4. Bret Hart Goes To WCW In 1996
Background: Long before The Montreal Screwjob, Bret Hart was being wooed by Eric Bischoff over at WCW. Bret had been a loyal WWE employee for 14 years, only ever missing two shows, but pay was low, and Scott Hall even jokingly referred to Hart as "the $400,000 Champion". WCW had big names like Hogan and Savage but what they really needed was a current name like Hart. But while Bischoff was offering millions in 1996, Bret turned him down to stay at WWE for the next 20 years. As money woes mounted, Vince was unable to honor his deal and Bret left for WCW but not before the debacle of The Montreal Screwjob. What Could Have Been: Had Hart walked in 1996 his position in the minds of the fans and the public would be very different. Bret could have escaped the whiner label that had dogged him for years. He would have been going out on a limb stepping out to WCW before the departure of Hall and Nash that was to follow. The Aftermath: Hart would have fit very nicely as the third man in the NWO effectively saving the public from having to watch those horrifying Hogan/Nash matches. The triple heat of Hart, Nash and Hall could have saved the group from deteriorating into an old folks home for Hulk's buddies, potentially saving WCW from collapse.