Tag: bret hart

WWE Raw live results: Bret Hart returns

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: September 9, 2024
Location: Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB

**********

Show Recap — 

Drew McIntyre (wearing a Johnny Cash “I Walk The Line” shirt), Bron Breakker, Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill, and Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn were shown arriving. 

Joe Tessitore welcomed us to Raw and Wade Barrett hyped up the crowd. Tessitore announced Bret Hart’s appearance to a big reaction. 

The first hour of Raw is commercial-free.

******** 

A video package played for the opening match. 

Chad Gable entered with an American flag to draw the ire of the Canadian fans (some of whom have Canadian flags). 

Eight-person tag team street fight: Wyatt Sicks defeated American Made (16:55) 

Nikki Cross (which is what they’re calling her) tackled Ivy Nile to start the match. Uncle Howdy watched from ringside as the rest of his crew attacked American Made. They ditched their masks. Cross wore white makeup on her face. 

Cross cleared the announce table but Nile dropped her on it as Gable wildly attacked Dexter Lumis and Joe Gacy with a kendo stick. Erick Rowan no-sold the kendo stick and knocked down the male members of American Made. 

Nile sprayed a fire extinguisher in Rowan’s face and the Creeds gave him a spinebuster through a table. They buried him under some stuff to (temporarily) take him out of the match. The crowd initially popped for the table spot but quickly booed American Made. 

American Made placed a trash can over Gacy and hammered at it with kendo sticks. Nile looked under the ring for something but found Cross who knocked her over the announce table. Rowan rose from under the debris and kicked down a section of the barricade. He used it as a weapon, knocking over the male members of American Made. 

Rowan almost had it won with a chokeslam on Brutus but Gable broke up the cover. There was a great spot where the Creeds knocked Rowan out of the ring and Gable gave him a German suplex into the barricade. 

The crowd chanted “This is awesome” as Gacy and Lumis made a comeback. Lumis drove Brutus through a table with a diving leg drop off the apron. Gacy wanted to put Gable through a table but Gable met him on the turnbuckles and hit an Angle Slam through the table. 

Gable put Gacy in an ankle lock as Nile hit Gacy with the kendo stick. Cross yanked Nile out of the ring and gave Gable a German suplex. Cross gave Nile a swinging neckbreaker onto a pile of chairs. 

Gable found himself face-to-face with Howdy but Rowan ran him over with a tackle and slammed him on the steel steps. Uncle Howdy finally got in the ring and dropped Gable on his head with a Sister Abigail. Lumis finished him with a splash off the top for the pinfall win. 

This was a perfectly enjoyable TV street fight and the crowd was into it. 

********

Even though the first hour is commercial-free, they aired their own ads for merchandise and WWE Week on USA. 

Liv Morgan will defend her Women’s World title against Rhea Ripley at Bad Blood on October 5th.

******** 

Judgment Day segment 

Finn Bálor entered. Bálor told Damian Priest that it didn’t have to be this way. Priest thought Bálor screwed him but Priest screwed Judgment Day. Bálor tried lifting Priest up while in Judgment Day but Priest held him down even though they were brothers. 

Bálor ensured Priest stayed champion but Bálor himself should have been champion first. Priest lurked around with his briefcase and screwed him when he got close to winning the title. Bálor called out Priest. 

Priest entered. Priest said he has been trying to get his hands on Bálor but he kept running. He would let Bálor say what he had to say and then he was dropping his ass. Bálor said he wasn’t going to do what Priest said because he wasn’t his sidekick. Finn Bálor was no sidekick. Bálor said Priest and Ripley would fall on the same night and challenged him to a match at Bad Blood. Priest accepted. 

Priest still wanted to beat him up right now. Bálor reminded him of the old Judgment Day playbook. Priest didn’t care and dropped him with a right hand anyway. Carlito and JD McDonagh tried to attack but he knocked them down too. Dominik Mysterio joined in but Priest caught him by the throat. 

The numbers caught up to Priest but Ripley entered—on a crutch. Morgan tried to attack from behind but Ripley knocked her down. Ripley attacked Dom with her crutch but Morgan chop-blocked her leg. 

The crowd chanted “Yeet” as Judgment Day beat up Priest and Ripley. Priest covered Ripley’s body to protect her so Morgan attacked him with the crutch anyway. They held down Priest and Dom attacked him repeatedly with the crutch. 

