996 , the WWF was in a rough financial position by late 1997 and could not afford the contract . Although Hart was arguably the biggest wrestler in the world during the mid - 1990s , McMahon also felt that the value of his character was beginning to wane , but wished for Hart to remain with the WWF and discuss the contract and the character ' s future . Nonetheless , McMahon gave Hart his blessing to talk to World Championship Wrestling ( WCW ) about possibly taking a second look at their original offer to him . Hart subsequently signed a three - year contract with WCW . His final match with the WWF would be a title match against his real life rival Shawn Michaels at Survivor Series in Montreal . Hart did not want to end his WWF career with a loss to Michaels in his home country ; McMahon agreed to Hart ' s idea of forfeiting the championship the next night on " Raw " or losing it a few weeks later . Although Hart stated to McMahon he would not take the WWF Championship with him to WCW TV ( and despite insistence from then - WCW President Eric Bischoff , according to Hart ' s DVD biography , that Hart would join WCW with a " clean slate " ) , McMahon was still concerned ; this led to him breaking his word in what eventually came to be known as the Montreal Screwjob . Even though Hart did not submit to the Sharpshooter , referee Earl Hebner called for the bell as if he had , on McMahon ' s orders . This resulted in Hart " losing " the WWF Championship to Michaels . The night ended with an irate Hart spitting in McMahon ' s face , destroying television equipment , and punching McMahon backstage in front of Gerald Brisco , Pat Patterson , and McMahon ' s son Shane . Hart also confronted Michaels backstage about the match finish . Many behind - the - scenes events leading up to the Montreal Screwjob were filmed for the documentary " " , released in 1998 . World Championship Wrestling ( 1997 – 2000 ) . Early WCW run ( 1997 – 1998 ) . A day after the Survivor Series pay - per - view , Eric Bischoff , while with the New World Order ( nWo ) , announced that Hart was going to be coming to World Championship Wrestling ( WCW ) , and joining the nWo . About a month after Survivor Series , Hart joined WCW , the WWF ' s main competitor . He made his debut on " WCW Monday Nitro " on December 15 , 1997 when it was announced by WCW Chairman of the Board J . J . Dillon that Hart would be the special guest referee for the match between Bischoff and Larry Zbyszko at Starrcade . Bret was involved in the Sting versus Hulk Hogan match at Starrcade , stepping in toward its conclusion as impromptu referee . He attacked referee Nick Patrick , accusing him of making a fast count and shouting he would not let " it happen again " ( a reference to the Montreal Screwjob ) . During Bischoff ' s period in control of the company , the goodwill towards Hart generated by the Montreal Screwjob resulted in his being pushed as a face ; he defeated Ric Flair in his first WCW match at Souled Out in 1998 , and beat Curt Hennig at Uncensored . Heel turn ( 1998 – 1999 ) . WCW President Eric Bischoff confessed on TSN ' s " Off The Record " in March 1998 that he wasn ' t entirely sure how to creatively use Hart , but that he had future plans for a feud between Hart and Hulk Hogan , which would make " a tremendous amount of money " ( the feud never materialised — they instead had one televised match on " WCW Monday Nitro " which ended in a no - contest ) . In April 1998 , Hart turned heel in a " Nitro " main event involving Hogan and " Macho Man " Randy Savage , unofficially joining the nWo . He defeated Savage in singles action at Slamboree , thanks to assistance from Hogan , and then again in a tag team match with Hogan at The Great American Bash in which Savage was partnered with Roddy Piper . At Bash at the Beach , Hart competed in his first championship match in WCW as he faced Booker T for Booker ' s WCW World Television Championship . He was disqualified after hitting Booker with a steel chair . Hart was then booked to win WCW ' s second - most prestigious title , the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship . Although Hart would later become a two - time WCW World Heavyweight Champion , some saw WCW ' s failure to push Hart as a contender to the title for another year — despite previously being one of the WWF ' s top stars and having signed an estimated $ 3 million a year contract with WCW — as a mistake . On the July 20 edition of " Nitro " , Hart defeated Diamond Dallas Page for the vacant WCW United States