On a recent edition of his “Lex Expressed” podcast, former WWE Superstar Lex Luger discussed Bret Hart leaving WWE for WCW in late 1997.
While Hart was one of the biggest WCW signings, the creative team failed to utilize The Hitman properly.
Luger and Hart faced each other for the WCW United States Championship in 1998.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On Bret Hart joining WCW: “I felt like they couldn’t pass up the opportunity to bring Bret in. He’s the generational star of stars in that regard. Bret’s just phenomenal in the ring and with his fanbase. So it was like a no-brainer to bring him in. But with the storylines we had going…with the nWo vs. the WCW guys, I don’t feel they knew where Bret fit in with that so to speak, but they didn’t want to pass up bringing him in. I was never involved in the booking/office side of things, so…he definitely wasn’t fully utilized, for sure, on the storylines.”
On wrestling Hart in WCW: “I had the pleasure of doing a couple of US Title matches with him. I enjoyed that, I always loved working with Bret. But yeah, I agree he could’ve been used a lot better during that period. But there was also a massive amount of talent during that time. Even a Bret Hart…I don’t want to say he’d get lost in the shuffle, he’d never be that kind of guy, but it was tough to balance everything out I think, with everything that was going on.”
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Bret Hart’s Move to WCW: A Missed Opportunity
In late 1997, the wrestling world was shocked when Bret Hart, one of the biggest stars in WWE (then known as WWF), made the decision to leave the company and join its rival, WCW. The move was highly anticipated and generated a lot of buzz among fans and industry insiders. However, despite the excitement surrounding his arrival, Hart’s tenure in WCW did not live up to its full potential.
Former WWE Superstar Lex Luger recently discussed Hart’s move to WCW on his podcast, “Lex Expressed.” Luger expressed his belief that bringing in Hart was a no-brainer for WCW due to his status as a generational star and his incredible in-ring skills. However, Luger also pointed out that the creative team in WCW failed to fully utilize The Hitman in their storylines.
During his time in WCW, Hart faced Luger for the WCW United States Championship in 1998. While Luger enjoyed working with Hart and praised his abilities, he acknowledged that Hart could have been used better during that period. Luger attributed this to the abundance of talent in WCW at the time, making it challenging to balance everything out and give each wrestler their due.
Hart’s arrival in WCW came at a time when the company was embroiled in the nWo vs. WCW storyline, which dominated much of the promotion’s programming. This may have contributed to the difficulty in finding a suitable role for Hart within the ongoing narrative. Despite his star power and fanbase, Hart seemed to get lost in the shuffle, and his potential impact was not fully realized.
It is worth noting that Hart’s time in WCW was not without its highlights. He had memorable matches and moments during his tenure, but it is widely agreed upon that his run in WCW did not reach the heights that many had hoped for. The missed opportunity to capitalize on Hart’s star power and in-ring abilities remains a point of discussion among wrestling fans and experts.
In conclusion, Bret Hart’s move from WWE to WCW in late 1997 was a significant moment in wrestling history. While his arrival generated excitement, WCW failed to fully utilize his talents and integrate him effectively into their storylines. Despite this missed opportunity, Hart’s legacy as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time remains intact.