Bret Hart Says His Father Stu Would Have Been A Fan Of These WWE Stars

More aspiring wrestlers likely quit Stu Hart's training than succeeded, as tales of the Hart Family Dungeon paint a brutal setting where trainees were pushed to their breaking points. Given the era of wrestling he came from, the patriarch of the Hart family would probably favor legitimate tough guys if he were to glance at the current crop of WWE Superstars. Stu Hart passed away in 2003, but his son Bret Hart might be the best person to offer insights into his dad's views. 

During an interview with "The Wrestling Classic," Hart was asked which contemporary wrestlers would've been on his father's radar.

"Brock Lesnar," Hart said. "My dad would've loved to have had a couple hours with him in the basement. And I think Brock Lesnar would've been a big fan of my dad, too. I know the last year or two that my dad was alive, I do remember him making a special trip down to the Saddledome in Calgary just to meet Brock Lesnar."

Lesnar hasn't been seen in WWE since his loss to Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam 2023. Although there were rumors of Lesnar's involvement in the 2024 Royal Rumble, his connection to the Janel Grant allegations suggests fans shouldn't hold their breath on seeing him anytime soon.

In addition to Lesnar, "The Hitman" also mentioned an old rival of his as someone his father might have enjoyed more time with.

"I think my dad would've had a lot of fun with Steve Austin," Bret speculated. "I always loved when Steve Austin grabbed my dad at that [Canadian] Stampede pay-per-view and shook him up in the front row. My dad loved that kind of stuff. He loved to be included and loved to be remembered and sort of respected and treated the way Steve Austin treated him. Like he was somebody important."