In a recently unearthed interview clip shared on the “Dark Side of the Ring: Unheard” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart recounted a wild and bizarre incident from the height of the WWF’s Rock ‘n’ Wrestling era involving a convincing Sammy Hagar imposter. The story provides a unique glimpse into the backstage atmosphere of the company in the mid-1980s (likely late ’85 or early ’86), when Hagar had just been announced as Van Halen’s new singer.
The incident occurred during a period of massive crossover appeal for the WWF, likely in late 1985 or early 1986. Fueled by the “Rock ‘n’ Wrestling Connection,” a partnership involving MTV and pop star Cyndi Lauper, WWF wrestlers appeared in music videos and mainstream media, while celebrities became fixtures at major events. Figures like Mr. T, Muhammad Ali, Liberace, and various musicians frequently appeared ringside or backstage at shows like WrestleMania and events at Madison Square Garden, making the presence of famous faces a common occurrence. This environment set the stage for the unlikely deception Bret Hart would witness.
Hart detailed being on a flight with his tag team partner Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart and fellow wrestler Adrian Adonis when they were approached by a man dressed like a “rock and roll type.” Hart explained the initial interaction: “[He] was sitting right beside me… He goes, he’s all excited. He goes, ‘You guys are wrestlers, aren’t you? WWE wrestlers?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, we’re wrestling.’ And I started talking about wrestling, and I said, ‘So what do you what’s your deal?’ He goes, ‘I’m a rock and roll singer.’ And I said, ‘So… who are you?’ [He goes] ‘I’m Sammy Hagar.'” At the time, Hagar had just been announced as the new lead singer for Van Halen. Despite Hart admitting he didn’t know Hagar by sight, he accepted the claim, and the imposter managed to join the wrestlers in their limo to that night’s WWF show at MSG.
Backstage, Neidhart’s “carnival” instincts kicked in, and he grew suspicious. Hart recalled their conversation and Neidhart’s detective work: “I’m sitting beside Jim. Jim kept going, ‘That’s not Sammy Hagar.’ I guess [he] looks like it could be Sammy Hagar. Why wouldn’t it be Sammy Hagar? I guess it’s not Sammy Hagar… [Jim said] ‘Have you ever seen Sammy Hagar?’ He goes, ‘No, I’ve never seen him.’ I go, ‘Well…’ And then Jim goes, ‘Well, look at his watch.’ Wow. Timex watch… Jim was funny about that kind of stuff, and he was [like] ‘Sammy Hagar wouldn’t be wearing a Timex. You’d have a Rolex or something like that.’ He goes, ‘It’s not him.’ I’m going, ‘Jim. It’s him.'” The situation took another strange turn when the imposter used cocaine provided by Adonis. “Adrian hands the dollar bill to Sammy Hagar. Sammy Hagar snorts this big line of cocaine in the dresser,” Hart continued. “And I remember, as soon as he snorted it, he looked at me and Jim, and all sudden, this little trickle of blood came down his nostril. And I remember Jim looked at me. He goes, ‘It is Sammy Hagar.'” The bloody nose ironically convinced Neidhart of the man’s rock star authenticity.
Later, the imposter was formally introduced in the ring to the MSG crowd as Sammy Hagar, receiving a confused reaction. The charade ended backstage when, according to Hart, an unnamed New York Yankees player, also a guest, exposed the fraud. Bret described the confrontation: “…the baseball player with the Yankees… goes, ‘I know Sammy Hagar.’ And he looks at [the imposter], he goes, ‘And you’re not Sammy Hagar.’… [The imposter] walked right up. He walked right out into the crowd.” The man fled, leaving WWF management furious. Hart concluded it “clearly didn’t look good on WWF,” admitting he felt slightly responsible for initially believing the man, highlighting how even wrestlers could be “worked” during that wild era.
