Bret Hart’s legacy in the world of professional wrestling is one of immense impact and influence. Known as “The Hitman,” Bret Hart is widely regarded as one of the greatest technical wrestlers of all time and has left an indelible mark on the industry.
There have been instances where some professional wrestlers have had conflicts and issues with Bret Hart. It’s important to note that wrestling relationships can be complex and disagreements or personal conflicts are not uncommon in such a competitive industry. While it is not accurate to say that all these wrestlers universally “hated” Bret, here are the top wrestlers who hated Bret Hart:
Seth Rollins didn’t like the opinion of Bret Hart about him
Seth Rollins was once criticized by Bret Hart for his in-ring work which pissed Seth off. Hart once blasted Rollins for causing injuries to some legends like John Cena and Sting while in the ring.
Bret Hart Called Out Seth Rollins On Being Unsafe In The Ring: pic.twitter.com/jk736VpSgb
— Slice Wrestling (@EntSlice) August 25, 2016
Moreover, Rollins was so sad to hear that as he was always a fan of The Hitman. Seth expressed, “I mean he’s got to know how hard I’m working every night. For him to say that in an interview I was like ‘man, that sucks”.
Ric Flair
Bret Hart has publicly expressed his criticism of Ric Flair’s wrestling style. Particularly in regard to Flair’s reliance on bleeding and excessive selling. This led to some tension between the two. However, it didn’t stay forever.
Recent shot of Bret Hart and Ric Flair together! pic.twitter.com/J9KlT3QBWS
— 80’s Wrestling (@80sWrestling_) September 2, 2022
The Nature Boy once responded to the criticisms by saying, “I feel sorry for Bret Hart. He is a legend in his own mind. He lives in his own little world”.
Vince McMahon
Bret Hart’s strained relationship with Vince McMahon also played a significant role in the Montreal Screwjob incident. Hart refused to lose the WWE title to Shawn Michaels, and he was leaving the company for WCW after Survivor Series 1997. So Vince screwed him over to save the title.
The Montreal Screwjob😂 pic.twitter.com/EAM00zvnh1
— 💎VAVSKII💎 (@vav3k) May 16, 2023
The fallout from that event created a long-standing animosity between the two. Bret eventually left WWE and never came back. Although they have since reconciled to some extent after many years.
Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart hated each other
The rivalry between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels is well-documented and is considered one of the most famous feuds in wrestling history. They both were the top guys of WWE at one point Most people revealed that they literally hated each other in real life.
my answer is still the real life rivalry of Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels #tvfightslive pic.twitter.com/JAno8YnYrS
— Anthony Hernandez (@tonybologna91) April 4, 2017
The animosity stemmed from both personal and professional differences, culminating in the infamous “Montreal Screwjob” in 1997. Over a decade later, Shawn and Bret finally settled their differences.