I suggest you watch Wrestling With Shadows if you haven't already, it's an excellent documentary about Bret's final year in the WWF, leading up to Survivor Series. All from his point of view (but of course at the time, it's the only point of view we had as Vince McMahon stayed quiet about the whole affair.)

What basically happened was Bret became disillusioned with WWF's move towards the Attitude Era and WCW offered him a large contract to jump ship. Hart ultimately remained loyal to the WWF and signed a huge 20 year contract. When WWF started to lose money due to getting stomped in the ratings, Vince told Bret to go to WCW as they couldn't actually afford his contract.

Bret didn't want to go to WCW and rightfully wanted to go out on his own terms. He certainly didn't want to drop the title to Michaels, who he had major heat with in real life.

Bret's contract was 20 years, 3 years as a wrestler and 17 as office staff IIRC. It's possible in 1997 he was single-handedly drawing more money for WWF in Canada than they were paying him, but there's no real way to know.

Off topic but Big Damo won the ICW belt tonight, so congrats to him.

Where is Raw this Monday? I know Taker is back and Cena posted a pic of him on Instagram, but Cena also posted a pic of Punk and there's a Raw in Chicago so I'm thinking that's a hit that he returns there as Shane's man.

He didn't post a picture of Punk, he posted a picture of Paul Newman in the movie Slap Shot (actually a really good movie, it's on UK netflix), which is also Punk's twitter profile picture.

Cena be trolling, most likely.

Bret's & Vince's relationship with WWE had been going since he debuted in the 1980s and you'd think he would have trusted Bret by then. Shawn just seemed the wrong choice and the way Shamrock had been bigged up around this time making Bret & Shawn tap out he should have won the belt around this time. Yes Bret refused to job to Shawn but Vince should have either changed the match or gone to a situation where both sides were happy.

Id have been more happier Bret putting Austin over at Mania to end their feud that had been established since 1996.


Pretty sure he hadent signed yet. Out of all the guys there theres other people Id have released before Bret.

But he wasent on his way out. He still had months left on his contract, it was Vince who decided he didnt want Bret there which just seems odd, he was the longest WWE wrestler there I think. Very fishy to Vince acting the way he did trusting more a guy who had a habit of refusing jobs and just walking out when he didnt get his way. If it had been me knowing the problems I would not have had Bret/Shawn on PPV.

I wouldnt want to drop the belt to Shawn either after he had been a dick the past year refusing to put me over, that match was scheduelled to be at Mania which didnt happen and King of the Ring didnt happen either. Vince was nuts for doing it at Survivor Series, even back then I wasent all that interested in the match, I wanted Taker/Bret part 2.

But the DVD is fantastic and wonderful, the special edition is even better cos it has a Owen documentary.

Shiny new thread.


Cue mass mark-out lol.

Prepare for WWE to once again ruin something those on the internet like.


What a random match if true, And a waste of a Lesnar appearance - they really are burning through those at the moment.

Also - as is thread tradition - post counts from the previous thread:

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/misc....sted&t=2109523

if it wasn't for the shock return of Shane there would not be a single reason to watch wrestlemania.... and as he is not doing a one off, there isnt still.

Isn't Punk under contract elsewhere so probably can't fight in WWE, Plus he just had back surgery so not likely

Could we see a situation tonight where Taker refuses to fight for Vince and instead sides with Shane leading McMahon to bring in a club of the Bullet variety?

Possible, but it would be a bit unusual for them to use wrestlers unknown to casuals in a setup which seems like a homage to the late 90s. Austin, Rock are more likely to make cameos on Shane's part.

As it is, I reckon Taker will initially refuse and Vince will mention he's upped the stakes/forgot to mention the career of The Undertaker is on the line also. Many have been under the assumption it was his last match, which it still could be. Like the WWE to play on that.

It would be fitting in a way if it's a McMahon who ends the gimmick onscreen/offscreen as it was a McMahon who created it.

Meltzer posted this on the observer board last year about Montreal.

Bret should have dropped it before Montreal.

I didn't think of a career threatening match for Taker. It would be the right time and place to do it, but I'd rather it not be against Shane. Also, Taker on the side of a heel McMahon is very weird. I'm sure that we won't actually get Shane vs Taker at WM. Unless...an Undertaker heel turn? Is that even possible?

I think I've mentioned this before, but I'd really like to see Lesnar doing more moves. The only moves he does these days are suplexes, Kimoura Locks and F5s. I'd like to see him do more submissions, spinebusters, DDTs, powerslams and powerbombs. Anything to freshen up his moveset rather than brawling, suplexing and F5ing.

I didn't say Punk would be there, I said Cena was teasing his own return on the Chicago Raw.

Also, Meltzer was tweeting something earlier in the week about a guest referee so I think Austin will be involved in Mania in that capacity.

Ah the good old thread count no surprise that Hollie was the queen bee of the previous thread think we all need to up our game cause it's what's best for business.

But that's his character, an angry beast of a wrecking machine. He doesn't NEED to be able to do more moves to be over, so why bother?

He was doing more before his match with Reigns at WM when the whole Suplex City started. He is capable of a hell of a lot more and with his power he should indeed be doing more stuff like powerbombs ect.

For the absolute final time as I am sick of telling people this, CM Punk back in WWE? Won't happen, he QUIT 2 years ago, took his ball and went home, resigned, walked out.

I realise that if he came back on Raw in Chicago, the IWC would literally shit themselves, but it's not happening.

People hAve done your gimmick before, only much better.

It would all depend on how they play it, even though in all honesty I have little faith in modern day WWE. Generally, it would be Taker having to fight for his career vs. Shane fighting to ensure the future of the company. Babyface vs babyface, with an arguably increasingly deluded 'genius?' Vince in the background. A 'reality era' segment between Taker and Vince could be brilliant - the one on Raw was 95% superb.

If in kayfabe Shane did win (albeit help from someone) and take control of WWE, it would be quite symbolic if to do he had to retire one of his dad's era's greatest creations.

Like you I'm not keen on his career threatening match being against a middle aged non wrestler. But then I can't think of a better scenario running in the background. Only a career match against a heel Cena would top it, IMO.

No he shouldn't. He had only won the belt at Summerslam. What would be the point in him losing before November. Alough I guess they could have done Shamrock winning the belt on Raw the week before as a shocker and then Bret/Shawn is a regular singles match.