Heavyweight Championship , his first championship in WCW . Hart would go on to hold the titke four times during his tenure with WCW — the most reigns in the company ' s history . Though still not officially a member of the nWo , the faction did support him in the match , as The Giant came out to the ring and chokeslammed Page . A few days later , Hart lost the United States Heavyweight Championship to fellow WWF alumnus Lex Luger . Hart regained the title from Luger , the next night on " Thunder " . At Fall Brawl , Hart and several other wrestlers lost to Diamond Dallas Page in a WarGames match . During the fall of 1998 Hart also had an intense feud with Sting which ended at Halloween Havoc with Hart controversially defending the title and ( kayfabe ) injuring Sting . On the October 26 edition of " Nitro " , Hart lost the United States Heavyweight Championship to Diamond Dallas Page . The two had a rematch at World War 3 for the title which Hart lost . Hart regained the title from Page on the November 30 edition of " Nitro " in a No Disqualification match with help from nWo member The Giant . On the February 8 edition of " Nitro " , Hart lost the United States Heavyweight Championship to family friend Roddy Piper . On the March 29 , 1999 edition of " Nitro " held at Toronto ' s Air Canada Centre , Hart appeared in street clothes and called out Bill Goldberg , claiming he could beat him in five minutes and verbally coercing Goldberg into tackling him . Hart was wearing a metal breastplate under his Toronto Maple Leafs sweater , which resulted in Goldberg being knocked out . Hart then counted his own pinfall over Goldberg ' s unconscious body , announced over the mic " Hey WCW , Bischoff , I quit ! " , and left the ring , arising speculation on whether Hart was actually leaving the company . Following the incident , Hart took a hiatus from WCW television . In May 1999 , prior to his return , his brother Owen Hart died in an accident during a WWF pay - per - view . As a result , Hart did not return to television , and took a further four months off from WCW to be with his family . World Heavyweight Champion , nWo and departure ( 1999 – 2000 ) . Hart returned to wrestling on the September 13 , 1999 edition of " Nitro " in a match with Hulk Hogan against Sting and Lex Luger . On the October 4 , 1999 edition of " Nitro " he wrestled in a tribute match for Owen against Chris Benoit — this match took place in Kemper Arena in Kansas City , where Owen had died months earlier . Around this same time , the WWF ' s top writer Vince Russo " jumped ship " to join WCW . Russo instigated an angle which involved a controversy over a series of World Heavyweight Championship matches between Sting , Hogan , and Goldberg at Halloween Havoc , ultimately leading to the title being declared vacant . A tournament then took place over several episodes of " Nitro " . Hart ' s first round match came against Goldberg the night after Halloween Havoc , with the match being a tournament match for a berth in the next round , as well as being a match for the United States Championship that Goldberg had won the night before . Thanks to outside interference , Hart was able to defeat Goldberg , handing him his second official WCW loss , and won the U . S . Championship for the fourth time . On the November 8 edition of " Nitro " , Hart lost the United States Heavyweight Championship to Scott Hall in a ladder match which also involved Sid Vicious and Goldberg . Hart went on to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship tournament by defeating Perry Saturn , Billy Kidman , Sting , and Chris Benoit at " WCW Mayhem " , held at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto , giving him his first of two reigns in WCW and his sixth world title overall . On December 7 , Hart and Goldberg won the WCW World Tag Team Championship from Creative Control ( making Hart a double champion ) , but lost the titles to The Outsiders on the December 13 edition of " Nitro " . At Starrcade , Hart defended his WCW World Heavyweight Championship against Goldberg . During the match , Hart was struck with a mule kick to the head , resulting in a severe concussion . Hart later speculated that he may have suffered up to three additional concussions within matches over the course of that day along with the days immediately following Starrcade , having been unaware of the severity of his injuries . As a part of this , Hart placed Goldberg on the post in a figure - four leg lock which ended with Hart hitting his head on the concrete