Bret Hart has doubled down on previous claims regarding Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and The Rock during the latter's early WWE days. Hart, who understandably isn't fond of HHH or HBK, had previously stated that the two former superstars tried stunting The Rock's career but recently went a bit further by saying Triple H hated Dwayne Johnson and wanted to ruin him.
The Hitman was a recent guest on the 81 Podcast and asserted that HHH and HBK would ill-treat anyone they thought was connected to him back in the day, The Rock included. He added they wanted him to take the Intercontinental Championship off Johnson in 1997 but he refused to do so as he had no need for it.
"Triple H and maybe even Shawn [Michaels], were pretty ruthless," he said (H/T 411 Mania). "If someone was tied to me or connected to me, they would try to ruin them. Even Dwayne Johnson. They really tried to crack him and bust his chops. I remember telling Dwayne all the time, ‘Don’t listen to these guys. You’re a really good talent and you don’t need these guys.
"I wrestled The Rock and they wanted me to beat him. Triple H did. He wanted me to beat Dwayne and win the Intercontinental Title. I refused. ‘What do I need the Intercontinental Title for?’... I remember Triple H was sick about it because he had a thing for Dwayne and wanted to ruin him. He hated him.
“I remember saying, ‘I like Dwayne. He just got the Intercontinental Title and doesn’t need me to take it from him.’ I didn’t want to be Intercontinental Champion. It was all politics, Triple H was trying to steer me into the Intercontinental Title instead of the World Title. It didn’t make any sense. I told Vince, ‘I don’t get heat from beating Dwayne for the title, it doesn’t do anything for me. Let him keep it.’ I think Dwayne always appreciated that I went to bat for him. I didn’t want to beat him, I wanted to wrestle him down the road as a future guy to draw money with. It’s a shame I didn’t get to work with him other than that one night.”
Things Too Quite The Turn After That
Bret would leave WWE for WCW shortly after, but not before losing the WWE Championship to Michaels in the infamous Montreal Screwjob. The Rock would go on to become the face of WWE, winning a number of world championships in the process.
Johnson is now one of the biggest names in Hollywood and was the highest-paid actor in the world last year. He is now also the owner of the XFL and is actively engaging in several other ventures.
Source: The 81 Podcast (H/T 411Mania.com)