While speaking with Inside The Ropes, Bret Hart looked back on his highly anticipated arrival in World Championship Wrestling at the end of 1997 and did not hold back when discussing what he believes went wrong.

Hart explained that he arrived in WCW with enormous momentum following one of the most significant runs of his career in WWF. He pointed to the fact that he had beaten the very top stars of the era and believed the company had a golden opportunity to capitalize on that credibility immediately.

“When I think about it, I felt like I came in with so much momentum. Like this is how stupid WCW was. Eric Bischoff, man, stupidest people in the world. I’m not kidding.”

Hart went on to outline just how strong his position was heading into WCW, referencing his victories over some of the biggest names in wrestling at the time.

“I beat Undertaker for the world title. Beat Steve Austin. I destroyed Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13. I won so many matches that year against all their top guys, and now you’ve got me in your company, working against them. Plus, I knocked out Vince McMahon. I came in with so much potential. It should have been me and Hulk Hogan right away. I think I should have beat him for the title, and they should have made me champion.”

According to Hart, a long-term program with Hulk Hogan could have carried WCW creatively and financially for years if it had been handled correctly.

“We could have wrestled a hundred times after that, me and Hulk Hogan, kept wrestling each other, doing all kinds of business, because it was there. And it was such a shame that they were so stupid.”

Hart then described the internal creative confusion he says plagued WCW at the time, recalling stories told to him by others who were present during booking meetings led by Eric Bischoff.

“I know from people who worked there, people who told me they were in the room when Eric Bischoff would say, ‘What are we going to do?’ This was like a TV room where they were mapping everything out. Different wrestlers were in there. And they’d come up to me later and tell me that every time my name came up, they’d say, ‘What are we going to do with Bret Hart this week?’”

Hart claimed that whenever his name was discussed, Hogan’s influence would ultimately derail any plans.

“And then Hulk Hogan would go, well, I wasn’t there, so I don’t know exactly, but he would bury me, I guess. Because Hogan had so much clout with Bischoff, every week they’d just put a line through my name and I wouldn’t even work.”

He also shared his frustration with repeatedly being flown to events only to be removed from the show entirely, despite the significant expense WCW was willing to cover.

“There were lots of times WCW flew me all the way down to wherever Nitro was. First class plane ticket. First class hotel. Lincoln Continental. All this money they were spending to get me there. Then I’d get to the building, wait around until five or six at night, and they’d tell me I was off. Then I’d go home the next day.”

Looking back, Hart said the situation made no sense given his standing in the industry and the success of Steve Austin during the same period.

“I remember thinking, what kind of idiot pays me all this money to bring me in and then leave me off the card when I had so much momentum? At that time, Steve Austin was going through the roof in WWF. And it’s like, remember me? I’m the guy that beat him. Why are you not doing anything with me?”

Hart closed by placing the blame squarely on WCW leadership and Hogan’s influence backstage.

“That was the insanity of WCW. Eric Bischoff actually didn’t have any genitals, and Hulk Hogan was calling all the shots. For whatever reason, he made sure they didn’t do anything with me.”