View source for Bret Hart

{{short description|Canadian professional wrestler (born 1957)}}
{{hatnote group|{{About|the professional wrestler|the author|Bret Harte|the wrestler billed as "Brett Hart"|Barry Horowitz}}
{{redirect-multi|2|Bret "Hitman" Hart|Hitman Hart|the biography|Bret "Hitman" Hart – The Best There Is, the Best There Was, the Best There Ever Will Be{{!}}''Bret "Hitman" Hart – The Best There Is, the Best There Was, the Best There Ever Will Be''|the documentary film|Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows{{!}}''Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows''}}}}
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{{Use Canadian English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox professional wrestler
|name        = Bret Hart
|image       = Bret Hart Photo Op GalaxyCon Raleigh 2023.jpg
|caption     = Hart in 2023
|birthname   = Bret Sergeant Hart<ref name="Historical Dictionary of Wrestling">{{cite book|title=Historical Dictionary of Wrestling|publisher=Scarecrow Press, inc.|year=2014|isbn = 978-0-8108-7926-3|page=129}}</ref><ref name="Hart 2001 22 pp">{{cite book|last=Hart|first=Diana|author-link=Diana Hart|author2=McLellan, Kirstie|title=Under the Mat: Inside Wrestling's Greatest Family|publisher=Fenn|year=2001|isbn=1-55168-256-7|page=22|title-link=Under the Mat: Inside Wrestling's Greatest Family}}</ref>
|birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1957|7|2|mf=yes}}
|birth_place = [[Calgary]], [[Alberta]], Canada<ref name=OWOW/>
|ring_names  = '''Bret Hart'''<ref name=OWOW>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/b/bret-hart.html|access-date=July 30, 2008|title=Bret Hart profile|publisher=Online World of Wrestling}}</ref><br />Buddy Hart<ref name=OWOW/>
|family      = [[Hart wrestling family|Hart]]
|relatives   = [[Harry Smith (runner)|Harry Smith]] (maternal grandfather)<ref name="Exhibiting our pride">{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingBretHart/hart_00jan23.html|title=Exhibiting our pride|date=January 23, 2000|work=Slam! Sports|publisher=[[Canadian Online Explorer]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222164753/http://slam.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingBretHart/hart_00jan23.html|archive-date=December 22, 2015}}</ref>
|alma_mater  = [[Mount Royal University|Mount Royal College]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Bret 'Hitman' Hart honoured with MRU degree — 40 years after he dropped out |url=http://calgarysun.com/sports/other-sports/bret-hitman-hart-comes-full-circle-with-honorary-mru-degree |website=Calgary Sun |date=May 31, 2018}}</ref>
|spouse      = {{unbulleted list|{{marriage|Julie Smadu<br />|July 8, 1982|June 24, 2002|reason=divorced}}|{{marriage|Cinzia Rota<br />|September 15, 2004|September 2007|reason=divorced}}|{{marriage|Stephanie Washington<br />|July 24, 2010}}}}
|children    = 4
|height      = 6 ft 0 in<ref name=wwebio>{{cite web|url=https://www.wwe.com/superstars/brethart|title=WWE Hall of Fame: Bret Hart|publisher=WWE|access-date=September 15, 2015}}</ref>
|weight      = 235 lb<ref name=wwebio/>
|billed      = Calgary, Alberta, Canada
|trainer     = [[Stu Hart]]<ref name=OWOW/>{{Efn|Stu mainly trained Bret in amateur wrestling.<ref>{{Harv|Hart|2007|pp=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/bret-hart-interview-stu-hart-dungeon |title = Exclusive interview: Bret Hart separates fact from fiction on who really trained in Stu Hart's Dungeon}}</ref>}}<br />[[Mr. Hito|Katsuji Adachi]]<ref name=OWOW/><br />[[Kazuo Sakurada]]<ref name="Hart 2007 37">{{Harv|Hart|2007|p=37}}</ref>
|debut       = March 29, 1978<ref name="debut">{{Harv|Hart|2007|pp=35–41}}</ref>
|retired     = September 12, 2011<ref name="retirement">{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingBretHart/00oct27_retire-can.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170722203532/http://slam.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingBretHart/00oct27_retire-can.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 22, 2017|title=Bret Hart retires|date=October 27, 2000|publisher=Slam Canoe}}</ref>{{Efn|Hart announced his retirement on January 10, 2000, but would later participate in 11 matches from 2010 to 2011 which involved minimal physical risk.}}
|website     = {{URL|brethart.com}}
|signature=Bret Hart Signature.png}}
{{Professional wrestling sidebar}}
'''Bret Sergeant Hart''' (born July 2, 1957) is a Canadian-American retired [[professional wrestler]]. A member of the [[Hart wrestling family]] and a second-generation wrestler, he has an [[amateur wrestling]] background at [[Ernest Manning High School]] and [[Mount Royal University|Mount Royal College]]. A major international [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Draw|draw]] within professional wrestling, he is credited with changing the perception of mainstream North American professional wrestling in the early 1990s by bringing technical wrestling to the fore.<!--LEDE MATERIAL CITED WITHIN ARTICLE PER WP:LEDE.--> He is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time; [[Sky Sports]] noted that [[#Legacy|his legacy]] is that of "one of, if not the greatest, to have ever graced the squared circle". For the majority of his career, he used the [[nickname]] "'''the Hitman'''".

Hart joined his father [[Stu Hart]]'s [[Professional wrestling promotion|promotion]] [[Stampede Wrestling]] in 1976 as a referee and made his in-ring debut in 1978. He gained championship success during the 1980s and 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now [[WWE]]), where he helmed [[The Hart Foundation]] [[stable (professional wrestling)|stable]]. He left for [[World Championship Wrestling]] (WCW) following the controversial "[[Montreal Screwjob]]" in November 1997, where he remained until October 2000. Having been inactive from in-ring competition since January 2000, owing to a December 1999 [[concussion]], he officially retired in October 2000, shortly after his departure from the company. He returned to sporadic in-ring competition from 2010 to 2011 with WWE, where he won his final championship, headlined the [[SummerSlam (2010)|2010]] [[SummerSlam]] event, and served as the [[Professional wrestling authority figures#Raw brand authorities|general manager]] of [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]. Throughout his career, he headlined the respective premier events of the WWF and WCW, [[WrestleMania]] ([[WrestleMania IX|9]], [[WrestleMania X|10]], and [[WrestleMania XII|12]]) and [[Starrcade]] (in [[Starrcade (1999)|1999]]). He was inducted into the [[Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame|''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' Hall of Fame]] upon its inception in 1996, while still an active performer.

Hart held championship titles in five decades from the 1970s to the 2010s, 32 throughout his career and 17 between the WWF/WWE and WCW. Among other accolades, he is a seven-time world champion; a [[List of WWE Champions|five-time]] [[WWE Championship|WWF Champion]] and a [[List of WCW World Heavyweight Champions|two-time]] [[WCW World Heavyweight Championship|WCW World Heavyweight Champion]]. He went the most [[List of WWE Champions#Reigns|combined days as WWF Champion]] during the 1990s (654) and was the [[List of WCW World Heavyweight Champions#Title history|first]] WCW World Heavyweight Champion born outside the United States. He is the second [[List of wwe triple crown champions|WWF Triple Crown Champion]] and fifth (with [[Bill Goldberg|Goldberg]]) [[Triple Crown (professional wrestling)#List of WCW Triple Crown winners|WCW Triple Crown Champion]]. He is also the [[Royal Rumble (1994)|1994]] [[Royal Rumble#Match|Royal Rumble match]] winner (with [[Lex Luger]]), and the only two-time [[King of the Ring tournament|King of the Ring]], winning the [[King of the Ring (1991)|1991 tournament]] and the first [[King of the Ring (1993)|King of the Ring pay-per-view in 1993]]. He co-headlined multiple [[List of WWE pay-per-view events|pay-per-view events]] as part of [[#Championships and accomplishments|an acclaimed rivalry]] with [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]] from 1996 to 1997. He is the first wrestler to be inducted three times into the [[WWE Hall of Fame]]: in [[WWE Hall of Fame (2006)|2006]] individually, in [[WWE Hall of Fame (2019)|2019]] as a member of [[The Hart Foundation]], and in [[WWE Hall of Fame (2025)|2025]] when his [[Submission match]] with [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]] at [[WrestleMania 13]] was inducted as the inaugural entry into the Immortal Moments category.

Outside of wrestling, Hart has appeared in numerous films and television shows such as ''[[The Simpsons]]'' as well as featuring in several documentaries, both about himself specifically and others about his family or the wrestling industry in general. He also helped found and lent his name to the [[junior hockey|major junior]] [[ice hockey]] team the [[Calgary Hitmen]] and has written two biographies along with a weekly column for the ''[[Calgary Sun]]'' for over a decade. After his retirement, he spent much of his time on charitable efforts concerning [[stroke recovery]] and [[cancer]] awareness, due to his experiences with the two.

== Early life ==
The eighth child of wrestling patriarch [[Stu Hart]] and his wife Helen, Bret Hart was born in [[Calgary|Calgary, Alberta]], Canada into the [[Hart wrestling family]]. He is of [[Greeks|Greek]] descent through his maternal grandmother and of [[Irish People|Irish]] descent through his maternal grandfather.<ref>{{Harv|Hart|2007|p=8}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Hart|first1=Diana|last2=McLellan|first2=Kirstie|author-link=Diana Hart|title=Under the Mat: Inside Wrestling's Greatest Family|publisher=Fenn|year=2001|isbn=1-55168-256-7|page=16|title-link=Under the Mat: Inside Wrestling's Greatest Family}}</ref><ref>{{Harv|McCoy|2007|p=30}}</ref> His father was of [[Scottish People|Scottish]], Irish and [[English People|English]] ancestry.<ref>{{cite book|title=Slamthology: Collected Wrestling Writings 1991–2004|publisher=jnlister|year=2005|isbn=1-4116-5329-7|page=252}}</ref><ref>{{Harv|McCoy|2007|p=16}}</ref> Hart is a [[Dual citizenship in United States|dual citizen]] of Canada and the United States since his mother Helen was born in New York.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Martha Hart|author2= Eric Francis|title=Broken Harts: The Life and Death of Owen Hart|publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]]|year=2004|isbn=978-1-59077-036-8|page=84|author1-link= Martha Hart}}</ref><ref name="SLAM!">{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingBretHart9799/hitman_may17.html|title=An open letter to Shawn Michaels|date=May 17, 1997|publisher=Slam Wrestling|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305011939/http://slam.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingBretHart9799/hitman_may17.html|archive-date=March 5, 2016}}</ref> Hart has stated that he considers himself to be North American and that he is equally proud of his U.S. and Canadian nationality.<ref>{{Harv|Hart|2007|p=412}}</ref> His maternal grandfather was long-distance runner [[Harry Smith (athlete)|Harry Smith]].

Hart grew up in a household with eleven siblings, seven brothers [[Smith Hart|Smith]], [[Bruce Hart (wrestler)|Bruce]], [[Keith Hart (wrestler)|Keith]], [[Wayne Hart (wrestling)|Wayne]], [[Dean Hart|Dean]], [[Ross Hart|Ross]] and [[Owen Hart|Owen]], as well as four sisters, Ellie, Georgia, Alison and [[Diana Hart|Diana]]. As a child he was the closest with his older brother [[Dean Hart|Dean]] who was the nearest to him in age of all his older brothers, being three years his senior. Together they would often fight with Bret's two older sisters, Ellie, who was two years older, and Georgia, who was one year older.<ref name="Hart 2007 11">{{Harv|Hart|2007|p=11}}</ref> Hart's family were [[Nondenominational Christianity|non-denominational Christians]], but he and all of his siblings were baptized by a local Catholic priest.<ref name="Hart 2007 11"/>

Hart spent the vast majority of his childhood in the [[Hart House (Alberta)|Hart family mansion]] which was owned by his father. During one period his father was housing a bear known as [[Terrible Ted (bear)|Terrible Ted]] chained under the building, the bear had had all of its teeth removed and Hart would sometimes as a very young child let the bear lick ice cream off his toes since he thought it was a good way to keep them clean.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Hitman/2004/04/17/426674.html|title=Positive heroes key for kids|work=Slam! Wrestling|publisher=[[Canoe.ca|Canadian Online Explorer]]|date= April 17, 2004|access-date=March 5, 2016|author=Hart, Bret|archive-date=January 15, 2018|url-status= usurped|archive-url=https://archive.today/20180115160521/http://www.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Hitman/2004/04/17/426674.html}}</ref>

His introduction to professional wrestling came at an early age. As a child, he witnessed his father training future wrestlers like [[Superstar Billy Graham]] in the [[Hart Dungeon|Dungeon]], his household basement which served as a training room. Before school, Hart's father, also a wrestling promoter, had him hand out fliers to local wrestling shows. In the 1998 documentary ''[[Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows]]'', Hart reflected on his father's discipline, describing how Stu uttered morbid words while inflicting excruciating [[Grappling hold|submission holds]] that left broken blood vessels in Bret's eyes. Hart claimed his father had an otherwise pleasant demeanour.<ref>{{Harv|Hart|2007|p=4}}</ref>

Hart's first work in wrestling involved pulling out lucky numbers out of a metal box during intermission at the Stampede Wrestling shows when he was four years old. When he got slightly older, he would sell programs to the shows, something all Hart's seven brothers would do. He would often compete for customers with his little brother [[Ross Hart|Ross]] since the fans would often want to buy from the youngest Hart child.<ref>{{Harv|Hart|2007|p=15}}</ref>

== Amateur wrestling ==
Like his father, Hart was an excellent amateur wrestler since an early age, having begun training as a nine-year-old.<ref>{{Harv|McCoy|2007|p=147}}</ref> At [[Ernest Manning High School]], Hart became a standout student in the [[scholastic wrestling|amateur wrestling]] division. Hart has stated that he joined the wrestling team "for the sole reason that my dad expected me to... no-one asked me to".<ref name="DVD">''[[Bret "Hit Man" Hart: The Best There Is, The Best There Was, The Best There Ever Will Be]]'' (aka "''The Bret Hart Story''"), [[WWE Home Video]] (2005)</ref> He won significant championships in tournaments throughout [[Alberta]], including the 1974 city championships in Calgary. He scored a victory over competitor Bob Eklund – who would go on to become a [[Canadian Interuniversity Sport]] national champion, winning "Outstanding Wrestler of the Year 1980–1981"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportuniversitaire.ca/e/championships/wrestling/2008/past.cfm |title=Championship History |access-date=August 7, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706204255/http://www.sportuniversitaire.ca/e/championships/wrestling/2008/past.cfm |archive-date=July 6, 2011 }}. [[Canadian Interuniversity Sport]]. [[Wayback Machine]]. Retrieved July 6, 2011.</ref> – en route to the championship.<ref name="Hart, Bret 2007 p. 32">{{Harv|Hart|2007|p=32}}</ref> He described his display of the medal to Stu as a "powerful moment", and said his relationship with his father "took a different direction from that point on".<ref name="DVD"/> Hart considered the medals to be one of his most prized possessions.<ref name="Historical Dictionary of Wrestling"/>

By 1977, Hart was a champion at [[Mount Royal University|Mount Royal College]], where he was studying filmmaking;<ref name="DVD"/><ref name="Hart, Bret 2007 p. 36">{{Harv|Hart|2007|p=36}}</ref> his coaches and other people around him felt that he had shown sufficient promise to compete at the following year's [[Commonwealth Games]] and encouraged him to begin training for the event. He began to find amateur wrestling unrewarding amid injuries and [[Scholastic wrestling#Unhealthy weight loss|fluctuating weight]].<ref name="DVD"/><ref>{{Harv|Hart|2007|p=33}}</ref> Stu still believed his son capable of making it to the Olympic or Commonwealth Games if he put forth the effort.<ref>{{Harv|Hart|2007|p=38}}</ref> Bret said he believed that even if he became an exceptionally successful amateur wrestler, it would not have led to a career that interested him, rather one as a wrestling coach or high school gym teacher.<ref name="Hart 2007 37" />

Hart felt the only way to give up amateur wrestling without disappointing his father was to become a professional wrestler. His college grades became poorer as his interest in filmmaking waned; he dedicated himself to professional wrestling and began training with his father's [[Stampede Wrestling]] promotion.<ref name="DVD"/> Hart has spoken of how helpful his amateur background was in his professional wrestling career, and also of what a positive effect amateur wrestling has on junior high school and high school-aged boys in terms of building self-confidence.<ref name="slam">{{cite web|author=Hart, Bret|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingBretHart/010127-sun.html|title=Special Memories|via=Canoe.com|date=January 27, 2001|access-date=August 7, 2010|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130120202935/http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingBretHart/010127-sun.html|archive-date=January 20, 2013}}</ref>

== Professional wrestling career ==

=== Stampede Wrestling (1976–1984) ===
In 1976, Hart began working for his father's [[Stampede Wrestling]] promotion in Calgary. Hart first began helping the promotion by refereeing matches.<ref name="debut"/> At a 1978 event in [[Saskatoon]], Saskatchewan, a wrestler was unable to perform his match, forcing Stu to ask his son to stand in as a replacement. Hart teamed with [[Hubert Gallant]] losing to [[Mr. Hito]] and [[Kazuo Sakurada|Mr. Sakurada]]. Before long, he became a regular contender, eventually partnering with brother [[Keith Hart (wrestler)|Keith]] to win the Stampede International Tag Team Championship four times.

Hart gained some of his most prominent experience with Japanese combatants and real-life trainers [[Mr. Hito]] and [[Kazuo Sakurada|Mr. Sakurada]]. Hart also had high-impact matches against Tom Billington, who was better known by his in-ring name as the [[Dynamite Kid]]. In the midst of wrestling alongside his family, Hart made a point not to [[Nepotism|ride on the shoulders of his elders]]. Hart faithfully [[Job (professional wrestling)|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".<ref name="DVD"/> 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 [[Satoru Sayama|Tiger Mask]] in [[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]] (NJPW), a [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Promotion|promotion]] for whom he often wrestled during the early to mid-1980s. He remained one of Stampede's most successful performers until the promotion, along with several wrestlers, was acquired by the [[History of WWE#World Wrestling Federation|World Wrestling Federation]] (WWF) in August 1984.

=== World Wrestling Federation (1984-1997) ===

==== The Hart Foundation (1984–1991) ====
{{main|The Hart Foundation}}
Hart was asked to start out in the WWF as a singles wrestler with a [[cowboy]] [[gimmick (professional wrestling)|gimmick]] but refused, stating that in Calgary, "if you called yourself a cowboy, you'd better be one".<ref>{{Harv|Hart|2007|p=170}}</ref> He made his televised WWF debut on August 29, 1984, in a [[Professional wrestling match types|tag team match]] where he teamed with the [[Dynamite Kid]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/84.htm|title=WWF @ Brantford, Ontario – August 29, 1984|publisher=The History of WWE|access-date=February 21, 2011}}</ref> On September 11, in [[Poughkeepsie, New York]], Hart defeated [[Aldo Ortiz|Aldo Marino]] in his televised debut singles match, which aired on the September 29 episode of ''[[WWF Superstars of Wrestling|Superstars of Wrestling]]''. In 1985, after acquiring the nickname of "Hit Man",<ref name="wwebio"/> he requested to join [[Jimmy Hart]]'s [[Heel (professional wrestling)|heel]] [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Stable|stable]], [[The Hart Foundation (tag team)|The Hart Foundation]], which included brother-in-law [[Jim Neidhart]]. Bret began to increasingly team with Neidhart,<ref name="DVD"/> in order to build the promotion's tag team division. The "Hart Foundation" name then became exclusive to Bret, Neidhart and manager Jimmy Hart, due to the similar family names of both team members and their manager.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/h/hart-foundation-original.html|title=Hart Foundation Profile|access-date=October 29, 2008|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091230114444/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/h/hart-foundation-original.html|archive-date=December 30, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> Bret's agile, technical style – which earned him the moniker "The Excellence of Execution" (coined by [[Gorilla Monsoon]])<ref name="wwebio"/><ref>''WWE Byte This'' interview (2005)</ref> – created a contrast with his partner Neidhart's strength and brawling skills. During this time, Hart began wearing his signature<ref name="glasses">{{cite web|author=Zeigler, Zack|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/08202007/articles/trevorshat|title=Hats off to Trevor Murdoch|publisher=WWE|date=August 21, 2007|access-date=April 16, 2011}}</ref> [[sunglasses]], initially to conceal his nervousness during [[Promos (professional wrestling)|promos]]. Hart considers his microphone work to have been a weakness throughout his early career.<ref name="DVD"/><ref name="pwtorchbyte"/>

In 1986, Hart began his first singles program with [[Ricky Steamboat]], and in a [[Professional wrestling match types#Singles match|singles match]] originally planned for [[WrestleMania 2]],<ref>{{Harv|Hart|2007|p=191}}</ref> he lost to Steamboat at the [[Boston Garden]] on March 8, 1986, which would be included on Hart's 2005 DVD as one of his all-time favourite matches.<ref name="DVD"/> At WrestleMania 2, Hart instead participated in a [[Professional wrestling battle royal|20-man battle royal]] which was eventually won by [[André the Giant]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/history/wm2/results|title=WrestleMania 2 Official Results|access-date=October 29, 2008|publisher=WWE|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071210055536/http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/history/wm2/results/|archive-date=December 10, 2007}}</ref> He lost to Steamboat again on the July 28, 1986, episode of ''[[WWF Prime Time Wrestling|Prime Time Wrestling]]''.<ref name="prime">{{cite web|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/wwf/wwfprimetime.htm|title=''WWF Prime Time Wrestling'' results|work=Wrestling Information Archive|access-date=September 3, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110104003624/http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/wwf/wwfprimetime.htm|archive-date=January 4, 2011}}</ref> Hart headlined his first televised WWF card when he beat [[Raymond Rougeau|Ray Rougeau]], of [[The Fabulous Rougeaus|The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers]], in the main event of the November 3, 1986, episode of ''Prime Time Wrestling''.<ref name="prime"/>

The Hart Foundation won their first of two [[World Tag Team Championship (WWE, 1971–2010)|WWF Tag Team Championship]] on the February 7, 1987, episode of ''Superstars of Wrestling'' when they defeated [[The British Bulldogs]]. They then teamed with [[Daniel Briley|Danny Davis]] to face The British Bulldogs and [[Tito Santana]] at [[WrestleMania III]]. They won the match when Davis pinned [[Davey Boy Smith]] after hitting him with Jimmy Hart's megaphone.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/worldtagteam/30445413212221|title=History of the World Tag Team Championship – Hart Foundation(1)|access-date=December 20, 2007|publisher=WWE|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051129090811/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/worldtagteam/30445413212221|archive-date=November 29, 2005}}</ref>

The Hart Foundation adopted the nickname, "The Pink and Black Attack", which Hart continued to use after the [[tag team]]'s disbandment. This was in reference to the team's ring attire, as well as Hart's signature mirrored sunglasses, which he would routinely give away to a young audience member before matches, following his [[Face (professional wrestling)|face]] [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Turn|turn]] in 1988.<ref name="glasses"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/12282009/|title=''Raw'' results, December 28, 2009|work=[[WWE]]|first=Greg|last=Adkins|access-date=February 1, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109114326/http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/12282009/|archive-date=January 9, 2010}}</ref> As Hart's WWF career progressed, he 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 (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 (1997)|Survivor Series]] event in 1997, which culminated in the [[Montreal Screwjob]].<ref name="brethartonflair">{{cite web|author=Hart, Bret|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/columns/news/brethartonflair.html|title=Bret "Hitman" Hart Responds to Ric Flair's Book|quote=When I boast about being the best there is, it is because of three reasons...|publisher=Calgary Sun}}</ref>

[[File:Bret Hart entrance.jpg|thumb|left|For his entrances, Hart often wore a leather jacket with shoulder tassels (epaulets), Mylar wrap-around (originally silver, later pink) sunglasses and bright pink attire<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.complex.com/style/2011/08/the-50-greatest-wrestling-costumes-of-all-time/49 |title = The 50 Greatest Wrestling Costumes of All TimeBret Hart/The Hart Foundation|website = [[Complex Networks]]}}</ref>]]
The Hart Foundation lost the WWF Tag Team Championship titles to [[Strike Force (professional wrestling)|Strike Force]] on the October 27 episode of ''Superstars of Wrestling''. Hart subsequently competed in his most high-profile singles contest to date on the November 28, 1987, episode of ''[[Saturday Night's Main Event XIII]]'', when he faced [["Macho Man" Randy Savage]] in a losing effort.<ref>''The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event''. [[WWE Home Video]]. 2009.</ref> He began 1988 with a decisive victory over [[Paul Roma]] of [[The Young Stallions]] (who had scored an upset victory over The Hart Foundation the previous year)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/87.htm|title=WWF Show Results 1987|access-date=April 7, 2007|author=Graham Cawthon|quote=Roma & Jim Powers defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart (w/ Jimmy Hart) via disqualification when the champions illegally double-teamed the challengers}}</ref> on the January 11 episode of ''Prime Time Wrestling'',<ref name="prime"/> and, at the [[Royal Rumble (1988)|Royal Rumble]] in January 1988, was the first entrant in the inaugural [[Royal Rumble#Match|Royal Rumble match]]. He lasted 25 minutes and 42 seconds before being eliminated by [[Don Muraco]].

