Bret Hart reportedly won’t be showing up in AEW anytime soon.
Over the past few months, various hints have been dropped on Dynamite and Rampage implying Bret Hart’s eventual arrival in AEW to manage FTR. The current Ring Of Honor and AAA Tag Team Champions have expressed their admiration for Hart many times in the past, with fans fantasy booking dream scenarios of Hart managing the team on AEW television.
The team will be managed by The Hitman when they face Brian Pillman Jr and Brock Anderson at Big Time Wrestling’s event in Webster, MA on Friday, June 10th. Despite this, there still hasn’t been any more indications of Hart joining AEW to manage FTR, and it now seems that this won’t be happening anytime soon.
FTR w/ Bret “The Hitman” Hart vs Brian Pullman Jr & Brock Anderson w/ Arn Anderson – 6/10 in Webster, MA at Big Time Wrestling. pic.twitter.com/Gmm4uyAvi3
— HeelByNature.com (@HeelByNatureYT) April 17, 2022
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, the belief within AEW is that Hart quietly signed a ‘lucrative’ WWE deal, which would mean that he won’t be able to appear in AEW. Despite the ban from AEW television, Hart is still allowed to appear on the independent scene, which is why he’s managing FTR there instead of AEW.
“It’s FTR with Bret Hart in one corner against Brock Anderson & Brian Pillman Jr., with Arn Anderson in their corner. The reason this is on an indie show and not AEW is that those in AEW are of the belief that Hart quietly signed a lucrative WWE deal that would ban him from appearing on AEW shows. But he is allowed to do indie shows, so that loophole allowed this to happen. This also means they believe he can’t be part of the Owen Hart tournament presentation”, Meltzer said.
Bret Hart has appeared on AEW television in the past, as he showed up at Double Or Nothing in 2019 to reveal the AEW World Championship design.