Ken Shamrock says he was on Bret Hart's short list to win WWE title

Ken Shamrock said in a recent interview that he was among the handful of wrestlers Bret Hart would have been willing to drop the WWE Championship to before Hart left the company following the 1997 Montreal Screwjob. Shamrock, who crossed over from mixed martial arts to professional wrestling that year, described a close working relationship with Hart and said a planned program between the two never materialized because of Hart’s abrupt departure.

Shamrock recalled training with Hart in Calgary and credited him with shaping the in-ring persona Shamrock carried into WWE. Hart, he said, helped him understand how to present himself to a pro wrestling audience without abandoning the style that made him known in MMA. “I’m not a pro wrestler,” Shamrock said, recounting Hart’s guidance, and added that staying true to his submission-based approach allowed him to feel more comfortable on WWE television.

According to Shamrock, the two had strong chemistry in the ring during the limited time they worked together. “Yes, no doubt,” he said when asked whether he was on Hart’s short list to receive the title. He described the potential for a long-term program as significant, saying the pairing...