Entered into another battle royal at [[WrestleMania IV]], Hart was again one of the final two combatants as he was enlisted by former frequent Stampede opponent [[Allen Coage|Bad News Brown]] to eliminate [[Junkyard Dog]] before Brown turned on Hart, eliminating him to win the event. This turned Hart back into a [[Face (professional wrestling)|fan favourite]] and triggered a feud between the two. Neidhart soon came to Hart's side in the feud, but manager Jimmy Hart discouraged the feud, leading to a fallout between the team and manager. This led to matches pitting Hart against Davis and also his first singles championship opportunity, in which he challenged [[The Honky Tonk Man]] for the [[WWE Intercontinental Championship|WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship]] in the main event of the July 18 episode of ''Prime Time Wrestling'', with the match ending in a double countout.<ref name="prime"/> As relations between the Harts and their former mentor further deteriorated, Jimmy Hart assisted tag team champions [[Demolition (professional wrestling)|Demolition]] in a successful defence of their belts against the Harts at [[SummerSlam (1988)|SummerSlam]] in August 1988, before enlisting old enemies The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers, who had recently turned heel, to resume their feud with the Harts.

At the [[Royal Rumble (1989)|Royal Rumble]] in January 1989, The Hart Foundation teamed with [[Jim Duggan]] to defeat the Rougeaus and Dino Bravo. They also defeated [[Greg Valentine]] and [[The Honky Tonk Man]], who were also managed by Jimmy Hart, at [[WrestleMania V]]. At an event in [[Milan]] on April 8, 1989, broadcast live on [[Tele2|Tele+2]], André the Giant requested to work a singles match with Hart, who lost the match, which was later released on his 2013 DVD set, ''The Dungeon Collection'', but considered André's praise and encouragement after the match to be of key importance in his singles career.<ref>{{Harv|Hart|2007|pp=232–233}}</ref> He wrestled his first pay-per-view singles match on October 10, losing to [[Dino Bravo]] in the first British WWF pay-per-view, which was held at the [[London Arena]] and broadcast on [[Sky (UK and Ireland)|Sky Television]]<ref>[http://thetvdb.com/?tab=episode&seriesid=70353&seasonid=117&id=3946&lid=7 WWF UK PPV (London Arena)]. TheTVDB.com. Retrieved June 18, 2011.</ref> (Hart was in fact booked to win the match, but incurred a broken [[sternum]], causing an unplanned countout loss).<ref name="DVD"/>

At [[SummerSlam (1989)|SummerSlam]] in August 1989, The Hart Foundation lost a non-title match against then WWF Tag Team Champions The [[Brain Busters]]. In the first televised contest of a rivalry that would span Hart's WWF and WCW careers, he lost to [[Curt Hennig|Mr. Perfect]] on the November 6, 1989, episode of ''Prime Time Wrestling'', when Perfect pulled Hart's tights during a roll-up.<ref>''[[WWF Prime Time Wrestling|Prime Time Wrestling]]''. [[USA Network]]. November 6, 1989.</ref> In their first ever singles meeting, [[Shawn Michaels]] and Hart wrestled to a double countout on the February 11, 1990, episode of the ''Wrestling Challenge''.<ref name="wweclassics">{{cite web|url=http://www2.wwe.com/subscriptions/wweclassics/hof/brethart/|title=Bret Hart|work=WWE Classics|publisher=WWE|archive-date=February 8, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100208224617/http://www.wwe.com/subscriptions/wweclassics/hof/brethart/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

After participating at the [[Royal Rumble (1990)|Royal Rumble]] in January 1990, The Hart Foundation defeated [[The Bolsheviks]] in 19 seconds at [[WrestleMania VI]] and began feuding with [[Demolition (professional wrestling)|Demolition]], who had just won the WWF Tag Team Championship against [[The Colossal Connection]] at WrestleMania VI. At [[SummerSlam (1990)|SummerSlam]] in 1990, The Hart Foundation began their second, and final, WWF Tag Team Championship reign by defeating Demolition members [[Brian Adams (wrestler)|Crush]] and [[Barry Darsow|Smash]] in a [[Professional wrestling match types|two out of three falls match]] with some help from [[The Road Warriors|Legion of Doom]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/history/1990/results/|title=SummerSlam 1990 official results|access-date=October 29, 2008|publisher=WWE|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908212016/http://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/history/1990/results/|archive-date=September 8, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/worldtagteam/304454132161|title=History of the World Tag Team Championship – Hart Foundation(2)|date=December 30, 2007|publisher=WWE|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051127182005/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/worldtagteam/304454132161|archive-date=November 27, 2005}}</ref> 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]] reversed the decision and the win was never acknowledged on television. The Hart Foundation's reign lasted until [[WrestleMania VII]], where they lost to [[The Nasty Boys]], after which the team split.<ref name="worldtagteam">{{cite web|url=https://www.wwe.com/titlehistory/world-tag-team-championship|title=World Tag Team Championship|website=WWE}}</ref>

==== Intercontinental Champion (1991–1992) ====
Hart won his first [[WWE Intercontinental Championship|WWF Intercontinental Championship]] by defeating Mr. Perfect with the [[Sharpshooter (professional wrestling)|Sharpshooter]] at [[SummerSlam (1991)|SummerSlam]] in 1991,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/1991/results|title=SummerSlam 1991 official results|publisher=WWE|access-date=December 23, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/intercontinental/322440|title=History of the Intercontinental Championship(1)|access-date=December 30, 2007|publisher=WWE|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070423141755/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/intercontinental/322440|archive-date=April 23, 2007}}</ref> and subsequently won the [[King of the Ring (1991)|1991]] [[King of the Ring tournament]] on September 7, 1991, at the [[Providence Civic Center]] in [[Providence, Rhode Island]]. Hart's first pay-per-view title defense occurred at [[This Tuesday in Texas]], where he beat the undefeated [[Steve Keirn|Skinner]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/miscppvs1990s.html#tuesday|title=WWF This Tuesday in Texas results/info|publisher=Pro Wrestling History|access-date=October 18, 2009}}</ref>

In January 1992, Hart was placed in a feud with Jacques Rougeau, who by now was wrestling as "The Mountie" and using the gimmick of a power-hungry, corrupt member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. This feud, the first for Hart and Rougeau as singles competitors, came about when the Mountie's manager, Jimmy Hart, threw water on Hart, and The Mountie proceeded to shock Hart with a [[cattle prod]]. On January 17, 1992, Hart dropped the Intercontinental Championship to The Mountie. Following the loss, [[Roddy Piper]] defeated Mountie with a sleeper hold two days later at the [[Royal Rumble (1992)|1992 Royal Rumble]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/history/19881152/results|title=Official 1992 Royal Rumble results|publisher=WWE|access-date=December 23, 2012}}</ref> and Bret later pinned Piper for his second Intercontinental Championship at [[WrestleMania VIII]] later that year,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/8/results|title=WrestleMania VIII official results|publisher=WWE|access-date=December 23, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/intercontinental/322452|title=History of the Intercontinental Championship – Bret Hart(2)|access-date=December 30, 2007|publisher=WWE|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051125065535/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/intercontinental/322452|archive-date=November 25, 2005}}</ref> making him the first wrestler in the WWF – and one of few wrestlers ever – to pin Piper's shoulders to the mat.<ref name="DVD"/> At a ''[[WWF Wrestling Challenge|Wrestling Challenge]]'' taping on July 21, 1992, Hart defeated [[Shawn Michaels]], with the Intercontinental Championship belt suspended above the ring, in the WWF's first ever [[ladder match]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/92.htm|title=WWF @ Portland, ME – Civic Center|date=July 21, 1992|publisher=The History of WWE|access-date=May 30, 2011}}</ref> Hart dropped the Intercontinental Championship to his brother-in-law, [[Davey Boy Smith]], in Hart's first WWF pay-per-view main event at [[SummerSlam (1992)|SummerSlam]] in August 1992, held before over 80,000 fans at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/history/1992/results|title=SummerSlam 1992 results|publisher=WWE|access-date=December 23, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060523084527/http://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/history/1992/results|archive-date=May 23, 2006}}</ref> ''[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated]]'' readers voted it the "Match of the Year",<ref name=MOTY/> and WWE named the match as the greatest in the history of SummerSlam.<ref>{{cite web|title=Brother, can you spare some gold?|last=Dee|first=Louie|date=September 1, 2007|access-date=August 1, 2008|publisher=WWE|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/listthis/greatestsslammoments/greatestsslammoments1}}</ref> Upon induction into the [[WWE Hall of Fame]] [[WWE Hall of Fame (2006)|class of 2006]], Hart cited the contest as his favourite match of his career.<ref>Bret Hart's induction speech. [[WWE Hall of Fame]]. 2006. "That was my favourite match that I ever had, and I'm happy to tell you that".</ref>

==== WWF Champion (1992–1996) ====
[[File:WWF Champion Bret Hart in jacket.jpg|thumb|Hart with his [[WWE Championship|WWF Championship]] belt underneath his jacket]]
Hart won the [[WWE Championship|WWF Championship]] from [[Ric Flair]] at a ''[[WWF Superstars of Wrestling|Superstars]]'' taping at [[SaskTel Centre|Saskatchewan Place]] in [[Saskatoon]], Saskatchewan on October 12 of that year, in a match not originally broadcast on WWF television<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/304454135|title=History of the WWE Championship: Bret Hart(1)|access-date=December 30, 2007|publisher=WWE|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051231061522/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/304454135|archive-date=December 31, 2005}}</ref> – the match was instead made available on a series of Coliseum/WWE Home Video releases.<ref>[http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/92.htm WWF @ Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – Saskatchewan Center – October 12, 1992]. The History of WWE. Retrieved May 30, 2011.</ref> Hart dislocated one of the fingers on his left hand during the match and popped it back in himself so it would not affect the rest of the match.<ref name="DVD"/> He made successful title defenses against [[Kamala (wrestler)|Kamala]], [[John Nord|The Berzerker]] and [[Charles Wright (wrestler)|Papa Shango]]. He would headline his first pay-per-view as champion with a successful title defense against Shawn Michaels at the [[Survivor Series (1992)|1992 Survivor Series]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/history/1992/mainevent|title=Survivor Series 1992 main event|publisher=WWE}}</ref> and defeated [[Scott Hall (wrestler)|Razor Ramon]] at the [[Royal Rumble (1993)|1993 Royal Rumble]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/history/19881161/results|title=Royal Rumble 1993 official results|publisher=WWE}}</ref> He would also defend the title against contenders such as Papa Shango<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/snme/history/1985to1992/nov081992|title=Saturday Night's Main Event XXXI official results|publisher=WWE}}</ref> and former champion Ric Flair<ref name="wwebio"/> before losing the title to [[Yokozuna (wrestler)|Yokozuna]] in his first WrestleMania main event at [[WrestleMania IX]], after interference from [[Mr. Fuji]]. 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/9/results|title=WrestleMania 9 results|publisher=WWE|access-date=December 23, 2012}}</ref> In June, Hart won the first [[pay-per-view]] [[King of the Ring (1993)|King of the Ring]] tournament, defeating Razor Ramon, Mr. Perfect, and [[Bam Bam Bigelow]], thus becoming the only two-time King of the Ring.<ref name="titlehistory"/> According to Hart, he was scheduled to regain the WWF Championship from Hulk Hogan at [[SummerSlam (1993)|SummerSlam]], but Hogan chose to drop the title to Yokozuna instead at King of the Ring.<ref>{{cite episode|series=Off the Record|title=Off The Record|network=[[The Sports Network|TSN]]|airdate=2003}}</ref> Hart instead entered a feud with [[Jerry Lawler|Jerry "The King" Lawler]], who interrupted Hart's coronation, claimed he was the only king, attacked Hart and began a barrage against Hart and his family. The two met at SummerSlam in 1993, to determine the "Undisputed King of the World Wrestling Federation".<ref>{{cite video|title=SummerSlam 1993|medium=VHS|publisher=[[WWE Home Video|Coliseum Video]]|year=1993}}</ref> Hart originally won the match by submission, via the Sharpshooter, but as he would not let go of the hold, the decision was reversed to a Lawler victory by disqualification.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/1993/results|title=SummerSlam 1993 official results|publisher=WWE|access-date=December 23, 2012}}</ref> Hart and his younger brother, [[Owen Hart]], would also feud with Lawler during 1993 in the [[United States Wrestling Association]] (USWA), with Lawler notably defeating Owen for Owen's [[USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/j/jerry-lawler.html|title=Online World of Wrestling|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|access-date=January 15, 2011}}</ref> Hart's feud with Lawler was named "[[List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards|Feud of the Year]]" by ''[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]'', and voted "[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated awards|Feud of the Year]]" by readers of ''[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated]]''.<ref name=PWIfeud/>

After months of dealing with Lawler, Hart received a [[WrestleMania IX]] rematch with WWF Champion Yokozuna on the November 20 episode of ''[[WWF Superstars of Wrestling|WWF Superstars]]''. When Bret appeared to have the match won, with Yokozuna locked in the sharpshooter, Owen came to ringside to congratulate his brother. The referee began questioning Owen's motives, which allowed Fuji to assault Bret. Owen then involved himself in the match, resulting in a victory for Yokozuna via disqualification. On the [[House show|non-televised]] but now-[[Canon (fiction)|canon]] November 22 episode of ''Monday Night Raw'', Hart again challenged Yokozuna for the WWF Championship, and again failed to regain the championship due to similar involvement from Owen.{{Citation needed|date=May 2018}} The brothers' disagreements set the wheels in motion for a family feud that would span the entirety of 1994.<ref>''[[WWF Superstars of Wrestling|WWF Superstars]]''. [[USA Network]]. November 20, 1993.</ref> At [[Survivor Series (1993)|Survivor Series]], the Harts (Bret, Owen, [[Bruce Hart (wrestler)|Bruce]], and [[Keith Hart (wrestler)|Keith]]) took on Shawn Michaels (a substitution for Lawler, who was facing legal troubles)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/lawler.html|title=SLAM Bio: Jerry Lawler|publisher=SLAM! Sports|access-date=October 8, 2007|date=February 5, 2005|archive-date=July 14, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714192415/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/lawler.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref> and his knights. The Harts won the match, with all of the brothers surviving except for Owen, the only Hart family member eliminated when he was rolled up by Michaels after inadvertently knocking Bret off the apron.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/history/1993/results|title=Survivor Series 1993 official results|publisher=WWE}}</ref> Bitter about his elimination, Owen blamed Bret for this 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. Bret was voted "WWF Superstar of the Year" 1993 by fans,<ref name="soty">{{cite episode|series=WWF Television|title=[[WWE Raw|WWF Monday Night Raw]]|network=[[USA Network]]|airdate=November 29, 1993}}</ref> as well as the [[PWI 500|greatest wrestler]] of the year by ''[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated]]'' readers.<ref name="pwi#1"/>

[[File:Bret & Owen Hart Wrestling.jpg|thumb|left|Bret's rivalry with his brother [[Owen Hart|Owen]] won them ''[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated]]''{{'s}} Feud of the Year award and featured a highly rated steel cage match at [[SummerSlam (1994)|SummerSlam]]]]
At the [[Royal Rumble (1994)|Royal Rumble]] in January, Bret and Owen took on [[The Quebecers]] ([[Jacques Rougeau|Jacques]] and [[Carl Ouellet|Pierre]]) for the WWF [[Tag team|Tag Team]] Championship. [[Referee (professional wrestling)|Referee]] [[Tim White (wrestling)|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pwwew.net/ppv/wwf/january/1994.htm|title=Royal Rumble 1994 results|publisher=pwwew.com}}</ref> 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]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/history/198811421/mainevent|title=Royal Rumble 1994 main event|publisher=WWE}}</ref> Luger won the chance to face Yokozuna first, with Hart having to wrestle his brother Owen, before receiving his title shot. Hart lost his match against Owen<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/listthis/ruggedroadstomania/roadstomania7|title=Most Rugged Roads To WrestleMania (1994)|access-date=October 12, 2007|publisher=WWE}}</ref> but went on to defeat Yokozuna for his second WWF Championship.<ref name="wmx">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/10/results|title=WrestleMania X results|publisher=WWE|access-date=December 23, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/304454127 |title=History of the WWE Championship: Bret Hart(2) |access-date=December 30, 2007 |publisher=WWE |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080105083457/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/304454127 |archive-date=January 5, 2008 }}</ref>

Hart continued to feud with his brother Owen while he also started feuding with [[Kevin Nash|Diesel]]. Hart's friend and former tag team partner Jim Neidhart returned to the WWF and reunited with Hart. At [[King of the Ring (1994)|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 [[Release powerbomb|Jackknife Powerbomb]] yet before he could pin Hart, Neidhart interfered, therefore 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pwwew.net/ppv/wwf/june/1994.htm|title=King of the Ring 1994 results|publisher=pwwew.net}}</ref> At [[SummerSlam (1994)|SummerSlam]], Hart successfully retained the WWF Championship against Owen in a [[Steel Cage match|steel cage match]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/1994/results|title=SummerSlam 1994 results|publisher=WWE|access-date=December 23, 2012}}</ref> This match received a five-star rating from [[Dave Meltzer]] of ''[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]'', and the brothers' feud was voted "[[PWI Feud of the Year|Feud of the Year]]" by readers of ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated''.<ref name=PWIfeud/>