floor when Goldberg failed to receive the move correctly . The sum total of those injuries left Hart with post - concussion syndrome and ultimately forced his retirement from professional wrestling . Hart wrote a " Calgary Sun " column in which he said that Goldberg " had a tendency to injure everyone he worked with . " As part of his DVD documentary , Hart expressed regret that " someone as good - hearted as Bill Goldberg " was responsible for hurting him . Hart vacated the WCW World Heavyweight Championship on the December 20 edition of " Nitro " as a result of controversies surrounding his Starrcade match , offering Goldberg a rematch for the title that evening . During the match , Scott Hall and Kevin Nash came to the ring looking to attack Goldberg with baseball bats . Hart convinced them to stop , then in a swerve hit Goldberg with one of the bats . The three continued to beat down Goldberg and were eventually joined by Jeff Jarrett . As a result , not only did Hart regain the championship , the nWo was reformed . Overall , Hart was 3 - 1 against Goldberg , who was noted for his undefeated streak . He defended the WCW World Heavyweight Championship against Terry Funk and Kevin Nash in January 2000 , before vacating the title in late January 2000 when he was forced to withdraw from the main event of WCW ' s Souled Out due to his injuries . Hart never lost either WCW World Heavyweight Championship he held , but forfeited them instead . Hart continued to make appearances on WCW television , generally cutting promos , although he did compete in the 41 - man battle royal on the May 3 , 2000 edition of " Thunder " to determine the number one contender for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship , which was won by Ric Flair . His final WCW appearance occurred on the September 6 , 2000 edition of " Thunder " , in a promo where he confronted Bill Goldberg on the injury he sustained nine months prior . Hart and WCW mutually agreed on a release from his three - year WCW contract in October 2000 , two months prior to its conclusion , and Hart announced his retirement soon afterward . Creative handling in WCW . Although Hart held multiple titles and was involved in matches with many of WCW ' s biggest stars – such Ric Flair , Randy Savage , Hollywood Hogan , Sting , The Warrior and Bill Goldberg – during his tenure , his storylines were regarded by many as lackluster . Bischoff , Eric : " Controversy Creates Cash " , WWE Books , 2006 ( p . 265 ) Then - WCW President Eric Bischoff admitted in March 1998 that he wasn ' t entirely sure how to creatively handle Hart , but has subsequently opined that , due to the impact of the Montreal Screwjob and death of his brother Owen , Hart was " not the same Bret " as he had been during the mid - 1990s , which led to the sub - par execution of Hart ' s storylines : " As much as I like Bret and respect him , there was a real lack of passion and commitment . " Hart dismisses this notion , claiming that he entered WCW with the intention to " make as big an impact as I could possibly make " . Hart has told how he was warned by Vince McMahon that WCW would have " no idea what to do with a " Bret Hart " , which ties in with Bischoff ' s original admission , rather than his later claims . He has expressed the opinion that he was " poorly used " by the company , describing his tenure there as " really sad . " McMahon has said that WCW ' s misuse of Hart was " fortunate for me , in terms of my company ; unfortunate for Bret personally . " Post - retirement appearances ( 2001 - 2009 ) . In late 2001 , Bret Hart made appearances as the on - screen commissioner of World Wrestling All - Stars ( WWA ) . In his first major appearance since recovering from his stroke , Bret Hart traveled to Australia to appear at another WWA event in May 2003 . On May 9 , 2007 , it was announced that Hart would make his first appearance for a professional wrestling event since the 2006 WWE Hall of Fame . Hart signed autographs at " The Legends of Wrestling " show at the Tropicana Field in St . Petersburg , Florida . On June 11 , 2007 , Hart made his first appearance on " Raw " since October 27 , 1997 when he appeared in a pre - taped interview voicing his opinions on Vince McMahon as part of " Mr . McMahon Appreciation Night . " During the months of October and November 2008 , Bret went on tour with American Wrestling Rampage promotions , touring many places throughout the UK and Ireland , posing for photographs and signing autographs before the show . On the weekend of