[humanracer25]

Of course it would be very interesting as there hasn't really been a time where the new top babyface and old top babyface have been in the promotion at the same time. Hogan,Austin,Hart and Rock all departed before the new guy rose to the top. But here you go anyway.

My booking:
Defeats Shawn at Survivor Series 1997 after Austin interferes. Austin later says he wants Bret to himself at WM
Loses to Shawn at IYH DX in a heel vs heel match with the stipulation that whoever loses must disband their stable (in Hart's case the Hart Foundation).
eliminated by Austin at Royal Rumble. Michaels retains the title the same night in a casket match with Taker
Hart turns face. Hart/Austin vs Michaels/HHH at No Way Out
Austin defeats Hart and Michaels in a triple threat at WM 14
Loses to Austin in a clean defeat at Unforgiven in face vs face match. Hart submits to a sharpshooter placed by Austin. In the build up to the PPV Vince keeps trying in vain to get Hart to turn on Austin again. After this Austin feuds with Vince and heel Foley etc.
Begins a feud with Owen who is upset after failing to beat HHH. Owen (who turned face after the Hart Foundation disbanded) is now heel.
defeats Owen at Over The Edge
defeats Owen and HHH in a "king of kings" match at KOTR
loses to Owen in a match at Stu's house at Fully Loaded
defeats Owen in a cage match at Summerslam 98
Austin loses the title in a Austin/Hart vs Kane/Taker match at Breakdown with a stipulation that if the Kane/Taker team wins, Taker gets the title. Taker pins Hart.
Taker defeats Kane, Hart and Austin in fatal fourway at Judgement Day. Taker turns heel during the match. Result is controversial so title gets made vacant.
Takes part in the tourneyment at Survivor Series Deadly Game. Helps Rock defeat Foley in the final. Rock and Hart thus both turn heel.
loses to Austin at Rock Bottom
takes part in Royal Rumble
guest ref of vince vs austin cage match at feb PPV
defeats Foley at WM
loses to Foley at Backlash
defeats babyface Rock at Over The Edge
loses to Rock at KOTR
loses to Austin in a Hart/Taker vs Austin "end of an era" handicap match at Fully loaded
loses to Rock at Summerslam
Hart turns face again
takes part in the match at Unforgiven 99. HHH retains
defeats British Bulldog at No Way Out
defeats HHH in a triple threat with the Rock at surivor series 99 to become 6 time champ
defeats Chris Jericho in title vs title match at Armageddon
loses title to HHH at Royal Rumble 2000
defeats Rock No Way Out 2000
takes part in the fatal four way at WM 2000 replacing Foley. HHH retains
Hart retires



what do you think?

 

[the modern myth]

The way things turned out, with Shawn getting injured in early 1998, Bret would've had a really good year if the WWF had kept him on. With Shawn out of the picture, Bret could've feuded with Austin for the title (I know we'd seen them fight before but Austin defending his title against Bret would've been a new dimension to their lengthy feud). Bret could also have had some great matches with the DX members - he'd already wrestled great matches with Sean Waltman back in 1993 when Waltman was 123 Kid; I bet they could have had some great Hart/X-Pac matches.

 

[Jaksonian224]

Wow man you really went in depth here...

I couldn't change the landscape of the WWE at this time. The Screwjob to me saved wrestling.

 

[Jupiter Jack Daniels]

OP, that sounds pretty good. Makes me wish even more that Bret stayed around after 1997.

I really like the whole Austin/Bret vs. HBK/HHH idea, as that could have been a big match. With Austin and Hart hating each other but sharing a common hatred for DX, that would have been entertaining to say the least.