Hart eventually lost his WWF Championship at [[Survivor Series (1994)|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/304454125|title=History of the WWE Championship – Bob Backlund(2)|publisher=WWE|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050717025736/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/304454125|archive-date=July 17, 2005}}</ref> Bret's feud with Backlund would continue into the following year. He was voted the greatest wrestler of 1994 by ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' readers, winning the vote for the second straight year.<ref name="pwi94">{{cite web|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi50094.htm|access-date=June 30, 2008|title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated Top 500 – 1994|publisher=Wrestling Information Archive|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522005445/http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi50094.htm|archive-date=May 22, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Bret Hart in 1995.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Hart in 1995]]
Three days after Hart's title loss, Diesel defeated Backlund in eight seconds with a jackknife powerbomb to become the new WWF Champion. By 1995, Hart was focusing on projects outside the business, such as acting, and shifted to the number two face in the company, behind Diesel.<ref>''Greatest Rivalries: Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart''. [[WWE Home Video]]. 2011.</ref> Hart challenged for Diesel's WWF Championship at the 1995 [[Royal Rumble (1995)|Royal Rumble]], in a match that was continually marred by outside interference and ruled a draw. Both men embraced in a display of sportsmanship after the match. In a rematch from Survivor Series, Hart defeated [[Bob Backlund]] in an [["I Quit" match]] at [[WrestleMania XI]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/11/results|title=WrestleMania XI results|publisher=WWE|access-date=December 23, 2012}}</ref> Hart was critical with the match against Backlund, claiming it was "probably my worst pay-per-view match I ever had".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/bret-hart-steve-austin-talk-wrestlemania-13-match/ | title=411Mania}}</ref> Hart would be the focal point of the first event in the [[In Your House]] pay-per-view series, competing in two matches at [[In Your House 1]]. He defeated [[Jinsei Shinzaki|Hakushi]] in the first match of the in Your House series. Hart's acclaimed feud with Jerry Lawler was reignited at the event when Lawler defeated Hart due to Hakushi's (now Lawler's protégé) interference.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=The History of WWE|editor=Graham Cawthon|first1=Scott|last1=Criscuolo|first2=Justin|last2=Rozzero|title=In Your House #1|url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/IYH1review.htm|access-date=February 3, 2016|date=May 22, 2007|archive-date=May 29, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529000540/http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/IYH1review.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> Hart beat Lawler in a "Kiss My Foot" match at [[King of the Ring (1995)|King of the Ring]], and defeated Lawler's [[kayfabe]] dentist, [[Kane (wrestler)|Isaac Yankem]], by disqualification at [[SummerSlam (1995)|SummerSlam 1995]].<ref>{{cite web|title=SummerSlam 1995 Results|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/1995/results|publisher=WWE|access-date=February 3, 2016}}</ref> Their King of the Ring match ended with Hart shoving his foot into Lawler's mouth, then forcing Lawler to kiss his own foot.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110524211708/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/wweppv/kingofthering95/ King of the Ring 1995]. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved May 17, 2011.</ref> Although Hart was victorious in their in-ring feud, Lawler remained strongly opposed to Hart as a commentator, and would routinely encourage Hart's opponents during matches; it would not be until [[Over the Limit (2011)|Over the Limit]], sixteen years later, that both men would finally bury the hatchet. After disposing of Lawler, Hart engaged in a three-month feud with [[Carl Ouellet|Jean-Pierre Lafitte]], who would be stealing the mirrored sunglasses from fans at ringside and his trademark leather jacket. At [[In Your House 3]], Hart defeated Lafitte, to end the feud. Hart shifted his focus back to the WWF Championship, defeating Diesel in a [[Professional wrestling match types#No Holds Barred match|no disqualification match]] at [[Survivor Series (1995)|Survivor Series]] to commence his third reign.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/history/1995/mainevent|title=Survivor Series 1995 main event|publisher=WWE}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/304454121|title=History of the WWE Championship – Bret Hart(3)|access-date=December 30, 2007|publisher=WWE|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050717022714/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/304454121|archive-date=July 17, 2005}}</ref>

In a rematch from their SummerSlam 1992 encounter, Hart successfully defended his title against the now [[Heel (professional wrestling)|heel]] Davey Boy Smith at [[In Your House 5: Seasons Beatings]]. He lost to [[The Undertaker]] by disqualification at the [[Royal Rumble (1996)|1996 Royal Rumble]] when Diesel interfered, ultimately retaining the WWF Championship, and defeated The Undertaker by disqualification in a rematch on the February 5 episode of ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'', again due to Diesel's interference.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080607173217/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/_1996/ ''Raw'' results: February 5, 1996.]. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved February 9, 2011.</ref> Hart retained his title once again against Diesel in a steel cage match at [[In Your House 6]], and defeated [[Triple H|Hunter Hearst Helmsley]], who was undefeated on ''Raw'', on the March 4 episode of the show.<ref>[http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/_1996/ ''Raw'' results: March 4, 1996.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110106083518/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/_1996/ |date=January 6, 2011 }}. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved February 9, 2011.</ref> WWF Commissioner Rowdy Roddy Piper ruled that Hart would face Shawn Michaels, who had earned a WWF Championship match at [[WrestleMania XII]] by winning the Royal Rumble,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/history/198811412/mainevent|title=1996 Royal Rumble match|publisher=WWE}}</ref> in a 60-minute [[Iron Man match]] at the event. The wrestler with the most decisions during the 60 minutes would win the match and the WWF Championship.

At WrestleMania, 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. Michaels did not submit in the last 30 seconds, so the match ended in a tie. WWF President [[Gorilla Monsoon]] ruled that the match would continue in [[Sudden death (sport)|sudden death]] overtime. Michaels hit a superkick to win the championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/12/mainevent|title=WrestleMania XII main event|publisher=WWE|access-date=December 23, 2012}}</ref> ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' readers voted it the "Match of the Year";<ref name=MOTY/> in 2004, WWE fans voted the match as the greatest in the history of WrestleMania.<ref>{{cite episode|series=WWF Television|title=WrestleMania's 10 Greatest matches|credits=[[WWE]] [[Spike (TV channel)|Spike TV]]|airdate=March 9, 2004}}</ref> After WrestleMania, Hart went on a European tour over the next two weeks, coming out victorious against [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]] and Hunter Hearst Helmsley. The tour ended on April 22, and after this he took his hiatus from television. His final televised appearance was an interview taped while on the European tour in which he described his passion for wrestling was diminished and stated that although there were offers from competing companies, he might be finished with wrestling.

That fall, Hart would indeed receive competing offers of employment from both WWF and [[World Championship Wrestling]] (WCW). WCW presented a 3-year, $9M contract offer to Hart,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/faq/?article=brethart|title=Pro Wrestling FAQ |website=Wrestleview.com}}</ref> while the World Wrestling Federation responded with an unprecedented 20-year contract. Finishing up his original WWF deal, Hart returned to action on a tour of South Africa on September 8, 1996, defeating Davey Boy Smith in Durban.<ref name="thehistoryofwwe.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/96.htm |title=The History of WWE : 1996|website=Thehistoryofwwe.com|access-date=March 1, 2022}}</ref> On October 21, Hart elected to re-sign with the World Wrestling Federation.<ref>''Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows'' (1998)</ref> He was inducted into the [[Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame|''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' Hall of Fame]] [[Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame#Inductees|Class of 1996]].

==== Feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin (1996–1997) ====
{{main|The Hart Foundation#The Hart Foundation (1997 incarnation)|l1=Hart Foundation reunion}}
[[File:WWE - Birmingham 210695 (24).jpeg|thumb|left|Hart posing for the crowd with his arms open]]
Over the summer, [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]], who was fresh from winning the [[King of the Ring (1996)|1996 King of the Ring]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pwwew.net/ppv/wwf/june/1996.htm|title=King of the Ring 1996|publisher=pwwew.net}}</ref> continually taunted Hart and challenged him to come back and have a match. After an eight-month hiatus from television, Hart returned and defeated Austin at [[Survivor Series (1996)|Survivor Series]] in a match for the number one contender spot to the WWF Championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/history/1996/results|title=Survivor Series 1996 official results|publisher=WWE}}</ref> Hart challenged champion [[Sid Vicious (wrestler)|Sycho Sid]] at the following month's [[In Your House 12: It's Time]]; Shawn Michaels, who was serving as a guest commentator at ringside, accidentally cost Hart the victory when he attempted to become involved in the match after being assaulted by Sid. The building tension between Hart and Michaels climaxed after the match when Hart assaulted Michaels. Hart's feud with Austin escalated at the [[Royal Rumble (1997)|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 Royal Rumble match, while the referees were distracted by [[Mick Foley|Mankind]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/history/1988114111/results|title=1997 Royal Rumble results|publisher=WWE|access-date=December 23, 2012}}</ref> Hart quit the WWF the next night on ''Raw'' in protest. In order to deal with this controversy, a [[Professional wrestling match types#Basic elimination matches|Fatal Four-Way]] between Austin and the participants he eliminated after re-entering the ring ([[Big Van Vader|Vader]], [[The Undertaker]], and Hart) was set up for [[In Your House 13: Final Four]], with the winner becoming the number one contender. After then-champion Shawn Michaels relinquished the belt, though, the match officially became for the WWF Championship. Hart defeated Austin, Vader, and The Undertaker in the Fatal Four-Way.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pwwew.net/ppv/wwf/february/1997.htm|title=In Your House XIII|publisher=pwwew.net}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/304454113|title=History of the WWE Championship – Bret Hart(4)|access-date=December 30, 2007|publisher=WWE|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050719012851/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/304454113|archive-date=July 19, 2005}}</ref> Austin ensured Hart's fourth reign was short-lived, costing him a title match against Sid the next night on ''Raw''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1997/raw021797|title=WWF Raw: February 17, 1997|date=February 17, 1997|publisher=The Other Arena|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080601030026/http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1997%2Fraw021797|archive-date=June 1, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> Hart challenged for Sid's WWF Championship in a steel cage match shortly before [[WrestleMania 13]], which saw Austin actually attempt to help Hart win, in order to make their scheduled match at WrestleMania 13 a title match. Concurrently, The Undertaker, who had a scheduled title match with Sid at WrestleMania, attempted to help Sid win. Sid ultimately retained, leading to a pure grudge match for Hart and Austin.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1997/raw031797|title=WWF Raw: March 17, 1997|date=March 17, 1997|publisher=The Other Arena|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080601030031/http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1997%2Fraw031797|archive-date=June 1, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> Following his loss to Sid, Hart shoved [[Vince McMahon]] to the ground when he attempted to conduct a post-match interview, and engaged in a [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#worked shoot|worked shoot]], [[Profanity|expletive]]-laden rant against McMahon and WWF management. This incident has been cited as one which helped lay the foundations of the WWF's [[Attitude Era]], as well as the starting point of McMahon's on-air character, the tyrannical WWF owner "Mr. McMahon".<ref>{{cite video|year=2006|title=McMahon|medium=DVD|publisher=WWE}}</ref>

At WrestleMania 13, Hart and Austin had their rematch in a [[Professional wrestling match types#Variations of singles matches|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, thus turning heel for the first time since 1988.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/13/results|title=WrestleMania 13 official results|publisher=WWE|access-date=December 23, 2012}}</ref> It was named "[[List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards#Match of the Year|Match of the Year]]" by ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' and voted "[[PWI Match of the Year|Match of the Year]]" by ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' readers.<ref name=MOTY/> Later that night, Hart confronted Sycho Sid and The Undertaker prior to their match for the WWF Championship; Hart insulted Undertaker and told Shawn Michaels (who was a guest commentator for the match) not to interfere. Undertaker won the match, which ended with Hart hot shotting Sid on the ropes, therefore costing him the title.

Hart challenged [[Dwayne Johnson|Rocky Maivia]] for the Intercontinental Championship in the main event of the March 31 episode of ''Raw''. [[Dwayne Johnson|Rocky Maivia]] won by disqualification when Hart refused to release a figure-four leglock applied around the ring post. He faced Austin again in the main event of [[In Your House 14: Revenge of the 'Taker]], to determine who would challenge the WWF Champion Undertaker in a title match at the following month's [[In Your House 15: A Cold Day in Hell]]. Austin had Hart locked in his own finishing move, the [[Sharpshooter (professional wrestling)|Sharpshooter]], in the middle of the ring when [[Davey Boy Smith|The British Bulldog]] interfered on Hart's behalf, resulting in disqualification and giving Austin the victory and title match. They met once again in a street fight on the April 21 episode of ''Raw Is War'', in which Austin injured Hart's ankle with a steel chair. The match was ruled a no-contest and Austin afterward continued to beat Hart while on a stretcher in the back of an ambulance.

[[File:Bret Canada t-shirt.jpg|thumb|upright|In 1997, Hart became a tweener: generally cheered for by Canadian and international fans, and booed by American fans, while remaining largely consistent in character]]
In the ensuing weeks, 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 [[The Hart Foundation#The Hart Foundation (1997 incarnation)|new Hart Foundation]] with [[Brian Pillman]]; this incarnation was an [[Anti-Americanism|anti-American]] [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Stable|stable]] which was popular within Canada and Europe. As the leader of this stable, Hart routinely carried a [[Flag of Canada|Canadian flag]] to the ring and engaged in promos where he declared the superiority of his home nation; he became so despised by U.S. audiences that they would often throw debris during his ring entrances, interviews, and matches.<ref name="DVD"/> He was voted by ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' readers as the "[[PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the Year|Most Hated Wrestler of the Year]]" in 1997.<ref name="pwihated"/> At [[In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede]], in Hart's home town of Calgary, the Hart Foundation defeated the team of Stone Cold Steve Austin, Ken Shamrock, [[Goldust]], and [[The Road Warriors|The Legion of Doom]], representing the United States, in a ten-man tag team match main event.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hoffco-inc.com/wwe/ppv/ppv/iyh16.html|title=WWF in Your House 16: "Canadian Stampede"|access-date=February 9, 2011|work=CompleteWWE.com|archive-date=February 29, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229161059/http://www.hoffco-inc.com/wwe/ppv/ppv/iyh16.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Canada vs. U.S. rivalry escalated on the July 21 episode of ''Raw Is War'' in [[Halifax Regional Municipality|Halifax, Nova Scotia]], where Bret, Owen, and Davey Boy Smith, representing Canada and the Hart Foundation, defeated the team of [[Mick Foley|Dude Love]], Austin, and The Undertaker, representing the U.S., in a [[Professional wrestling match types#Flag match|Flag match]].<ref name="1997rawresults">[https://web.archive.org/web/20080607173222/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/raw/_1997/ ''Raw'' results, 1997]. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved February 9, 2011.</ref> The Hart Foundation's feud with Austin was named "[[List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards#Feud of the Year|Feud of the Year]]" by ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' and voted "[[PWI Feud of the Year|Feud of the Year]]" by readers of ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated''.<ref name=PWIfeud/> Hart vowed that if he could not defeat The Undertaker for the WWF Championship at [[SummerSlam (1997)|SummerSlam]], he would never wrestle in the United States again. The Undertaker agreed to the match, and Hart won his fifth and last WWF Championship after spitting in [[Special guest referee|guest referee]] Shawn Michaels' face; Michaels swung a steel chair in retaliation, which accidentally struck the Undertaker. Michaels, who, as part of another pre-match stipulation, would be banned from wrestling in the United States if he did not remain impartial as referee, had no option but to count the pinfall, giving his rival Hart the victory.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/1997/mainevent|title=SummerSlam 1997 main event|publisher=WWE|access-date=December 23, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/30445417|title=History of the WWE Championship: Bret Hart(5)|access-date=December 30, 2007|publisher=WWE|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051129204514/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wwechampionship/30445417|archive-date=November 29, 2005}}</ref>

After SummerSlam, Michaels was pushed as the top heel in the company and negative fan reactions toward Hart in the United States softened somewhat, as he declared: "I'm not so much anti-American as I am just very, very pro-Canadian."<ref name="DVD"/> In real life, Hart did not like the new Attitude Era, instead preferring traditional values. This was used as part of his character, as Hart would insult the U.S. fans because of the success of the Attitude Era.<ref name="MondayNightWars01-6">{{cite AV media|title=Monday Night War S01 E06: The Hart of War|publisher=WWE}}</ref> Hart successfully defended his title against [[The Patriot (wrestler)|The Patriot]], with whom Hart had become involved in a feud as part of the Canada vs. U.S. storyline, at [[Ground Zero: In Your House]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/miscppvs1990s.html#17|title=WWF Ground Zero: In Your House info/results|publisher=Pro Wrestling History|access-date=February 9, 2011}}</ref> avenging a loss to him on the July 28 ''Raw''.<ref name="1997rawresults"/> The Canada vs. U.S. feud would conclude at [[Badd Blood: In Your House]], where Hart and Davey Boy Smith, representing Canada and The Hart Foundation, defeated The Patriot and Vader, representing the U.S., in a Flag match.<ref>[http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/badd.html WWF Badd Blood Results]. prowrestlinghistory.com. Retrieved February 9, 2011.</ref> Erstwhile, in a rematch from SummerSlam, The Undertaker challenged Hart for the WWF Championship at [[WWF One Night Only|One Night Only]]; after reversing a Tombstone Piledriver attempt from Hart, The Undertaker dumped Hart on the apron when he would not let go of the ropes. As a result, Hart's neck was caught in the ropes, and The Undertaker was disqualified.<ref>{{cite web|title=One Night Only|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/wwfuk.html#onenight|publisher=Pro Wrestling History|access-date=February 9, 2011}}</ref> Hart later cited this as his favourite of all his matches with The Undertaker,<ref name="DVD"/> and his last great match in the WWF.<ref name="slam97"/>

In September 1997, Hart faced [[Terry Funk]] at [[Terry Funk's WrestleFest]] in what was billed as Funk's retirement match.<ref name="Brown">{{cite web|url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/411-video-review-terry-funks-wrestlefest-1997/|title=411 Video Review: Terry Funk's WrestleFest (1997)|website=411Mania.com|last=Brown|first=Sydney|access-date=October 24, 2020|date=September 23, 2002}}</ref>

During the Hart Foundation's feud with the Shawn Michaels-led [[D-Generation X]] (DX), DX framed the Hart Foundation in vandalizing the locker room of the African American stable, [[Nation of Domination]] with racist motifs. In retaliation, during a promo with DX, Hart called members Triple H (previously billed as "Hunter Hearst Helmsley") and Shawn Michaels "[[Homosexuality|homos]]". Hart later apologized for his participation in the storyline and said that he had been pressured into it, saying, "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".<ref name="slam97">{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingBretHart/hart_bret_interview.html|title=SLAM! Wrestling: The Bret Hart Interview|publisher=SLAM! Sports|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121205235437/http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingBretHart/hart_bret_interview.html|archive-date=December 5, 2012}}</ref> Hart successfully defended his title against Nation of Domination leader, [[Ron Simmons|Faarooq]], on the October 20 episode of ''Raw''.<ref name="1997rawresults"/> In his penultimate title defence, Hart wrestled Ken Shamrock to a no-contest on the October 27 episode of ''Raw Is War''; while the referee was knocked out, Shamrock put Hart in an ankle lock; members of the Hart Foundation then attacked Shamrock until Shawn Michaels made the save for Shamrock and attacked Hart.<ref name="1997rawresults"/>

==== The Montreal Screwjob and departure (1997) ====
{{main||Montreal Screwjob|Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows}}
[[File:WWF Champion Bret Hart.jpg|thumb|left|Hart (along with [[Hulk Hogan]]) held the record for most [[WWE Championship|WWF Championship]] reigns until [[Dwayne Johnson|The Rock]]'s sixth reign in 2001]]
Around this time, Hart's on-air rivalry with 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 had signed a 20-year contract back in 1996, the WWF was in a rough financial position by late 1997 and could no longer afford to honour the contract. Although Hart was arguably the biggest wrestler in the world during the mid-1990s,<ref name="darkdays">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/theirdarkdays/|title=Their Dark Days: How can you be so Hart-less?|work=[[WWE]]|first=James|last=Vermillion|access-date=December 7, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091015044627/http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/theirdarkdays/|archive-date=October 15, 2009}}</ref> McMahon also felt that the value of his character was beginning to wane,<ref>''Off The Record'' with Vince McMahon, [[The Sports Network|TSN]], 2–24–98: "...his value was beginning to wane..." (archived{{cite web|url=http://watch.tsn.ca/off-the-record/best-of-otr-vince-mcmahon---02-24-98/ |title=video at tsn.ca |access-date=January 16, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091102140143/http://watch.tsn.ca/off-the-record/best-of-otr-vince-mcmahon---02-24-98/ |archive-date=November 2, 2009 }} )</ref> and he encouraged Hart to approach [[World Championship Wrestling]] (WCW) about a contract, hopefully one similar to their original offer. This was despite Hart's reluctance to leave the WWF and willingness to re-negotiate.<ref name="DVD"/><ref>Jay 1998, [[Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows]]</ref> 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 (1997)|Survivor Series]] in Montreal. Hart did not want to end his WWF career with a loss to Michaels in his home country, particularly with the context of their nationality-fueled feud; he also did not want to lose, forfeit or otherwise give over the belt to Michaels in any other way that McMahon wanted. McMahon agreed to Hart's idea of forfeiting the championship the next night on ''Raw Is War'' or losing it a few weeks later.

Although Hart stated to McMahon that he would not take the WWF Championship with him to WCW television and despite insistence from then-WCW President [[Eric Bischoff]]<ref name="DVD"/> that Hart would join WCW with a "clean slate", McMahon was still concerned and paranoid; 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/history/1997/mainevent|title=Survivor Series 1997 main event (Montreal Screwjob)|publisher=WWE}}</ref> 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 (wrestler)|Pat Patterson]], and McMahon's son [[Shane McMahon|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 ''[[Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows]]'', released in 1998. WWE has described the Montreal Screwjob as "arguably the most controversial, most jarring moment in the annals of sports entertainment".<ref>{{cite web|author=Tello, Craig|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/harttenyearslaterpt1|title=The Hit Man: Ten years later – Part One|publisher=WWE|date=November 8, 2007|access-date=December 11, 2010}}</ref>

Hart's likeness would continue to be featured in WWF media into 1998, including the title video of ''Raw'' (brawling in a ring within a warehouse),<ref>{{Cite episode|title=Title video|series=WWF Raw|series-link=WWE Raw|network=[[USA Network]]|station=USA Networks, Inc|date=January 5, 1998|number=241|minutes=1}}</ref> action figure for Slammers Series 1<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.figurerealm.com/actionfigure?action=actionfigure&id=18770&figure=brethart | title=Bret Hart - WWF (Jakks Pacific) }}</ref> and the ''[[WWF War Zone]]'' video game.<ref>[https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=565&page=19 "Bret Hart: Wrestling Games"]. Cagematch.net. Retrieved May 12, 2018.</ref>

=== World Championship Wrestling (1997-2000) ===

==== United States Heavyweight Champion (1997–1999) ====
Hart's three-year contract with [[World Championship Wrestling]] (WCW) included a salary of $2.5 million per year (a $1 million annual increase from his WWF contract), as well as a light schedule and a measure of [[artistic control|creative control]] over his television character.<ref>''Off The Record''. [[The Sports Network|TSN]]. December 3, 1997.</ref> A day after the WWF's Survivor Series pay-per-view, [[Eric Bischoff]], while with the [[New World Order (professional wrestling)|New World Order]] (nWo), announced that Hart was going to be coming to WCW and joining the nWo. Hart made his debut on ''[[WCW Monday Nitro|Nitro]]'' on December 15, 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1997/nitro121597|title=WCW Nitro: December 15, 1997|date=December 15, 1997|publisher=The Other Arena|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080701013554/http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1997%2Fnitro121597|archive-date=July 1, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was also heavily involved in that month's [[Starrcade (1997)|Starrcade]] pay-per-view. Due to a 60-day no-compete clause from the WWF, he served as the special guest referee for the match between Bischoff and [[Larry Zbyszko]]; during the [[Sting (wrestler)|Sting]] versus [[Hulk Hogan|Hollywood Hogan]] main event for the [[WCW World Heavyweight Championship]], he stepped in toward the conclusion of the match as impromptu referee, declaring Sting the winner and new champion by submission, establishing Hart as a face in the process.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G4aFAwAAQBAJ&q=sting+hogan+bret&pg=PT140|title=Death of WCW, The: 10th Anniversary Edition of the Bestselling Classic – Revised and Expanded|last1=Reynolds|first1=R. D.|last2=Alvarez|first2=Bryan|date=October 1, 2014|publisher=ECW Press|isbn=9781770906426|language=ar}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/starrcad.html#97|title=Starrcade 1997 results|publisher=Pro Wrestling History}}</ref> In January, his no-compete clause expired, and his first feud in WCW was against Ric Flair, as both wrestlers considered themselves the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. Hart defeated Flair at [[Souled Out (1998)|Souled Out]] in his first WCW match.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/nwoppv.html#98|title=Souled Out 1998 results|publisher=Pro Wrestling History}}</ref> After this, Hart elected to defend the honour of WCW against the nWo, defeating members [[Brian Adams (wrestler)|Brian Adams]] in his debut ''Nitro'' match on March 2, and [[Curt Hennig]] at [[Uncensored (1998)|Uncensored]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/uncensor.html#98|title=Uncensored 1998 results|publisher=Pro Wrestling History}}</ref> In April 1998, Hart interfered in a ''Nitro'' main event between Hollywood Hogan and Randy Savage, helping Hogan recapture the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, turning heel in the process. He became an associate of the nWo, but did not officially join the group.

