Happy Birthday! Bret “The Hitman” Hart Turns 59 today

Happy birthday to the best there is. The best there was. The best that ever will be.

Bret Hart, a seven-time world champion and is the longest-reigning WWF Champion of the 1990’s. Hart is also the first WCW World Champion born outside of the United States. Paul Heyman once called Bret’s body of work “so spectacular that it is beyond comprehension how brilliant a career he enjoyed.” He was the second WWE Triple Crown Champion capturing all three of the company’s major titles before winning their world title in 1992 against Ric Flair, and the first person to win the WCW and WWE Triple Crown title. Bret also is the only co-winner of the Royal Rumble and the only two-time winner of the King of the Ring.

Bret Hart’s legacy truly is one of a kind. Born into the industry and trained by his father, Stu Hart, at the legendary Calgary Dungeon where he trained and made his professional debut in 1978. He joined the World Wrestling Federation in 1985 and quickly won the World Tag Team Championship alongside Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart as The Hart Foundation.

Within a few years, Hart broke off and became a singles competitor capturing the Intercontinental Championship where he would truly shine against the undercard with the likes of Mr. Perfect, a rising Shawn Michaels, the British Bulldog, and “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.

While Hart’s legacy could have had a shadow lingering over it due to him being a victim in the now infamous Montreal Screwjob, Hart eventually bounced back and reclaimed his rightful place as one of the best of all time.

Hart has been called “the greatest of all time” by several veterans including Michael Hayes, CM Punk, Booker T, and even “Mean” Gene Okerlund have bestowed the Hitman with that title. Hart’s most notable opponents The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels have called him their favorite opponent ever, saying that he brought the best out of them and elevated their matches that much more.

Hart was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006 by his WrestleMania 13 opponent “Stone Cold” Steve Austin where in his induction speech, Hart mentioned he’s in a good place in his life.

Seen by a wrestling idol by many, Bret Hart is a legend in his own time with a wrestling legacy that will doubtfully ever be repeated.

Happy birthday to the Excellence of Execution!