Bálor went up for Coup de Grace but Jey Uso ran out with a chair and Judgment Day ran away. Jey checked on Ripley and Priest. 

********

Jackie Redmond interviewed Braun Strowman. He admitted he was still banged up after what Bronson Reed did to him. The match last week didn’t help his injuries either. It would take more than that to keep the monster down. A wounded monster was even more dangerous. 

Bron Breakker interrupted. Bron agreed that Strowman was a monster but Bron was a dog and the only reason Strowman was still standing there was because they hadn’t fought yet. Strowman warned him that he didn’t know who he was talking to. Bron hoped Strowman won and said he’d see him around. Bron called him a “big sob,” referring to his Big S.O.B. t-shirt. 

******** 

Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill defeated Isla Dawn & Alba Fyre to retain the Women’s Tag Team Championships (6:35) 

Fyre and Dawn gave Belair their double-team finisher about five minutes in but Cargill just barely broke up the cover. Fyre superkicked Belair but Cargill tagged herself in and booted Fyre. Belair and Cargill gave Fyre their DDT into a German suplex combo for the pinfall win. 

This wasn’t much of a match but it felt like a placeholder to get us to the top of the hour. 

********

Tessitore told us that Ripley and Priest were taken to a “local medical facility.” 

Redmond interviewed LWO but they were quickly interrupted by Judgment Day. Rey Mysterio called them the Addams Family. Bálor issued a warning but Rey called them wannabe thugs that ran from a real fight. Rey told Bálor to stop hiding behind his estúpido son and fight him tonight. Bálor accepted. 

******** 

Bret Hart was shown backstage. He’s up next. 

[SECOND HOUR]

Bret Hart returns

Tessitore and Barrett were in the ring. Tessitore introduced Bret Hart. 

Hart entered to a huge ovation. Tessitore tried to speak but the crowd loudly chanted for Bret. 

Tessitore told the Calgary fans that WWE would return to Canada for Survivor Series in Vancouver and announced that tickets were going on sale on Friday. (Vancouver is a 973 km/605 mi drive from Calgary.) 

Barrett asked Hart what it felt like to be back in WWE in Calgary. Hart said this was the place to be. No one took more pride in being a champion than him—and a Canadian champion. Canadian champions don’t back down from a challenge and prove it every night. He did just that by being the best there is, was and ever will be. (The crowd chanted along with his catchphrase.) 

Gunther interrupted. The crowd loudly booed him and Hart was amused. Gunther called him one of his childhood heroes. Gunther called him the best there was but Gunther was the best there is and the best there ever will be. Gunther said Hart was a close second to his real favourite, Bill Goldberg. (Hart couldn’t help but smile through this.) 

Sami Zayn entered wearing a Johnny Gaudreau Calgary Flames jersey. Zayn also got a huge reaction. 

Zayn said Gunther had a lot of nerve standing in Calgary talking to Hart that way. Gunther shouldn’t joke about Hart being a hero because Hart was a Canadian hero. He was a hero to everyone in that city and to every wrestler in the back who still studied his matches to this day. “And more importantly, he’s a hero to me.” 

Zayn said Gunther may hold the title now but Hart set the tone for what it meant to be a champion. Zayn challenged him to a title match last week but he ran away. Zayn challenged him again. 

Gunther said Hart wasn’t in his league and Zayn wasn’t even close to being in Hart’s league. Gunther’s answer was still no. He left the ring. 

Hart said Gunther didn’t look like a champion, he looked like a coward. A dirty, yellow, gutless coward. Gunther seemed offended so he removed his coat and wanted to go after Bret. 

Zayn left the ring and got in Gunther’s face. Zayn blocked a right hand and attacked him. Zayn hammered away until officials broke it up. Gunther left. Zayn hugged Hart.

(This was a fun segment and a suitable use of Bret.)  

********

Bron approached Pete Dunne. Bron was about to call him “Butch” but Dunne told him not to. Dunne said he would win tonight, smash Trick Williams, win the NXT title, and smash Bron for the IC title. Then Bron could call him double champ. Bron mocked Dunne’s shrug and smirk and said, if they did fight, Dunne would be doing a lot of shrugging and wondering at what the hell just happened. Bron wished him luck.  

