10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (July 27)

4. Wrestling Vader Changed Bret Hart's Outlook On Turning Heel

Bret Hart was given a choice in 1997: either turn heel and embrace Vince McMahon's new vision for his character, or wrestle Vader every night for the next 12 months. After hearing his boss lay things out that way, turning to the dark side and giving up on his own love of playing hero was a no-brainer to Bret.

The last thing he wanted to do was tangle with the physical Mastodon for an entire year.

Hart told Sky Sports that he'd already worked a few house show matches and TV gigs against Vader, so he knew only too well how brutal an entire loop against someone so snug would be on his body. Five minutes later, he told McMahon he'd turn his back on loyal fans in the States and play heel for the first time since going solo in 1991.

Vader, and his rugged, unrelenting in-ring style, was the main reason for that change. Who knows how things might have turned out had Bret told Vince to shove it and spent the next 12 months dodging the big grizzly bear's stiff punches.