10 Compensations Wrestlers Accepted As Payback
7. Bret Hart - The Protection Of His Legacy
Bret Hart has often been criticised for taking wrestling far too seriously, but that trait is precisely why 'The Hitman' remains lauded as 'The Best There Is, The Best There Was and The Best There Ever Will Be' over 20 years after his last full-time match.
Hart cared about the details of every match no matter the stature, and knew as the years passed that the quality of said scuffles would define him more than any company-branded tribute. This became especially important following the Montreal Screwjob - no relationship with Vince McMahon would have resulted in almost no relationship with an iconic archive he was extremely proud of.
Amends were made in 2005 for this reason - Hart shook hands with Vince McMahon ahead of going into the company's Hall Of Fame and getting the first of several DVD sets collating some of his legendary contests. Worth more than any dollar figure, the acknowledgement of his skillset was what 'The Hitman' wanted. The widely available proof was what he needed.
Fans, as always with the 'Excellence Of Execution', were the biggest winners of all.