WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart spoke with WrestlingVoice.net promoting his upcoming tour of Ireland with American Wrestling Rampage. Highlights from the interview are as follows:
His relationship with Shawn Michaels: “I suspected from the very beginning that me and Shawn, our handshake, would be more BS than anything else and that we were still going to loath each other and hate each others guts for the rest of our lives, but the truth is that he was very humbled and grateful that I was willing to forgive everything and the reality is we were able to become good friends since then. Knowing that it really meant something to him, meant something to me and we actually have a really good friendship now.
“I think Shawn was always a bit of a prima donna and I didn’t think he’d be sincere when he shook my hand and the gratification I get over a few weeks and months after that, you could really see it was a weight lifted of his back and he seemed appreciative and grateful that we could be on good terms again.”
His match with Vince McMahon and his in-ring performances since then: “I thought it was perfect, I loved having my family out there, I loved having my brothers and sisters play the lumberjacks and I think fans got what they wanted even though it wasn’t the old Bret Hart, but the truth is I’m never gonna be that Bret Hart, the technical wrestler, I’m basically gonna be more of a character for the rest of my career, my days of taking suplexes and diving over the top rope are over.”
Harry Smith’s recent release: “It’s unfortunate, but these things happen, you might look at it as a setback but you might look at it as a blessing in disguise, I think he’s a great talent, but needs to reinvent himself and by stepping away from WWE might be a nice break, but I don’t doubt that in time he’ll be back in WWE. He’s still young and a great talent.
“He needs to step away and look to reinvent himself, my brother Owen left the company years ago when he was wrestling as the Blue Blazer and he got out of WWE and did some different tours and promotions and then came back a couple years later and found the footing he was looking for when he came back.”
Being placed #4 behind Steve Austin, The Undertaker & Shawn Michaels on WWE’s 50 Greatest Superstars of All Time DVD: “I beat Steve Austin every time I worked with him throughout my career and yet he he’s graded above him, so figure that out. I could give you a list of 50 wrestlers and it would have credibility because I would have an idea but some guy that’s working for WWE Magazine that makes it up frankly, he can kiss my ass, he doesn’t know anything.”
Randy Savage and Owen Hart’s absence from the WWE Hall of Fame: “It’s not much of a Hall of Fame without Macho Man in it, and Owen belongs in there as much as me or my Dad, so I think it’s only a matter of time.”
Other topics include his highlights from his last run with WWE, who he would like to work with from today’s talent, his favorite and least memorable matches as well as his upcoming rivalry DVD featuring himself and Shawn Michaels.
The audio interview can be accessed here.