 

[LIL' WINNING FOOT]

Honestly, my thinking is that if Bret had stayed in WWF, he would have had to change within the inevitable Attitude era that was looming. I think Bret would have retained in Montreal and would have kept the title until Wrestlemania 14 where he would have been the one to have dropped the championship to Austin, not Shawn. It would have been a year long culmination for both Bret and Austin from Wrestlemania 13 where both men's paths would change forever. Vince would still be Mr. McMahon, without the screwjob since Bret retained in Montreal, and would have to begrudgingly side with Bret (despite their strong kayfabe differences) to prevent Austin from becoming the champion. Hell, a Bret/Rock/HHH/Vince Corporation stable a few months later could have been possible too.

Micheals, barring the injury, would have moved on to a second tier main event feud with Undertaker and having DX (HHH and Chyna) still in his corner. Now, the only problem is that you would have no Mike Tyson and the mainstream appeal to the Wrestlemania match wouldn't have been as big and may have not given the WWE that bang it needed to kick off the Attitude Era.

 

[humanracer25]

Would Shawn have really played second fiddle to Bret? Assuming he did not get injured? I doubt he would settle for second top heel. However had things went as planned, Shawn may have decided not to wrestle at WM 13 at all or maybe limit it to guest ref for Austin vs Hart.

 

[apokalypse]

is better for the business if Bret went to WCW and come back to WWF...shits just got whole new level and things will be fresh, Austin could leave WWF for surgery sooner than later in 99.

Bret Hart have said in his own radio show last year WM14 suppose to be Austin vs Bret for the title...Shawn could play 2nd fiddle to Bret, Bret could sell more tickets with Vince/Tyson than Shawn/DX...i can imagine some of intense promo between Bret/Austin and Vince along with Tyson..

 

[humanracer25]

The sad truth is that if Owen had not had that accident, Bret would have came back to the WWE sooner and probably not stayed in WCW long enough to be injured by Goldberg.

 

[eyebrowmorroco]

WCW's booking of Bret for the WWF:

- He'd replace the referee for HBK vs. Undertaker. Undertaker wins the championship away from DX.

- He'd be attacked by DX's newest recruit, Crush.

- He’d have made it clear that he was going to tear down DX “brick by brick”, but would instead loosely align himself with them a few months later by costing Undertaker his WWF Championship against HBK on Raw is War.

- He’d distance himself from DX, claiming HBK tricked him into joining. He’d regain Undertaker’s trust. They’d fight them together.

- He’d ask for another chance from the fans. He’d finally get his match against HBK in mid '98 on an episode of Raw is War. Undertaker also gets his chance against HBK on the same night. He’d feign injury to turn on Undertaker, solidifying his relationship with HBK. He’d then go on to feud with Undertaker.

- He’d become the head recruiter for DX.

 

[dave 1981]

The thing is that i just don't think Bret Hart would have been successful in The Attitude Era because he just simply wasn't edgy enough and was really uncomfortable in between SummerSlam and Survivor Series in 1997 just as The Attitude Era had began. The plans were always to push Stone Cold Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels as the two top stars because they were tailor made for that product due to their edgy, full of attitude on screen characters and you then have to factor in The Undertaker, Mick Foley and Kane as well as the start of pushes for The Rock and Triple H.

I've always believed that Bret Hart would have been in a role similar to that of Chris Jericho which is an upper mid carder who is believable in main eventing when needed and could be WWE champion if needed. That era was about storylines and feuds rather than in ring quality and the best matches of that era were gimmick matches, i don't think Bret Hart would have been given much time in the ring for his matches to make them what he would have wanted them to be. It would have been great to have Bret Hart during that era as he could have feuded with The Rock properly, Triple H properly, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit which all would have been great but things worked very well they way they did.

 

[kennedy=god]

Pretty much what Dave said. Bret Hart just didn't suit the AE at all, and i think even with HBK injured he wouldn't have been involved in the ME much at all. Bret has made it clear that he didn't want to join WCW, but Vince clearly just didn't think he was needed. He might've had a place in 2000, but 1998/1999 he'd probably be upper-midcard, possibly just another member of the Corporation.

If Shawn had stayed then things would have been very, very different. It was his departure that opened up the top heel spot for The Rock to eventually take, which obviously lead to his face turn and we know what happened from there.

