Who REALLY Carried WWE Every Year (1985-2026)
30. 1997 (Bret Hart)
Apparently, taking some time away from WWF TV to try his hand at some acting and heal up various niggles worked wonders for the 'Hitman'. He'd been a weary road warrior for Vince McMahon since the mid-80s, so that break was long overdue. Anyone thinking it'd slow Bret's zest for wrestling was mistaken though.
He had one hell of a newsworthy 1997.
Hart's stunning heel turn at WrestleMania 13 vs. Steve Austin (who also went babyface in the process) was incredible. Indeed, his heel run overall, during which he was a villain in the US but a babyface practically everywhere else, felt totally unique. Nobody else was doing that sort of thing at the time - it was tweener central for the Hart Foundation crew.
Honestly, Bret didn't have a bad match all year until being screwed over and leaving the company at Survivor Series. That 'Montreal Screwjob' would come to define his '97 and probably his entire WWF/WWE run, which is unfortunate. If you're able to look back it at everything between January-October without hyper-fixating on Survivors, then you'll find one of the best single year runs in wrestling folklore.
Hart lost it at the Rumble when Austin pulled a fast one, he rag-dolled Vince around the place on Raw, he cut some of the best promos of his career, and he had world class matches with 'Stone Cold', The Undertaker, Sid, a young Rocky Maivia and so many others.
It was like Bret could do no wrong, but then everything fell apart for him behind the curtain ahead of his leap to WCW. Still, what a year to look back on. Nobody was better.