Bret Hart Tried To Encourage Owen Hart To Quit WWE & Go To Japan

Before his untimely death in 1999, Owen Hart was seen as the next big thing in pro-wrestling. Even after his death, the legend of the prodigious Owen Hart has stayed alive with many wanting to see the late Superstar in WWE’s Hall of Fame.

Owen’s elder brother and WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart revealed in the new “Confessions of the Hitman” series that he had actually encouraged his brother to quit WWE.

The Hitman asked Owen to leave the company and go to Japan for a few years. He said that WWE had “missed the boat” with Owen for a long time.

[WWE] never gave him a real break. They kind of pushed him over to the side. And then, Owen, in [pro] wrestling, if they beat you enough times, it’s kind of hard after a while to make your stock rise unless something magical happens. Once they tear you down so many times, once they pin you some many times, you can’t be revived. Your career is done. You’re better off quitting, going away for a while…

I remember talking to Owen about it. I said, ‘quit, go home, go somewhere else. Go to Japan for a couple of years. Then, come back and you’ll get your break.’ They needed good wrestlers, but they obviously missed the boat with Owen. I think for a long time.

Owen Hart stayed in WWE until his death in 1999. The King of Hearts had a brief stint in New Japan Pro-wrestling from 1987-1988 and even became the first foreigner to win the IWGP Jr Heavyweight title.

Thank you to Wrestling Inc for the quote.