July 11 , 2009 , Bret made an appearance at One Pro Wrestling in Sheffield , England , where he held a Q & A , and then entered the ring to address the fans at the show . On September 27 , 2009 , Hart appeared in New York City ' s Manhattan Center to sign autographs during a Ring of Honor event . He spoke to the crowd , reminiscing about some of his more memorable matches in New York . He said that if he ever does return to the ring , " he ' ll make sure it happens in New York . " World Wrestling Entertainment ( 2009 – present ) . Return and feud with Vince McMahon ( 2009 – 2010 ) . Hart re - signed with WWE in late December 2009 . On December 28 , after weeks of controversy surrounding Hart and his presence in World Wrestling Entertainment , Chairman Vince McMahon announced that Hart would be special guest host on the January 4 episode of " Raw " . Hart made his first live appearance on Raw in over 12 years by hosting the program . There , he thanked the fans for their continued support , jokingly teased announcer Jerry Lawler about their long running 1990s feud , and confronted Shawn Michaels and Vince McMahon regarding the Montreal Screwjob at Survivor Series in 1997 . Hart and Michaels were able to agree on a truce , shaking hands and hugging . While many cast doubts on the sincerity of their reconciliation , both men have confirmed that it was indeed genuine and not part of storyline . It also appeared that he had buried the hatchet with Vince later in the night , until Vince subsequently kicked Bret in the crotch ( this was in fact part of a storyline , as Bret and Vince have been on speaking terms since 2005 ) . During different encounters the following month , Hart and McMahon would reproduce similar events that occurred in the Montreal Screwjob : McMahon spitting in Hart ' s face ( as Hart did to McMahon ) , and Hart destroying parts of the technical equipment that goes into producing " Raw " ( as he did to the Survivor Series equipment ) . On the February 15 episode of " Raw " , Hart made a farewell from WWE , but as he left to go inside his limousine , another vehicle reversed into the door of his limo and injured his left leg . On the March 1 episode of " Raw " , Mr . McMahon , who would take advantage of Hart ' s condition , challenged Hart to a match at WrestleMania XXVI ; Hart accepted . The match was later changed to a No Holds Barred Match as Hart revealed ( with help from " Stone Cold " Steve Austin , the special guest host that night ) the staging of his injury . Hart , along with his family , inducted his father Stu Hart into the WWE Hall of Fame , a controversial decision that aggravated Hart and McMahon ' s rivalry in 2010 . At WrestleMania , McMahon attempted to buy Hart ' s family into turning against him ; however , they turned against McMahon instead and helped Hart defeat McMahon . United States Champion and Raw General Manager ( 2010 ) . On the " Raw " episode after WrestleMania , Hart was about to announce his farewell from WWE until Unified WWE Tag Team Champions ShoMiz taunted Hart . This led Hart to request a match between the champions and The Hart Dynasty ( David Hart Smith and Tyson Kidd ) , a stable stemmed from the Hart family . Ultimately , the Dynasty would win a championship match that culminated in them winning the championship on April 26 . Hart would manage in the Dynasty ' s corners while they battled with the Miz and Show in various matches , which eventually led to The Miz losing a match that guaranteed a WWE United States Championship match to a Hart family member against him . Instead of choosing a member of the Dynasty , The Miz chose Bret ; with the help of the Dynasty , Hart would defeat The Miz to win his record - tying fifth United States Championship on May 17 in Toronto , Ontario , Canada . On the May 24 edition of " Raw " , Hart was named the new General Manager of Raw . He set up qualifying matches for Fatal 4 - Way Pay - per - view , but one of which involving the injured Batista and Randy Orton . Batista refused to take part and quit the WWE . He vacated the United States title , which was later won by R - Truth , and once again retired from the ring to fulfill his duties as General Manager . The next week , he was confronted by Vince McMahon who congratulated Hart on becoming General Manager but warned him that he would have to make tough decisions in the future . Hart retaliated by declaring a Viewer ' s Choice episode of " Raw " . The week after the Viewer ' s Choice episode , he confronted the NXT rookies who demanded WWE