[[File:Bret Hart in 1994 b.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.9|Hart held the [[WWE United States Championship|WCW United States Heavyweight Championship]] [[List of WWE United States Champions|four time]]s from 1998 to 1999 (a record within WCW), and he was seen to raise its prestige, as many WCW events were headlined by a match for that title during the time period in which Hart was associated with it<ref>[http://www.wwe.com/classics/wcw/50-greatest-wcw-stars/page-11 The 50 Greatest Stars in WCW History: Bret Hart]. WWE. Retrieved May 24, 2012.</ref>]]
Hart competed in his second ''Nitro'' match on June 22, defeating [[Chris Benoit]] with assistance from nWo members: Hart had attempted to recruit his long-time friend into the nWo, but the offer was rejected.<ref>[http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/nitro/1998.html ''Nitro'' results: June 22, 1998]. OWOW. Retrieved March 27, 2011.</ref> At [[Bash at the Beach (1998)|Bash at the Beach]], Hart competed in his first championship match in WCW when he faced [[Booker T (wrestler)|Booker T]] for the [[WCW World Television Championship]]. He was disqualified after hitting Booker with a steel chair.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/beach.html#98|title=Bash at the Beach 1998 results|publisher=Pro Wrestling History}}</ref> He headlined his first ''Nitro'' card on July 20, defeating [[Diamond Dallas Page]] for the vacant [[WWE United States Championship|United States Heavyweight Championship]], with assistance from nWo member, [[Big Show|The Giant]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/unitedstates/30445411114|title=History of the United States Championship – Bret Hart(1)|access-date=December 30, 2007|publisher=WWE|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050810020106/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/unitedstates/30445411114|archive-date=August 10, 2005}}</ref> On the August 10 episode of ''Nitro'', Hart lost his title to [[Lex Luger]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1998/nitro081098|title=Monday Nitro – August 10, 1998|date=August 10, 1998|publisher=The Other Arena|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080701013614/http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1998%2Fnitro081098|archive-date=July 1, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> He regained it from Luger the next night on ''[[WCW Thunder|Thunder]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/unitedstates/30445411123|title=History of the United States Championship – Bret Hart(2)|access-date=December 30, 2007|publisher=WWE|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050730021616/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/unitedstates/30445411123|archive-date=July 30, 2005}}</ref> In the main event of [[Fall Brawl (1998)|Fall Brawl]], Hart was defeated in a [[WarGames match]] for the No. 1 contender spot to the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/wcwppv/fallbrawl98.html|title=Online World of Wrestling|publisher=Online World of Wrestling|date=September 13, 1998|access-date=February 21, 2011}}</ref>

Hart subsequently asked the fans for forgiveness, pretending to turn his back on Hogan and the nWo. A match between Hart and Hogan was booked for the September 28 episode of ''Nitro''. During the match, Hart sustained a knee injury, with the bout ending in a no-contest; [[Sting (wrestler)|Sting]] came to Hart's aid and initiated a match with Hogan. Hart turned on Sting, delivering a DDT, and this bout was also ruled a no-contest. Sting, a member of the rival [[New World Order (professional wrestling)|nWo Wolfpac]], was assaulted after the match; this betrayal began an intense feud between Hart and Sting. On the October 12 episode of ''Nitro'', Sting and [[The Ultimate Warrior|The Warrior]] beat Hart and Hogan by disqualification. Hart's feud with Sting ended at [[Halloween Havoc (1998)|Halloween Havoc]] with Hart controversially defending the United States Heavyweight Championship and ([[kayfabe]]) injuring Sting. On the October 26 episode of ''Nitro'', Hart lost the title to Diamond Dallas Page.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1998/nitro102698|title=Monday Nitro – October 26, 1998|date=October 26, 1998|publisher=The Other Arena|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080701013619/http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1998%2Fnitro102698|archive-date=July 1, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> The two headlined the following month's [[World War 3 (1998)|World War 3]] pay-per-view in a title match which Hart lost.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/ww3.html#98|title=World War 3 1998 results|publisher=Pro Wrestling History}}</ref> Hart regained the title from Page on the November 30 episode of ''Nitro'' in a [[Hardcore match|No Disqualification match]] with help from The Giant.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/unitedstates/30445411312|title=History of the United States Championship: Bret Hart(3)|access-date=December 30, 2007|publisher=WWE|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051202093017/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/unitedstates/30445411312|archive-date=December 2, 2005}}</ref>

On the February 8, 1999, episode of ''Nitro'', Hart lost the United States Heavyweight Championship to family friend [[Roddy Piper]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1999/nitro020899|title=Monday Nitro – February 8, 1999|date=February 8, 1999|publisher=The Other Arena|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080701013635/http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1999%2Fnitro020899|archive-date=July 1, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> On the March 29 episode of ''Nitro'' held at [[Toronto]]'s [[Air Canada Centre]], Hart appeared in street clothes and derided WCW World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair, as well as Hogan, for avoiding a match with him. Finally, he called out "franchise player" [[Bill Goldberg|Goldberg]], claiming he could beat him in five minutes and verbally coercing Goldberg into giving him the spear. Hart was wearing a metal [[breastplate]] under his [[Toronto Maple Leafs]] jersey, which resulted in Goldberg being knocked out. Hart then counted his own [[Pin (professional wrestling)|pinfall]] over Goldberg's unconscious body and announced over the mic: "Hey Bischoff, and the WCW, I quit!" In reality, he had sustained a [[groin]] injury at the hands of [[Dean Malenko]] in November and needed time off for surgery.<ref>{{Harv|Hart|2007|pp=478–479}}</ref>

On May 23, 1999, the night before Hart was scheduled to make an appearance on ''[[The Tonight Show with Jay Leno]]'' to hype his imminent WCW return, his brother [[Owen Hart]] died in an accident during a [[Over the Edge (1999)|WWF pay-per-view]]. Hart took a further four months off from WCW to be with his family.

Hart returned to wrestling on the September 13, 1999, episode of ''Nitro'' in a tag team match with [[Hulk Hogan]] against [[Sting (wrestler)|Sting]] and Lex Luger, reestablishing himself as a face in the process. On the October 4 ''Nitro'', Hart defeated [[Chris Benoit]] in a special "Owen Hart Tribute Match" at [[Kemper Arena]] in Kansas City, Missouri, where Owen had died that previous May.  Hart challenged for Sting's [[WCW World Heavyweight Championship]] on the October 18 episode of ''Nitro'', but lost the match when he was attacked by Luger.<ref>[http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/nitro/1999.html ''Nitro'' results: October 18, 1999.]. Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved February 23, 2011.</ref> Due to controversy over a series of WCW World Heavyweight Championship matches between Sting, Hogan, and Goldberg at [[Halloween Havoc (1999)|Halloween Havoc]], the title was 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 bout being a tournament match for a berth in the next round, as well as being a match for the United States Heavyweight Championship that Goldberg had won the night before. Thanks to outside interference by [[Sid Eudy|Sid Vicious]] and [[Outsiders (professional wrestling)|The Outsiders]], Hart defeated Goldberg and won the U.S. Heavyweight Championship for the fourth time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/unitedstates/304454112211|title=History of the United States Championship – Bret Hart(4)|publisher=WWE|access-date=December 30, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051213033852/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/unitedstates/304454112211|archive-date=December 13, 2005}}</ref><ref name="ustitle"/> On the November 8 episode of ''Nitro'', Hart lost the title to Scott Hall in a [[ladder match]] that also involved Sid Vicious and Goldberg.<ref name="08NOV99">{{cite web|url=http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1999/nitro110899|title=Monday Nitro – November 8, 1999|date=November 8, 1999|publisher=The Other Arena|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080701013650/http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1999%2Fnitro110899|archive-date=July 1, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==== World Heavyweight Champion and injury (1999–2000) ====
Hart won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship tournament by defeating [[Perry Saturn]],<ref name="08NOV99"/> [[Billy Kidman]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1999/nitro111599|title=Monday Nitro – November 15, 1999|date=November 15, 1999|publisher=The Other Arena|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080701013655/http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1999%2Fnitro111599|archive-date=July 1, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> Sting, and Chris Benoit at [[Mayhem (1999)|Mayhem]]. On December 7, Hart and Goldberg won the [[WCW World Tag Team Championship]] from Creative Control, making Hart a double champion. Hart and Goldberg lost the tag team titles to The Outsiders on the December 13 episode of ''Nitro''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1999/nitro121399|title=Monday Nitro – December 13, 1999|date=December 13, 1999|publisher=The Other Arena|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080701013700/http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1999%2Fnitro121399|archive-date=July 1, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> At [[Starrcade (1999)|Starrcade]], Hart defended his WCW World Heavyweight Championship against Goldberg. During the match, Hart was struck with a [[Professional wrestling attacks#super kick|thrust 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/starrcad.html#99|title=Starrcade 1999 results|publisher=Pro Wrestling History}}</ref> For example, Hart placed Goldberg on the post in a [[Professional wrestling holds#Figure-four leglock|figure four leglock]] which ended with Hart hitting his head on the concrete floor when Goldberg failed to receive the move correctly.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ddtdigest.com/updates/1999123p.htm|title=WCW Starrcade Sunday, December 19, 1999|date=December 19, 1999|publisher=DDTDigest}}</ref> The sum total of those injuries left Hart with [[post-concussion syndrome]] and ultimately forced his retirement from professional wrestling. Hart later claimed that Goldberg "had a tendency to injure everyone he worked with".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brethart.com/bio/columns/story-about-goldberg-jericho|title=Story about Goldberg & Jericho|date=May 9, 2003|publisher=brethart.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080122071313/http://www.brethart.com/bio/columns/story-about-goldberg-jericho|archive-date=January 22, 2008}}</ref> As part of his DVD documentary, Hart expressed regret that "someone as good-hearted as Bill Goldberg" was responsible for hurting him.<ref name="DVD"/> Referee Roddy Piper rang the bell when Hart held Goldberg in the Sharpshooter, although Goldberg did not submit. Piper simply walked away, leaving both Goldberg and Hart bewildered.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingPPV/dec20_starrcade.html|title=Goldberg screwed at Starrcade|first=John|last=Powell|date=December 20, 1999|publisher=SLAM! Sports|access-date=June 14, 2008|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722084502/http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingPPV/dec20_starrcade.html|archive-date=July 22, 2012}}</ref>

Out of respect for Goldberg, Hart vacated the WCW World Heavyweight Championship on the December 20 episode of ''Nitro'' and suggested that he, without the [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Championship advantage|championship advantage]], face Goldberg that night to determine the true champion. 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 hit Goldberg with one of the bats, turning heel once again. The three continued to beat down Goldberg and were eventually joined by [[Jeff Jarrett]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/nitro99.htm|title=WCW Monday Nitro 1999|publisher=The History of WWE|access-date=January 15, 2011}}</ref> Hart regained the championship, even though it was Roddy Piper who was covering Goldberg (to try and protect him) when the three count was made. The [[New World Order (professional wrestling)|nWo]] was reformed (now billed as "nWo 2000").<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1999/nitro122099|title=Monday Nitro – December 20, 1999|date=December 20, 1999|publisher=The Other Arena|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080701013753/http://www.otherarena.com/htm/cgi-bin/history.cgi?1999%2Fnitro122099|archive-date=July 1, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wcwchampionship/30445411039|title=History of the WCW Championship: Bret Hart(2)|access-date=December 30, 2007|publisher=WWE|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071229010502/http://www.wwe.com/inside/titlehistory/wcwchampionship/30445411039|archive-date=December 29, 2007}}</ref> Hart wrestled [[Terry Funk]] to a no contest in a non-title, hardcore rules match on the January 6 episode of ''Thunder''. In his final match in WCW, he defended the WCW World Heavyweight Championship against Nash on the January 10 episode of ''Nitro'', which also ended in a no contest. Hart vacated the title in late January 2000 when he was forced to withdraw from the main event of WCW's [[Souled Out (2000)|Souled Out]] due to his injuries. Hart continued to make appearances on WCW television, generally cutting promos. On the May 3 episode of ''Thunder'', Hart made a run in during an over the top rope battle royal where he hit Hogan with a chair. His final WCW appearance occurred on the September 6, 2000, episode of ''Thunder'', in a promo where he confronted Goldberg on the injury he sustained nine months prior. WCW terminated Hart's contract via FedEx letter on October 20, 2000, due to his ongoing incapacity, and he announced his retirement from professional wrestling 6 days later on October 26, 2000.<ref name="retirement"/>

Hart and several critics considered his storylines during his tenure to be lacklustre.<ref name="DVD"/><ref>Bischoff, Eric: ''Controversy Creates Cash'', [[WWE Books]], 2006 (p.265)</ref> Former WCW wrestler [[Chris Jericho]] attributed this to backstage politics and creative mayhem.<ref name="MondayNightWars01-6"/> Hart cited his "steel plate" segment with Goldberg and his tribute match to Owen, against Chris Benoit, as his two worthwhile moments with WCW. He said he was "proud" to have been WCW World Heavyweight Champion for a short time prior to his injury.<ref name="DVD"/>

=== Independent wrestling appearances (2001–2009) ===
In 2001, Hart became the on-screen commissioner of [[World Wrestling All-Stars]] (WWA), a role that ended prematurely due to a 2002 stroke, which temporarily required him to use a [[wheelchair]].<ref>Gray, Richard. [http://www.wrestlingnewsworld.com/wwe-news/bret-hart-vince.php Bret Hart Says He's Careful About What He Does, Says Vince Is Focused As Ever & Wants To Remain King, More] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111105132425/http://www.wrestlingnewsworld.com/wwe-news/bret-hart-vince.php |date=November 5, 2011 }}. ''Wrestling News World''. February 10, 2010. Retrieved May 25, 2011.</ref> In his first major appearance since recovering, Hart travelled to [[Auckland]], New Zealand to appear at another WWA event in May 2003.<ref name="The Day of (WWA: The) Reckoning">{{cite web|url=http://www.nzpwi.co.nz/2016/05/the-day-of-wwa-the-reckoning/|title=The Day of (WWA: The) Reckoning|publisher=NZPWI|access-date=September 12, 2018|date=May 26, 2016}}</ref>

In 2007, Hart signed autographs at "The Legends of Wrestling" show at the [[Tropicana Field]] in [[St. Petersburg, Florida]].<ref name="Legends of Wrestling">{{cite web|url=http://tampabay.devilrays.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20070509&content_id=1954651&vkey=pr_tb&fext=.jsp&c_id=tb|title=Bret Hart returns to Pro Wrestling|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012223835/http://tampabay.devilrays.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20070509&content_id=1954651&vkey=pr_tb&fext=.jsp&c_id=tb|archive-date=October 12, 2007}}</ref> On the weekend of July 11, 2009, he made an appearance at [[One Pro Wrestling]] in [[Doncaster]], 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.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://insidepulse.com/2009/05/11/bret-hart-interview-why-roh-and-not-tna/|title=Bret Hart Interview: Why ROH And Not TNA?|author=Curran, Brad |publisher=Insidepulse.com|date=May 11, 2009|access-date=March 12, 2016}}</ref>

=== Return to WWE ===

==== WWE Hall of Fame (2004–2007) ====
In 2004, Bret Hart appeared in a WWE game for the first time since 1998's ''[[WWF War Zone]]'' in the [[GameCube]] game ''[[WWE Day of Reckoning]]'' followed by ''[[WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw]]'' on the [[PlayStation 2]]. In mid-2005, Hart worked with the renamed World Wrestling Entertainment for the first time since 1997, contributing hours of interview footage and selecting matches for his [[WWE Home Video]] release, ''[[Bret "Hit Man" Hart: The Best There Is, the Best There Was, the Best There Ever Will Be]]''. He returned to WWE programming as a guest on the November 16 episode of web series, ''Byte This''.<ref name="pwtorchbyte">{{cite web|title= Interview Highlights: Byte This – Bret Hart has high praises for Kurt, Curt, and Eric |publisher=pwtorch.com| url= http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/WWE_News_3/article_15404.shtml}}</ref>

On April 1, 2006, Hart was inducted into the [[WWE Hall of Fame]] [[WWE Hall of Fame (2006)|class of 2006]] by [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]]. He did not appear alongside his fellow inductees at [[WrestleMania 22]] the following night. On June 11, 2007, Hart made his first appearance on ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'' since October 27, 1997, when he appeared in a pretaped interview voicing his opinions on Vince McMahon as part of "Mr. McMahon Appreciation Night".

==== In-ring return and second retirement (2010–2011) ====
[[File:Bret vs HBK Jan 4 2010.jpg|right|thumb|Hart confronts Michaels on January 4, 2010]]
On December 28, 2009, after weeks of speculation surrounding Hart and his presence in World Wrestling Entertainment, Vince McMahon announced that Hart would be special guest host on the January 4, 2010 episode of ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Tello|first=Craig|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/special/allspecialguesthosts/brethartreturns|title=TV Shows > Raw > Special Guest Stars > Pink and black is back|publisher=WWE|date=December 28, 2009|access-date=January 15, 2011}}</ref> Hart thanked the fans for their continued support, jokingly teased announcer [[Jerry Lawler]] about their long-running 1990s feud, and confronted [[Shawn Michaels]] and McMahon regarding the [[Montreal Screwjob]] at [[Survivor Series (1997)|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 [[Legit (professional wrestling)|not part of storyline]].<ref name="calgary">{{cite web|url=https://calgaryherald.com/sports/Back+Ring/2425695/story.html|title=Back in the Ring: Hart seeks closure in comeback|work=[[Calgary Sun]]|first=Heath|last=McCoy|access-date=January 11, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100408032740/http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/Back%2BRing/2425695/story.html|archive-date=April 8, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/03/qa_with_shawn_michaels_1.html|title=Q&A with Shawn Michaels|work=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|first=Kevin|last=Eck|access-date=April 4, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100330074622/http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/03/qa_with_shawn_michaels_1.html|archive-date=March 30, 2010}}</ref> It also appeared that he had buried the hatchet with McMahon later in the night, until McMahon subsequently kicked Bret in the crotch (this was in fact part of a storyline, as Hart and McMahon had been on speaking terms since 2005).<ref name="calgary"/>

During different encounters the following month, Hart and McMahon reproduced events similar to those 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).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/TV_Reports_9/article_38858.shtml|title=Caldwell's WWE Raw Report 2/8: Complete coverage of Unified tag title match, WWE champ vs. ECW champ, Hart-McMahon|last=Caldwell|first=James|date=February 8, 2010|publisher=Pro Wrestling Torch|access-date=February 11, 2010}}</ref> On the February 15 ''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 ''Raw'', McMahon challenged Hart to a match at [[WrestleMania XXVI]]; Hart accepted.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/03012010/|title=A long, strange trip to WrestleMania|last=Adkins|first=Greg|date=March 1, 2010|publisher=[[WWE]]|access-date=February 21, 2011}}</ref> The match was later changed to a [[Hardcore wrestling|No Holds Barred match]] as Hart revealed (with help from [["Stone Cold" Steve Austin]], the special guest host that night) the [[screenplay|staging]] of his injury. Hart, along with his [[Hart wrestling family|family]], inducted his father [[Stu Hart]] into the [[WWE Hall of Fame]] [[WWE Hall of Fame (2010)|class of 2010]], a controversial decision that aggravated Hart and McMahon's rivalry in 2010. At WrestleMania, McMahon paid the Hart family to betray Bret. They doublecrossed McMahon instead and helped him lose.<ref name="wm26">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/26/matches/13662452|title=Bret Hart def. Mr. McMahon in a No Holds Barred Match|date=March 28, 2010|publisher=[[WWE]]|access-date=December 23, 2012}}</ref>

