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Tag: Bret Hart

  • Bret Hart: Lesnar Should Have Won Royal Rumble, Montreal Screwjob Was HHH’s Idea

    Bret Hart: Lesnar Should Have Won Royal Rumble, Montreal Screwjob Was HHH’s Idea

    Bret Hart is not one to mince words. In a recent interview with Ring Rust Radio, the former WWE Champion talked about Triple H coming out of retirement and being booked to win the title belt. Hart says Triple H believes an impressive physique is more important than in-ring skill. Hart says someone he feels has both the physique and the skill should have won the 2016 ‘Rumble: Brock Lesnar.

    “I was a really big fan of Daniel Brian and CM Punk. They were great wrestlers,” said the WWE Hall of Famer. “I think Triple H is a guy in a different mindset and is more about how you look. More into a guy like Batista, The Rock and Brock Lesnar. I will say though, I think Brock is a great wrestler. If they all look like Hulk Hogan or big muscle-bound guys like Arnold Schwarzenegger, he would be really happy. That to him is what wrestling is all about. He thinks that is the type of guys you should push, and maybe that’s why he is the champion. I am personally a guy that’s more about wrestling. I don’t really have an interest in watching bodybuilders stumbling around the ring. Most of the time, they aren’t the best athletes. It’s not about how you look; it’s about how you wrestle. Wrestling fans are the priority. I’m a big fan of Kevin Owens and I think he’s a great wrestler, and I’m also a big fan of Brock Lesnar and I think he should have won the Royal Rumble.”

    When asked about the infamous 1997 Montreal Screwjob, Bret admits he would not budge on his stance against losing to Shawn Michaels, but that he would have been willing to drop the WWF Championship to anyone else — including the Brooklyn Brawler.

    “I was very open to outcomes, but my issue was with Shawn and how he had disrespected me. I made that clear to Vince months ahead of time. Vince said I could leave any way I wanted to. He had said I could forfeit the belt, which was his original idea, not mine,” Hart said. “Other parties at the time had Vince’s ear, and he can be very twisted and pulled in other directions. I think Shawn and Triple H were really pushing him, and I think it was Triple H’s idea to do the screw job and Vince eventually went along with it.

    “In hindsight, I don’t think anyone can look back on it today and say it was a good idea. It was a stupid idea and it worked out really poorly for everyone involved including them. There are a lot of better ways to do business than that. As far as an alternative ending, when I showed up that day Vince agreed with everything. He said we can do it my way and there can be a run in with all the other wrestlers involved and end it in a disqualification with me keeping the title and I was happy with that. I didn’t need to come up with another idea. If he had told me he wasn’t sure on what we should do about the ending, then I would have been very receptive to try to find a solution to give him what he wanted, and at the same time protected my integrity and respect I had for the business.”

    You can listen to the full interview here.

  • Madison Square Garden Shows Support For Bret Hart

    Madison Square Garden Shows Support For Bret Hart

    Earlier this week, WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart broke the news that he will soon be undergoing surgery to treat prostate cancer. Since then, the wrestling world and people from all walks of life have been showing their support for the Hit Man as he faces his toughest battle yet. On Wednesday, Madison Square Garden in New York City sent their “get well soon” wishes to Bret and posted the following message on Instagram.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BBVkQoBGuKV/

  • Bret Hart On Why Owen Hart Isn’t In The Hall Of Fame, His Cancer Diagnosis

    Bret Hart doesn’t think his brother Owen will be joining him in the WWE Hall of Fame any time soon. In a recent interview with Ring Rust Radio, Bret explains why he doesn’t think Owen will be inducted, despite the release of WWE’s DVD set about the late Hart Foundation member.

