101 Shocking Wrestling Plans You Won't Believe Almost Happened
71. Bruce Hart Replacing Owen?!
Survivor Series 1993-SummerSlam 1994 told a thoroughly entertaining story of brotherly bickering between Bret and "baby" Owen Hart. During their fight vs. Shawn Michaels and the knights (it was supposed to be Jerry Lawler in HBK's place), Owen was the only one eliminated on the Hart family side, and he was miffed at it.
He and Bret patched things up, then fell out again at Royal Rumble '94 when Owen kicked the 'Hitman's' leg outta his leg. A technical classic followed at WrestleMania X, then the bros went at it again in a steel cage match at SummerSlam. News flash: Bruce Hart had pitched all of this for himself, not Owen.
Big brother Bruce wanted to be the one to go against a former WWF Champion.
Bret wrote in his autobiography how vehemently he opposed Bruce getting a Brucey bonus and lucking his way into 'Mania or SummerSlam payoffs. He believed that Owen deserved the spot more, and Vince McMahon agreed with that sentiment. Suddenly, Bruce was on the outside looking in and could only snare himself a few more cameo spots in WWF/WWE over the ensuing decades.
Being brutally frank, Bruce’s performance at the ‘93 Survivor Series shows how inferior that brotherly feud would’ve been without Owen. 'The Rocket' was ready for more in the WWF. Bret knew it, he knew it, McMahon knew it, and Bruce probably even knew it. Oh how different things could've been had Vince sided with an older Hart sibling and overruled Bret's suggestion on Owen.
Secretly, Bruce probs hoped Bret's leg injury at the Rumble was legit so he could swoop in and save the day come WrestleMania.