[[File:Picture of Bret Hart in Montreal.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Hart with WWE in 2010]]
Hart stood with [[The Hart Dynasty]] ([[David Hart Smith]] and [[Tyson Kidd]]), a stable stemmed from the Hart family, throughout their feud with [[ShoMiz]] ([[Big Show]] and [[The Miz]]); they ultimately won the [[WWE Raw Tag Team Championship|WWE Tag Team Championship]] on April 26. When The Miz lost a match that guaranteed a [[WWE United States Championship]] match to a Hart family member, he chose Bret; with the help of the Dynasty, Hart defeated The Miz to win his fifth United States Championship on May 17 in [[Toronto|Toronto, Ontario]], Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/05172010/|title=Without limits|last=Adkins|first=Greg|date=May 17, 2010|access-date=February 21, 2011}}</ref> On the May 24 episode of ''Raw'', Hart was named the new [[Professional wrestling authority figures|general manager]] of [[Raw (WWE brand)|Raw]]. His first orders included vacating his United States Championship, which [[Ron Killings|R-Truth]] won, and setting up qualifying matches for [[WWE Fatal 4-Way|Fatal 4-Way]], which the injured [[Dave Batista|Batista]] took exception to and quit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1274757307|title=Raw Results – May 24, 2010|date=May 24, 2010|last=Martin|first=Adam|access-date=June 22, 2010|work=WrestleView|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528081824/http://www.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1274757307|archive-date=May 28, 2010}}</ref> The next week, Hart declared a Viewer's Choice episode of ''Raw''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1275362557|title=Raw Results – May 31, 2010|date=May 31, 2010|last=Martin|first=Adam|access-date=June 22, 2010|work=WrestleView|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100602190224/http://www.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1275362557|archive-date=June 2, 2010}}</ref> He was attacked by [[The Nexus (professional wrestling)|NXT rookies]] after firing [[Wade Barrett]] and declining to offer them contracts on the June 14 episode of ''Raw''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1276572395|title=Raw Results – June 14, 2010|date=June 14, 2010|last=Stephens|first=David|access-date=June 22, 2010|work=WrestleView|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617191322/http://www.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1276572395|archive-date=June 17, 2010}}</ref> A week later, McMahon fired Hart as general manager for failing to control the rookies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/wwerawreport/article_42106.shtml|title=WWE Raw results 6/21: Keller's report on the fallout from the Fatal 4-Way PPV event, Jericho puts his career on the line|date=June 21, 2010|last=Keller|first=Wade|access-date=June 22, 2010|work=Pro Wrestling Torch}}</ref>

Hart returned five weeks later, where it was announced by [[John Cena]] that he, [[The Great Khali]], [[R-Truth (wrestler)|R-Truth]], [[Edge (wrestler)|Edge]], [[Chris Jericho]], [[John Morrison (wrestler)|John Morrison]] and Hart would face the NXT rookies, now known as [[The Nexus (professional wrestling)|The Nexus]], at [[SummerSlam (2010)|SummerSlam]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1279596135|title=Raw Results – July 19, 2010|work=WrestleView|last=Stephens|first=David|date=July 19, 2010|access-date=July 21, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100723132939/http://www.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1279596135|archive-date=July 23, 2010}}</ref> The following week, Hart teamed with Cena to wrestle SummerSlam teammates Edge and Chris Jericho to a no contest.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2010/08/10/14974251.html|title=RAW: Team WWE makes a stand|date=August 10, 2010|last=Plummer|first=Dale|access-date=December 23, 2012|work=Slam! Sports|publisher=[[Canadian Online Explorer]]|archive-date=July 17, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717223623/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2010/08/10/14974251.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref> In the SummerSlam main event, he was disqualified for using a steel chair on [[Ryback|Skip Sheffield]]; his team ultimately won the match.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2010/08/15/15031141.html|title=Rumored return helps Team WWE fend off Nexus at SummerSlam|date=August 15, 2010|last=Plummer|first=Dale|author2=Tylwalk, Nick|access-date=August 16, 2010|work=Slam! Sports|publisher=[[Canoe.ca]]|archive-date=June 30, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120630095657/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/PPVReports/2010/08/15/15031141.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref> On the August 16, episode of ''Raw'', 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 Raw General Manager]], citing his disdain for Hart, removed him from the match and replaced him with [[Randy Orton]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1282015348 |title=Raw Results – August 16, 2010 |date=August 16, 2010 |last=Stephens |first=David |access-date=August 18, 2010 |work=WrestleView |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819043444/http://www.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1282015348 |archive-date=August 19, 2010 }}</ref> On September 25, 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/Arena_Reports_10/article_44049.shtml|title=9/25 WWE results in New York City at MSG: Bret Hart tribute night, Nexus vs. Harts – Raw announcer special referee, Street Fight main event|date=September 26, 2010|last=Omansky|first=Mike|access-date=September 26, 2010|work=Pro Wrestling Torch}}</ref> In November 2010, Hart's WWE contract had expired.<ref>Middleton, Mark [https://web.archive.org/web/20101129000520/http://www.prowrestling.com/article/news/17014 Bret Hart's WWE Status, Survivor Series DVD News, More] ProWrestling.com. November 26, 2010.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20101129023210/http://www.ifight365.com/2010/11/update-on-bret-harts-wwe-contract-status-future/ Update On Bret Hart's WWE Contract Status & Future]. iFight365.com. November 25, 2010.</ref>

Hart has made infrequent appearances in minor roles, appearing on the April 25, 2011 episode of ''[[WWE Tough Enough|Tough Enough]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestlingnewsworld.com/wwe-news/tonight-on-wwe-tough-enough-bret-hart-visits-the-contestants.php |title=Tonight On WWE Tough Enough – Bret Hart Visits The Contestants<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=April 27, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430001052/http://www.wrestlingnewsworld.com/wwe-news/tonight-on-wwe-tough-enough-bret-hart-visits-the-contestants.php |archive-date=April 30, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> At [[Over the Limit (2011)|Over the Limit]], Hart came to the support of his long-running 1990s rival, [[Jerry Lawler]], forcing [[Michael Cole (wrestling)|Michael Cole]] to kiss Lawler's foot. The following night on ''Raw'', Hart refereed the main event, which saw [[John Cena]] and [[Rey Mysterio]] defeat [[Ron Killings|R-Truth]] and [[CM Punk]] with Hart's assistance. On the August 23, 2011, tapings of ''SmackDown'' (aired August 26), Hart served as guest general manager. On September 12 tapings of ''Raw'' in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Hart teamed with John Cena in a match against [[Alberto Del Rio]] and [[Ricardo Rodriguez (wrestler)|Ricardo Rodriguez]], which he won after putting Rodriguez into a sharpshooter. This was Hart's final match.

==== Sporadic appearances (2012–present) ====
[[File:2014-04-03 21-12-04 NEX-6 6401 DxO (13923848803).jpg|thumb|upright=0.68|Hart signing autographs in 2014]]
At ''[[Raw 1000]]'' and on the May 4, 2012, episode of ''Raw'' he served as guest ring announcer; he interviewed John Cena on September 10, 2012, during which CM Punk interrupted and got into a confrontation with Hart. He participated in backstage segments at the [[Royal Rumble (2013)|2013 Royal Rumble]] and [[WrestleMania 31]]. On the post-show of ''Raw'' on May 27, 2013, Hart was honoured by the city of Calgary and the WWE with a "[[Bret Hart Appreciation Night]]", a celebration of the work he had done in his career. Also present in the ring for this celebration were [[Pat Patterson (wrestler)|Pat Patterson]], [[Chris Jericho]], [[Shawn Michaels]] and [[Vince McMahon]], who each paid their own tributes to Hart. He has also served as an expert on panels, including the March 25, 2013, episode of ''Raw'' and at the [[NXT Arrival]] pre-show. Hart was in the corner of his niece [[Natalya Neidhart|Natalya]] on the March 27, 2014, episode of ''[[WWE NXT (TV series)|NXT]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/wwenxtreport/article_77299.shtml|title=James's WWE NXT Report 3/27: Neville defends NXT Title vs. Dallas, Bret Hart cameo, Yoshi, Xavier, Charlotte, more|website=Pwtorch.com|access-date=June 11, 2018}}</ref> at the second [[NXT TakeOver]] event<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/wwenxtreport/article_78704.shtml|title=James's WWE NXT Takeover Report 5/29: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of live special on WWE Network|website=Pwtorch.com}}</ref> and at the 2016 [[Payback (2016)|Payback]] event. The match ended when the referee, [[Charles Robinson (referee)|Charles Robinson]], called for the bell as [[Charlotte Flair|Charlotte]] had Natalya locked in the Sharpshooter. After the match both Natalya and Hart placed Charlotte and her father, Ric Flair, respectively in the Sharpshooter.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/wwepayback/2016/charlotte-natalya-results | title=Sharpshooters galore as Harts battle Flairs}}</ref>

On April 6, 2019, Hart became a two-time WWE Hall of Famer when he was inducted as a member of [[The Hart Foundation]] alongside [[Jim Neidhart]]. During Hart's speech, an audience member named Zach Madson charged into the ring and tackled Hart and his niece [[Natalya Neidhart|Natalya]] to the ground, but they were quickly saved by multiple wrestlers and security, and after several minutes, Hart continued and finished his speech. WWE later released a statement saying that the attacker was sent to the local authorities.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pwinsider.com/article/125514/video-of-what-happened-after-wwe-network-pulled-the-feed-when-bret-hart-was-accosted.html?p=1|title=Video of what happened after WWE Network pulled the feed when Bret Hart was accosted |website=PWInsider}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pwinsider.com/article/125515/new-video-shows-entire-bret-hart-attack-aftermath.html?p=1|title=New Video Shows Entire Bret Hart Attack, Aftermath |website=PWInsider}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=WWE Statement on Bret Hart Incident at WWE Hall of Fame|url=https://www.pwinsider.com/article/125516/wwe-statement-on-bret-hart-incident-at-wwe-hall-of-fame.html?p=1 |website=PWInsider}}</ref> In August 2019, Hart appeared at WWE [[SummerSlam (2019)|SummerSlam]] pay-per-view backstage wishing [[Seth Rollins]] good luck in his match against [[Brock Lesnar]] for the Universal Championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wwfoldschool.com/vince-mcmahon-reportedly-ribbed-bret-hart-at-summerslam-2019/|title=Vince McMahon Reportedly Ribbed Bret Hart at SummerSlam 2019|date=August 14, 2019}}</ref>

In September 2022, Hart appeared at ringside for WWE's first UK stadium show in 30 years, [[Clash at the Castle (2022)|Clash at the Castle]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wrestlingheadlines.com/bret-hart-and-other-stars-appear-at-wwe-clash-at-the-castle-ufc-title-belt-on-display/ |title=Bret Hart and Other Stars Appear at WWE Clash at The Castle, UFC Title Belt On Display |website=wrestlingheadlines.com |date=September 3, 2022 |access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref> Hart returned to Raw on the September 9, 2024 episode, sharing a segment with [[Sami Zayn]] and [[World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)|World Heavyweight Champion]] [[Gunther (wrestler)|Gunther]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Powell|first=Jason|title=WWE Raw results (9/9): Powell's live review of Jey Uso vs. Pete Dunne vs. Ilja Dragunov vs. Braun Strowman for a shot at the Intercontinental Title, Bret Hart appears, WWE Women's Tag Team Title match|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2024/09/09/wwe-raw-results-9-9-powells-live-review-of-jey-uso-vs-pete-dunne-vs-ilja-dragunov-vs-braun-strowman-for-a-shot-at-the-intercontinental-title-bret-hart-appears-wwe-womens-tag-team-title-mat/|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|date=September 9, 2024|access-date=September 9, 2024}}</ref>

=== All Elite Wrestling (2019) ===
On May 25, 2019, Hart made a surprise special appearance at [[All Elite Wrestling]]'s (AEW) inaugural pay-per-view, [[Double or Nothing (2019)|Double or Nothing]], to unveil the [[AEW World Championship]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Powell|first=Jason|title=AEW Double Or Nothing results: Powell's live review of Kenny Omega vs. Chris Jericho, The Young Bucks vs. Pentagon Jr. and Fenix for the AAA Tag Titles, Cody vs. Dustin Rhodes, Britt Baker vs. Nyla Rose vs. Kylie Rae|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2019/05/25/aew-double-or-nothing-results-powells-live-review-of-kenny-omega-vs-chris-jericho-the-young-bucks-vs-pentagon-jr-and-fenix-for-the-aaa-tag-titles-cody-vs-dustin-rhodes-britt-baker-vs-nyla-r/|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|access-date=May 25, 2019|date=May 25, 2019}}</ref>

In July 2023, it was revealed that Hart offered his services to AEW as an [[Producer (wrestling)|agent]], but was turned down.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roy |first=Bishal |date=July 24, 2023 |title=Bret Hart Says AEW Declined His Offer To Work As An Agent |url=https://www.sescoops.com/aew/bret-hart-says-aew-declined-his-offer-to-work-as-an-agent |website=SE Scoops |access-date=February 19, 2024}}</ref>

=== Impact Wrestling (2020) ===
On October 24, 2020, Hart was among those who appeared at [[Impact Wrestling]]'s [[Bound for Glory (2020)|2020 Bound for Glory]] via video message to congratulate [[Ken Shamrock]] for his induction into the [[Impact Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://prowrestling.net/site/2020/10/25/powells-impact-wrestling-bound-for-glory-hit-list-eric-young-vs-rich-swann-for-the-impact-world-championship-deonna-purrazzo-vs-su-yung-for-the-knockouts-title-motor-city-machine-guns-vs-the-g/|title=Powell's Impact Wrestling Bound For Glory Hit List: Eric Young vs. Rich Swann for the Impact World Championship, Deonna Purrazzo vs. Su Yung for the Knockouts Title, Motor City Machine Guns vs. The Good Brothers vs. The North vs. Ace Austin and Madman Fulton for the Impact Tag Titles, EC3 vs. Moose|first=Jason|last=Powell|work=Pro Wrestling Dot Net|date=October 24, 2020|access-date=April 13, 2021}}</ref>

== Professional wrestling style and persona ==
Hart is nicknamed "The Hitman", and often dubbed "The Best There Is, the Best There Was, and the Best There Ever Will Be". Hart usually wrestled in a pink attire and, during his time as The Hart Foundation, the tag team was nicknamed "The Pink and Black Attack", a nickname Hart used for himself during his singles career.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/The_Specialists_34/article_73934.shtml|title=Collectibles Column: The Five Coolest Wrestling Figures Decked Out in Pink|website=Pwtorch.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://superluchas.com/bret-hitman-hart-necesitando-otra-cirugia/ | title=Bret "The Hitman" Hart necesitando otra cirugía| date=March 28, 2014}}</ref>

Hart used the [[Sharpshooter (professional wrestling)|Sharpshooter]] as his finishing maneuver.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.foxsports.com/wwe/gallery/wwe-best-finishers-stone-cold-stunner-tombstone-piledriver-sweet-chin-music-ranking-080116 |title = The 25 best wrestling finishers ever, from the Stone Cold Stunner to the Mandible Claw}}</ref> In his biography, Hart said he learned the hold from [[Konnan]] and Pat Patterson named it.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://superluchas.com/cuando-konnan-le-enseno-a-bret-hart-a-aplicar-el-sharpshooter/ |title = Cuando Konnan le enseñó a Bret Hart a aplicar el Sharpshooter|date = May 4, 2016}}</ref> Due to Hart's success, the Sharpshooter is usually used by Canadian wrestlers.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.f4wonline.com/japan/masa-saito-passes-away-after-long-battle-parkinsons-disease-261771 |title = Masa Saito passes away after long battle with Parkinson's disease|date = July 16, 2018}}</ref> Before ending his matches, Hart usually employed a sequence of five moves: inverted atomic drop, Russian leg sweep, backbreaker, elbow drop from the second rope, and Sharpshooter, being known as the "[[Five moves of doom|Five Moves of Doom]]".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://grantland.com/features/grantland-dictionary-pro-wrestling-edition/ |title = Grantland Dictionary: Pro Wrestling Edition|date = August 13, 2014}}</ref> During his time in the original Hart Foundation, he and Jim Neidhart performed the Hart Attack as their finishing maneuver.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.skysports.com/wwe/news/14203/11472237/wrestling-world-pays-tribute-to-jim-the-anvil-neidhart |title = Wrestling world pays tribute to Jim 'The Anvil' Neidhart| work=Sky Sports }}</ref>

== Legacy ==
[[File:Bretplaque.jpg|right|upright|thumb|Hart accepts his induction into the [[George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame]], July 15, 2006]]
[[BBC]] and ''[[Entertainment Tonight]]'' writers noted that Hart is "widely regarded" as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/content/articles/2008/11/24/bret_hart_feature.shtml|title=Bret Hart in Birmingham|last=Birks|first=Brett|date=November 24, 2008|publisher=BBC|access-date=March 4, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.etonline.com/news/181377_pro_wrestling_legend_bret_hart_reveals_he_has_prostate_cancer_emotional_message/|title=Pro Wrestling Legend Bret Hart Reveals He Has Prostate Cancer in Emotional Message|last=Kile|first=Meredith B|date=February 1, 2016|website=[[Entertainment Tonight]]|access-date=September 7, 2016}}</ref>

[[Sky Sports]] described his legacy as "one of, if not the greatest, to have ever graced the squared circle".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.skysports.com/more-sports/news/13043/3981683/wwe-legends|title=WWE Legends: Bret Hart|date=September 5, 2008|publisher=[[Sky Sports]]|access-date=March 3, 2017}}</ref>

Veteran industry journalist [[Dave Meltzer]] called Hart "one of the best ever,"<ref>{{cite web|title=Twitter account of @davemeltzerWON |url=https://twitter.com/davemeltzerWON/status/694201990541242369|website=twitter|language=en}}</ref> and further praised his [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#ring psychology|ring psychology]] as the best in WWE history (alongside that of [[Ricky Steamboat]], and "maybe [[Jake Roberts]]").<ref>{{cite web|title=Twitter account of @davemeltzerWON |url=https://twitter.com/davemeltzerWON/status/829366418265169920|website=twitter|language=en}}</ref> Jon Robinson of [[IGN]] called him "one of the greatest (if not the single best) pure wrestler to ever walk that aisle".<ref name="IGN05" />

Veteran wrestlers including [[CM Punk]],<ref>{{cite episode|title=CM Punk|series=The B.S. Report|series-link=The B.S. Report|first=Bill|last=Simmons|author-link=Bill Simmons|station=[[ESPN]]|date=July 27, 2011|minutes=25|quote=I'm not comparing myself to Bret Hart who's light years ahead of me, he's the greatest of all time.}}</ref> [[Booker T (wrestler)|Booker T]] and [[Michael Hayes (wrestler)|Michael Hayes]] have named Hart "the greatest of all time",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://comicbook.com/wwe/2016/07/02/happy-birthday-bret-the-hitman-hart-turns-59-today/|title=Bret 'The Hitman' Hart Turns 59 today|last=Pitts|first=Lan|date=July 2, 2016|website=ComicBook.com|access-date=March 4, 2016}}</ref> with Hayes noting that he is considered by many as the best Canadian performer ever, if not the single greatest overall.<ref name="effect">{{Cite episode|title=Canadian Effect|series=[[WWE Legends of Wrestling|Legends of Wrestling]]|network=[[WWE Classics on Demand|Classics on Demand]]|station=[[WWE]]|date=April 1, 2011|season=1|number=27|minutes=29 (Hayes) & 58 (Okerlund)}}</ref>

Veteran announcer [[Gene Okerlund]] dubbed Hart "the greatest ever",<ref name="effect" /> and stressed that he should appear in anyone's list of the all-time top 10 wrestlers.<ref name="DVD" /> [[Viscera (wrestler)|Viscera]] commented: "He was the best [WWF] Champion of all time. I mean, as far as international rapport, it's like he's a god."<ref>{{cite AV media|year=2009|title=Nelson Frazier Shoot Interview|medium=DVD|publisher=Pro Wrestling Diary}}</ref> Olympic [[wrestling]] [[gold medal]]ist and six-time [[WWE]] [[Professional wrestling world championship|world champion]] [[Kurt Angle]] studied tapes of Hart in order to learn the art of pro wrestling;<ref name="angle">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xr1TgdxhJ_k| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211029/xr1TgdxhJ_k| archive-date=October 29, 2021|title=Orlando Quinones Interviews Kurt Angle Part 2| date=November 8, 2008|via=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> he and [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]] have ranked Hart as the best in-ring performer ever (Austin tying Hart with [[Shawn Michaels]]).<ref>{{cite episode|title=Kurt Angle|url=http://thestatement.podbean.com/e/the-statement-show-with-guest-kurt-angle/|access-date=February 2, 2017|series=The Statement Show|network=Podbean|date=January 4, 2017|minutes=2|quote=Bret was my favourite... an incredible wrestler. When he got in that ring, he did it better than anybody else.}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode|title=Shawn Michaels|series=The Steve Austin Show|network=PodcastOne|date=December 21, 2015|number=283|minutes=16|quote=When I name my best of all time, you [Shawn Michaels] and him [Bret Hart] are always neck and neck. I just thought the world of his work.}}</ref> Similarly, former opponent [[Harley Race]] described Hart as being "as good as they got".<ref>{{cite web|title=SLAM! Wrestling Harley Race Chat|url=http://slam.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingHarleyRace/race_chat-can.html|publisher=Slam Wrestling|access-date=February 2, 2016|date=March 13, 2001|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927235617/http://slam.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingHarleyRace/race_chat-can.html|archive-date=September 27, 2015}}</ref> Whilst WWE chairman, [[Vince McMahon]] described Hart as having "unparalleled" technical wrestling and storytelling skills, and retrospectively characterized the late 1990s Hart as a performer "who you know is going to give you the best match of the night every time he goes out there".<ref name="DVD" /> Asked where he would rank Hart among the pantheon of wrestling greats, longtime announcer [[Jim Ross]] stated, "Right at the top. Bret was one of the all-time best."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jrsbarbq.com/jrs-qa/wrestling/hey-jr-always-keep-good-work-i-was-wondering-where-you-would-rank-bret-hart-your-al|title=J.R.'s Answer|last=Ross|first=Jim|author-link=Jim Ross|date=May 13, 2015|website=J.R.'s Place|access-date=August 5, 2019|archive-date=August 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805185940/https://www.jrsbarbq.com/jrs-qa/wrestling/hey-jr-always-keep-good-work-i-was-wondering-where-you-would-rank-bret-hart-your-al|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[IGN]] ranked him as the fifth greatest wrestler ever.<ref>{{Citation|title=Top 50 Wrestlers of All Time – IGN|date=November 2, 2012|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/11/02/top-50-wrestlers-of-all-time|language=en|access-date=June 5, 2021}}</ref>

[[Sports Illustrated]] ranked him as the sixteenth greatest wrestler ever.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Winkie|first=Luke|title=A definitive ranking of the 101 greatest wrestlers|url=https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2016/07/26/wwe-wcw-ecw-100-best-wrestlers-all-time|access-date=June 5, 2021|magazine=Sports Illustrated|language=en-us}}</ref>