After Bron left, Sheamus flew in and clobbered Dunne with a knee. Sheamus tried to attack with the shillelagh but Dunne bailed and officials held back Sheamus. 

******* 

Dominik Mysterio (w/Judgment Day) defeated Dragon Lee (w/LWO) (8:14) 

This was Dragon Lee’s first singles match since June when he lost to Carlito. 

Lee hit Dom with a double foot stomp but McDonagh placed Dom’s foot on the rope to get a rope break. This led to a brawl between the two teams outside and they fought to the back. The ref was distracted so Morgan chop-blocked Lee. Dom followed with a 619 and frog splash (while blowing a kiss to Morgan) for the pinfall win. 

********

Iyo Sky and Kairi Sane approached Belair and Cargill. Sky congratulated them on the win but told them not to get used to being champions. (Sane had a bandage over her eyebrow and made sure the champs saw it.) 

******** 

Tessitore spoke about the tragic deaths of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau. (Johnny played for the Calgary Flames for eight full seasons.) 

Jackie Redmond was shown outside the arena earlier today. The arena’s exterior was covered in tributes (jerseys, memorabilia, pictures, flowers) for the Gaudreau brothers. 

Redmond spoke about Johnny Hockey’s time in Calgary. She called him a special player who was magical to watch and a pleasure to interview. Redmond and WWE sent their condolences to Meredith Gaudreau, Madeline Gaudreau and the entire Gaudreau family. 

(This was very nice and Remond was the right person for this.) 

********

Deville interrupted Valkyria’s entrance and called out their mystery partner who, of course, was Natalya. (Natalya wore red and black.) 

Six-woman tag team match: Natalya, Lyra Valkyria & Zelina Vega defeated Sonya Deville, Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark (6:52) 

Natalya made a hot tag after a break and went for a Sharpshooter on Stark but her teammates pulled her out of the ring. Vega and Valkyria wiped them out and Natalya went for the Sharpshooter again. 

Deville and Baszler tried to interfere again but Vega put Deville in a Walls of Jericho and Valkyria put Baszler in Lance Storm’s single-leg crab. Natalya locked Stark in the Sharpshooter and she tapped. The crowd popped big for the finish. 

********

Bret hugged Natalya backstage as she spoke with Valkyria and Vega. Natalya put over Bret but Bret wanted to make sure she knew this moment was for her. 

******** 

[THIRD HOUR] 

Drew McIntyre segment

The crowd chanted for CM Punk as McIntyre entered. He encouraged them to keep chanting and even joined them because now when they chant Punk’s name, it was simply in his memory. 

McIntyre said Punk’s words last week were poetic. Punk screwed him out of the title three times this year. McIntyre pinned him at SummerSlam and Punk was an arrogant prick if he thought they were done just because he touched some corners. McIntyre made Punk a bigger star since January and would have to live with that but he was also the one who ended Punk’s career. 

It was time to move on to the future and what mattered most around here: himself. First on the list was the world title he’s been screwed out of. Also on the list was the movie he starred in alongside Dave Bautista. 

Next on the list involved Wade Barrett. McIntyre spoke about their friendship and said they even got arrested together. Barrett stood up for him on commentary while Michael Cole called him a hypocrite so McIntyre wondered why Barrett stood in his way when it was finally time to end Punk. McIntyre wasn’t angry, he was just disappointed. But if Barrett did it again, he would be angry and would do something about it. 

Barrett removed his headset and got to his feet. He said something (off mic) to McIntyre but Adam Pearce quickly interrupted. Pearce didn’t think McIntyre actually wanted to fight his friend and told him to get back in the ring because he had information he needed to hear. McIntyre called Pearce a corporate suit, the type of suit that Punk likes to kiss the ass of. 

Pearce said he spoke to Punk and Punk was not done with McIntyre. McIntyre laughed. McIntyre didn’t believe Pearce but indulged him. McIntyre said Pearce was signing Punk’s death certificate if he was telling the truth. Pearce thought they were done but realized they weren’t. He signed a rematch at Bad Blood — inside Hell in a Cell. (The crowd cheered the announcement but it wasn’t super loud.)

********

Karrion Kross spoke to Miz and wanted to help him out of his rut. Xavier Woods stepped in and Kross left. Miz knew what Kross was trying to do but admitted Kross wasn’t wrong about him being a rut. Woods tried talking sense into Miz. Miz appreciated Woods’ words but he didn’t understand. Miz left. 

