5 times WWE used a Superstar's real-life issues in a storyline

#4 The buildup to Bret Hart vs Mr. McMahon at WrestleMania 26

Bret Hart vs Vince McMahon

At Survivor Series 1997, Mr. McMahon double-crossed WWE Champion Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels came out the main event with the WWE title on his shoulder. Referee Earl Hebner had called for the bell after Michaels applied the Sharpshooter on Hart, even though the latter didn't tap out. 13 years later, Hart came back to WWE as an on-screen character and kicked off a feud with Mr. McMahon himself.

The road to WrestleMania saw McMahon and Hart referencing the Montreal incident on various occasions. At WrestleMania 26, the duo brought up the incident again when Mr. McMahon revealed that he had paid large amounts of money to the Hart family to turn on Bret. The Hitman eventually revealed that the Hart family was on his side despite taking money from Vince McMahon.

The WWE Chairman stood in the ring, dumbstruck over what had just happened. A vicious beating followed, with Hart finally defeating McMahon and exacting revenge for what McMahon did to him all those years ago.