contracts . Hart denied their requests and fired NXT Season 1 winner Wade Barrett . At the end of the night , the NXT rookies attacked Hart and demanded for contracts giving Hart until the Fatal 4 - Way pay per view for his answer . Hart legitimately did not appear at the pay - per - view or the following night ' s " Raw " as advertised . On " Raw " , Vince McMahon scolded Hart for failing to appear at the pay - per - view , and to hire extra security to prevent the " chaos " caused by the NXT rookies , relieving him of his duties as General Manager . Hart ' s profile was subsequently removed from the " Raw " roster on WWE . com . Some speculated that Hart had left the company , with the most commonly reported explanation being that Lloyd ' s of London , with whom he has an insurance settlement following his career ending injury in WCW , were unhappy with the level of physicality involved in his WWE appearances . Feud with The Nexus ( 2010 ) . After a five - week absence from WWE programming , Hart returned to " Raw " on July 19 , where it was announced by John Cena that he , The Great Khali , R - Truth , Edge , Chris Jericho , John Morrison , and Hart would face the NXT rookies , now known as The Nexus , at SummerSlam . The following week , Hart teamed with John Cena to wrestle SummerSlam teammates Edge and Chris Jericho to a no contest . In the SummerSlam main event , Hart ' s first pay - per - view headlining match since Starrcade 1999 , he was disqualified for using a steel chair on Skip Sheffield . However , his team went on to win the match . On the August 16 edition of " Raw " , Bret Hart introduced the new tag team title belts to the champions , The Hart Dynasty . Later on in the night during the Nexus vs . Raw challenge , Hart was scheduled to face Justin Gabriel , but was unable to compete after the anonymous GM , citing his disdain for Hart , removed him from the match and replaced him with Randy Orton . On August 30 Hart appeared on the 900th episode of " Raw " and was booked in a match against The Undertaker by the anonymous GM . The match , however , would never take place as The Undertaker was assaulted by the Nexus and Kane . On September 25 , 2010 , WWE hosted a tribute event to Hart in Madison Square Garden , where he and the Hart Dynasty defeated Nexus members Heath Slater , Justin Gabriel and Michael Tarver in a six - man tag team match , when Gabriel submitted to Hart ' s Sharpshooter . At " Raw " on October 18 , 2010 , Hart made an appearance in his hometown of Calgary , working as the special enforcer in the main event dark match between Randy Orton , Sheamus and Wade Barrett and , after the match , saved Orton from a Nexus beatdown and locked Heath Slater in a Sharpshooter . In November 2010 , Hart ' s WWE contract had expired . Sporadic appearances ( 2011 – present ) . Hart appeared on WWE . com ' s " Legends of Wrestling : Rivalries " on March 23 , 2011 , discussing the greatest professional wrestling rivalries of all time with other prominent industry figures . On the April 25 , 2011 edition of " Tough Enough " , the contestants focused on developing their agility . Hart , who was described in his introduction by host Steve Austin as the personification of " courage , technique and agility " , motivated the contestants by giving a talk on the attributes required to be successful in WWE . On May 22 at Over the Limit , Hart ' s long - running 1990s rival , Jerry Lawler , defeated Michael Cole in a Kiss My Foot match . Harking back to Hart ' s victory over Lawler in a Kiss My Foot Match at the 1995 King of the Ring , Hart came to the ring after the match and , along with Jim Ross and Eve Torres , forced Michael Cole back into the ring so he could kiss Lawler ' s foot , as agreed in the pre - match stipulation ; Hart placed Cole in the Sharpshooter to accomplish this . Hart and Lawler then embraced , laying past animosities to rest . The following night on " Raw " , Hart refereed the main event , which saw John Cena and Rey Mysterio defeat R - Truth and CM Punk with Hart ' s assistance . On the August 23 , 2011 tapings of the August 26 , 2011 edition of " SmackDown " , Hart served as guest General Manager . Hart announced that Mark Henry would get a shot at Randy Orton ' s World Heavyweight Championship the following week , but he was forced to give Christian a title shot instead , after Christian invoked his rematch clause . Hart , however , used his authority to add a steel cage stipulation to the match . Hart also guest refereed a Street Fight between Randy Orton