Kofi Kingston approached Woods (who was sort of cosplaying as Bret Hart). Kingston informed him that he got them a shot at the tag titles. Woods was excited even though they previously spoke about going after singles titles. Woods said this would be a great way to celebrate their tenth anniversary as New Day. They did Bret’s pose. 

********

Rey Mysterio defeated Finn Bálor via disqualification (8:03) 

Rey hit a dive, they went to break, and Bálor was in control anyway after the break. Rey made a comeback but Bálor caught his 619 attempt and applied a single-leg crab between the middle rope. The ref did the longest five count ever but Bálor didn’t let go so he was disqualified. 

— Bálor dropkicked Rey into the ring post after the match. He posed as refs followed him up the aisle. He ran through them and dropkicked Rey into the side of the ring. 

********

Ilja Dragunov told Redmond he had a chance at taking care of some unfinished business with Bron Breakker. Bron interrupted and said they did not have unfinished business but had no trouble beating him again. 

Jey walked by and shot Bron a look. The camera followed him as he told them to hit his music and he made his entrance. 

********

There was a quick Judgment Day promo. They issued a warning to everyone. 

******** 

Next week on Raw in Portland: 

  • Finn Bálor & JD McDonagh vs. The New Day for the tag team titles 
  • CM Punk returns 

******** 

Fatal four-way match: Jey Uso defeated Pete Dunne, Ilja Dragunov and Braun Strowman to become number one contender for the Intercontinental Championship (19:40)

Dunne tried manipulating Strowman’s fingers so Strowman just picked him up and chucked him out of the ring onto Jey and Dragunov. 

Strowman fought off everyone after a break but Jey dodged a charge and he went shoulder-first into the ring post. They teamed up on Strowman again moments later and drove him into the steel steps. Dunne shoved Jey into the ring post and went after Dragunov but Dragunov fought him off. Dragunov tried a coast-to-coast but Jey caught him with a mid-air superkick for a nearfall. The crowd chanted “Yeet” as they went to break for the second time in nine minutes. 

Dragunov got the better of a strike exchange with Jey and hit a clothesline but Dunne broke up the cover. Dunne snapped Dragunov’s fingers but Strowman knocked Dunne aside before running over all three guys around ringside. 

Strowman cleared the announce desk but Bronson Reed suddenly appeared on the barricade and he splashed Strowman through the table. This was perfectly timed. The crowd chanted “Holy shit.” This took Strowman out of the match. Reed left. 

Dragunov and Jey exchanged strikes again until Jey nailed a spear. Dunne chucked Jey from the ring and tried to steal the pin but Dragunov kicked out. The crowd chanted “This is awesome.” Dunne stomped the fingers of Dragunov, kicked him in the head and hit repeated forearms. 

Dragunov countered Dunne’s Bitter End and hit a powerbomb and an H-bomb but Jey broke up the cover with a superkick. Jey hit Dunne with an Uso splash for the pinfall win. Jey was the clear favourite and the crowd popped big for the finish. 

Bron entered and had a staredown with Jey as the show ended.

Bret Hart to appear on WWE Raw season premiere episode

Posted on by Joseph Currier

One of pro wrestling’s all-time greats is set to appear on the next episode of WWE Raw.

With the show being held in Calgary, Bret Hart will be on Raw this coming Monday. The show is taking place from the Scotiabank Saddledome and is being billed as the season premiere edition of Raw.

“I can officially confirm through some very legitimate sources that this Monday, on the season premiere of Monday Night Raw, Canadian legend Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart will be at the Saddledome in Calgary,” WWE’s Jackie Redmond announced.

The role Hart will be playing on the show has not been revealed, but it’s possible that — given CM Punk’s association with Hart — he could get involved in the Punk-Drew McIntyre storyline. There was an angle on Raw earlier this week where Punk was taken out in an ambulance after being attacked by McIntyre.

Paul “Triple H” Levesque posted the following tweet hyping up Hart’s appearance:

Hart last appeared for WWE when he was shown in the front row at Clash at the Castle 2022.

