Bret Hart Recalls WWE Title Reign During Steroid Trial, Surprising Loss At WrestleMania 9

Former WWE Champion Bret "Hitman" Hart once lost the WWE Championship to Yokozuna at WrestleMania IX, leading to one of the more controversial title changes at the yearly supershow. Following Hart's loss, Hulk Hogan appeared, challenged Yokozuna to avenge Hart, and won the title. In an interview with "The Ringer Wrestling Show," Hart detailed the behind-the-scenes machinations that led to the divisive main event.

"The world champion's the highest-paid guy...business has gone down a little bit, but I'm the star of the show now," Hart said, noting that the Hulk Hogan steroid scandal and the Ring Boys scandal had led to steep declines in business. "It was almost like, 'Who can we put the belt on that isn't going to screw everything up? Let's put on Bret Hart."

According to Hart, his match with British Bulldog at SummerSlam the previous year had made the company look at him as someone who could be a world champion, and Vince McMahon had said that Hart's title reign would be a long-term one.

"[Vince McMahon] brought up Bruno [Sammartino] and [Bob] Backlund," Hart said, suggesting he was initially supposed to hold the title for "years." McMahon also assured Hart that the returning Hogan would not spoil Hart's place in the spotlight. "It was always Vince telling me these things, so I was very confident."

Hart said that Hogan had been cagey with him throughout much of his return, post-steroid scandal, even avoiding shaking the champion's hand.

"When he came back, I saw right away that I had what he wanted and he wanted me [gone]...He had no respect for me," Hart said. Hart wrote off his suspicions due to McMahon's promises. "I couldn't believe it [when they told me the finish], I was stunned...[Vince] was almost shocked when I thought I'd beat Yoko. And I'm like 'Well you're the one who told me I'd be champion for 6 years'...I felt so betrayed."