    “I can confirm it to a certain degree, but no one has told me officially,” Hart said about reports that Owen will not be inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame this year. “I have heard from various family members that are closely tied in with WWE that it doesn’t look like Owen is being inducted. I think it’s a real shame and it breaks my heart. The main obstacle I think is his widow Martha, who is really obtuse and kind of a bitter woman that never understood that it wasn’t the wrestling fans or wrestlers that killed Owen. It’s pretty easy now to look back on it and see that it was really just an unfortunate accident. I think Martha is guilty of burying and doing nothing to help keep Owen’s memory alive. Wrestling fans have every right to remember Owen and cherish his career. A lot of people loved Owen just for the type of person he was and not just the wrestler he was. A lot of wrestling fans got to know him over the years and miss him. I just think it’s really sad that Martha is still so obtuse and has it in her head the only ones that can grieve over Owen are her and her kids and everyone else can go to hell. The rest of us miss him too and I don’t agree with her and her idea on how to remember Owen. It’s a shame that she can’t accept that fans love him and miss him just as much she does.”

    Hart also spoke about being diagnosed with prostate cancer, which he announced to the public on Monday.

    “I think just by being open and honest about it. Letting people know that I’m in the fight, and as I go through it, I’ll show people just that,” Hart said. “Hopefully in the near future I can prove to people that I will overcome this battle and be on the better side of it in six months or so. Hopefully, people will gain strength from that and use me as somebody they can look up to if someone in their family or themselves goes through it.”

    Related: Bret Hart Says Roman Reigns Is Like Kevin Nash, Heyman Is “Best Manager Ever”

  • Undertaker’s WrestleMania Opponent, Ziggler’s New WWE Studios Movie, Dillinger Update & More

    – For what it’s worth, Bryan Alvarez mentioned on the latest Wrestling Observer Live that Bruan Stroman will not be The Undertaker’s opponent at Wrestlemania 32.

    – Following Bret Hart’s announcement earlier today that he is battling prostate cancer, some of the top stars in the industry are showing their support for the Hit Man. Triple H, Chris Jericho, Ted DiBiase, Roman Reigns, Jerry Lawler and countless others have posted supportive messages on social media. Many mainstream media outlets including Sports Illustrated and Rolling Stone have picked up the story.

    – After tonight’s WWE RAW goes off the air, the a new episode of Legends with JBL with Ron Simmons premieres on the WWE Network.

    – The knee injury suffered by Tye Dillinger over the weekend at #NXTDetroit is believed to be a bad strain, according to PWInsider.com. No word yet on how much ring time he will miss.

    – The WWE Studios studio Countdown (formerly “6:42”) will be released on 4/5, the day after WrestleMania 32. The movie stars Dolph Ziggler and features Kane, Lana and Rusev in supporting roles. According to a press release sent out Monday, here’s the synopsis:

    “This electrifying thriller is directed by John Stockwell (Into the Blue) and written by Richard Wenk (The Equalizer). When a madman kidnaps a young boy and rigs him with explosives, Ray (Ziggler), haunted by the loss of his young son, defies his captain (Kane) and takes matters into his own hands. Now he must beat the clock to stop a psychopath and save an innocent child.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BBNx_O5GwlJ/?taken-by=heelziggler

  • Bret Hart Reveals He Is Battling Prostate Cancer

    WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart revealed on Monday that he is battling prostate cancer.

    “With hesitation and fear, I openly declare myself in my fight against prostate cancer,” Hart said. “In the next few days, I will undergo surgery with the hope of defeating this nemesis once and for all.”

    Hart went on to say the plans to be a leader in awareness and to set the example for men everywhere who find themselves in my very same shoes, that prostate cancer can be beaten.

    Our thoughts and prayers are with Bret Hart and his family.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BBQBeULMQpQ/

  • Trailers For New Film About Wrestling Featuring Bret Hart, Jericho, Mike Tyson & Others

    Trailers For New Film About Wrestling Featuring Bret Hart, Jericho, Mike Tyson & Others

    On Friday, Mike Tyson posted a link on his Facebook page to the trailer for a new film he’s involved with about pro wrestling. The film is called Nine Legends, and also features Bill Goldberg, Chris Jericho, and Bret Hart. The film can be streamed at www.ninelegendsfilm.com for $5.