Asked for his favourite opponent, [[Ted DiBiase]] said: "In my own era, without a doubt, Bret Hart."<ref>{{cite web|author=Jon Robinson|url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2003/10/24/ted-dibiase-million-dollar-smackdown?page=3|title=Ted DiBiase: Million Dollar Smackdown – PlayStation 2 Feature at IGN|date = October 24, 2003|publisher=Uk.sports.ign.com|access-date=November 19, 2011}}</ref> [[The Undertaker]] named Hart as his toughest opponent, adding: "Some of my favourite matches are with him... I think my matches with Bret were some of the best".<ref>[[The Undertaker]] interview (Part 2). ''[[The Score Television Network|The Score]]''. April 10, 2003.</ref> Recalling their WWF Championship bout from July 1994, [[Sean Waltman]] affirmed: "[Hart] gave me the best singles match of my career, and one of the best matches that's ever been on ''Monday Night Raw''."<ref>{{cite episode|title=[[WWE Hall of Fame (2019)]] (D-Generation X)|series=''[[WWE Hall of Fame]]''|network=[[WWE Network]]|date=April 6, 2019|minutes=193}}</ref> [[Curt Hennig]] stated: "Out of all the matches I had, probably the best match I ever had would be with Bret [at SummerSlam 1991]... I have a good thing with Bret forever."<ref>''Pro Wrestling Radio'' (November 22, 2000). Curt Hennig. ''In your career, what are some of your more memorable matches that stand out to you?'' "I'll definitely have to say Bret Hart ... Hart is probably the standout ... Out of all the matches I had, probably the best match I ever had would be with Bret ... I have a good thing with Bret forever." {{YouTube|tfrGRdgMY0A}}</ref> Shawn Michaels, who did not get along with Hart on a personal level, conceded that Hart was an "unbelievable" performer (an opinion shared by WWE executive and former opponent [[Triple H]]),<ref>{{cite episode|title=Triple H|series=Stone Cold Podcast|network=[[WWE Network]]|date=February 2, 2015|minutes=48}}</ref> calling him a "sheer joy" to work with and saying that the pair's match at [[WrestleMania XII]] was one of, if not his favourite WrestleMania bout.<ref>{{cite episode|series=Off the Record|title=Off The Record|network=[[The Sports Network|TSN]]|airdate=2003|minutes=20}} [[Shawn Michaels]] discussing his matches at [[WrestleMania]]. ''The [[WrestleMania XII|hour with Bret]], is that number one?'' "If it's not number one it's one and a half for sure"... "I loved wrestling him, I really did. You could go out there and just have a wrestling match with him – it was a sheer joy to be in the ring with him." ''You used to watch him backstage and think, 'that guy is unbelievable', didn't you?'' "I did, yeah. I used to think: 'I'd like to be out there with him'."</ref> [[Roddy Piper]] described Hart as "one great man", and "one of the few guys who has a 'total package'".<ref name="DVD"/> [[Lance Storm]] remarked: "[Hart's] matches always seemed more important than the individuals involved in them, and that's what made him great. Bret managed to dominate this sport... by wrestling, which is no easy task, and is to his credit". On Hart's influence, Storm said: "I've always tried to pattern my ring style or work ethic, at least, after that of 'The Hitman'".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stormwrestling.com/111207.html|title=StormWrestling.com – Commentary|website=Stormwrestling.com|access-date=June 11, 2018}}</ref>

Along with Storm, [[Roman Reigns]] and [[Sami Zayn]] point to Hart as their top wrestling inspiration;<ref>{{cite news|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/wwe-s-roman-reigns-ready-to-prove-his-critics-wrong-at-wrestlemania-31-210550571.html|title=WWE's Roman Reigns' real story is better than his fake one|access-date=June 12, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pwinsider.com/article/101698/live-ongoing-wwe-payback-ppv-coverage-united-states-title-match.html?p=1|title=Complete WWE Payback Coverage: Styles vs. Reigns, Women's Title Match, A New Member of the Commentary Team, A Scary Moment & More|website=PWInsider|access-date=June 12, 2018}}</ref> [[Seth Rollins]] and [[Jinder Mahal]] called him an idol,<ref>{{Cite episode|title=Seth Rollins|url=http://podcastone.com/pg/jsp/program/episode.jsp?programID=593&pid=1654477|access-date=June 4, 2016|series=Talk is Jericho|network=PodcastOne|date=June 2, 2016|number=253|minutes=11–12|quote=I have all the respect in the world for this guy... I idolized [Hart].}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/wwe/story/_/id/21031373/champion-jinder-mahal-fighting-greatest-ever|title=Face off: Champion Jinder Mahal fighting to be 'greatest ever'|last=Selvaraj|first=Jonathan|date=October 16, 2017|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=August 8, 2018}}</ref> and [[Jon Moxley]] cited him as an influence.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2010/05/10/pf-13893011.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611114357/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2010/05/10/pf-13893011.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=June 11, 2016 |title = CANOE – SLAM! Sports: Ng – Jon Moxley finds mean streets redemption in wrestling}}</ref> [[Edge (wrestler)|Edge]] listed his three idols within the business as "Bret, Shawn and Hulk".<ref>{{Cite episode|title=Edge|series=[[Off the Record with Michael Landsberg]]|network=[[The Sports Network|TSN]]|date=May 28, 2003}}</ref> [[Chris Jericho]] named Bret as his hero (along with [[Owen Hart]]), and said he aspired to be "half of" what Bret was.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/wwerawreport/article_70882.shtml|title=Caldwell's WWE Raw Results 5/27 (Post-Show): Complete "virtual-time" coverage of Bret Hart Appreciation Night – HBK, McMahon, Jericho, Patterson, more take part in post-show|website=Pwtorch.com}}</ref> [[Chris Benoit]] remarked: "I always emulated him... I spent so many years looking up to, idolizing [Hart]; he was somewhat of a role model to me". Benoit added that his matches against Hart were "up on a pedestal".<ref name="DVD"/> [[Koji Nakagawa]] modelled his [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Gimmick|character]] and entire career on Bret Hart by adopting Hart's pink and black attire, an [[Music in professional wrestling|entrance theme]] identical to Hart's theme song, while also adopting his moveset.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fmwwrestling.us/Nakagawa.html|title=Koji Nakagawa's Bio|publisher=[[Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling|FMW Wrestling]]|access-date=January 22, 2018}}</ref> [[Ryback]] recalled a WWF event from his childhood, saying: "I remember it was Bret Hart against Diesel inside a steel cage in the main event, and I just knew I wanted to be a WWE wrestler... Bret [Hart], I love".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.northjersey.com/arts-and-entertainment/wwe-star-ryback-talks-about-his-road-to-wrestlemania-29-in-the-meadowlands-1.613924 |title=WWE star Ryback talks about his road to WrestleMania 29 in the Meadowlands |access-date=December 30, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304113257/http://www.northjersey.com/arts-and-entertainment/wwe-star-ryback-talks-about-his-road-to-wrestlemania-29-in-the-meadowlands-1.613924 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 }}</ref> [[Drew McIntyre]] named Hart his favourite wrestler,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjWdLvdHuVA&t=2m16s|title=Drew McIntyre on Broken Dreams theme, favorite wrestler growing up|date=February 5, 2020|publisher=WWE on Fox|access-date=February 8, 2020}}</ref> while [[Wade Barrett]] named Hart along with [[Davey Boy Smith|The British Bulldog]], [[The Ultimate Warrior]] and The Undertaker;<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/interview-exclusive-interview-wwe-superstar-bad-news-barrett-speaks-about-the-nexus-john-cena-wwe-2k15-attitude-era-and-more-2019904 | title=Exclusive Interview: WWE superstar 'Bad News' Barrett speaks about the Nexus, John Cena, WWE 2K15, Attitude Era and more| date=September 19, 2014}}</ref> he called Hart vs. Bulldog, at [[SummerSlam (1992)|SummerSlam 1992]], his all-time favorite match.<ref>Wade Barrett interview. [[WIRK|103.1 The Buzz]]. March 2011. "Number one will always be the "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith. He was my biggest inspiration...That's [Smith vs. Hart at SummerSlam 1992] actually my favourite match that I've ever seen in my life."</ref> [[Scott Dawson (wrestler)|Scott Dawson]] said that Hart's work at [[King of the Ring (1993)|King of the Ring in 1993]] made him want to become a professional wrestler.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/fighting/article87904837.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124132919/https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/fighting/article87904837.html |archive-date=November 24, 2020 |title=WWE NXT Superstar Scott Dawson a two-time NXT tag champ |last=Varsallone |first=Jim |work=[[Miami Herald]] |date=July 6, 2016 |access-date=August 30, 2024}}</ref> Upon joining [[All Elite Wrestling]] for his hotly anticipated return to professional wrestling after seven years, [[CM Punk]] wore a Bret Hart T-shirt in one of his first televised appearances,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ringsidenews.com/2021/09/04/cm-punk-pays-homage-to-bret-hart-during-aew-rampage/|title=CM Punk Pays Homage to Bret Hart During AEW Rampage|access-date=January 3, 2022|language=en-US}}</ref> and his first match, against [[Darby Allin]], included several sequences that mirrored a 1994 Hart match against [[Sean Waltman]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cagesideseats.com/aew/2021/9/6/22659778/cm-punk-darby-allin-aew-all-out-tribute-bret-hart-wwf-raw-123-kid|title=Did you catch which classic WWF Raw match CM Punk & Darby Allin were paying tribute to at All Out?|access-date=January 3, 2022|language=en-US}}</ref>

''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (PWI) readers voted Hart the greatest wrestler of 1993 and 1994 in the "[[PWI 500]]",<ref name="pwi#1"/> as well as the "[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated#PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year|Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year]]" 1994.<ref name="pwiinsp"/> He was voted "WWF Superstar of the Year" 1993 by fans.<ref name="soty"/> PWI ranked him No. 4 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated#All-Time Top Fives|PWI Years]]" in 2003, after Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, and André the Giant.<ref name="pwiyears">{{cite web|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi500yr.htm|title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 500 Wrestlers of the PWI Years|access-date=March 22, 2009|publisher=Wrestling Information Archive|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707054220/http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi500yr.htm|archive-date=July 7, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> WWE has also credited Hart as the top "Submission Specialist" in professional wrestling history,{{Citation needed|date=May 2018}} and for popularizing the [[Sharpshooter (professional wrestling)|Sharpshooter]], named by the organization as the most devastating submission hold in professional wrestling history.<ref>[http://www.wwe.com/inside/top25/top25submissions/ "The Top 25 Most Devastating Submission Maneuvers"]. WWE. Retrieved August 6, 2010.</ref> Hart's rise to singles success was seen to revolutionize the business; [[IGN]] wrote: "After Bret beat Ric Flair for the WWE Championship in 1992, it changed the entire industry, re-setting the WWF back to the days of technical wizardry and reshaping all our notions of what a great wrestling match should actually look and feel like".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/11/02/top-50-wrestlers-of-all-time?page=5|title=Top 50 Wrestlers of All Time|date=November 2, 2012|publisher=ign.com|access-date=December 7, 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105210028/http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/11/02/top-50-wrestlers-of-all-time?page=5|archive-date=November 5, 2012}}</ref> According to prominent industry historian [[Dave Meltzer]], Hart was "a major [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#D|draw]] in the United States and probably more so in Europe".<ref name="Meltzer">[[Dave Meltzer|Meltzer, Dave]]. ''[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter|Wrestling Observer]]''. November 17, 1997. {{cite web|url=http://www.brethart.com/facts.asp |title=The Montreal Incident |access-date=January 23, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060406153712/http://www.brethart.com/facts.asp |archive-date=April 6, 2006 }}</ref> Fellow journalists [[Bob Ryder]] and [[Dave Scherer]] described him as "an incredible international draw, attracting standing room only crowds in every corner of the globe."<ref name="wcw">[[Bob Ryder|Ryder, Bob]]; [[Dave Scherer|Scherer, Dave]]. ''WCW: The Ultimate Guide''. [[Dorling Kindersley|DK Books]]. 2000. (p.104-105)</ref> Fin Martin of ''[[Power Slam]]'' also spoke 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.<ref>Martin, Fin. The 10 Best U.S.-Style All-Rounders; 7. Bret Hart. ''[[Power Slam]]''. Issue 226/July 2013. p.26. "A wrestler who can work, draw money and talk is a U.S.-style all-rounder by the definition of this article."</ref> ''[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]''{{'}}s Corey Erdman wrote, "1997 was one of the hottest periods in the history of professional wrestling... Hart was the [WWF's] biggest star, arguably its biggest live gate draw globally."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/how-the-montreal-screwjob-changed-the-wrestling-industry-forever/|title=How The 'Montreal Screwjob' Changed The Wrestling Industry Forever|last=Erdman|first=Corey|author-link=Corey Erdman|date=November 10, 2017|website=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]|access-date=January 21, 2020}}</ref> Recalling WCW's acquisition of Hart that year, then WWE owner [[Vince McMahon]] argued that his chief competitor "could have really built the entire [[Franchise player|franchise]]... around this extraordinary star." McMahon felt that WCW misused Hart, which was "fortunate" for the WWF.<ref name="DVD"/>

On the February 16, 2006, episode of ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'', it was announced that Hart would be an inductee into the [[WWE Hall of Fame]] [[WWE Hall of Fame (2006)|class of 2006]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/archive/03062006/|title=McMahons 2, Michaels 0|date=March 6, 2006|access-date=January 16, 2008|publisher=WWE|quote=Stone Cold will induct Bret "Hit Man" Hart}}</ref> Hart had also been approached by Vince McMahon for a potential match between the two at [[WrestleMania 22]] but declined the offer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestlingepicenter.com/articles/139448686.shtml|title=McMahon-Hart|access-date=November 28, 2007}}</ref> 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."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Wrestlemania22/2006/04/02/pf-1515997.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717145917/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Wrestlemania22/2006/04/02/pf-1515997.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=July 17, 2012|title=Hall of Fame inductions sincere and entertaining|author=Oliver, Greg|work=Slam! Wrestling|publisher=[[Canoe.ca|Canadian Online Explorer]]|date=April 2, 2006|access-date=September 1, 2009}}</ref> Veteran industry personality and former WWE executive [[Paul Heyman]] referred to Hart's oeuvre as "a body of work so spectacular that it is beyond comprehension how brilliant a career he enjoyed".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wwe.com/node/26143772/page-4|title=Paul Heyman on Shane Douglas and the birth of Extreme|website=WWE}}</ref>

On July 15, 2006, 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 honour 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 honour for me."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestleview.com/news2006/1153114227.shtml|title=Complete report from Hall of Fame ceremonies July 15 in IA|last=Droste|first=Ryan|publisher=WrestleView}}</ref> 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]].<ref name="O#%">{{cite web|url=http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2008/07/transcript_of_bret_harts_hall_of_fame_speech.html|title=Ring Posts: Transcript of Bret Hart's Hall of Fame speech|last=Eck|first=Kevin|publisher=Baltimore Sun|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080707013356/http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2008/07/transcript_of_bret_harts_hall_of_fame_speech.html|archive-date=July 7, 2008}}</ref> In 2021, Hart would be inducted into [[Canada's Walk of Fame]] by Chris Jericho and the Rock.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bret Hart Inducted To the Canada Walk of Fame, Hart On Making History With The Induction|url=https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2021/10/bret-hart-inducted-to-the-canada-walk-of-fame-hart-on-making-history-with-the-induction/|access-date=October 7, 2021|website=Wrestling Inc.|date=October 7, 2021 |language=en-us}}</ref>

== Other media and post-wrestling career ==

=== Writing ===
Hart wrote a weekly column for the ''[[Calgary Sun]]'' from June 1991 until October 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/hart-bret-columns.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150919155029/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/hart-bret-columns.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= September 19, 2015 |title=Bret Hart Calgary Sun Columns|author=None|work=Slam! Wrestling|publisher=[[Canoe.ca|Canadian Online Explorer]]|date= April 21, 2015|access-date=January 30, 2016}}</ref>

Hart used his poetry skills to win over [[Gord Kirke]] to act as his legal counsel.<ref name="Livesey">{{cite web|url=https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/article/the-champs-champion-8/|title=The champs' champion|last=Livesey|first=Bruce|date=January 25, 2006|website=Canadian Lawyer Magazine|access-date=May 2, 2019}}</ref>

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 having 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.<ref>{{cite web|title= Bret "The Hitman" Hart sounds off on wrestling's bad rap |date= September 19, 2009 |publisher= avclub.com | url= http://www.avclub.com/article/bret-the-hitman-hart-sounds-off-on-wrestlings-bad--33020 }}</ref>

Hart also provided the forewords to Roddy Piper's autobiography, ''[[In the Pit with Piper]]'',<ref>{{cite book|author=Roddy Piper|title=In the Pit with Piper: Roddy Gets Rowdy|publisher=[[Berkley Books]]|year=2002|url=https://archive.org/details/inpitwithpiper00pipe/page/10|isbn=0-425-18721-7|page=[https://archive.org/details/inpitwithpiper00pipe/page/10 10]|author-link=Roddy Piper}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author1=Art Crews |author2=Judy Burleigh-Crews |title=We Made 'em Look Good|publisher=Xlibris|year=2014|isbn=978-1493182374|page=218}}{{self-published source|date=December 2017}}</ref>{{Self-published inline|certain=yes|date=December 2017}} Harley Race's autobiography ''King of the Ring''<ref>{{cite book|author=[[Harley Race]], Gerry Tritz|title=King of the Ring: The Harley Race Story|publisher=[[Sports Publishing]]|year=2013|isbn=978-1613212110|page=8}}</ref> and Dave Meltzer's book ''[[Tributes II: Remembering More of the Worlds Greatest Wrestlers]]''.<ref>{{cite book |title= Tributes II: Remembering More of the Worlds Greatest Wrestlers |isbn= 1582618178 |last1= Meltzer |first1= Dave |year= 2004 |publisher= Sports Publishing LLC |url-access= registration |url= https://archive.org/details/tributesii00dave }}</ref>

=== Honorary degree ===
In 2018, at the age of 60, he received an honorary degree — a Bachelor of Health and Physical Education/Physical Literacy from [[Mount Royal University]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Kevin |date=1 June 2018 |title=Bret 'The Hitman' Hart gets honorary degree at Mount Royal University |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/4248339/bret-hitman-hart-honorary-degree-mount-royal/ |work=Global News |access-date=February 17, 2025}}</ref>

=== Charity and business ===
In 2019, he and [[Calgary Hitmen|Calgary Hitmen Team]] donated $16,300 to Calgary Prostate Cancer Centre.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hitmen Donate Over $16,300 To Calgary Prostate Cancer Centre |url=https://chl.ca/whl-hitmen/hitmen-donate-over-16300-to-calgary-prostate-cancer-centre/ |website=CHL |date=November 29, 2019 |access-date=February 17, 2025}}</ref>

In February 2023, he opened Hitman's Bar in Calgary, Hart's most iconic memorabilia is displayed the bar, including the world heavyweight championship belt he won in 1992 against Ric Flair in [[Saskatoon|Saskatoon, Sask]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Wrestling legend Bret 'Hitman' Hart to open new bar in Calgary |url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/wrestling-legend-bret-hitman-hart-to-open-new-bar-in-calgary |work=Calgary Herald |date=January 20, 2023 |access-date=February 17, 2025}}</ref>

=== Acting ===
In 1994, Hart played a prison inmate in a deleted scene from [[Oliver Stone]]'s ''[[Natural Born Killers]]'', restored for the director's cut.{{Citation needed|date=January 2019}} From 1994 to 1995, he appeared in ''[[Lonesome Dove: The Series]]'' television show playing "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 episodes of the ''[[Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show|Honey I Shrunk The Kids TV series]]'' (along with his brother [[Owen Hart|Owen]]), ''[[The Adventures of Sinbad]]'', ''[[Big Sound]]'', and ''The Immortal''. He provided the voice of pro wrestler character "The Hooded Fang" in ''[[Jacob Two-Two (TV series)|Jacob Two-Two]]''.

Hart also guest starred on the [[sketch comedy]] series ''[[MADtv]]'' in 1997 where he acted as [[Enforcer (professional wrestling)|enforcer]] at a fan's house, appearing with his WWF Championship belt. He 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'', which he decisively won.

Hart donned his "Hit Man" singlet, along with additional costume, and executed wrestling maneuvers on villain characters, as part of his performance as the [[Genie (Disney character)|Genie]] in a 2004 stage production of ''[[Aladdin]]''.<ref>"Bret Hart's stroke and his battle to survive". [[The Sports Network]]. December 6, 2004.</ref> He reprised the role in 2006.

In 2024, he played himself in the ''[[American Dad!]]'' episode "Under (and Over, and Beside) the Boardwalk".

=== Wrestling-related ===
Hart was the subject of the 1998 documentary, ''[[Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows]]'', which chronicled many of the events in Hart's personal and professional life from September 1996 to November 1997, including the [[Montreal Screwjob]] and its immediate aftermath.

A clip of Hart applying the [[sharpshooter (professional wrestling)|sharpshooter]] to Benoit at [[Mayhem (1999)|WCW Mayhem]] in 1999 is featured in the opening credits of ''[[Malcolm in the Middle]]''.

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]]. Hart filmed over seven hours of interview footage for the DVD, which was renamed ''[[Bret "Hit Man" Hart: The Best There Is, The Best There Was, The Best There Ever Will Be]]''. The collection was released on November 15, 2005.

Hart appeared on many talk shows (including ''[[Larry King Live]]'', ''[[Nancy Grace (TV program)|Nancy Grace]]'', ''[[Hannity & Colmes]]'', ''[[On the Record w/ Greta Van Susteren]]'') discussing the [[Chris Benoit double murder and suicide]]. Hart was a longtime friend of Benoit.

On April 6, 2010, WWE released ''[[Hart & Soul: The Hart Family Anthology]]'', 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 interviews from family members.

In 2010, [[Fight Network|The Fight Network]] produced a documentary titled ''[[Bret Hart: Survival of the Hitman|Bret Hart – Survival of the Hitman]]'' produced by John Pollock, Jorge Barbosa and Wai Ting chronicling the rise of Hart, his split with WWE in 1997 and his road back to the company in January 2010. The documentary features interviews with Hart, members of the Hart family, Hart's former business manager [[Carl De Marco]], former sports agent Gord Kirke, and producer of ''Wrestling with Shadows'' [[Paul Jay]].