Here’s everything that’s been announced for Raw’s season premiere so far:

WWE Raw (Monday, September 9) —

  • Bret Hart appears
  • Intercontinental title number one contender’s tournament finals: Jey Uso vs. Pete Dunne vs. Braun Strowman vs. Ilja Dragunov
  • WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill defend against Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn
  • Street fight: The Wyatt Sicks (Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, Dexter Lumis & Nikki Cross) vs. American Made (Chad Gable, Julius Creed, Brutus Creed & Ivy Nile)

Wrestling Observer Live: Mike McGuire talks All In, Leo Burke, more

Posted on by Mike Sempervive

With Bryan in the UK adding “codswallop” to his repertoire, Mike McGuire joins us for this subscriber-only special. In the first half, we talk about Mike’s career and podcast (which features a weekly Dave Meltzer appearance), growing up in Hart territory, and his fantastic retrospective of Leo Burke. Then, it’s time to go ALL IN talking AEW & more! It’s a fun show as always, so check it out~!

Click Here for the Commercial-Free Download (subscription required)

Wrestling Observer Live: RAW, Bash in Berlin, All In and Dynamite, Bret and Ronda bury Vince

Posted on by Bryan Alvarez

Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive is back with tons to talk about including RAW from Monday night with the build to Bash in Berlin, ratings, Bret Hart and Ronda Rousey bury Vince McMahon, Dynamite and All In notes, and tons more. A fun show as always so check it out~!

Right Click Save As

Bret Hart: ‘Vince McMahon can rot in hell’

Posted on by Ian Carey

Bret Hart says the sweetest punch he’s ever thrown was when he knocked out Vince McMahon backstage at the 1997 Survivor Series.

Hart was a guest on The Attitude Era podcast recently and did not hold back when asked about the Montreal Screwjob. He says he has no regrets about his actions that night.

Hart said:

“If you were in my shoes after everything that I did for them for them to do what they did to me – and I always hear this crap, like I think Undertaker said it a few days ago that they had to do what they were going to do because there were no other options or something – bullshit, I had another six weeks left on my contract, there was a million things that could have bee done. It was a case of liars and cheaters and backstabbers and guys that made that moment all happen, Shawn, Triple H, Vince McMahon and I wish I’d knocked them all out. I have no regrets, it was the single greatest thing I ever did.”

“I was never a hothead, I wasn’t a guy who acted out and just punched everybody that he wanted to. I was a guy that if you were in my shoes that day, Vince was calling my bluff, he was going to confront me and he wanted me to back down and take the high road. And it was a gamble that he made and then he thought he was going to try and get into a little altercation with me and he wanted it to be like a pull-apart and everybody pulls us apart and then he can act like he stood his ground against me. In those fleeting seconds of having to think about this like ‘I can’t believe Vince McMahon is going to confront me.’ I didn’t charge him or anything, we actually walked up to each other and locked up like a wrestling match and then I knocked him out with one punch and it was the greatest punch I ever threw. It was an absolutely beautiful uppercut right between his arms, I lifted him about a foot off the ground, broke my hand, but it was the sweetest punch I ever threw. And I wouldn’t change anything about it and Vince McMahon can rot in hell.”

The Montreal Screwjob is covered extensively in the November 17 & 24, 1997 editions of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter, two of the most requested back issues we’ve ever published.

“It will go down in history as the single most famous finish of a pro wrestling match in the modern era. Twenty or 30 years from now this story, more than any famous wrestler jumping promotions, more than any prominent death, and more than any record-setting house, will be remembered vividly by all who watched it live, and remembered as legendary from all who hear about it later,” Meltzer wrote 27 years ago.

Some of Hart’s old matches from Maple Leaf Wrestling in the early 1980s have recently been published online by the newly relaunched brand, Maple Leaf Pro. So far this month, Hart vs. Ludger Proulx from April 30, 1984, and a match against Leo Burke have been posted to the channel.

Other topics discussed during Hart’s interview with The Attitude Era podcast include his WM13 match vs. Steve Austin, the origins of Hart’s “Hitman” moniker, and his feud with his brother Owen Hart. The full episode is available below:

Bret Hart believes his involvement in Owen Hart Cup would ‘ruffle WWE’s feathers’

Posted on by Ian Carey

Bret Hart says he believes it would “ruffle WWE’s feathers” if he were to be involved in AEW’s Owen Hart Cup.

Hart took part in a virtual signing with Signed By Superstars on Friday night and was asked if he’d ever been approached about being involved with the tournament honoring his late brother.