    Here’s the official synopsis for the film:

    In the year 2050 a young wrestling fan is less than thrilled to be spending the night at his Grandfather’s house. That is until he learns that his Grandfather once traveled the world interviewing some of the biggest wrestling stars of all time. Featuring exclusive interviews with Bill Goldberg, Bret Hart, Mike Tyson, Chris Jericho, Dynamite Kid, Amy Dumas, Rob Van Dam, Ted DiBiase and Randy Couture, Nine Legends profiles one of the greatest ensembles of wrestling talent ever put together. Through their own words, relive the defining moments of the heroes you grew up with.

    On Reddit, the film’s creator revealed that one of the stars of the film with do a Q & A session on Reddit next week.

  • Stampede Wrestling Footage Pulled From The WWE Network

    Over the past week, the WWE Network has added a ton of archived footage from various defunct promotions, including the NWA, AWA, Mid-South, Smoky Mountain and Stampede Wrestling. By Monday, the four hours of Stampede Wrestling footage had already been removed.

    It appears that WWE did not have the rights to all of the Stampede Wrestling footage that they were running on the Network. While WWE does own the Stampede Wrestling tape library, WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart actually owns the footage for his Stampede matches. Unlike the rest of the library which they own, WWE would have to go directly to Bret Hart in order to license the footage containing his matches.

    Source: PWInsider.com

  • Jim Ross On Scripted Promos In WWE, Table For 3, Goldust As WWE Champion

    WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated the Q&A section of his official website, JRsBarBQ.com, answering questions from fans about topics such as the

    On if WWE acknowledges the negative feedback they get from former WWE Superstars such as Bret Hart, Mick Foley and Vince Russo:

    “Would it bother you if you were in their shoes and actually read the endless stream of negativity directed their way? I don’t have any idea if they actually immerse themselves in this info.”

    On whether or not Goldust should get a run as WWE Champion before he retires:

    “I’m a Goldust fan and respect him and his work greatly but I’d not have any desire for him to be WWE Champion at this stage of his game.”

    On whether or not people in WWE read his website and if he’d be willing to do a WWE Network “Table For 3” episode with Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler:

    “Whether someone in WWE reads my work or listens to my podcasts isn’t a concern to me. However, I’d be happy to work on any WWE projects if they fit my schedule and I thought that I’d enjoy doing them. Me working on projects in WWE isn’t an issue with me but is strictly a WWE decision.”

    On not being a fan of scripted promos in WWE:

    “I am not a fan of long, scripted promos in today’s world of pro wrestling. They are predictable and come off as nothing more than time fillers moe often than not.

  • Sean Waltman Talks About Daniel Bryan Dealing With Size Issue In WWE, Bret Hart

    https://youtu.be/CoKMVAeM9KQ

    Sean Waltman is no stranger to dealing with the size issue in the wrestling industry, particularly in WWE. The former nWo and D-X member recently spoke to WrestleTalk TV about Daniel Bryan’s recent issues with size in WWE.

    “I went through a lot of the same things. It’s a personal thing. You can’t fault somebody for having perfect personal preference. What did it for Vince was a big guy with a great physique, clean cut. He’s had to let this thing go, but Vince hates tattoos.”

    Waltman went on to use Bret Hart as an example of someone who by boxing and MMA standards would be considered a heavyweight, but in WWE, was one of the smaller champions in the history of the company.

    “It kind of reminds me of Bret a little bit. Bret was always Vince’s standby guy. When he went with Lex Luger, that didn’t pan out. Part of it wasn’t Lex’s fault. When you put a guy in red, white and blue and put him on a bus and say ‘this is our guy!’ No it’s not! That always fell back on Bret. I would resent that, like I’m the second choice all the time. Good ol’ standy Bret will always be there. Kind of like Daniel, cause Daniel is smaller. They’re forced to listen to the people.”

