It is now expected that Bret Hart will be the guest host of RAW on January 4, 2010. This is the night that TNA will go head to head with WWE.
Look at the irony in this whole matter…..
A little more than 12 years ago, Bret Hart was leaving the WWE for the competition, WCW. His farewell was in the form of the Montreal screw job. After 9 years of Monday nights uncontested, the WWE will have TNA as direct competition. The first big response to this new competition is to bring back a guy that they pushed out the door when he was leaving for the old competition.
This past September I wrote a column on the topic of seeing Bret Hart return, is the last great wrestling wish in wrestling. loc.wrestlezone.com/editorials/article/bret-hart-return-the-last-great-wish-86463
Bret Hart being advertised to be the guy in charge of RAW on January 4th, is a huge advantage for WWE. At the start of RAW, if Bret Hart walks into a WWE ring and has a microphone for the first 15 minutes, I don’t need my remote control. What could TNA possibly do that would be more compelling in a “fake” sport than one of the biggest “real life” stories in wrestling being put center stage after more than a decade of want and waiting?
The answer is have one of the Knockouts walk out naked and hold a show of her own.
The realistic answer is nothing.
Bret Hart is one of the greatest wrestlers. Bret Hart has one of the most famous story filled careers in all of professional wrestling.
I am sure TNA has some bombs lined up to make the most serious attempt at grabbing a whole lot of attention and interest. However, WWE holds the high card in having Bret Hart on the lineup. Where in the show Bret’s appearance is placed, what he says, who comes out and confronts him, is all up to the creative and Bret Hart himself. Nothing is guaranteed, but remember, DX is on RAW, and Vince McMahon on WWE.com, was moved over to the RAW roster a day before Bret signing was announced.
We are still 3 weeks away, but it sure is a good sign for wrestling fans that we haven’t even seen the first showdown between Monday night wrestling programs, and already big time announcements, shockers and pure unpredictability is peaking its ratings filled head out from behind the curtain.
I appreciate all of the emails I get from everyone who reads. Here are a few of the emails from my last column regarding who would retire first, HBK or The Undertaker.
Rob said,
Interesting question you pose. You make a lot of good points. There really is nowhere for the Undertaker to go and it seems unrealistic to push anyone on the current roster (Unless Morrison gets super hot in the next few months…say wins the royal Rumble?) without taking an incredible hit to his reputation. The person to put him out would have to be perfect. That being said, I don’t see Shawn Michaels doing it but wouldn’t a be a feather in his cap to end the careers of Ric Flair (we think) and the Undertaker? With the signing of Bret Hart to a talent deal through WrestleMania we could see a great send-off for HBK and the Undertaker at the same WrestleMania. ……but where does that leave the business?
Adam said,
I may be one of the few that doesn’t want to see Taker and HBK have a rematch. The biggest reason why is that I think it would be pretty predictable that the streak would probably end as I don’t see Michaels doing the job at Mania 2 years in a row to the same guy even if it is Taker. I think Taker-Cena is the way to go because it hasn’t been done and Cena is a guy that many fans could possibly see beating him making the match much more unpredictable and therefore interesting.
Michael said,
For years HBK & Taker has taken the WWE to new heights and kept the audience at the edge of their seats (this we all know). I watch the matches and see each man moving slower as time usually does to a person. However, Taker still has a good step or two on HBK. Taker seems a little more fluid in the ring still (barring the opponent), able to evolve his style from the brute that debuted at Survivor Series. HBK hasn’t really evolved, not that he has needed to but the same moves over the years does begin to wear down the body. Both men have the same amount of high risk moves that have made them famous but I believe the Taker’s running jump over the ropes is slightly more dangerous. If he removes that from his arsenal he could last a great deal longer if he so chooses. HBK I believe is the first to retire from the ring, but he could come back with more options than the Taker’s character could. 
 
Overall – HBK is the first to retire but has more options as a manager or announcer than Taker does.
Matt said,
I agree w/ you on so much here. There’s no way that the should have taker lose his streak @ wm and he shouldn’t go out like that. It’d be something to see if the whole DX thing went sour and HHH made shawn hang up the boots! I love DX and both individual stars but a lot of people would like that, and then just lik w/ flair give shawn awell deserved send off capped of by the deadman paying the upmost respect. Just some ideas coming from someone who grew up w/ wrestling, would love some feedback.