“No, nobody’s ever asked me,” Hart responded.

“I’d have to think about it,” he continued. “I like Tony and I’d be happy to help out but I don’t know if I want to go down… I think it might ruffle WWE’s feathers and I get all my (royalties), everything tied in through them. But then again, it can’t hurt to ask.”

Earlier in the conversation, Bret referred to his younger brother as his second favorite opponent of all time.

“Curt Hennig and then Owen,” Hart responded when asked who his favorite opponent was. “Owen is close. Curt was the safest guy ever.”

Hart was also asked if he had any stories about Stampede Wrestling legend Leo Burke, who passed away on July 24.

“Just that he was a really great wrestler,” Hart responded. “I learned a lot from him.”

Hart did not have much of an answer when asked about recent comments made by Goldberg, however.

“I don’t pay much attention to Bill. I don’t know anyone that does,” Hart responded.

The third annual Owen Hart Cup men’s and women’s tournaments concluded on July 10 when AEW Dynamite took place in the Harts’ hometown of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Mariah May and Bryan Danielson won this year’s tournaments, joining Adam Cole, Britt Baker, Ricky Starks, and Willow Nightingale as those who have done so.

Hart’s full virtual signing is available below.

Goldberg to Bret Hart: I love you, grow up and don’t be such a prick

Posted on by Ian Carey

Goldberg spoke about Bret Hart during a recent interview.

The WWE Hall of Famer was a guest on Tuesday’s episode of Busted Open Radio to discuss Vice’s Who Killed WCW docuseries. Goldberg was asked about the kick he hit Hart with at Starrcade 99 and the criticism Hart has levied against him since.

“The Bret Hart thing, it just saddens me as a human being, that’s all,” Goldberg said. “First and foremost, I would never wish ill will upon any opponent or anyone like that. To have an accident like that happen and end someone’s career, especially someone who’s one of the best that ever was, 100 percent, it sucks. I’m not asking anybody to understand it, I’m just saying leave me alone.”

“It is what it is, come on, man. I love you, Bret, don’t be such a prick, that’s all. Grow up.”

Bully Ray asked Goldberg what would happen if Hart and Goldberg were in the same place at the same time today.

“I always said I was going to kill him but, you know me, I can’t do that. I love the guy, he’s an icon, right? Just get over it, that’s all, I’m sorry. What do you want me to do? As a human being, yeah, it saddens me that he can’t come to grips with the fact that it was…it sucks.”

Goldberg continued to say that he is not going to allow what happened to be a negative in his life.

“I’m not going to be a victim of it, not anymore. I feel bad but it’s not going to draw me down and be a negative in my life, by any stretch. It just is what it is.”

Goldberg also compared his conflict with Hart to the ones others have had with Ric Flair.

“It’s like having a beef with Flair at this age, 70-something years. Really? What are you going to do? Come on, please. I love you, you’re an icon just let’s move on. But it’s easy for me to say move on when it’s not me and it didn’t end my career so next question.”

Wrestling Observer Radio: More thoughts on episode one of ‘Who Killed WCW?’

Posted on by Garrett Gonzales

Dave Meltzer and I are back with Wrestling Observer Radio going over the big stories in the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Dave and I talked about the following:

  • The CMLL/AAA/AEW relationship
  • Eric Bischoff’s performance on episode 1 of Who Killed WCW?
  • Hulk Hogan’s role
  • Whether or not Sting was worried about being screwed at Starrcade 1997
  • Bret Hart’s read on Eric Bischoff
  • NXT & AEW Dynamite ratings
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi’s 10-point plan for NJPW
  • Wrestling free agents
  • The Northeast territory back in the day

Click here to listen (sub needed) or watch on YouTube (video sub needed).

Bret Hart denounces Vince McMahon after ‘sick and disgusting’ allegations

Posted on by Joseph Currier

After Janel Grant’s lawsuit, Bret Hart has lost any respect that he once had for Vince McMahon.

Hart gave his first public comments on the situation in an interview with Slate that was published on Friday. Hart stated that he’s going to speak his truth and isn’t worried about McMahon’s feelings, because McMahon has never cared about Hart’s.

“I don’t have any problem with everybody kicking his head around the parking lot,” Hart said. “I’m OK with the truth coming out.”

Hart told Slate that he’s embarrassed he ever respected McMahon.

