10 WWE Stars Who Didn’t See Their Own Downfall Coming

5. Bret Hart

Bret Hart WCW 1999
WWE.com

A lot of things could've been different for Bret Hart.

Had Bill Goldberg not recklessly punted him in the head at WCW's Starrcade 1999 pay-per-view, then the 'Hitman' could easily have worked a part-time schedule for many years to come. One boot to the side of Bret's noggin changed the course of his life and career for good though.

It's strange to think that Hart could've, in theory, returned to WWE for a match with Vince McMahon years before that ill-advised calamity at WrestleMania XXVI. He would've done so as a fit and healthy (if slightly older and slower) worker who could actually bump. Goldberg's errant kick stopped that fantasy from happening.

Bret went on to suffer through numerous health complications, and says he was never the same after Starrcade '99. Perhaps the saddest part of this is that nobody would've remembered his match with Goldberg without the injury. It was just another forgettable WCW bout.

Advertisement
In this post: 
Steve Austin
 
Posted On: 
Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.