  • Bret Hart Says Roman Reigns Is Like Kevin Nash, Heyman Is “Best Manager Ever”

    Bret “The Hitman” Hart recently did an interview with Sports Illustrated where he gave his thoughts on Roman Reigns, and who he thinks is the best wrestling manager ever. Here are some highlights:

    On Paul Heyman:

    “Paul Heyman is the best manager in wrestling, ever,” said Hart. “But he also loves the business. In order to be as smart a guy as he is about wrestling, you need to first be a really big wrestling fan. He was a kid who grew up watching wrestling. We share that, and we both have an appreciation for everything–from guys like Abdullah the Butcher to Rey Mysterio, and all kinds of different styles, shapes, and sizes. You need to have a whole assortment of chocolates in the box.”

    On Roman Reigns:

    “Reigns is just like Kevin Nash,” said Hart. “If you look back at Reigns, his character was getting over really good on his own. Then they rushed him into a babyface turn and crammed him down everybody’s thoughts, and people rejected him. It wasn’t his fault. It was kind of like with Kevin Nash. He was slowly getting over, and I wrestled him at [the 1994] King of the Ring and we had a really good match. All of a sudden, by August, they were ready to make him the new champion. And I’m going, ‘He’s not ready yet. Give him a little time and let him get even more over.’ Why is there a rush? Reigns got dealt a bad set of cards. It has nothing to do with his work rate–he’s a really good worker and his style is really good. He just needs to be himself.”

    You can read the full interview where he speaks on Triple H, Daniel Bryan and others here.

    Related: Bret Hart Reveals He Wrestled With A Broken Wrist For His Entire Career

  • Bret Hart Reveals He Wrestled With A Broken Wrist For His Entire Career

    WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart underwent surgery on his wrist this week. The Hitman posted the following on Instagram after the procedure, revealing that he broke his wrist nearly 35 years ago and wrestled his entire career with the fracture.

  • Bret Hart Undergoes Surgery Today, NXT Diva Gets New Theme Song, WWE/NBA

    – NXT Diva Alexa Bliss’ new theme song is called “Spiteful,” and is now available on iTunes. You can also check out the song above.

    – WWE Hall Of Famer Bret Hart is undergoing surgery to repair his injured hand today in his hometown of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The hand injury is reportedly an old injury Hart suffered during his active pro wrestling career that he has dealt with for years, but as of late has been bothering him to the point that he felt he needed to take care of it.

    – WWE teamed with the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks to create a special commemorative t-shirt for this year’s WWE Survivor Series pay-per-view, which for the first time in its’ 29-year history emanated from Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on Sunday. The official Twitter account of the Hawks posted the following photo of the shirt.

  • Bret Hart Says WWE Isn’t The Same Without Punk & Bryan, Reid Flair Angle “Totally Wrong”

    Bret Hart was recently interviewed by Justin Barrasso for the Sports Illustrated Extra Mustard blog. The Hitman said he doesn’t watch as much WWE since CM Punk and Daniel Bryan left the scene. It’s going to be tough for today’s top stars to match the interest that Punk and Bryan brought, even though he like guys like Dean Ambrose. As for Punk’s falling out with WWE, Bret makes it clear he’s on Punk’s side and doesn’t appreciate how he was denied the chance to main event WrestleMania.

    “I’d have to take Punk’s side on it,” explained Hart. “Triple H is a bodybuilder nut. He goes after the bodies. He doesn’t care how good–and he can look in the mirror–guys work, he cares how guys look. Punk and Bryan are guys concerned with how they work. It’s a different philosophy. I admire Punk for taking his stand. He was the guy doing all the work, every week, going injured, and here’s a guy sitting at home–working three or four times a year–and you’re going to give him the main event at WrestleMania? I’m not buying it.”

    As much as Vince has a track record of favoring muscular performers, Bret believes he also appreciates great in-ring technicians, while Triple H is still a body guy. He named Roman Reigns, Kevin Owens and Dean Ambrose as the “hardest working guys in the company.” No mention of Seth Rollins, but it was looking ahead to Sunday’s Survivor Series pay-per-view. Bret questioned the booking of Roman Reigns.