“I always had a respect for him,” Hart said. “Now it’s tainted. I’m embarrassed that I thought so highly of him.”

Grant, a former WWE employee, accuses McMahon of physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault, and sex trafficking in her lawsuit. McMahon, WWE, and John Laurinaitis are named as defendants.

In response to an allegation in the lawsuit where McMahon “allegedly defecated on Grant’s head and back while she was being raped by another man,” Hart called it sick and disgusting.

“When you get that vision in your head, you go, ‘That’s messed up,’” Hart said. “It’s too sick and disgusting to really imagine.”

Grant’s lawsuit includes graphic text messages allegedly sent by McMahon.

“They sound like Vince,” Hart said.

Hart told Slate that sexual abuse is something that he had heard whispered about during his time in the wrestling industry.

“I don’t think this is the only incident of this kind of predatory behavior,” Hart said. “I think you’ll find that it’s everywhere in [WWE].”

Hart believes that Grant’s allegations are something that McMahon will always be associated with.

“It’s like Jeffrey Dahmer, Harvey Weinstein, or Jeffrey Epstein: Vince will be a joke,” Hart said. “He’ll be used for humor, and you’ll shake your head at the shock value of some joke about, ‘What did Vince McMahon do?’ He’ll always be associated with this story, especially as it gets bigger and bigger and bigger.”

Hart added that, at a convention a few months ago, he apologized to former WWE referee Rita Chatterton for not having believed her 1986 rape accusation against McMahon. In 2022, McMahon agreed to pay Chatterton a multi-million dollar settlement. McMahon said he still denied Chatterton’s claim but was settling to avoid the cost of litigation.

“I apologized from the bottom of my heart,” Hart said, “And I said, ‘I believe that what happened to you, happened to you. And I apologize. I was wrong.’”

Hart sent Slate writer Abraham Josephine Riesman the following text message after their interview:

I think, despite all of the issues I ever had with Vince, I know, deep down, I always respected him; but now, knowing what kind of a weirdo he became, I have absolutely zero respect for him. I do not think I could ever shake his hand if he extended it. Too creepy.

McMahon resigned from WWE and its parent company TKO Group Holdings after Grant’s lawsuit was filed last month. McMahon has denied the allegations and claimed that he will vigorously defend himself against them.

Bret Hart: I’m as ‘popular as I’ve ever been’ thanks to CM Punk, FTR & others

Posted on by Ian Carey

Bret Hart says he feels as popular as ever thanks to currently active wrestlers frequently paying tribute to him. 

Hart was interviewed by Fox News Australia recently as he heads to the country in April for Starrcast Downunder. During the discussion, he spoke about how he appreciates the respect he’s given from wrestlers such as CM Punk and FTR. 

Hart said:

I seem to be as revered or popular as I’ve ever been – and it’s maybe because of the salutes I’ve been getting from guys like (CM) Punk, and FTR, different wrestlers have mentioned my name, or do something that I did in the ring as a nod or a salute to me, and I appreciate all that. I think CM Punk alone has done a lot to remind wrestling fans to take a look back at some of the stuff that I was doing, and how good it was.

And I think it’s starting to stand out now where it’s like – in my honest opinion, without trying to sound too boastful, they’ve pulled the curtain back on wrestling so much. So now we know the whole thing’s a show, and they’re just really good physical actors, and that is what it is.

But you watch my wrestling and you go, jeez, he was the best. I think I made it look more real than anybody all the time. I made your stuff look good, I made my own stuff look good, nothing looked rehearsed. There’s so much I think in today’s wrestling that’s so badly rehearsed, over and over.

The recently returned Serena Deeb is another wrestler who often pays tribute to Hart in her matches. One of her signature moves is a modification of Hart’s figure-four leglock around the ring post. 

At AEW Grand Slam 2023, MJF performed a spoof of a famous Hart vignette as well. 

WrestleMania 40 main eventer, The Rock, has also frequently stated Hart was someone who helped him early in his career. 

With WWE Elimination Chamber in Perth coming up later this month, Hart also praised Australia’s Rhea Ripley during the interview. 

Hart said:

I really like her a lot. I really like her poise, her staying in character and sort of living her – she seems like she’s adapted a character that’s fun to play, and she’s playing into that, full tilt.

