Bret Hart "fought" Vince McMahon backstage for WWE legend to get a push, according to 3-time champion

Bret Hart and Vince McMahon have famously had differences with one another over the years, with Bret not shying away from expressing his grievances to his former boss. On one occasion, The Hitman seemingly stood up for Owen Hart, demanding for the latter to have his moment and get a push in WWE, as per Natalya.

Bret Hart wasn't originally supposed to face Owen Hart at WWE WrestleMania X. However, Hart lobbied for his brother backstage and was a big supporter of the late superstar. The two brothers finally had a storied rivalry as opposed to the company's original plans for The Hitman that year. Their 'Mania match in 1994 received widespread praise from fans and wrestling personalities.

Speaking to Chris Van Vliet, Bret's niece, Natalya, shared some inside information regarding the lead-up to the iconic match and what was taking place behind the scenes:

"A lot of people don’t know this, Bret was a huge catalyst for Owen getting a huge push in WWE. Vince McMahon, there was a different direction they were going to go with Bret that year, and it wasn’t with Owen. Bret stood up and said no, I want Owen to have this moment, to be a part of this match, I want him in this. I love that he stood up and fought for his brother, but the storyline was that they were fighting each other when Bret was creating this magical moment that has lived on forever when you think about great humans. Owen played the role of this bad guy, but he was such an amazing person."

---

Natalya reflects on Bret Hart's WWE career

Bret Hart is considered one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, and his influence in the industry is felt to this day. With the Harts producing multiple generations of top-tier talent, Bret has always been someone every member of his family has looked up to.

The Hitman's wrestling style was heavily based on believability, which Natalya believes Bret should take pride in. During the same interview, she said:

"He just had a way of elevating everyone that he worked with, and that’s true leadership. You look at his work, and it stands the test of time today. You see it, and it is so real and believable."

Throughout his career, Bret Hart lived up to his reputation as one of the finest in-ring workers. He retired from active competition in 2000 and is now a two-time Hall of Famer.