    The 5-WWE Champion has a strong opinion about WWE using Reid Flair’s name during the Divas segment that closed RAW, expressing his sympathy for Ric Flair.

    “How could they not see the slight there? That’s really insensitive to Ric and his family, and I totally sympathize with Ric. You didn’t see them doing that after Jerry Lawler lost his brother. Maybe someone just made a poor judgment call, but I was flabbergasted to see they did that to him. It was totally wrong.”

    You can read the full interview at SI.com.

  • Kevin Owens On Wanting To Wrestle The Undertaker, Being I-C Champion & More

    Kevin Owens recently appeared as a guest on the “Like Father, Like Son” podcast and spoke about wanting to wrestle The Undertaker, being the WWE Intercontinental Champion and more. Below are some of the highlights from the interview.

    On wanting to wrestle The Undertaker:

    “I’d love to get in the ring with the Undertaker one day… I feel like that’s a long shot, I guess, because he wrestles on a limited basis and when he does, it’s always a huge deal. But hopefully I can position myself in the next year or so to be seen as a viable opponent for the Undertaker, because it would be a thrill to be in the ring with him at WrestleMania or anywhere. It can be on a Raw or a live event, I don’t really care. I’d just love to be in the ring with him. I feel like that would be an experience I’d never forget.”

    On the WWE Intercontinental Championship:

    “When I was a kid, that was the title that I wanted to win, because Shawn Michaels and Owen Hart, and Bret (Hart) and Razor (Ramon), all those guys won that title and some of them eventually made it and won the WWE title. But the Intercontinental title, there’s just something special about that title. The cool part about the title I’m holding now is it’s the same design as the title I grew up watching. When I was a kid and I had all the foam replica belts, this was always the one I’d win first when I’d beat my pillow, so it’s pretty cool to have the real thing.”

  • Diana Hart Talks WWE Misusing Harry Smith, Natalya’s Hard Work & More

    Diana Hart, sister of WWE Hall Of Famer Bret Hart and widow of the late “British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith, recently spoke to Sky Sports to promote her new book, Cauliflower Heart: A Romantic Wrestler.

    On Natalya’s hard work:

    “She sure has. She learnt a lot growing up with Harry and Tyson Kidd, who she is now married to, while she has always had heart and drive, something that convinced Tokyo Joe, someone who exclusively trained men, to train her over in Japan. Natalya can wrestle, grapple, be a showman and talk on the microphone, while she is also smart, sensitive, clean living and a great ambassador. I think so much of her and admire her so much.”

    On Davey Boy Jr./Harry Smith’s WWE run:

    “I don’t know if WWE really knew what they were doing with him. One day he was in a black vest and a cowboy hat and the next day they wanted him to be doing a running powerslam like his dad. Then they would say: ‘We want you to be your own character and wear pink and black’. I never saw someone go through so many character changes, it was like he was in commercials, not wrestling. There was nothing for him to really sink his teeth into and I was frustrated. I think they tried to make a silk purse into a sow’s ear.”

    On differences she has seen in pro wrestling:

    “I don’t see a lot of performers winging it or improvising. Years ago, people were interviewed moments after a match and had to come up with something while they were still sweating and the adrenaline was flowing; it felt so organic and spontaneous. I’m not saying there aren’t elements of that anymore but there are lots of second chances now with interviews backstage. In ring, meanwhile, some of the manoeuvres I see are unbelievable and so athletic, but I get the feeling fans are waiting for a crazy move rather than watching to see a natural narrative play out.”

  • Bret Hart Selling His Home, Which WWE Star Would Make Best MMA Fighter?, Heenan

    – According to the L.A. Times, WWE Hall Of Famer Bret Hart is selling his home in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The asking price for the property is $705,000, which is down from the $725,000 they were asking for back in May. Hart originally paid $675,000 back in 2004 for the home, which is 2,064 square feet of living space, three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a wet bar, a center-island kitchen and a personal office.

