The Most Sympathetic Babyface In The Industry
If you are screwed out of something that is yours in front of millions of people, chances are that you are going to get a lot of sympathy. Bret Hart was not only screwed out of something that he had deserved, but he was screwed out of it in his home country in front of thousands of rabid supporters. If that doesn't make you over then nothing will. Furthermore, it allowed Bret Hart to position himself as an anti-authoritatian figure without doing any of the work. Because McMahon had screwed him royally to everyone's knowledge, Hart simply had to front up at WCW and could be seen as the battler, rather than the chosen one who was 'gifted' the title by the powers that be.