Bret Hart says DX tried to get Ken Shamrock fired!

The "World’s Most Dangerous Man" almost didn't have a world to conquer—at least not in the WWF. In a recent revealing episode of the 1 Of A Kind podcast with Dominic DeAngelo, WWE Hall of Famer Bret "The Hitman" Hart pulled back the curtain on the backstage toxicity of the late '90s, revealing that Ken Shamrock was a target of the infamous "Kliq" before he even officially laced up his boots.

​According to Hart, Shamrock’s transition from the octagon to the squared circle was born out of necessity and a bit of "Hitman" scouting. While Shamrock was sidelined with an injury, Bret saw a superstar in the making. “When I met him, he said, ‘I broke my wrist and I’ve gotta let it heal before I can go back. I can’t return until it’s healed.’ I told him, ‘Why don’t you try pro wrestling in New York while you recover? Let’s go make some money.’”

​Shamrock agreed, and Bret used his considerable leverage at the time to convince Vince McMahon that the UFC pioneer was a "can't-miss" prospect. However, as soon as Shamrock arrived in the locker room, he reportedly found himself in the crosshairs of Triple H and Shawn Michaels. Despite Shamrock’s legitimate toughness and drawing potential, Bret claims the duo tried to snuff out his career in its infancy.

​“I convinced Vince to sign him, and the moment he did, Triple H and Shawn tried to push him out. No real reason—they just didn’t like him,” Bret recalled. The campaign against Shamrock nearly worked, and Bret remembered being summoned to the Chairman's office for a tense conversation regarding the newcomer's future.

​“‘I’m thinking about letting Shamrock go,’ Vince said. I asked why, and he told me, ‘Some of the guys think he’s stiff.’ That was it. No real reason. Then he asked my opinion. I told him, ‘I’d keep him. He’s doing great.’”

​Fortunately for wrestling history, McMahon took Hart’s advice over the whispers of the Kliq. Just weeks later, Shamrock was in the ring, refereeing Bret’s legendary submission match with Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13. From that point on, Ken Shamrock carved out a memorable WWF career, proving his doubters dead wrong and becoming a cornerstone of the Attitude Era. While Triple H and Shawn Michaels would eventually lead the company into the future, Bret’s story serves as a stark reminder of how close the fans came to losing one of the era's most unique icons to a classic case of locker room jealousy. -Kimster