    – Former WWE star Tyler Reks turned 37 today. In other wrestling birthdays today, WWE Hall Of Famer Bobby “The Brain” Heenan turned 71 years old.

    – A new poll on WWE.com asks fans which Superstar would make the best MMA fighter. Topping the list is Roman Reigns with 1,000 votes, followed by Seth Rollins, Cesaro, Kofi Kingston, Dean Ambrose, Daniel Brian, Kevin Owens, King Barrett, Neville and Rusev. You can vote on the poll at WWE.com.

  • Bret Hart Remembers Roddy Piper & Owen Hart, Says The Kliq Was A Cancer

    Live Audio Wrestling out of Canada recently caught up with WWE Hall Of Famer Bret Hart to talk about the passing of his close friend, Roddy Piper, on the new “The Kliq Rules” WWE DVD and the latest Owen Hart project.

    Below are some of the highlights from the interview, which you can watch in full above.

    On the death of his close friend, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper: “Roddy’s a really hard one; that’s like losing a brother. I can’t say I’ve gotten over it. If anything, I haven’t even really absorbed it yet. I find myself reaching for the phone all the time to give Roddy a call. He was so much more than any of the other wrestlers who worked with me. He was a guy that mentored me and helped me in the very beginning of my career. He gave me advice back at a time when nobody was giving advice to me. Always good advice. When I wrestled him at WrestleMania VIII, I look back at those times – Mr. Perfect would be another one – there’s a few guys who would reach down and help pull someone like me up to the next level. You can take your Jake Roberts and your Hulk Hogans and your Ultimate Warriors and a lot of these guys that were big names back then, but they never did anything for me. They never helped me, they never thought of helping me, and when they had a chance to help me they never did. But Roddy Piper was a guy that looked after guys like me, and a lot of the younger talent when the opportunity came for him to help make my career and pull me up to the next level. I owe a lot to Roddy Piper.”

    On the recent release of “The Kliq Rules” DVD: “They were literally a cancer in the dressing room, all of them. I don’t doubt that Shawn Michaels is sorry for a lot of that kind of behaviour. Kevin Nash was a great wrestler and a good guy, but I don’t think he could be that proud of that association. It was a cancerous environment in the dressing room with those guys and they certainly did more negative than positive to the business. Scott Hall, all you have to do is just look at him. He’s a train-wreck with his own life and he was a malcontent, or a guy that when you were close to him long enough you start to feel the same way he did; you just felt so self-destructive and unhappy with your life and your job and everything. He was a guy that was infectious with his bad, bad sort of moods and unhappiness in his own life that would spread to all the other wrestlers. And you know, I’m glad I’m not remembered for that kind of stuff. I’m remembered – I think if you talk to different wrestlers from that era, the Savio Vegas and those kinds of wrestlers that were on my cards – they’re all pretty proud of how I conducted myself, how I related to them and how I may have been the top guy but I didn’t act like a superstar; not to my friends and not to my peers.”

    On the upcoming “Owen: Hart of Gold” DVD: “I’m looking forward to it but I’m not really optimistic that it’s going to be a great job. Martha [Hart, Owen’s widow] handcuffed them so much. I don’t know if they’re even allowed to use any pictures from the past. It’s a poorly done DVD because of all the restraints and the limitations that Martha put on it. To me, that’s such a lousy thing to have happen. I think Owen would turn in his grave if he knew how much trouble Martha has gone to erase his career and make sure that nobody enjoys anything about his career today. It’s a bitterness and selfishness that I can’t stand by anymore. I think Martha’s taken the wrong approach and she should understand that, you know, we all miss Owen. I lost a brother, I lost a great friend and maybe one of the closest people I knew on this earth. I want to celebrate his career, I want to watch his matches back – not just with me, but with everybody he worked with. His time with WWE, they got so much footage and so many great memories with Owen, and here she is standing in the way of that saying, “Nobody can see these videos. No one should see anything that brings back any of his career.” […] They couldn’t use any pictures from his childhood, they couldn’t use anything from Stampede Wrestling. They had so many restraints. Even the interviews, the questions that they did with me were so bullshit. The whole thing was so bullshit that sure, there’s an Owen Hart DVD, but it’s the shits. […] I think WWE maybe had good intentions, but I’m not very impressed with the quality that it’s going to be. I haven’t seen it, I’m not optimistic but I’m hoping that it’ll be better than I think. But I could tell by the questions that they asked me and the interview that they did with me that it was a very short version of [Owen’s story]. I’m not really gonna hold up hope that it’s gonna be as great as it should be, and I feel bad because that’s Martha’s fault.”

