Who REALLY Carried WWE Every Year (1985-2026)

35. 1992 (Bret Hart)

Bret Hart WWF Champion
WWE.com

In truth, Bret Hart had been having some of the best matches on cards as a singles since splitting from Hart Foundation partner Jim Neidhart in '91. His SummerSlam bout vs. Mr. Perfect, for example, was everything in the midcard that the WWF's main event wasn't. It was obvious to people watching the product that a new breed of worker was upon us.

Come 1992, Bret headlined 2 of the 4 pay-per-views on offer. Before those main event appearances, his match with Roddy Piper dazzled at 'Mania VIII. Then, keeping his momentum blazing, Hart proved his worth when he carried a knackered British Bulldog in a historic headliner that thrilled fans at SummerSlam in the old Wembley Stadium.

As if that wasn't enough, the 'Hitman' put together a hidden gem vs. Shawn Michaels at Survivor Series after winning the WWF Title from Ric Flair on a house show in October. On commentary, Vince McMahon must've known that he'd found someone who might not be able to replace Hulk's star power but could deliver quality by the bucketload no matter who he was in the ring with (or what state they were in!).

In short, Hart became the WWF's 'Mr. Reliability'. He wasn't a drama queen behind the curtain, he could work with anybody, and he badly wanted to prove that there was more to top tier wrestling than Hogan's showy performances.

Somehow, despite having one of the greatest pay-per-view years in history up until that point, Bret was about to smash 1992 into the rearview with an astonishing '93.

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.