and Christian in a Dark Match . After the match , Christian squared off with Bret , who applied the sharpshooter on Christian . On September 12 , 2011 Hart appeared on " Raw " and was placed in a tag team match with John Cena against Alberto Del Rio and Ricardo Rodriguez which he won after putting Rodriguez into a sharpshooter . Later that week on Smackdown , which was filmed in Toronto , he took part in a post - show tribute for one of his biggest fans ( who also was forced to retire early , due to injuries ) , Edge . Hart appeared on " Raw 1000 " on July 23 , 2012 as the guest ring announcer for the Intercontinental Championship match between then champion Christian and The Miz . On the September 10 episode of " Raw " , Hart interviewed John Cena during which CM Punk interrupted . When Punk tried to punch him , Hart countered the attack and punched him right on the face , forcing him to roll out of the ring . He closed the show celebrating with Cena . However , the closing was overshadowed by Jerry Lawler ' s ( legitimate ) on - air heart attack , from which he would eventually recover . Bret Hart then made an appearance at the 2013 Royal Rumble , in a segment with Alberto Del Rio and Ricardo Rodriguez . His latest appearance was on the March 25 edition of " Raw " alongside other Legends , as they interviewed The Rock and John Cena . Outside the ring . Honors . In 2004 , Hart was chosen as one of the Greatest Canadians , coming in at number thirty - nine . He was also the advocate for Don Cherry during the televised portion of the competition . Hart said he would be done with professional wrestling following his U . S . book tour . He believed his wrestling career would be complete after saying good - bye to his American fans on various book signing tours to promote its release in the States . Hart was content saying good - bye to wrestling through his book and not working for a promotion after spending seven years on the project . " I ' d be happy being remembered for really brilliant storytelling in my matches , not for some last chance to snap up some money , " Hart said . " I respectfully understand my light in wrestling is fading . I can live with that . " Hart said he nearly gave up on the project while trying to fight with the illnesses he faced after suffering a stroke in 2002 . However , Hart wanted to bring closure on his wrestling career . " A lot of times , I thought about giving up because it was hard reliving some of these events . But I couldn ' t say goodbye to my wrestling character until I finished . " On the February 16 , 2006 , episode of " Raw " , it was announced that Hart would be a 2006 inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame . Hart had also been approached by Vince McMahon for a potential match between the two at WrestleMania 22 but declined the offer . On April 1 , 2006 , Hart was inducted by " Stone Cold " Steve Austin . He thanked every wrestler he worked with ( even thanking Vince McMahon ) and said he ' s " in a good place in life . " Despite Hart ' s claims around the time of WrestleMania 22 , the idea of a match between Hart and McMahon was revived in 2010 following Bret ' s guest appearance on the January 4th edition of Raw . On March 1 , 2010 , it was confirmed that Hart and McMahon would have their match at WrestleMania XXVI . On July 15 , 2006 , Bret Hart was inducted into the George Tragos / Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame , at the International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Newton , Iowa . The induction took place in an immensely crowded and humid display room showcasing one of Hart ' s ring entrance jackets . The honor is only awarded to those with both a professional and amateur wrestling background , making Hart one of the youngest inductees . During his acceptance , Hart compared this induction to his place in the WWE Hall of Fame , saying " This is a much bigger honor for me . " In June 2008 , Hart returned to the George Tragos / Lou Thesz Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame ceremony , this time to induct his father Stu Hart . At the induction ceremony in Waterloo , Iowa , he ridiculed Slam Wrestling editor Greg Oliver , calling him a " charlatan " and his books on wrestling " fiction " to the standing ovation of some wrestlers in attendance . At the end of the speech , Hart said " " Either you go or I go . " " After Oliver refused to leave , Hart walked out of the ceremony with other wrestlers to scattered applause . Since Hart ' s retirement , WWE chairman