A DVD entitled ''Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart: WWE's Greatest Rivalries'' was released in November 2011. The subject of the DVD was their on-screen rivalry and real-life conflicts, with a particular focus on the Montreal Screwjob.

In 2016, Hart starred in the documentary film ''[[Nine Legends]]''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Werner|first=Barry|title=Mike Tyson, Bill Goldberg and Bret Hart are among the legends in 'Nine Legends.'|url=http://www.foxsports.com/wwe/story/mike-tyson-bill-goldberg-bret-hart-lita-ron-van-dam-013016|work=foxsports.com|access-date=January 30, 2016|date=January 30, 2016}}</ref> Early that year, Hart launched a podcast named ''The Sharpshooter Show''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lelinwalla|first=Mark|title=Bret Hart Has Been Firing Off Harsh Opinions About WWE On His 'Sharpshooter' Podcast|url=http://www.techtimes.com/articles/152110/20160421/bret-hart-firing-harsh-opinions-wwe-sharpshooter-podcast.htm|work=Tech Times|access-date=April 21, 2016|date=May 4, 2016}}</ref>

In 2025, he would appear in the documentary film ''[[WrestleMania IX#Aftermath|WrestleMania IX: The Spectacle]]''. The documentary was released on [[Peacock (streaming service)|Peacock]] on April 11, 2025.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/wrestlemania-ix-documentary-now-available-on-peacock/|title=Wrestlemania IX Documentary Now Available On Peacock|first=Joseph|last=Lee|publisher=411 Mania|date=April 11, 2025|accessdate=April 11, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/wrestlemania-ix-becoming-a-spectacle-trailer|title=WWE's New Peacock Doc Reveals the Shocking Events Behind WrestleMania in 1993|first=Tyler|last=McCarthy|publisher=NBC News|date=April 2, 2025|accessdate=April 11, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/article/wrestlemania-ix-becoming-a-spectacle-premieres-friday-april-11-on-peacock|title=WrestleMania IX: Becoming a Spectacle premieres Friday, April 11, on Peacock|publisher=WWE.com|date=April 2, 2025|accessdate=April 11, 2025}}</ref>

== Video games ==

Hart has appeared in numerous [[video games]]. They include:

{|class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! colspan=4 style="background:#B0C4DE;" | WWE Video games
|- style="text-align:center;"
! style="background:#ccc;" | Year 
! style="background:#ccc;" | Title
! style="background:#ccc;" | Notes
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1992
| ''[[WWF European Rampage Tour]]''
| Video game debut <br /> Cover athlete
|-
| ''[[WWF WrestleMania: Steel Cage Challenge]]''
| Cover athlete
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1993
| ''[[WWF Royal Rumble (1993 video game)|WWF Royal Rumble]]''
| rowspan="3"| Cover athlete
|-
| ''[[WWF King of the Ring (video game)|WWF King of the Ring]]''
|-
| ''[[WWF Rage in the Cage]]''
|-
| 1994
| ''[[WWF Raw (1994 video game)|WWF Raw]]''
| Cover athlete
|- 
| 1995
| ''[[WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game]]''
| Cover athlete
|-
| 1996
| ''[[WWF In Your House (video game)|WWF In Your House]]''
| Cover athlete
|-
| 1998
|''[[WWF War Zone]]''
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2004
| ''[[WWE Day of Reckoning]]''
|
|-
| ''[[WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw]]''
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| 2005
| ''[[WWE WrestleMania 21 (video game)|WWE WrestleMania 21]]''
|
|-
| ''[[WWE Day of Reckoning 2]]''
|
|-
| ''[[WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006]]''
|
|-
| 2006
| ''[[WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007]]''
|
|-
| 2007
| ''[[WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008]]''
|
|-
| 2009
| ''[[WWE Legends of WrestleMania]]''
|
|-
| 2010
| ''[[WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011]]''
| DLC character For PS3 & Xbox 360
|-
| 2011
| ''[[WWE All Stars]]''
|
|-
| 2012
| ''[[WWE '13]]''
|
|-
| 2013
| ''[[WWE 2K14]]''
|
|-
| 2014
| ''[[WWE SuperCard]]''
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2015
| ''[[WWE Immortals]]''
|
|-
| ''[[WWE 2K16]]''
|
|-
| 2016
| ''[[WWE 2K17]]''
|
|- 
| rowspan="4"| 2017
| ''WWE Champions''
|
|-
| ''WWE Tap Mania''
|
|-
| ''[[WWE 2K18]]''
|
|-
| ''WWE Mayhem''
|
|-
| 2018
| ''[[WWE 2K19]]''
|
|- 
| 2019
| ''[[WWE 2K20]]''
|
|-
| 2020
| '' [[WWE 2K Battlegrounds]]''
|
|-
| 2022
| ''[[WWE 2K22]]''
|
|-
| 2023
| ''[[WWE 2K23]]''
|
|-
| 2024
| ''[[WWE 2K24]]''
|
|}

{|class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! colspan=4 style="background:#B0C4DE;" | WCW Video games
|- style="text-align:center;"
! style="background:#ccc;" | Year 
! style="background:#ccc;" | Title
! style="background:#ccc;" | Notes
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1998
| ''[[WCW Nitro (video game)|WCW Nitro]]''
| Video game debut <br /> Bret was featured in the Nintendo 64 version of the game, but was not in the PlayStation version
|-
| ''[[WCW/nWo Revenge]]''
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1999
| ''[[WCW/nWo Thunder]]''
|
|-
| ''[[WCW Mayhem (video game)|WCW Mayhem]]''
|
|-
| 2000
| ''[[WCW Backstage Assault]]''
|
|}

{|class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! colspan=4 style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Legends of Wrestling Video games
|- style="text-align:center;"
! style="background:#ccc;" | Year 
! style="background:#ccc;" | Title
! style="background:#ccc;" | Notes
|-
| 2001
| ''[[Legends of Wrestling]]''
| Cover athlete
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Legends of Wrestling II]]''
| Cover athlete
|-
| 2004
|''[[Showdown: Legends of Wrestling]]''
|
|}

== Personal life ==
Hart lent his nickname to the [[Calgary Hitmen]] of the [[Western Hockey League]]; he was a founder and part-owner.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.calgary-for-newcomers.com/CalgaryHitmenHockey.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513063206/http://www.calgary-for-newcomers.com/CalgaryHitmenHockey.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 13, 2008|title=The Calgary Hitmen Hockey Team Has Come a Long Way in a Short Time|publisher=Calgary for Newcomers.com|date=May 7, 1999|access-date=January 15, 2011}}</ref>

On August 23, 2018, Hart was honoured with a traditional [[Blackfoot Confederacy|Niitsitapi]] naming ceremony and named 'Courageous Chief' by Siksika Elder Miiksika'am ([[Clarence Wolfleg]]). The ceremony was done as recognition for his and his father Stu Hart's cultural relationship building contributions, such as promoting interest of the sport of amateur wrestling among indigenous youth throughout Western Canada.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://calgaryherald.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/bret-courageous-chief-hart-gets-blackfoot-name-at-calgary-ceremony/wcm/04c4d632-54fc-4527-90c6-480d45259fd7 |title='It tops Hitman:' Wrestler Bret Hart gets Blackfoot name at Calgary ceremony |author=The Canadian Press|publisher=Calgary Herald|date=August 23, 2018|access-date=August 23, 2018}}</ref>

=== Family ===
{{main|Hart wrestling family}}
Hart married Julie Smadu (born March 25, 1960) on July 8, 1982. They have four children.<ref>{{Harv|Hart|2007|p=224,255}}</ref><ref name="Hart, Bret 2007 255">{{Harv|Hart|2007|p=255}}</ref> The four hearts located on the right thigh of his tights symbolize his children, as do the four dots following his signature.<ref>{{Harv|Hart|2007|p=254}}</ref> Julie's sister Michelle was married to [[Dynamite Kid|Tom Billington]] from 1982 to 1991.{{sfn|Hart|2007|p=169}}<ref>{{cite web | url=http://testside.users.whitehat.dk/Articles_chat.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130107011357/http://testside.users.whitehat.dk/Articles_chat.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 7, 2013 |title = UNofficial Homepgae of the Dynamite Kid – Tom Billington}}</ref> Bret and Julie separated in May 1998,<ref>{{Harv|Hart|2007|p=470}}</ref> and after several brief reunions over the next four years,<ref>{{Harv|Hart|2007|pp=472–473}}</ref> eventually divorced on June 24, 2002, just hours before Hart had his stroke.<ref>{{Harv|Hart|2007|pp=532–533}}</ref> Hart married an Italian woman named Cinzia Rota on September 15, 2004, but they divorced in 2007 after failing to agree on where they should live.<ref>{{Harv|Hart|2007|p=547}}</ref> He married Stephanie Washington, an African-American woman several decades his junior, in 2010;<ref>{{cite web |last1=Amato |first1=Laura |title=Bret Hart Cancer Announcement: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know |url=https://heavy.com/sports/2016/02/bret-hart-cancer-prostate-instagram-twitter-wife-wwe-kids-family-raw/ |website=heavy.com |date=February 2016 |access-date=June 13, 2021}}</ref> although at first his children were wary of their new stepmother, they have since embraced her as they realized that despite their differences in age, the love between her and their father is deep and genuine.<ref>{{cite web |title=WWE Legends, Season 1 Episode 8: "Bret 'Hitman' Hart" |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14410310/?ref_=ttep_ep8 |website=IMDb |date=June 6, 2021 |access-date=December 11, 2021}}</ref> 
  
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 by an accident at the WWF pay-per-view [[Over the Edge (1999)|Over the Edge]]. Hart's niece [[Natalya (wrestler)|Natalya]] is a professional wrestler.

Fellow pro wrestler [[Roddy Piper]] claimed in his autobiography to be a cousin of Hart.<ref>{{cite book|author=Roddy Piper|title=In the Pit with Piper: Roddy Gets Rowdy|publisher=[[Berkley Books]]|year=2002|url=https://archive.org/details/inpitwithpiper00pipe/page/231|isbn=0-425-18721-7|page=[https://archive.org/details/inpitwithpiper00pipe/page/231 231]|author-link=Roddy Piper}}</ref> Hart has also stated that Piper was the only wrestler to visit him in the hospital after his stroke.<ref>{{Harv|Hart|2007|p=541}}</ref>

=== Health problems ===
On June 24, 2002, Hart had 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 developed 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 has had other lasting effects common to stroke survivors (such as emotional imbalance). Hart wrote in detail about his stroke in his autobiography, ''Hitman: My Real Life In The Cartoon World of Wrestling''.<ref name="IGN05">{{cite web|url=http://uk.sports.ign.com/articles/667/667878p1.html|title=Bret Hart: The Hitman Returns|last=Robinson|first=Jon|date=November 17, 2005|publisher=IGN|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070804073424/http://uk.sports.ign.com/articles/667/667878p1.html|archive-date=August 4, 2007}}</ref> Hart later became a spokesperson for [[March of Dimes Canada]]'s Stroke Recovery Canada program.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marchofdimes.ca/dimes/national_programs/national_programs/src/The+Bret+Hart+Story.htm|title=The Bret Hart Story|publisher=[[March of Dimes Canada]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081113112359/http://www.marchofdimes.ca/dimes/national_programs/national_programs/src/The%2BBret%2BHart%2BStory.htm|archive-date=November 13, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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]].<ref>{{Harv|McCoy|2007|p=292}}</ref>

On February 1, 2016, Hart announced through a [[Facebook]] post that he had been diagnosed with [[prostate cancer]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/bret-hart-reveals-he-has-prostate-cancer-makes-statement-206751 |title=Bret Hart reveals he has prostate cancer, makes statement |date=February 1, 2016 |access-date=February 1, 2016 |work=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160202014959/http://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/bret-hart-reveals-he-has-prostate-cancer-makes-statement-206751 |archive-date=February 2, 2016 }}</ref> Jim Ross claimed on March 2, 2016, that Hart had beaten the disease following successful surgery and that it appeared not to have spread to other areas of his body.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-35714206|title=WWE's Bret 'the Hitman' Hart beats prostate cancer after having surgery|work=[[BBC Newsbeat]]|access-date=March 4, 2016|date=March 3, 2016}}</ref> Hart responded to Jim Ross' comments through Facebook saying that although the surgery was a success and that he and his doctors were optimistic, he would continue to be monitored every three months by doctors until he can actually be cancer free.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/bret-hart-hitman-prostate-cancer-recovery-1.3480166|title=Bret 'The Hitman' Hart, pro wrestler, hopeful about cancer recovery|work=[[CBC.ca]]|date=March 7, 2016}}</ref>

=== Personal issues with Ric Flair ===
In October 1993, Hart gave a radio interview in which he said [[Ric Flair]] "sucks", and described his workplace, WCW, as "minor league".<ref>{{cite AV media|people=Oliver, Sean (director)|year=2014|title=Timeline: History of WCW – 93 – Told by Vader|medium=DVD|publisher=Kayfabe Commentaries|quote=1993 – October – Bret Hart buries Ric Flair and WCW – Bret Hart was on Toronto all-sports radio station 'The FAN' and buried WCW and Ric Flair during an interview, saying WCW is 'minor league' and Flair 'sucks'.}}</ref> In his autobiography, Flair accused Hart of exploiting the death of his brother, [[Owen Hart]], and the controversy surrounding the [[Montreal Screwjob]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mikemooneyham.com/pages/viewfull.cfm?ObjectID=887C21B7-3048-52EA-1E34C39B8C6042BE|title=Flair Pulls No Punches in Book|author=Mike Mooneyham|date=July 4, 2004|access-date=May 14, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927224923/http://www.mikemooneyham.com/pages/viewfull.cfm?ObjectID=887C21B7-3048-52EA-1E34C39B8C6042BE <!-- Bot retrieved archive -->|archive-date=September 27, 2007}}</ref> Flair also claimed in his autobiography that, despite Hart's popularity in Canada, he was not a formidable money-making [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#D|draw]] in the United States, a claim which Hart dismissed as "plain ridiculous" in a column written for the ''[[Calgary Sun]]''.<ref name="brethartonflair"/> 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 WWF stars.<ref name="brethartonflair"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/wwf-aims-shoots-high-wrestling-garden-roll-article-1.803878|title=Wwf Aims Low, Shoots High Wrestling Comes to the Garden on a Roll|work=New York Daily News|date=December 27, 1998|access-date=July 18, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/World-Wrestling-Federation-Entertainment-Inc-Company-History.html|title=World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. – Company History|publisher=Fundinguniverse.com|access-date=February 21, 2011}}</ref> Hart also took aim at Flair in his autobiography, criticizing his in-ring talents and what Hart perceived as Flair's unsubtle [[Blading (professional wrestling)|blading]].<ref>{{Harv|Hart|2007|pp=286; 303}}</ref>

Flair and Hart have since reconciled and are now friends.<ref>Flair, Ric; Bret Hart, ''WOOOOO! Nation with Ric Flair'', "Episode 3: Bret "The Hitman" Hart", [[CBS Local Media]], May 19, 2015</ref>

===Claims Shawn Michaels and Triple H bullied The Rock===

On an episode on his "Confessions with the Hitman" podcast, Hart revealed that in 1996 and 1997, [[Dwayne Johnson]], at that time a rookie in WWE, was a "marked guy" and that both [[Shawn Michaels]] and [[Triple H]] bullied him and did everything in their power to make The Rock leave the company. He claimed both superstars were jealous of him which is why they used to "work him" for the smallest of reasons; "He (Triple H) was always out to get The Rock. Shawn was out to get him and they just worked on him, and worked on him, and worked on him, and I left. [The Rock] was still in the doghouse with those guys. They wanted him [out] as bad as they wanted me out."<ref>{{cite web |last=Chiari |first=Mike |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2904404-bret-hart-says-triple-h-shawn-michaels-were-out-to-get-the-rock-in-1990s |title=Bret Hart Says Triple H, Shawn Michaels Were 'Out to Get' The Rock in 1990s |website=[[Bleacher Report]] |date=August 13, 2020 |access-date=August 3, 2022}}</ref>
{{external media
| float  = right
| width  = 300px
| video1 = [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JM1NkCkLvp4 Dwayne Johnson & Emily Blunt Interview: Jungle Cruise], Screen Rant Plus (remarks about Hart start at 3:51)
}}
In 2021, Johnson himself acknowledged and praised Hart for his attitude, professionalism, as being a great person and for being exceptionally kind to him when he was a rookie in WWE during an interview with Joseph Deckelmeier of The Illuminerdi. Once he noticed that Deckelmeier was wearing a Hart shirt, he stated: "The t-shirt he's wearing is a guy who didn't have to be, but was so good to me when I was a rookie professional wrestler, and his name is Bret 'The Hitman' Hart. He comes from a very famous wrestling family, but at that time, he was world champion, and there were a lot of guys in that world at that time in '96 that didn't necessarily embrace me, just when I was a rookie coming in, because everyone is hungry for their spots, and he'll tell you, there's a lot of sharks in the water. But that guy, Bret, and he was world champion, to show me how it's done...I think [he did it] because he knew that our families ([[Anoaʻi family|Anoaʻi]] and Hart) knew each other and knew that I came from a lineage of pro wrestling and that I had a real love and respect for wrestling, and he was just a great guy, and I always like to give him props where I can."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mandatory.com/wrestlezone/news/1247230-the-rock-bret-hart-jungle-cruise|title=The Rock: Bret Hart Was Kind To Me When I Was A Rookie, He's 'A Great Guy'|publisher=mandatory.com|date=August 2, 2021}}</ref>

== Championships and accomplishments ==
[[File:Bret Hart WWF Champion.jpg|thumb|Hart is a five-time [[WWE Championship|WWF Champion]], becoming the second man after [[Hulk Hogan]] to accomplish this feat]]

=== Amateur wrestling ===
*'''City of Calgary'''
** [[Scholastic wrestling|City championships]], Calgary (1974)<ref name="DVD"/><ref name="Hart, Bret 2007 p. 32"/>
*'''Collegiate wrestling'''
** [[Mount Royal University|Mount Royal]] [[Collegiate wrestling|Collegiate Champion]] (1977)<ref name="DVD"/><ref name="Hart, Bret 2007 p. 36"/>
*'''[[National Wrestling Hall of Fame]]'''
** Class of 2006<ref>{{cite web|archive-date=January 30, 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20180130200341/https://nwhof.org/blog/dg-inductees/bret-hart/|url=https://nwhof.org/blog/dg-inductees/bret-hart/ |title=Inductee: Bret Hart|publisher=[[National Wrestling Hall of Fame]]|access-date=May 27, 2017}}</ref>

