Bret Hart

Bret Hart was born into the renowned Hart wrestling family in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, the eighth of twelve children of Stu Hart and Helen Hart. His father founded Stampede Wrestling, where Bret trained and debuted in 1976. He spent years honing his craft in the family promotion, winning numerous regional championships and developing the technical style that would define his career.

In 1984, Hart signed with the WWF, initially as a tag team wrestler with his brother-in-law Jim Neidhart, forming The Hart Foundation. The duo won the WWF Tag Team Championship twice, but Hart's singles potential soon became evident.

Hart's breakout as a singles star came in the early 1990s, culminating in his first WWF Championship win at Survivor Series 1992. He became a five-time WWF Champion, headlining WrestleMania X and WrestleMania XIII, and was celebrated for his technical wrestling and ability to work as both a hero and a villain.

His final WWF run ended in controversy at the 1997 Survivor Series, where he lost the WWF Championship to Shawn Michaels in the infamous "Montreal Screwjob." The finish was changed without Hart's knowledge, leading to a bitter departure and a lasting feud with Vince McMahon.

Hart joined WCW in late 1997, signing a lucrative contract. He won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship twice, but his tenure was marred by creative mismanagement and a career-ending concussion suffered in 2000. A stroke in 2002 further sidelined him, but he recovered and returned to wrestling in a limited capacity.

After WCW's closure, Hart reconciled with WWE, appearing in documentaries and making occasional on-screen appearances. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006 as a singles wrestler and again in 2019 as part of the Hart Foundation.

Beyond wrestling, Hart is an accomplished author, publishing his autobiography Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling in 2007, which received critical acclaim for its candid storytelling. He also appeared in films and television, including a role in the 1997 action film The Bad Pack.

Hart's legacy includes mentoring younger wrestlers, and he is credited with influencing a generation of technical wrestlers. He also holds the distinction of being the first wrestler to win the WWF Championship at a pay-per-view event (Survivor Series 1992) and the first to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship in a match that was also a WWF title match (the 1997 Survivor Series, though the title change was later reversed).

Montreal Screwjob

A controversial event at the 1997 Survivor Series where Bret Hart lost the WWF Championship without his knowledge due to a changed finish.

Hart Foundation

A professional wrestling tag team and stable originally consisting of Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart, later expanded to include other family members.

Technical wrestling

A style of professional wrestling emphasizing grappling, holds, and submission maneuvers over brawling or high-flying moves.