Vince McMahon has described him as the greatest technical wrestler and storyteller in the history of the business , and several noted professional wrestlers have named him as one of their favorite opponents . Writing . Bret Hart wrote a weekly column for the " Calgary Sun " from June 1991 until October 2004 . On [ [ October 16 ] ] , 2007 , Hart ' s autobiography titled " Hitman : My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling " , was released in Canada by Random House Canada , and released in fall 2008 in the United States by Grand Central Publishing , with a U . S . book signing tour . Hart began writing the book in July 1999 with Marcy Engelstein , his longtime close friend and business associate . They did not complete the book until eight years later in September 2007 due to Hart suffering his stroke in 2002 , among numerous other tragedies that occurred during the writing . Hart ' s chronicle is based on an audio diary that he kept for all of his years on the road in professional wrestling . Acting . From 1995 to 1996 Hart appeared in the " Lonesome Dove " television series as " Luther Root " . He has made numerous televised appearances since , including a guest spot on " The Simpsons " in 1997 ( as himself , in " The Old Man and the Lisa " ) and a stint playing The Genie in a theatrical production of " Aladdin " in 2004 , a role which he reprised in the Canadian Touring production of " Aladdin " in late 2006 . Hart also appeared in episodes of the " Honey I Shrunk The Kids TV series " ( along with his brother ) , " The Adventures of Sinbad " , ' Big Sound " , and " The Immortal " . Hart is also the voice of the Hooded Fang in Jacob Two - Two ( TV series ) Hart also guest starred on the sketch comedy series " MADtv " in 1997 where he acted as enforcer at a fan ' s house , appearing with his WWF Championship belt . Hart later appeared again on " MADtv " in 1999 and 2000 in an angle with actor Will Sasso in which the two feuded on the set of " MADtv " and in World Championship Wrestling ; this culminated in a grudge match on " WCW Monday Nitro " , where Hart decisively defeated Sasso . Wrestling - related . Hart was the subject of 1998 documentary , " " , which chronicles the events leading up to his transition from WWF to WCW . In mid - 2005 , WWE announced the release of a three - disc DVD originally named " Screwed : The Bret Hart Story " , with the title a reference to the Montreal Screwjob . After he was approached about appearing in the DVD , Hart visited WWE Headquarters on August 3 , 2005 and met with Vince McMahon . Hart filmed over seven hours of interview footage for the DVD , which was renamed " " . The DVD includes a compendium of Hart ' s favorite matches , including a match against his brother Owen held in White Plains , New York and his first match with Ricky Steamboat . Before the DVD ' s release , the WWE released a special magazine covering Hart ' s career . The collection was released on November 15 , 2005 . On April 6 , 2010 , the WWE released " " , which is a 3 DVD set featuring a documentary on the Hart wrestling family as well as 12 matches . It is unique in that it also features previously unseen home movies from the Harts as well as candid interviews from surviving family members . Hart appeared on many talk shows ( " Larry King Live " , " Nancy Grace " , " Hannity & Colmes " , " On the Record w / Greta Van Susteren " , etc . ) discussing the Chris Benoit double murder and suicide . Hart is shown putting his finishing hold , the Sharpshooter , on Chris Benoit in the opening credits of " Malcolm in the Middle " . In 2010 , The Fight Network produced a documentary entitled ' Bret Hart - Survival of the Hitman ' produced by John Pollock , Jorge Barbosa and Wai Ting chronicling the rise of Hart , his split with the WWE in 1997 and his road back to the company in January 2010 . The documentary features interviews with Bret , members of the family , Carl DeMarco , former sports agent Gord Kirke , producer of ' Wrestling with Shadows ' Paul Jay and more . Personal life . Hart lent his nickname to the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League ; he was a founder and part - owner . Family . Hart married Julie Smadu ( born March 25 , 1960 ) on July 8 , 1982 . Bret and Julie have four children : Jade Michelle Hart ( born March 31 , 1983 ) ; Dallas Jeffery Hart ( born August 11 , 1984 ) ; Alexandra Sabina Hart ( born May 17 , 1988 ) , nicknamed " Beans " ; and Blade Colton Hart ( born June 5 , 1990 ) . The four hearts located on the right