=== Professional wrestling ===
* '''[[Cauliflower Alley Club]]'''
** Iron Mike Award (2008)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.caulifloweralleyclub.org/list-of-cac-award-winners/ |title=List of CAC Award Winners |access-date=February 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140413080042/http://www.caulifloweralleyclub.org/list-of-cac-award-winners/ |archive-date=April 13, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* '''Canadian Pro-Wrestling Hall of Fame'''
** Class of 2021 – individually<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cpwhof.cwnonline.ca/2021-class/|title=2021 Class|work=Canadian Pro-Wrestling Hall of Fame|access-date=November 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230127164705/http://cpwhof.cwnonline.ca/2021-class/|archive-date=January 27, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref>
** Class of 2022 – as a member of the [[Hart Foundation]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cpwhof.cwnonline.ca/2022-class/|title=2022 Class|work=Canadian Pro-Wrestling Hall of Fame|access-date=November 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230601212617/http://cpwhof.cwnonline.ca/2022-class/|archive-date=June 1, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref>
*'''[[SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame|Canadian Wrestling Hall of Fame]]'''
**Individually<ref>{{cite web|author=Oliver, Greg|url=http://slam.canoe.com/SlamWrestling/harts.html|title=SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: The Hart Family|date=April 3, 2016|work=Slam! Wrestling|publisher=[[Canadian Online Explorer]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822132939/http://slam.canoe.com/SlamWrestling/harts.html|archive-date=August 22, 2015}}</ref>
**With the Hart family<ref>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/hallofame.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150429003907/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/hallofame.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 29, 2015 |title=Canadian Wrestling Hall of Fame |date =April 3, 2016|work=Slam! Wrestling|publisher=[[Canadian Online Explorer]]}}</ref>
*'''[[George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame]]'''
** Class of 2006<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/Other_News_4/article_17375.shtml|title=Hall of Fame Inductions Report: Bret Hart, Larrry Hennig, Mike DiBiase, Dory Funk Sr., Bop Roop|date=July 6, 2006|access-date=August 27, 2018|work=[[PWTorch]]}}</ref>
* '''[[International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame]]'''
** [[International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame#Members|Class of 2023]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2023/03/16/ipwhf-class-of-2023-both-great-and-gorgeous/|title=IPWHF Class of 2023 both 'Great' and 'Gorgeous'|work=Slam Wrestling|first=Greg|last=Oliver|date=March 16, 2023|accessdate=December 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507112606/https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2023/03/16/ipwhf-class-of-2023-both-great-and-gorgeous/|archive-date=May 7, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref>
* '''[[Prairie Wrestling Alliance]]'''
** Prairie Wrestling Alliance Hall of Fame (Class of 2010)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2010/06/15/14402076.html|archive-url= https://archive.today/20180116095112/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2010/06/15/14402076.html|archive-date =January 16, 2018|access-date =January 16, 2018 |title=Booker T enjoying life away from the spotlight|author=Clevette, Jason|date= June 16, 2010|work=[[SLAM! Wrestling]]|publisher=[[Canoe.com]]}}</ref>
* '''[[Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum]]'''
** [[Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum#Modern Era (1985–1996)|Class of 2008]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://0362dc8.netsolhost.com/halloffamers/inductees.asp|title=Hall of Famers|publisher=0362dc8.netsolhost.com|access-date=February 7, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026163526/http://0362dc8.netsolhost.com/halloffamers/inductees.asp|archive-date=October 26, 2016}}</ref>
* '''''[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated]]'''''
** [[PWI Comeback of the Year|Comeback of the Year]] (1997)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwicome.htm|access-date=June 30, 2008|title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners Comeback of the Year|publisher=Wrestling Information Archive|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515112638/http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwicome.htm|archive-date=May 15, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
** [[PWI Feud of the Year|Feud of the Year]] (1993) <small>vs. [[Jerry Lawler]]</small><ref name=PWIfeud>{{cite web|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwifoty.htm|access-date=June 30, 2008|title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners Feud of the Year|publisher=Wrestling Information Archive|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707054311/http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwifoty.htm|archive-date=July 7, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
** Feud of the Year (1994) <small>vs. [[Owen Hart]]</small><ref name=PWIfeud/>
** [[PWI Match of the Year|Match of the Year]] (1992) <small>vs. [[Davey Boy Smith|British Bulldog]] at [[SummerSlam (1992)|SummerSlam]]</small><ref name="MOTY">{{cite web|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwimoty.htm|access-date=March 26, 2009|title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners Match of the Year|publisher=Wrestling Information Archive|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707054315/http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwimoty.htm|archive-date=July 7, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
** Match of the Year (1996) <small>vs. [[Shawn Michaels]] in an [[Iron Man match]] at [[WrestleMania XII]]</small><ref name=MOTY/>
** Match of the Year (1997) <small>vs. [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]] in a [[Professional wrestling match types#Submission match|submission match]] at [[WrestleMania 13]]</small><ref name=MOTY/>
** [[PWI Most Hated Wrestler of the Year|Most Hated Wrestler of the Year]] (1997)<ref name="pwihated">{{cite web|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwimhoty.htm|access-date=June 30, 2008|title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners Most Hated Wrestler of the Year|publisher=Wrestling Information Archive|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707054322/http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwimhoty.htm|archive-date=July 7, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
** [[List of Pro Wrestling Illustrated awards#Inspirational Wrestler of the Year|Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year]] (1994)<ref name="pwiinsp">{{cite web|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwiinsp.htm|access-date=June 30, 2008|title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners Inspirational Wrestler of the Year|publisher=Wrestling Information Archive|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522012404/http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwiinsp.htm|archive-date=May 22, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
** [[PWI Stanley Weston Award|Stanley Weston Award]] (2003)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwiedit.htm|access-date=June 30, 2008|title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated Award Winners Editor's Award|publisher=Wrestling Information Archive|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110103211804/http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwiedit.htm|archive-date=January 3, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
** Ranked No. 1 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the ''[[PWI 500]]'' in 1993 and 1994<ref name="pwi#1">{{cite web|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi50093.htm|access-date=June 30, 2008|title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated Top 500 – 1993|publisher=Wrestling Information|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110919163155/http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi50093.htm|archive-date=September 19, 2011}}</ref>
** Ranked No. 4 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the ''PWI Years'' in 2003
** Ranked No. 37 of the top 100 tag teams of the ''PWI Years'' with [[Jim Neidhart]] in 2003
* '''[[Quebec Wrestling Hall of Fame]]'''
** Class of 2017<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pwinsiderxtra.com/ViewArticle.php?id=33999&p=1|title=Bret Hart, Kevin Owens inducted into Quebec Wrestling Hall of Fame|last=Johnson|first=Mike|date=December 6, 2017|access-date=December 7, 2017|work=Pro Wrestling Insider}}</ref>
*'''''[[Sports Illustrated]]'''''
**Ranked No. 9 of the 20 Greatest WWE Wrestlers Of All Time<ref name="SI_Oct2024">{{cite magazine |last1=Pullar III |first1=Sid |date=October 13, 2024 |title=20 Greatest WWE Wrestlers Of All Time |url=https://www.si.com/fannation/wrestling/features/10-greatest-wwe-wrestlers-of-all-time |access-date=November 26, 2024 |magazine=Sports Illustrated}}</ref>
* '''[[Stampede Wrestling]]'''
** [[Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship|Stampede International Tag Team Championship]] ([[Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship#Title history|5 times]]) – with [[Keith Hart (wrestler)|Keith Hart]] (4) and [[Leo Burke]] (1)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/calg-t.html|title=Stampede International Tag Team Championship history|publisher=Wrestling=titles.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080505025114/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/calg-t.html|archive-date=May 5, 2008}}</ref>
** [[Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Championship]] ([[Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Championship#Title history|3 times]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/calg-mh.html|title=Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Championship history|publisher=Wrestling-titles.com}}</ref>
** [[Stampede Wrestling North American Heavyweight Championship|Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship]] ([[Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship#Title history|6 times]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/calg-h.html|title=Stampede Wrestling North American Heavyweight Championship history|publisher=Wrestling-titles.com}}</ref>
** [[Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/hof.html|title=Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (1948–1990)|year=2003|publisher=Puroresu Dojo}}</ref>
* '''[[World Championship Wrestling]]'''
** [[WCW World Heavyweight Championship]] ([[List of WCW World Heavyweight Champions|2 times]])<ref name="wcwtitle">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/classics/titlehistory/wcwchampionship|access-date=December 30, 2007|title=WCW World Heavyweight Championship title history|publisher=WWE}}</ref>
** [[WWE United States Championship|WCW United States Heavyweight Championship]] ([[List of WWE United States Champions|4 times]])<ref name="ustitle">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/classics/titlehistory/unitedstates|access-date=December 30, 2007|title=WWE United States Championship history|publisher=WWE}}</ref>
** [[WCW World Tag Team Championship]] ([[List of WCW World Tag Team Champions#Title history|1 time]]) – with [[Bill Goldberg|Goldberg]]<ref name="wcwtagtitle">{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-t.html|title=WCW World Tag Team Championship history|publisher=Wrestling-titles.com}}</ref>
** [[Triple Crown (professional wrestling)#List of WCW Triple Crown winners|Fifth]] [[Triple Crown (professional wrestling)|Triple Crown Champion]]<ref name="titlehistory">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/superstars/halloffame/inductees/brethart/bretharttitlehistory|title=Bret Hart's title history at WWE.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090728053910/http://www.wwe.com/superstars/halloffame/inductees/brethart/bretharttitlehistory|archive-date=July 28, 2009}}</ref><ref name="triplecrown">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/magazine/magazinefeatures/featureoftheweek20090423a/|title=Triple Crown Club|publisher=WWE|date=October 18, 2010|access-date=February 21, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091104080930/http://www.wwe.com/magazine/magazinefeatures/featureoftheweek20090423a/|archive-date=November 4, 2009}}</ref>{{Efn|Hart and Goldberg both became Triple Crown Champions upon winning the WCW World Tag Team Championship.}}
* '''Universal Wrestling Promotions'''
** [[WWC Caribbean Tag Team Championship|UWP Caribbean Tag Team Championship]] ([[WWC Caribbean Tag Team Championship#Title history|1 time]]) – with [[Smith Hart]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/pr/wwc/carib-t.html|title=WWC Caribbean Tag Team Championship history|publisher=Wrestling-titles.com}}</ref>
* '''[[WWE|World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment/WWE]]'''
** [[WWE Championship|WWF Championship]] ([[List of WWE Champions|5 times]])<ref name="wwetitle">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/classics/titlehistory/wwechampionship|title=WWE Championship history|access-date=December 30, 2007|publisher=WWE}}</ref>
** [[WWE United States Championship]] ([[List of WWE United States Champions|1 time]])<ref name="ustitle"/>
** [[WWE Intercontinental Championship|WWF Intercontinental Championship]] ([[List of WWE Intercontinental Champions|2 times]])<ref name="ictitle">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/classics/titlehistory/intercontinental|title=WWE Intercontinental Championship history|access-date=December 30, 2007|publisher=WWE}}</ref>
** [[World Tag Team Championship (WWE, 1971–2010)|WWF Tag Team Championship]] ([[List of World Tag Team Champions (WWE, 1971–2010)|2 times]]) – with Jim Neidhart<ref name="worldtagteam"/>
** [[King of the Ring tournament|King of the Ring]] ([[King of the Ring (1991)|1991]], [[King of the Ring (1993)|1993]])
** [[Royal Rumble]] ([[Royal Rumble (1994)|1994]]) – with [[Lex Luger]]<ref name="titlehistory"/>{{Efn|Hart and [[Lex Luger]] are recognized as co-winners after both simultaneously eliminated each other.}}
** [[List of WWE tournaments#Middle East Cup Tournament|Middle East Cup (1996)]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wwf/middleeast.html#middle|title=Middle East Cup Tournament|publisher=ProWrestlingHistory|access-date=November 30, 2014}}</ref>
**[[WWE Hall of Fame]] (3 times)
*** [[WWE Hall of Fame (2006)|Class of 2006]] – individually
*** [[WWE Hall of Fame (2019)|Class of 2019]] –  as a member of The Hart Foundation<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwe-hall-of-fame/wwe-hall-of-fame-2019/article/hart-foundation-wwe-hall-of-fame-inductees-2019 | title=The Hart Foundation to join WWE Hall of Fame}}</ref>
***[[WWE Hall of Fame (2025)|Class of 2025]] – Immortal Moment – vs Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13
** WWF Superstar of the Year (1993)<ref name="soty"/>
** [[List of wwe triple crown champions|Second]] [[Triple Crown (professional wrestling)|Triple Crown Champion]] (2 times)
** [[Slammy Award]] (5 times)
*** Best New Generation Spot ([[1994 Slammy Awards|1994]]) – {{small|"Go Get 'em, Champ!" commercial}}<ref name="slammy"/>
*** Best Music Video ([[1996 Slammy Awards|1996]])<ref name="slammy">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/andthewinneris|title=And the winner is|publisher=WWE|date=February 23, 2008|access-date=February 21, 2011}}</ref>
*** Match of the Year ([[1997 Slammy Awards|1997]]) – {{small|vs. [[Shawn Michaels]] at [[WrestleMania XII]]}}<ref name="slammy"/>
*** Put a Fork in Him, He's Done (1996) – {{small|[[Sharpshooter (professional wrestling)|The Sharpshooter]]}}<ref name="slammy"/>
*** Which WWF World Heavyweight Champion, past or present, in attendance, is Hall of Fame bound? (1996)<ref name="slammy"/>
* '''''[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]'''''
** [[List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards#Best Pro Wrestling Book|Best Pro Wrestling Book]] (2007) {{small|''Hitman''}}
** [[List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards#Best Pro Wrestling DVD/Streaming Documentary|Best Pro Wrestling DVD]] (2006) {{small|''Bret "Hit Man" Hart: The Best There Is, the Best There Was, the Best There Ever Will Be''}}
** [[List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards#Best Pro Wrestling DVD/Streaming Documentary|Best Pro Wrestling DVD]] (2011) {{small|''Greatest Rivalries: Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart''}}
** [[List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards#Feud of the Year|Feud of the Year]] (1993) {{small|vs. Jerry Lawler}}
** [[List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards#Match of the Year|Match of the Year]] (1997) {{small|vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin in a Submission match at WrestleMania 13}}
** Feud of the Year (1997) {{small|with Owen Hart, Jim Neidhart, British Bulldog, and [[Brian Pillman]] vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin}}
** [[Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame]] ([[Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame#Inductees|Class of 1996]])

=== Other ===
* Hart was ranked the 39th [[The Greatest Canadian|greatest Canadian]] in 2004 in a poll by CBC which received more than 1.2 million votes.<ref>{{cite book|last=Wall|first=Karen L.|title=Game Plan: A Social History of Sports in Alberta|publisher=University of Alberta Press|year=2012|isbn=978-0888645944|page=276 pp}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Sornberger|first=Joe|title=Dreams and Due Diligence: Till & McCulloch's Stem Cell Discovery and Legacy|publisher=University of Toronto Press|year=2011|isbn=978-1442644854|page=? pp}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=MacGregor|first=Roy|title=Canadians: A Portrait Of A Country And Its People|publisher=Penguin Canada|year=2008|isbn=978-0143053088|page=? pp}}</ref>
* [[Canada's Walk of Fame]] (2021)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pwinsider.com/article/153850/bret-hart-discusses-the-honor-that-to-him-is-bigger-than-the-wwe-hall-of-fame.html?p=1 |title=Bret Hart Discusses The Honor That To Him Is Bigger Than The Wwe Hall Of Fame |publisher=PWInsider |date=December 17, 2021 |access-date=February 26, 2022}}</ref>

== ''Luchas de Apuestas'' record ==
{{see also|Lucha libre#Luchas de Apuestas|l1=Luchas de Apuestas}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"  style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
!  style="width:20%;" scope="col"|Winner (wager)
!  style="width:20%;" scope="col"|Loser (wager)
!  style="width:20%;" scope="col"|Location
!  style="width:20%;" scope="col"|Event
!  style="width:15%;" scope="col"|Date
! class="unsortable"  style="width:5%;" scope="col"|Notes
|-
|Bret Hart (hair) || [[Don Jardine|The Spoiler]] (mask) || Toronto, Ontario || WWF Toronto || {{dts|1985|1|13}} ||<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=shows&show=16836|title=WWF Toronto|website=Wrestlingdata.com}}</ref>
|}

== See also ==
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}
;[[Hart wrestling family|Family]]
* [[Matt Hart (wrestler)|Matt Hart]]
* [[Mike Hart (wrestler)|Mike Hart]]
* [[Bruce Hart Jr.]]
* [[Torrin Hart]]
{{Col-break}}
;General
* [[Professional wrestling in Canada]]
* [[Sport in Calgary]]
{{Col-break}}
;Other
* [[Hart Legacy Wrestling]]
* [[The Hitman (nickname)]]
* ''[[Stu Hart: Lord of the Ring]]''
* ''[[Pain and Passion]]''
* ''[[Hart Still Beating]]''
{{col-end}}

{{Portal bar|Biography|Canada|Sports|Literature}}

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Sources ==
'''Print'''
{{Refbegin|30em}}
* {{Cite book|last1=Hart|first1=Bret|title=Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9w_ufNyxo3YC&q=Bret%20%22Hitman%22%20Hart%3A&pg=PP1|publisher=[[Random House Canada]] (Canada), [[Grand Central Publishing]] (US)|year=2007|pages=592pp|no-pp=y|isbn=9780307355676}} {{ISBN|978-0-307-35567-6}} (Canada) {{ISBN|978-0-446-53972-2}} (US)
* {{Cite book|author1= Hart, Martha|author2=Francis, Eric|title= Broken Harts: The Life and Death of Owen Hart |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SNNtABahlEYC&q=owen+hart |publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]] (Canada), M. Evans and Company, Inc (US)|year=2004|pages=288pp|no-pp=y|name-list-style=amp|isbn=978-1-59077-036-8}}
* {{Cite book|author= Hart, Bruce|title= Straight from the Hart|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=jHKf2e9lin4C&q=hart+foundation&pg=PT249 |publisher=[[ECW Press]]|year=2011|pages=272pp |isbn=978-1-55022-939-4}}
* {{Cite book|last=McCoy |first=Heath|title= Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=i_dGLlfvGJkC&q=pain+and+passion+the+history+of+stampede+wrestling|publisher=[[ECW Press]]|year=2007|pages=336pp |isbn=978-1550227871}}
* {{Cite book|author1= Hart, Diana|author2= McLellan, Kirstie|title= Under the Mat: Inside Wrestling's Greatest Family |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=L1bLPQAACAAJ&q=Diana+Hart+family|publisher=Fenn Pub|year=2001|pages=200pp |name-list-style=amp|isbn=978-1550227871}}
* {{Cite book|author= Erb, Marsha|title= Stu Hart: Lord of the Ring|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o5GfzUbazgwC&q=stu+hart+lord+of+the+ring|publisher=[[ECW Press]]|year=2002|pages=250pp |isbn=978-1550225082}}
* {{Cite book|title= Historical Dictionary of Wrestling |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KUsJAwAAQBAJ&q=Historical+Dictionary+of+Wrestling&pg=PR7|author=Grasso, John|publisher= Scarecrow Press, inc |year=2014|page=444|isbn=978-0-8108-7926-3}}
* {{Cite book|title=Slamthology: Collected Wrestling Writings |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=80DO1mB_69gC&q=Slamthology:+Collected+Wrestling+Writings |author= Lister, John|publisher= jnlister |year=2005|page=276|isbn=1-4116-5329-7}}
{{Refend}}
'''Film'''
{{Refbegin|30em}}
* {{Cite AV media|people=[[Paul Jay]] (Director); Bret Hart; Owen Hart; Vince McMahon|title=[[Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows]]|medium=Documentary film|publisher=High Road Productions Inc; National Film Board of Canada|location=Canada; U.S.A|date=1998|asin=B001NG9GZ0}}
* {{Cite AV media|people=Bret Hart (Subject); Stone Austin; Roddy Piper; Chris Benoit|title=[[Bret "Hit Man" Hart: The Best There Is, the Best There Was, the Best There Ever Will Be]]|medium=Documentary film|publisher= WWE|location= U.S.A; Canada|date=2005}}
{{Refend}}

== Further reading ==
'''Biographies'''
* {{cite book|first=Ross|last=Davies|title=Bret Hart|publisher=Rosen Publishing Group|isbn=0-8239-3494-2|year=2001}}
* {{Cite book|title=Pure Dynamite: The Price you Pay for Wrestling Stardom|author1=Billington, Tom|author2=Coleman, Alison|publisher= Winding Stair Press|year=2001|isbn=1-55366-084-6}}
*McCoy, Heath. ''Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling''. Toronto: CanWest Books, 2005. {{ISBN|0-9736719-8-X}}
* {{Cite book|title=Hart Strings|author=Hart, Julie|publisher=Tightrope Books|year=2013|isbn=978-1926639635}}
* {{Cite book|title=The Hitman's Legacy: A Fan's Guide to the Rise of Bret Hart Through the WWE and WCW, and the Heartbreak Faced in and Out of the Ring |author=Rally, Carter|publisher= Webster's|year=2011|isbn=978-1270792185}}
* {{Cite book|title=Bret Hart: The Story of the Wrestler They Call "the Hitman" |author=Mudge, Jacqueline|publisher=Turtleback Books |year=1999|isbn=9780613210454}}
* {{Cite book|title= In the Ring with Bret Hart|author=Payan, Michael|publisher=PowerKids Press |year=2002|isbn=9780823960477}}
* {{Cite book|title= Superstar Series: The Hart Foundation |author1=James Dixon |author2=Lee Maughan |author3=Arnold Furious |others=Bob Dahlstrom (Illustrator) |publisher= HistoryOfWrestling|year=2013|isbn=9781291538410}}
* {{Cite book|title= Face to face with Bret "Hit Man" Hart|author=R Ricciuti, Edward|publisher= Topdog Publications|year=1994|isbn=978-1567110753}}
* {{Cite book|title= Bret Hart: "The best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be"|author=Martin, Marlow J|publisher= CreateSpace Independent Publishing|year=2016|isbn=978-1523811182}}

'''Documentaries'''
* {{Cite AV media|people=John Pollock (Writer); Bret Hart; Ross Hart; Keith Hart; Bruce Hart|title=[[Bret Hart: Survival of the Hitman]]|medium=Documentary film|publisher= Fight Network|location=Canada; U.S.A|date=2010}}
* {{Cite AV media|people=Jim Ross (Interviewer); Bret Hart; Shawn Michaels|title= Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart: WWE's Greatest Rivalries
|medium=Documentary film|publisher= WWE|location= U.S.A; Canada|date=2011}}
* {{Cite AV media|people=Bret Hart (Subject)|title= Bret Hitman Hart – The Dungeon Collection
|medium=Documentary film|publisher= WWE|location= U.S.A; Canada|date=2013}}

'''Radio'''
* {{Cite AV media|people= Anna Maria Tremonti (Host); Bret Hart|title=Wrestler Bret Hart's childhood memories |medium=Radio|publisher= CBC|location=Canada|date=2007|url=http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/wrestler-bret-harts-childhood-memories}}
* {{Cite AV media|people= Bret Hart|title=Bret 'The Hitman' Hart opens up on Ottawa Morning |medium=Radio|publisher=CBC |location=Canada|date=2014|url=http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2471776590}}

'''Videos'''
* {{Cite AV media|people= Bret Hart|title=Bret Hart's Calgary: Famed pro wrestler tours most memorable places in his home town |medium=Video|publisher=CBC |location=Canada|date=2016|url= http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/bret-hart-calgary-video-tour-calgary-crossroads-1.3435286}}
* {{Cite AV media|people= Bret Hart|title= Bret Hart discusses returning to Ottawa|medium=Video|publisher=CBC |location=Canada|date=2015|url= http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/bret-hart-discusses-returning-to-ottawa-1.2699848}}

'''Interviews'''
* {{cite interview |subject= Bret Hart |interviewer= Jan Murphy |title= From The Archives: Interview with Bret 'Hitman' Hart |via= Chinlock.com |date= 2010 |url= http://www.chinlock.com/2013/11/from-the-archives-interview-with-bret-hitman-hart/ |access-date= May 1, 2016 |archive-date= March 25, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190325164012/http://www.chinlock.com/2013/11/from-the-archives-interview-with-bret-hitman-hart/ |url-status= dead }}

'''Articles'''
* {{Citation | last =Konuwa | first = Alfred | title =Bret Hart Criticizes His Legendary Match Against British Bulldog In New Documentary | newspaper = Forbes | date = February 1, 2016| url = https://www.forbes.com/sites/alfredkonuwa/2016/02/01/bret-hart-criticizes-his-legendary-match-against-british-bulldog-in-new-documentary/#10d953264598}}
* {{Citation| last = Warmington| first = Joe| title = Hitman's son has confidence in his dad| newspaper = Toronto Sun| date = January 10, 2001| url = http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingBretHart/01jan10_blade.html |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190108093115/http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingBretHart/01jan10_blade.html |archive-date=January 8, 2019}}

== External links ==
{{Sister project links|voy=no|wikt=no|b=no|q=Bret Hart|s=no|commons=Bret Hart|n=no|v=no|d=Q81324}}
* {{Official website}}
* {{Professional wrestling profiles}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160618221317/http://0362dc8.netsolhost.com/halloffamers/bios/hart_bret.asp Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame Profile]

{{Navboxes|
|list1=
{{Bret Hart}}
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{{WWE Hall of Fame}}
{{Grand Slam-Triple Crown Champions}}
{{WWE Championship}}
{{WWE Intercontinental Championship}}
{{WWE United States Championship}}
{{World Tag Team Championship (WWE)}}
{{Royal Rumble winners}}
{{King of the Ring winners}}
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}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hart, Bret}}
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