Wow, what a question.
Well, Bret or no Bret, I think WCW was doomed. I don't think ultimately the kick ended his career, there were multiple bad luck scenarios that all contributed. For sure it was a big contributor and maybe the start of the end of his career. But it's fun to consider that it didn't happen and ultimately the other bad luck scenarios then don't happen.
If you look at the immediate landscape when it happened...it didn't actually cause the retirement. He wrestled a few times through to his last WCW match against Kevin Nash in January 2000 where he defends the World Heavyweight Title. If he isn't ruled out shortly after, he doesn't vacate the belt and we don't get the crazy tournament culminating in Benoit winning the title and then walking away and relinquishing the title again. (Perhaps he stays around and convinces Benoit, Guerrero, Malenko and Saturn to stay? But then we don't get Eddie and Latino Heat. Or Saturn and Moppy so maybe not a bad thing. Let them leave lol.
So immediately I think he stays around and holds onto the belt for longer before losing it in some other crazy Russo concocted story or stipulation any way.
I think he sits out his contract when WCW goes under and ultimately on his final pay day, he goes back to WWE, where the prospect of wrestling Angle, Benoit, Edge, a reborn Michaels, peak 'Mania 'Taker is too much for him to not want to do. Ultimately he shook hands with Vince in,,,2005 or 2006...but only after his stroke. Without the kick, that stroke doesn't happen and I think Vince throws a different level of cash at a Bret Hart who is still capable of going in 2002 or 2003 - enough to earn forgiveness sooner for sure.
Well, Bret or no Bret, I think WCW was doomed. I don't think ultimately the kick ended his career, there were multiple bad luck scenarios that all contributed. For sure it was a big contributor and maybe the start of the end of his career. But it's fun to consider that it didn't happen and ultimately the other bad luck scenarios then don't happen.
If you look at the immediate landscape when it happened...it didn't actually cause the retirement. He wrestled a few times through to his last WCW match against Kevin Nash in January 2000 where he defends the World Heavyweight Title. If he isn't ruled out shortly after, he doesn't vacate the belt and we don't get the crazy tournament culminating in Benoit winning the title and then walking away and relinquishing the title again. (Perhaps he stays around and convinces Benoit, Guerrero, Malenko and Saturn to stay? But then we don't get Eddie and Latino Heat. Or Saturn and Moppy so maybe not a bad thing. Let them leave lol.
So immediately I think he stays around and holds onto the belt for longer before losing it in some other crazy Russo concocted story or stipulation any way.
I think he sits out his contract when WCW goes under and ultimately on his final pay day, he goes back to WWE, where the prospect of wrestling Angle, Benoit, Edge, a reborn Michaels, peak 'Mania 'Taker is too much for him to not want to do. Ultimately he shook hands with Vince in,,,2005 or 2006...but only after his stroke. Without the kick, that stroke doesn't happen and I think Vince throws a different level of cash at a Bret Hart who is still capable of going in 2002 or 2003 - enough to earn forgiveness sooner for sure.
