The legacy of Bret Hart is still relevant today when looking back at the greatest in-ring performers in WWE history. Hart worked his way to the top from his time in the tag team division and mid-card division. Fans gradually started to respect him for the level of work he delivered with classic matches. The great matches from Hart were unlike the other wrestlers in the promotion that got by with their physique and charisma.
Hart would eventually get an opportunity as the WWE Champion and proved he could shine in the leading role. Most wrestlers loved working with Bret due to the ease that came from getting led by a technician. However, Hart did not have a positive relationship with every wrestler he worked with. The legend has delivered controversial statements throughout the years. We will look at five wrestlers that Bret loved along with five that he disliked during his career.
10 Liked: The Rock
Bret Hart shared a lot of secrets in his autobiography when discussing life behind the scenes in WWE during the '90s. The Rock was early in his career when Hart was toward the end of his run in WWE. They rarely worked together, but Hart loved The Rock's potential.
Shawn Michaels and Triple H tried to sabotage The Rock in the backstage politics, according to Bret. The story goes that Hart helped warn The Rock of the games played by Michaels and Triple H. The Rock clearly overcame any hurdles, as he went on to become one of the top stars in wrestling and entertainment history.
9 Disliked: Vader
Vader developed a reputation for being one of the best big men in the wrestling industry in the '90s. Great stints with WCW and New Japan led to Vader becoming a top free agent when his contract expired. Vince McMahon would bring Vader to WWE in the mid-90s with huge expectations.
The run of Vader in WWE was a huge disappointment, as McMahon and some wrestlers disliked his work. Bret Hart claimed Vader was stiff in the ring, delivering dangerous and painful moves. The two did not have chemistry, as Hart clearly was not fond of Vader.
8 Liked: Mr. Perfect
Bret Hart has named the late Mr. Perfect as his favorite opponent during his WWE career aside from his brother Owen Hart. The in-ring work of Perfect would see the two best workers in the company square off for great matches in the Intercontinental Championship picture.
Hart felt that Perfect deserved a chance in the main event picture with him during his WWE Championship reign, but it never came. Perfect and Bret had tremendous chemistry that helped add to both men’s legacies, as their matches still hold up today.
7 Disliked: Ric Flair
Ric Flair and Bret Hart are friends today, but there was a lot of bad blood between them throughout the years. Both men had a similar fanbase of viewers that appreciated the in-ring work of the technical wrestlers over the muscle heads like Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior. However, Hart and Flair did not like each other's style.
They worked together a few times in both WWE and WCW in matches that failed to live up to expectations. Flair and Hart also criticized each other after retirement in their respective books. Bret felt that Ric worked a phony style that did not feel credible in the ring. Eventually, Flair and Hart made their peace when they worked together as managers in the Charlotte Flair vs Natalya Neidhart NXT match.
6 Liked: Mick Foley
Bret Hart and Mick Foley did not have many noteworthy feuds together, but they developed a close bond backstage. Foley viewed Hart as the leader of the locker room when he started with WWE as the Mankind character. They had fun matches together on live events that earned them mutual respect.
Foley was the only non-relative of Bret to boycott WWE and no-show Raw the night after the Montreal Screwjob. WWE thankfully didn’t punish Foley, as he went on to become a major star. Hart would appreciate Foley for his show of support and they remained close friends.
5 Disliked: Michael Hayes
WWE producer Michael Hayes is on the negative list of Bret Hart due to the induction of Hayes and other members of the Fabulous Freebirds into the WWE Hall of Fame. Hart felt it was disrespectful for a team like Freebirds that never succeeded in WWE to get inducted over teams like Demolition.
Hayes was criticized by Hart for his drinking before matches during his prime as well. The comments from Hayes claiming Bret deserved to have the Montreal Screwjob happen to him likely added another negative tone. Hart clearly has no love for Hayes and strongly dislikes him.
4 Liked: Steve Austin
Steve Austin and Bret Hart delivered one of the greatest feuds in WWE history, culminating with arguably the best WrestleMania match of all time. Both men enjoyed the wrestling style of the other enough to find a middle ground in their matches together.
Hart stated that his work with Austin is among the most prideful memories of his career. Austin felt the same, as Bret was his favorite opponent to work with during his time in WWE. Hart and Austin would see their legacies change for the better after working together.
3 Disliked: Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan leaving WWE in 1993 opened the opportunity for Bret Hart to become the new face of the promotion. However, the motives of Hogan would see the process take longer than Hart expected. Various interviews have seen Hart claim that Hogan went back on his word to lose to Bret on the way out.
The two would have bad blood for many years that still exists today. Hart believes that Hogan sabotaged him again during a lackluster WCW run, given Hulk’s backstage power. The two trashed each other in interviews for many years and they will likely never make peace.
2 Liked: The Undertaker
Bret Hart and The Undertaker were the two locker room leaders for WWE during the dark time between the departure of Hulk Hogan and the start of the Attitude Era. They became good friends and enjoyed working with each other countless times on television and on live events.
Undertaker was the most vocal wrestler after the Montreal Screwjob. Many wrestlers from the time claimed that Undertaker knocked on Vince’s office and demanded he come out and explain his actions. This influenced McMahon to apologize to Hart before getting knocked out. Bret has stated that he and Undertaker are still friends today.
1 Disliked: Triple H
The tension between Triple H and Bret Hart started in the Attitude Era when Triple H’s friendship with Shawn Michaels led to him having an issue with Hart as well. Triple H took personal digs at Hart on screen and insulted him backstage. WWE documentaries have claimed that Triple H was the one to come up with the idea for the Montreal Screwjob.
Triple H has tried to make amends with Hart today by bringing him into NXT and putting him over in interviews. Hart instead opts to trash Triple H, claiming he doesn’t think WWE will do well with when Triple H replaces Vince and runs the company.