For 30 years, WrestleMania has been the cornerstone pay-per-view for the WWE. Bret "Hitman" Hart was a huge part of the early success, appearing in every single WrestleMania from 2-13 and then entering the WWE Hall of Fame on the eve of WrestleMania 22, before returning for a match with Vince McMahon at WrestleMania XXVI.
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Bret Hart recently spoke about his favorite WrestleMania memories along with CM Punk quitting WWE and his opinion on what should happen at WrestleMania XXX.
Punk left the WWE prior to the Jan. 27 Monday Night RAW and hasn't returned since, and while many of his peers believe he's breaching his contract, Hart understands that Punk is burned out as Hart traveled the world for years as a pro wrestler.
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"When you look at it closely, Punk's burned out," Hart told the Boston Herald. "He's always given 100 percent in all his matches, and delivered some of the best pay-per-view matches in the past 10 years. And it's not easy when there are legends who only work part-time, and guys like Punk and Bryan do all the work, and watch someone like Brock Lesnar walk in and take those big matches and big paydays without having to be on the road all the time. I think that had a lot to do with his decision, and rightfully so."
He added: "One of Vince McMahon's favorite sayings is, 'Life's not fair.' I don't see Punk being a factor at WrestleMania, but he still has a lot of greatness left in him. As a fan, I hope he comes back, and as a wrestler, I have a lot of respect for him, too."
Knowing what it's like to be held back firsthand in 1993 when McMahon was uneasy with giving him the title and instead had Yokozuna win it and then Hulk Hogan before Hart took the reigns as the face of the company, Hart believes Daniel Bryan should defeat Triple H at WrestleMania XXX then go on to defeat Randy Orton and Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship in the main event.
"I hope they give Daniel Bryan his chance to win the belt at WrestleMania," Hart told the paper. "He earned it a long time ago, but it wouldn't surprise me - like Charlie Brown with the football - if they pull it away from him one last time. I really hope they give him his proper run, as he hasn't had the opportunity yet to be the champion he deserves to be. Hopefully this year at WrestleMania, it will be a crowning achievement for Daniel Bryan."
Hart also discussed his past WrestleManias, including regret over never having a rematch with Shawn Michaels at the historic event. Hart and Michaels had an infamous feud that culminated in the Montreal Screwjob on the night before Hart left for WCW at Survivor Series 1997. The two are okay with each other now, but Hart expressed regret over the fact that they never fought at the biggest show of the year after their amazing Iron Man match at WrestleMania XII.
"It's a shame," Hart told the publication about never facing Michaels again. "If you remember, Shawn had to go home and retire to find his smile and all that. I don't know even to this day whether he had a bad knee or not, but he bowed out of WrestleMania because I don't think he wanted to work with me."
Hart also discussed one of his favorite WrestleMania moments, where he fought his late brother Owen at WrestleMania X in 1994 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
"WrestleMania X will always be my most special one because of the memory of being with my brother Owen, Bret told the paper. "There was a lot of pressure on Owen to fill those shoes as a top heel. The storyline was the bitter hatred between two brothers, but Owen was really grateful to work with me. I went to bat a lot for Owen for that chance, and he really shined that night. I thought that was one of his finest hours. There were two reverse sharpshooters in that match, which had never been done before. Those are the tiny little things that no one really remembers or notices, but made that match a real treat. And what I really love about the match is how it launched my brother's career."
Hart ended up losing to Owen, only to win the WWE Championship from Yokozuna to close the show.
WrestleMania XXX airs live from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans on April 6.
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