Diana Hart has issued a lengthy and pointed response addressing comments her older brother Bret Hart has made over the years about the iconic main event of SummerSlam 1992.
That match, which saw Bret face Diana’s then-husband Davey Boy Smith, was officially named the greatest SummerSlam match of all time by WWE last year. However, Bret has long maintained in interviews and in his 2007 autobiography that he had to guide Bulldog through the bout step by step, citing concerns about his condition at the time due to drugs and/or alcohol.
In a statement shared on Tuesday, Diana strongly pushed back on those claims, questioning both their accuracy and timing.
“Bret does not present his statements as opinions; he states them as facts. That distinction matters, because many of his claims, specifically about Davey’s physical or mental state at SummerSlam’92 are simply not true. It is my opinion that Bret’s current misrepresentation of events at SS92 may be influenced by the stroke he suffered in the summer of 2002.
What cannot be ignored is the timing, that Davey died prior to that, in May 2002. There was a full decade (1992-2002) when Bret could have raised his claims directly with Davey, if they were legitimate. He never did. Not once. The absurd and hurtful accusations began after Davey was no longer alive to respond.”
Diana continued by criticizing Bret’s repeated portrayal of the match and his role in it, stating that her brother has taken sole credit while diminishing Bulldog’s contribution.
“Instead, Bret now frames, over and over, despite my appeals to him with facts, proof/records and critical reasoning to please restrain and refrain his slander, but he refuses. Bret now cites this incredible match as great solely because of his own alleged brilliance, assigning himself all credit while diminishing Davey’s invaluable role. Bret’s narrative is not supported by history, by documentation, or by what audiences can plainly see when they watch the match itself, without Bret’s overlapping slandering words.”
She also defended Bulldog’s performance on the night, pointing to his professionalism and resilience despite dealing with a serious medical condition.
“Davey’s performance shows no evidence of impairment. On the contrary, it reflects Davey’s professionalism, strength and focus-despite the FACT that he was recovering from necrotizing fasciitis, a serious and life-threatening flesh-eating infection (we have proof). Davey did not complain, seek sympathy,or disclose his condition to the public. He simply did the work. It is difficult to reconcile these FACTS with Bret’s retroactive claims, except to note a long-standing pattern of self-aggrandizement.”
Diana concluded with a more personal critique of Bret’s behavior, making it clear she believes this extends beyond just the match in question.
“IMO, and I’m very clear that this is opinion, Bret’s tendency toward ego, bullying & exaggeration predates both his stroke and the match in question. I base that on my lived experience growing up with him as my older brother and on decades of observed behaviour towards family members and colleagues. What I will not accept is history being rewritten after the fact, especially when the person, (Davey)being totally discredited is no longer alive to defend himself. Davey was so good and loyal to Bret.”
Diana was a central figure in the storyline heading into the SummerSlam 1992 main event. After Bulldog captured the Intercontinental Championship, she famously entered the ring to embrace both her husband and her brother, symbolizing unity within the Hart family.
