WWE Hall of Famer Bret “The Hitman” Hart has once again spoken candidly about his infamous rivalry with fellow legend Hulk Hogan, describing Hogan as a “bulls****er” and revealing the moment he realized their animosity was more than just professional competition. This rare insight into one of wrestling’s most talked-about backstage sagas sheds light on why their relationship soured and why Hogan became Hart’s “enemy” behind the scenes.

The Origin of the Rift: A Failed Passing of the Torch

The feud between Bret Hart and Hulk Hogan dates back to the early 1990s, centered primarily around the WWE Championship and a carefully planned but ultimately sabotaged “passing of the torch.” Hart was set to become the new face of WWE’s “New Generation” era, and Hogan’s return at the 1993 SummerSlam was meant to culminate in him dropping the WWE Championship to Hart, signifying a clean title transition. However, sources close to the story reveal Hogan refused to lose cleanly to the smaller, more technical Hart, thereby blocking his ascension.

This refusal forced the WWF Championship to be passed instead to Yokozuna at the King of the Ring event, a controversial move that Hart has never forgiven Hogan for. On The Ringer Wrestling Show podcast, Hart openly called Hogan a “bulls****er” who never wanted to help push talent forward and instead acted as a “roadblock” to his career growth both in WWE and later in WCW[1][2].

Backstage Manipulation and Creative Control Battles

Hart further explained that Hogan’s backstage influence extended beyond WWE, claiming that in WCW during the late 1990s, Hogan used his creative control to actively suppress Hart from becoming a top star in the company. Hart said: “He made sure… that they didn’t do anything with me. Just leave him. Have him sit on the bench in the dressing room.” This kind of backstage politicking was a significant roadblock for Hart’s career, deepening their backstage rivalry[2].

WrestleMania 9 Controversy: The Physical and Emotional Fallout

The tension reached a boiling point around WrestleMania 9. After Hart lost the WWF Championship earlier in the event, Hogan returned unexpectedly to win the title from Yokozuna inside the ring. Behind the scenes, Vince McMahon had been negotiating with Hogan about future plans, only to find Hogan unwilling to put Hart over as champion. According to Hart’s recount, Vince told him that Hogan claimed Hart wasn’t “in his league” and that he refused to lose to him, which forced WWE to abandon their plans to crown Hart as champion at SummerSlam 1993[3].

“I will always shake my head and wonder why he was such a roadblock for me,” Hart said reflecting on the era, reaffirming his disgust with Hogan’s repeated refusal to support him[2]. Hart described the betrayal as deep and personal — going beyond work politics to damage their professional and personal relationship irreparably.

The Legacy of a Bitter Backstage Relationship

Since then, Bret Hart has publicly voiced his frustration and disappointment with Hulk Hogan on numerous occasions. Wrestling historians and insiders corroborate that Hogan’s refusal to lose the title to Hart and his continued backstage interference significantly altered WWE’s landscape in the 1990s, delaying Hart’s full rise to superstardom.

Sources close to WWE told Fightful that while Hogan has remained a beloved figure in wrestling, his backstage actions during his peak years created lasting rivalries among wrestlers who sought to become the defining faces of the industry in that era. Hart’s blunt labeling of Hogan as a “bulls****er” is not just bitterness but a reflection of the very real power struggles that shaped WWE’s creative directions during the transition from the Hulkamania era to the New Generation.

According to WWE.com, both men remain Hall of Famers for their tremendous contributions inside the ring, but their backstage feud is a reminder of the darker side of professional wrestling’s pervasive politics.

As WWE celebrates its legacy and honors its legends, the complex and often contentious relationship between Bret Hart and Hulk Hogan stands out as one of the most enduring stories of conflict and ambition in wrestling history.

This detailed insight into Bret Hart and Hulk Hogan’s rivalry is based on recent interviews, podcasts like The Ringer Wrestling Show, and reports from sources including WrestlingInc.com, Sescoops, and Prowrestlingstories.com[1][2][3]. The revelations contribute to a fuller understanding of WWE’s backstage culture during a pivotal era for the company.