 

[apokalypse]

Bret doesn't suit Attitude era? lol...Attitude thing started the day when Austin chase Bret Hart and the whole stuff Bret doing at the time with Austin/Shawn had Attitude written all over it which the product finally got away from 80's cartoon characters to new direction with edgy but slowly they turn the volume maximum level near end of 97.

Bret and Austin pretty much on Vince Mcmahon face especially with Austin who always on Gorilla Moonsoon face.

Bret work in WCW simply epic...

 

[Lm2]

i love to have had bret in the wwf in 97 still but as well all know shawn wouldnt have put him over, so we would never know what bret would be like, imo he would have to change his gimmick to a more edgy version of himself.

 

[Jobberwacky]

I'm not sure he would have suited AE longterm. Bret really wasn't happy with the new direction the product was taking. His family values mentality means that he may have faded away from entering into some future angles, which would have meant he would take more of a backseat. With the new guys coming through, they probably benefited more from him being absent. I would have loved to see him stay and especially not end his career the way he did, i'm not sure he fit in or was treated well enough elsewhere, and his starpower was diluted.

Yet it may have been the best thing that could have happened from WWE's POV. The VKM heel character was born and they needed to push new stars, who knows what would have gone down had he still been there. His star might have grown even more, but equally he may have ended up being overshadowed also, he definitely would have had to move with the times.

He may not have been comfortable with that and his head might not have been in it like it was previously. I still feel he was doing a great job as heel and could have continued and turned face again after a while, but that type of face was being killed off and had become outdated by that point. He would have needed to change up his act again.

There's a lot of unanswered questions.

 

[dave 1981]

is better for the business if Bret went to WCW and come back to WWF...shits just got whole new level and things will be fresh, Austin could leave WWF for surgery sooner than later in 99.

Bret Hart have said in his own radio show last year WM14 suppose to be Austin vs Bret for the title...Shawn could play 2nd fiddle to Bret, Bret could sell more tickets with Vince/Tyson than Shawn/DX...i can imagine some of intense promo between Bret/Austin and Vince along with Tyson..

Bret Hart also said on the Greatest Rivalries dvd with him and Shawn Michaels that the plan was always for it to be Michaels/Hart at WrestleMania 14 so i don't buy into anything really that Bret Hart says from in between early 1996 and late 1997 that revolves around him working in the biggest matches. It isn't me being biased when i say this but Austin/Michaels was the biggest thing WWE could do from mid 1997 onwards and by the time SummerSlam in 1997 had finished there wasn't anyone hotter than Stone Cold Steve Austin and the heel Shawn Michaels that was the leader of D-Generation X.

From early 1996 onwards Shawn Michaels was the same level as a draw as Bret Hart but had much more about him as a character which is why Vince McMahon wanted to push him as the face of the company as far back as mid 1995 and is why they turned Shawn Michaels face the night after WrestleMania 11, they wanted to do a year long build towards it all and Bret Hart eve admits this in Greatest Rivalries as he said he knew he was basically just holding the title for Shawn Michaels as he knew Vince McMahon was now going to go with him as THE guy. The person Shawn Michaels was on screen was more or less the same person he was off screen which made his character very believable and natural which transcends on to tv so much better but it was also a person who was pure attitude and was perfect for that era so anyone who really believes Shawn Michaels would have played second fiddle to Bret Hart when he hadn't done that since early 1995 and was so much more suited to that era than Bret Hart is very wrong.

 

[apokalypse]

Bret vs Shawn WM14? if that true then what the fuck they are thinking? no wonder WWE so fucked up right now..at the time people was rooting for AUstin and all the critics saying Austin is the guy that need to built around after WM13.

 

[dave 1981]

Bret vs Shawn WM14? if that true then what the fuck they are thinking? no wonder WWE so fucked up right now..at the time people was rooting for AUstin and all the critics saying Austin is the guy that need to built around after WM13.