thigh of his tights symbolize his children , as do the four dots following his signature . Bret and Julie separated in May 1998 and they eventually divorced on June 24 , 2002 just hours before Bret suffered his stroke . Hart married an Italian woman named Cinzia Rota in 2004 , but they divorced in 2007 after failing to agree on where they should live . He married Stephanie Washington in 2010 . Through his daughters Jade and Alexandra , Hart has a granddaughter , Kyra Beans ( born June 2010 ) and a grandson , Grayson Knight Cassidy ( born June 20 , 2015 at 1 : 25 am ) . His seven brothers were either wrestlers or involved backstage with the wrestling business ; his four sisters all married professional wrestlers . Two of his brothers - in - law , Davey Boy Smith , and Jim Neidhart had successful careers in the business . His youngest brother Owen Hart had become a decorated wrestler in his own right before his death in 1999 , caused in a real - life accident at the WWF pay - per - view Over the Edge . Hart ' s daughter Alexandra " Beans " Hart is currently training to become a wrestler , hoping to eventually join her cousin and Hart ' s niece Natalya as a WWE Diva . Fellow pro wrestler Roddy Piper claimed in his autobiography to be a cousin of Hart . Hart has also stated that Piper was the only wrestler to visit him in the hospital after his stroke . Health problems . On June 24 , 2002 , Bret Hart suffered a stroke after hitting his head in a bicycle accident . " The Calgary Herald " reported that Hart hit a pothole , flew over the handlebars of the bike , and landed on the back of his head . Hart suffered total paralysis on his left side , which required months of physical therapy . Hart has since recovered much of his mobility and is in good health , although he suffers from an emotional imbalance and other lasting effects common to stroke survivors . Hart wrote in detail about his stroke in his autobiography , " Hitman : My Real Life In The Cartoon World of Wrestling " . Hart later became a spokesperson for March of Dimes Canada ' s Stroke Recovery Canada program . While recovering from his stroke Hart would train three days a week at B . J ' s Gym in Calgary , which was owned by his brother - in - law B . J . Annis . On February 1 , 2016 , Hart revealed that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer via Facebook post . Feud with Ric Flair . In October 1993 , Bret Hart gave a radio interview in which he said Ric Flair " sucks " , and described his workplace , WCW , as " minor league " . In his autobiography , Flair criticizes Hart for exploiting the death of his brother , Owen Hart , and the controversy surrounding the Montreal Screwjob . Flair also claimed in his autobiography that , despite Hart ' s popularity in Canada , he was not a formidable money - making draw in the United States , a claim which Hart dismissed as " plain ridiculous " in a column written for the " Calgary Sun " . Hart claimed that he drew greater revenue than Flair , citing his headlining performances on consistently sold - out tours throughout his WWF career , while Flair wrestled to allegedly near - empty arenas . He also criticized Flair on what he perceived as insults to fellow wrestlers Mick Foley and Randy Savage . Hart did acknowledge a decline in the WWF ' s popularity during the mid - 1990s , but he , and others , felt that this was largely attributed to the WWF ' s well - publicised sex and steroid scandals , as well as WCW ' s acquisition of former top WWE stars . In contrast to Flair ' s claims , prominent industry historian Dave Meltzer said there was " no denying " Hart ' s major drawing power in the US . WWE owner Vince McMahon asserted that whichever company hired Hart could " have built the entire franchise around [ him ] , " and described him as an " extraordinary star . " McMahon added that it was " fortunate for me , in terms of my company , " that his chief competitor , WCW , did not utilize Hart to his full potential . WCW described Hart as " an incredible international draw , attracting standing room only crowds in every corner of the globe . " Professional wrestling magazine " Power Slam " has spoken to Hart ' s drawing power , placing him number 7 in " The 10 Best U . S . - Style All - Rounders " , a list that considered drawing ability , along with workrate and promo skills . Hart also took aim at Flair in his autobiography , criticizing his in - ring talents and what Hart perceived as Flair ' s unsubtle Blading . Flair and Hart have since reconciled and are now friends .