Bret "The Hitman" Hart could be a star in any era of wrestling. He made sure audiences never forgot what the second "W" in WWE stood for. His technical in-ring skills are universally recognized, and he's impacted every superstar who has stepped in the ring after him.
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There are many current wrestlers who model both their persona and in-ring style after "The Hitman." Although many of his protégés would likely have had excellent matches against Bret Hart, wrestling styles and moves have become more diverse than ever, so it's clear many superstars would also fail to gel with the "excellence of execution's" more traditional skill set. Despite how he may feel about current wrestlers, here is a look at those that would've likely had great and horrible matches with "the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be."
10 Would’ve Had Great Matches: Chad Gable
Even though he's never reached main event status, Chad Gable is one of the best in ring performers on the current roster. He is often compared to Kurt Angle in terms of style. Although he's been in the mid-card tag team division for most of his career, his recent bouts as a member of the Alpha Academy have given him a chance to show how solid both his ground and grapple skills are.
Bret Hart always had his best matches against wrestlers who knew their way around holds. Like Bret Hart, Gable also makes all his opponents look good in the ring, so there's little doubt the two would've delivered on the mat.
9 Would’ve Flopped: Sheamus
Bret Hart is not well known for his strikes or power. Sheamus has been using his size and power to dominate opponents since entering the ring. His technical skills are fine at best, but Bret Hart is not the type of wrestler who audiences want to sit and watch Sheamus charge at and grapple for 20 minutes.
Although the persona clash would be interesting, nothing about Sheamus shows he would've had any chance at a "classic" with the Hitman.
8 Would’ve Had Great Matches: Kenny Omega
Kenny Omega has been atop the wrestling world for the last three years. He is often considered the best wrestler to never appear on Raw or Smackdown. There is no doubt he and Bret Hart would've delivered in the ring.
Like Bret, Omega could wrestle in any era and be great. He's a technical genius with enough power to battle anyone of any size. He and Bret would've had a clinic in the ring. There are few dream matches for Hart that are as great on paper as he vs Kenny Omega.
7 Would’ve Flopped: Happy Corbin
As Corbin's gimmicks continue to change, his limited in-ring move set does not. Bret Hart could make Corbin look great in the ring, but the match would probably not be memorable. There were a few "stiff wrestlers" like Corbin in Hart's era, but he rarely fought them as that style was limited to mid-carders since it often never delivered in the ring. This match would not deliver either.
6 Would’ve Had Great Matches: Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns is one of the most versatile wrestlers the WWE has ever seen. He can brawl, he can battle on the mat, he can do it all. He also adjusts well to his opponent. Seeing him vs Bret Hart would be similar to Roman's matches against AJ Styles, except Bret Hart is bigger and more powerful than Styles.
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The Tribal Chief vs the Hitman would deliver as a dream match, not only because they've both been "the guy," but also because the two are both extremely entertaining and know how to spot a match.
5 Would’ve Flopped: Omos
Bret's worst matches were always against the "Omoses" of this world, big strong wrestlers who have power and no technique. Those opponents were never a good fit for the Hitman. Omos exists in a division of superheavy weights, where its very tough for any "agile underdog" to come in and make a match interesting let alone entertaining.
4 Would’ve Had Great Matches: AJ Styles
AJ Styles vs Bret Hart could headline a WrestleMania. Their in-ring styles match up so beautifully on paper. Just like AJ knows how to tell a story through his performances, Bret Hart knows where the tent poles for an entertaining match belong. These two could fight ten times and have ten completely different matches and not one would resemble the other.
3 Would’ve Flopped: Jon Moxley
Moxley vs Hart wouldn't be a "bad match," but for two former world champions who have both been the face of a non-WWE company, it would fall short of high expectations. Moxley hops between brawler and grappler, either way Hart would annihilate him on the ground eliminating a ton of space for high points in the match. Moxley does a ton of things well in the ring, but none of them compliment Hart's traditional skill set. Hart could make Moxley look great for 20 minutes, but it wouldn't be a match anyone would remember 20 minutes after it was over.
2 Would’ve Had Great Matches: Daniel Bryan
The closest person the WWE has seen with in-ring awareness at the level of Bret Hart is Daniel Bryan. Bryan is proof that even at age 40, technique and awareness will always shine in a match as he constantly delivers to this day. Bryan vs Bret is on many people's "dream match" list.
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This one actually has less to do with both wrestlers being icons and the storylines that defined both careers and more to do with how amazing an in-ring match between the two would be. There are so many difficult reversals, locks, and spots between the two of these men it'd be hard to look away. You'd have to look real hard to find two superstars who could put on a more entertaining match than Daniel Bryan vs Bret Hart.
1 Would’ve Flopped: Brock Lesnar
Since Lesnar has returned to wrestling, he's become a powerful brawler. The former UFC Champion has been dominant in large part, because of his size, strength, and power. This Brock Lesnar would not be a great match up for Bret Hart. That's not to say, a win by Bret wouldn't be believable or fun, but Bret rarely had good matches against men with the same skill set of Brock Lesnar.
The two are essentially competing in different sports and although the idea of Brock vs Bret sounds cool, because of who they are, it likely wouldn't be THAT entertaining. 2002 Brock vs Bret is a great match since he was less of striker, 2022 Brock vs Bret, however, might be more fun on 2K than in real life.