Like i said though i don't buy into anything that Bret Hart said regarding him working the very top matches in WWE from early 1996 through to late 1997 because from early 1996 everything revolved around Shawn Michaels and from WrestleMania 13 onwards it was all about Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Yes Bret Hart was still a major part of the company but it was more because he was involved with Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin that kept him in the very top feuds but when he wasn't working with them even as WWE champion his feuds with the likes of The Patriot and Vader were very much overshadowed.

From mid 1995 everything was geared towards Shawn Michaels being THE guy and then from mid 1997 everything was geared towards Stone Cold Steve Austin being THE guy and near on year long build were done to cement this but Bret Hart wasn't THE guy from mid 1995 onwards and simply couldn't accept it. Bret Hart said so many things in between late 1997 and mid 2000's of things that were meant to happen or he'd been told was happening but yet he contradicts himself all the time as if he forgets what he said at an earlier point in time as he did when saying it was Michaels/Hart and Austin/Hart at WrestleMania 14 when because of the way the product went post SummerSlam there is nothing that made more sense or was bigger given the product than Austin/Michaels.

 

[jonoaries]

Honestly, my thinking is that if Bret had stayed in WWF, he would have had to change within the inevitable Attitude era that was looming. I think Bret would have retained in Montreal and would have kept the title until Wrestlemania 14 where he would have been the one to have dropped the championship to Austin, not Shawn. It would have been a year long culmination for both Bret and Austin from Wrestlemania 13 where both men's paths would change forever. Vince would still be Mr. McMahon, without the screwjob since Bret retained in Montreal, and would have to begrudgingly side with Bret (despite their strong kayfabe differences) to prevent Austin from becoming the champion. Hell, a Bret/Rock/HHH/Vince Corporation stable a few months later could have been possible too.

Micheals, barring the injury, would have moved on to a second tier main event feud with Undertaker and having DX (HHH and Chyna) still in his corner. Now, the only problem is that you would have no Mike Tyson and the mainstream appeal to the Wrestlemania match wouldn't have been as big and may have not given the WWE that bang it needed to kick off the Attitude Era.

Agreed on the first part. That's exactly what I believe what would have happened.
The second part if probably true as well. Tyson and his involvement w/ DX & Austin was the glue to that event and it wouldn't have been likely to happen if Bret stays.

 

[dave 1981]

Agreed on the first part. That's exactly what I believe what would have happened.
The second part if probably true as well. Tyson and his involvement w/ DX & Austin was the glue to that event and it wouldn't have been likely to happen if Bret stays.

The fact is that Austin/Hart was completely finished by mid 1997 and Stone Cold Steve Austin moved on to Owen Hart whilst Shawn Michaels picked up his feud with Bret Hart as well as with The Undertaker. I just don't think that Bret Hart would have been in the main event of WrestleMania 14 in any way shape or form unless they did Austin/Michaels/Hart as a Triple Threat but as i said it was clear that Stone Cold Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels were overshadowing Bret Hart in everything they did whilst the storyline for Undertaker/Kane did the same.

Nothing was going to be as big as Austin/Michaels as they were completely made for that era and the product suited them whereas Bret Hart was uncomfortable in late 1996 with where the product was beginning to head so how could he have been a major player once it really fully took off as soon as he left as D-Generation X was HUGE, the new Mr McMahon character was HUGE, Mike Tyson signing was HUGE, the night after The Royal Rumble saw Stone Cold Steve Austin become HUGE on the back of Austin/Tyson. People seem to overrate what Bret Hart would have done had he stayed but the reality is he would have been behind Stone Cold Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels had he not been injured, The Undertaker, Mick Foley, Kane in 1998 at least and The Rock by the end of 1998 because of how the product was and the fact Bret Hart would have struggled with it.

 

[The Ultimate Warrior]

As a huge fan of Bret I have to say wrestling, particulary the WWF, boomed after Bret and Shawn were gone.