She’s putting that realism into it; that’s what I miss in a lot of wrestling today, just making it feel more real, and she makes it feel pretty real all the time.

Earl Hebner on reconciliation with Bret Hart: ‘We have a good relationship’

Posted on by Ian Carey

Earl Hebner is ready to tell his story. 

His book “Earl Hebner: The Official Story” is currently available for preorder and covers his role in one of the most infamous stories in wrestling history, The Montreal Screwjob. 

Hebner told Steve Fall recently that he and Hart have made up since what happened Survivor Series 1997.

Hebner said:

I have another merch shirt that says, ‘Damn right I did.’ A lot of people want me to write on it, ‘I screwed Bret.’ I go, ‘No. I can’t do that.’

A while back, maybe three or four years ago, I would do it but Bret and I made up. And before my brother passed, we were at a house show or indie show and he was there and he called us to the ring and he put us over like big time.

So now Bret calls me, and I’ll call him and we have a good relationship back and I’m not going to screw it up by writing something on a dumbass shirt that’s going to destroy our friendship.

The indie show Hebner is referring to was a Big Time Wrestling event in Prince George, VA on October 11th, 2014. Matt Hardy posted footage from the show to his YouTube channel:

Hebner continued to say:

For a long time, honestly it bothered me. It was bad for me, you know, because I carried it with me for a lot of years. 

We met one time at an airport and I wanted to talk to him and he said “I don’t want to talk to you.” I go ‘okay.’ He was talking to my brother and I said, ‘Can I talk to you for a minute?’ And he goes, ‘I don’t want to talk.’ I said okay, I let it go and that was it.  

As time went on, (we) eventually got to a place where we could see each other, (and) communicate.

A description of Hebner’s book reads: “The 440 plus-page book spans the entire career of who many call the most recognized official in professional wrestling, if not the Greatest Of All Time!”

Wrestling Observer Live: A trip back to 1993

Posted on by Jim Valley

Since I’m gone on vacation, I pulled an old Wrestling Observer Live show from the archives: 30 years ago this week.

Hear what it was like way back in 1993. Lex Luger beat Yokozuna at WWF SummerSlam, but he didn’t win the WWF World title. Bret Hart made Jerry Lawler submit, but he didn’t win the title of King of the WWF ring.

There was an exciting week of WWF television as there were three competitive marquee matches featuring such top notch stars as Virgil, Marty Jannetty and Bastion Booger. Wrestling on TV just can’t get any better than this!

Plus, you won’t believe what happened with The Shockmaster! All the news and insight from 1993. Check it out!

Click Here to Listen (sub needed)

Wrestling Weekly: Great TV moments, Kenny Omega comments, AEW’s updated rules on moves

Posted on by Victor Sosa

On a new edition of Wrestling Weekly, Les Thatcher and I go over some of the excellence in both AEW and WWE over the past seven days…and a couple of lowlights as well. 

We also discuss Kenny Omega’s thoughts on criticism of his match with Will Ospreay, the updated rules of combat in AEW, and Les’ induction into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame which happens next week.

Thanks for listening and have a great weekend~!

Click Here to Listen (sub needed)

April 17, 2006 Observer Newsletter: Bret Hart indcuted into the WWE Hall of Fame, ROH Supercard of Honor

Posted on by Dave Meltzer

After nearly nine years, Bret Hart returned to almost-live WWE television and Eddy Guerrero was honored at the WWE’s much-talked about Hall of Fame ceremony on 4/1 at the Rosemont Theater.

In the end, Shawn Michaels was at the Hall of Fame. Bret Hart didn’t shake Hulk Hogan’s hand, but was so inconspicuous about it that almost nobody noticed (although Hart made a point in bringing it up on TSN’s Off the Record on 4/3) and few talked about it afterwards. He didn’t reference Michaels, nor show up at Wrestlemania. In the end, Vince McMahon finally got Bret Hart back on television and the Hall of Fame got a little added credibility boost because Hart and Bruno Sammartino were the two names most often mentioned as to why you can’t take it seriously. 

Now there is only Randy Savage, who strangely has never been invited, along with Sammartino, who will likely never accept, and perhaps Bob Backlund, who also has been invited but turned it down, as the most obvious omissions in what the company has been trying to get as something that started as a joke, to now be taken seriously.

Subscribers can click here to read this issue.