HBK speaks

For the first time in 12 years, you and Bret Hart met face-to-face on the Jan. 4 edition of Raw. What were you feeling throughout the day leading up to that moment?
Nervous excitement. It was one of those situations in which you’re hoping everything goes well, but acknowledging the possibility that it might not. I saw Bret backstage before the show. We talked briefly, and one of the first things we said to each other was, “How did everything go so wrong?” I was really, truly excited to see and talk with him. And it seemed like, ironically, all we talked about were the times when we did get along. Age, wisdom and time give you the opportunity to focus on the good more than the bad, and I think we were both in that mind-set. It was almost like a homecoming, which meant a lot to both of us. We’d both been carrying around some pretty heavy stuff for a long time, and it was really great to see each other, talk and, finally, put it all behind us.

Was it as surreal for you as it was for the WWE Universe?
It was. I hadn’t communicated with Bret since Montréal, 12 years ago. That was the last time we interacted. I saw him when he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, but only from a distance. I would have loved to talk then, but it wasn’t something he was ready to do at the time.

Is it fair to say that the moment was a milestone in WWE history?
Sometimes, you have to do your best to say, “Oh, this is only entertainment.” But there’s another part of you that knows you’re creating a significant piece of history. WWE means a lot to many people, and the division between Bret and me is a piece of its history. We knew that we were creating closure, not just for us, but for everyone.

If Bret hadn’t accepted the invitation to host Raw, do you think you two ever would have reconciled?
Yes, I believe we would have. Backstage at Raw, we did talk, but we kept it brief. We wanted to preserve the spontaneity and the purity of emotion we were both feeling. I knew that there were plans to get Bret to come back, and I hoped he would. I’m glad we got to do it face-to-face. Texting or talking on the phone doesn’t compare to a face-to-face conversation, especially considering the magnitude of the differences between us.

When you hugged in the ring, you clearly whispered something in Bret’s ear. What did you say?
That’s something I’ll keep between Bret and myself. There are things better left private, and that’s one of them. If Bret feels comfortable explaining what I said, I’m OK with that. But, from my point of view, I just wanted to tell him something from the heart, and that’s what I did.

Still, there must be some animosity left between you and Bret?
Montréal was huge. But it was more monumental to people watching from the outside. It was far more uncomfortable for the viewers than everybody else. Right after it happened, I talked with Davey and Owen. Whenever I see Davey’s wife, Diana, we get along. I’ve always had a good relationship with the Hart family, and I think that’s one thing that threw Bret off. How could I go so quickly from being a nice guy to this petty, bloodthirsty son of a gun? That’s something I struggled with for a long time. I didn’t understand it, so it’s perfectly understandable that Bret didn’t either.

You’re one of the few Superstars from your generation never to set foot in WCW. Was your decision to stick with WWE during The Monday Night War among your greatest contributions to the business?
Yes – maybe not to the business itself, but definitely to this company. I’m very proud of the fact that I stuck around. People can talk about low ratings when I was Champion and stuff like that, but from a company standpoint, my boss can say, “I put you through a lot, but you stuck here. You stuck with me.” I’ve spent more time with Vince McMahon than I have with my own father. Right or wrong, people can make their judgments about him, but there’s a side of him I see that not many people do. And that allows me to be loyal to him.

How difficult was it to resist the temptation of the big WCW money and the imploring of your pals to join them there?
It was very hard. Technically, I was under contract, though, so it would’ve been a huge undertaking. It wouldn’t have been worth it. The one thing that people kept telling me was that I wouldn’t be able to “create” in WCW. I would’ve been handcuffed, and boxed in. In WWE, I was given an unbelievable amount of freedom – probably more than anyone else – to go against the grain, and do things that might’ve been risky. If I had been in WCW, making 10 times more money, but not doing what I wanted in that ring, I would’ve been miserable. To not be able to express my creativity in the ring – that is something I could never put a dollar sign on. A bunch of guys I know went down there. Maybe they had great experiences, maybe they didn’t. But they weren’t nearly as into being creative and expressive in that ring as I was.

Did concerns about your legacy play into your decision at all?
My legacy is my two beautiful children, and that has nothing to do with wrestling. I realize that now, because I’m older. Back in those days, though, there was nothing more important to me than my time in that ring. That was the only place I felt totally free and able to express myself. I was a guy with a lot of stuff on his mind and, when I was in the ring, I could just let everything out. It was the one place I had complete control of my life. I say that, and people think I’m some sort of freak – which, I’ll admit, is a bit true – but, honestly, being in the ring meant everything to me.

What’s the best piece of advice you can give to rising talent?
The risk of failing now is much more prominent. We have so many guys who get lost in the shuffle if they “mess up.” That fear makes everyone much, much more careful. They start walking on eggshells. You can’t do that. You have to go out there, free and easy, knowing that whatever you do is OK. I’ll never say I’m the best at anything – wrestling, talking or whatever – but I will say that I always went out to that ring with zero inhibitions. If I could sum it up in one word for them, it would be “relax.”

As one half of The Rockers, does it bother you that Marty Jannetty has become the “example” for how a Superstar’s career can go wrong?
Yes, it does. I’m not always aware of what’s going on in WWE, so I had no idea that Morrison and Miz had broken up, and were bringing Marty into the situation. I saw Marty, and I was genuinely shocked. Marty was so, so good in the ring, and he’ll never get the proper credit for being the incredible Superstar he was. It hurts me because I’ve no doubt that it probably hurts him. That’s one of the things I don’t like about this business. I realize we live in a big, tough world, but I don’t think it’s necessary to make people distinctly aware of their mistakes. As a person who’s had mercy and compassion extended to him, I cringe a bit when it’s not extended to other people.

Did you voice your disapproval?
No, I didn’t know what was going on until the day Marty was there and he had a match. I don’t really watch SmackDown and I don’t really watch Raw. I haven’t seen a full pay per view in about 10 years. It’s not because of lack of interest, it’s just because I don’t have the time. All of my energy is focused on going out and doing what I do.