Bret Hart Shares Which WrestleMania Match He Says “Wasn’t My Greatest”
During a compelling interview while on tour in the UK for Inside the Ropes in October 2019, WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart delved into the details of his match with Vince McMahon at WrestleMania 26, shedding light on the planning and emotional significance of the event.
The match, which had been over 12 years in the making since the infamous Montreal Screwjob at Survivor Series 1997, was a culmination of a deeply personal and tumultuous storyline between Bret Hart and Vince McMahon. Due to the limitations in Bret’s physical ability, Vince orchestrated the entire match, incorporating elements that resonated with the history and emotions of the Hart family.
Vince came up with the entire storyline including putting my whole family and siblings all around the ring. All my family came down (for WrestleMania), they thought they were just all coming for the Hall of Fame. And you have to understand half of my family was unhappy with Vince with what happened with Owen for starters, and what happened with me with the screwjob, and the fact that Vince never paid one penny to my dad for stealing his territory from him.
The presence of Bret’s family at WrestleMania 26 in 2010 added a deeply personal dimension to the match, especially considering the emotional history between the Hart family and Vince McMahon. Vince’s meeting with the entire Hart Family to lay out his plans for the match underscored the gravity of the event.
So when we had the meeting in the dressing room with Vince telling everyone they were gonna be lumberjacks all around the ring, and I remember my sister Allison, who’s a librarian, getting kinda freaked out about it and her jaw dropped. And my brother Bruce, some people think my brother Bruce was kinda stiff as a wrestler and kinda reckless with his punches. And the first thing Vince McMahon said was ‘Your brother Bruce – I don’t want him laying one finger on me. Your brother Bruce has to be the referee so then he won’t be able to touch me.’
The match itself unfolded with dramatic twists, as Vince had ‘paid off’ the Hart Family to be the lumberjacks, only for it to be revealed as a ruse, with the family still firmly on Bret’s side. Additionally, Vince had instructed Bret to deliver a beating using weapons, revealing that Vince was wearing hidden padding to absorb the impact. Bret would reflect on the emotional significance of the match.
I know it wasn’t my greatest match but I love the match for what it meant to me.
Despite not being remembered as one of his classic WrestleMania encounters, the match held deep personal significance for Bret Hart, marking a poignant chapter in his storied career.
Which WrestleMania Match Did Bret Hart Say Was His Greatest?
Bret Hart revealed he believes his match with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XII was the greatest of all his WrestleMania appearances, describing it as a “classic match that will never lose its shine”.
H/t to ITRwrestling.com