Bret Hart said Ric Flair was “almost, like, killing me off every night” during the early weeks of Hart’s first WWE Championship reign, and that Vince McMahon eventually told him to take control of their matches.
Hart beat Flair for the title in October 1992 and initially let the more experienced heel lead. Speaking to Inside the Ropes, Hart said that stopped working straight away, pointing to their rematch in Ottawa the night after the title change.
“He beat the s— out of me for about 15 minutes, and then he called the small package and pinned himself,” Hart said. “I remember it was like you could hear a pin drop at the end of the match. It was just flat, so flat.”
Hart said he told Flair afterwards that he would be making his own comebacks from then on. He also said he raised the matches with McMahon.
“I told Vince, I said, ‘I think he’s killing me off on purpose because he’s going back to WCW, and if they can kill me off, it helps them,'” Hart said.
According to Hart, McMahon’s response was direct.
“Vince goes, ‘You’re the champion. You’re my champion. You’re in charge. Nobody tells you what to do. You’re the boss in the ring.'”
Flair returned to WCW in 1993.