  • Hulk Hogan To Bret Hart: “The Words About Roddy Piper’s Death Were Out Of Line”

    As reported earlier this week, WWE Hall Of Famer Bret Hart took part in a Periscope Q&A with TSN and during the discussion, “The Hitman” had some negative comments to make about a fellow WWE Hall Of Famer.

    Hart reportedly stated that he hopes “The Hulkster” never comes back and while he doesn’t remember him as a racist, he is “kind of glad” Hogan got busted for something.

    Bret Hart also mentioned that Hogan is probably “glad” that Roddy Piper died because his passing took the edge off of the racism controversy that Hogan had been dealing with at the time.

    Hogan, who eventually caught wind of the comments made by Hart, took to social media to offer the following response:

    https://twitter.com/HulkHogan/status/640009577619136512

  • Bret Hart Q&A: Glad Hogan Got Busted, CM Punk, Kevin Owens

    https://youtu.be/4AgYsM8DWh4

    Bret Hart took part in a Q&A session on Twitter and Periscope this week to discuss a bunch of topics, including Hulk Hogan’s racism controversy, CM Punk’s WWE departure, the Hart Foundation and more. Here are some highlights:

    – Kevin Owens is one of his favorite wrestler, period. He’s a hard worker, a great heel and looks like a wrestler. Bret doesn’t agree with people who say he’s fat. He’s stocky and solid and resembles great big men like Bam Bam Bigelow.

    – Bret loves CM Punk and says wrestling hasn’t been the same since he left. He was the best of the last generation and raised the bar for everyone. He was innovative, had a great sense of psychology and stood up for all the right things. Punk did what needed to be done and Bret has nothing but respect for him.

    – Bret hopes Hulk Hogan never returns to WWE. Hogan should stay in Tampa in his little world of idol worship of himself. He feels bad for Hulk because he doesn’t remember him being a racist, but in his experience, a vast majority of white southern wrestlers “tend to be a little racial all of the time” and the n-word was used frequently whenever there wasn’t a black guy in the room. He’s glad Hulk got busted.

    – Roddy Piper was the guy he kept in touch with the most from his wrestling days and it’s very sad he’s gone. He talks to Steve Austin, CM Punk, the Bella Twins and Natalya & Tyson Kidd. Most of his friends from his era are gone.

    – Bret thinks Cody Rhodes is the best technical wrestler today. He also put over Goldust. He likes Seth Rollins a lot, but can’t forgive him for breaking John Cena’s nose and said you can’t call yourself a great wrestler when you’re making big mistakes like that.

    – He thinks The Sharpshooter is the best finisher in wrestling history.

    – Bret named Tyson Kidd as a very underrated wrestler.

    – His best match ever was the Iron Man Match with Shawn Michaels at WresteMania 12 and thinks his match with Steve Austin the following year was a “work of art.”

  • Bret Hart On Roddy Piper Helping His Career, Hulk Hogan’s Selfishness & More

    Sports Illustrated’s “Extra Mustard” blog has a new featured article on the passing of “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, which features comments from Piper’s longtime friend and work associate, fellow WWE Hall Of Famer Bret Hart.

    Below are some of the highlights from the interview.

    On Roddy Piper helping his career: “I would be a footnote in this business without Roddy Piper. Roddy took a shine to me and took me under his wing. Maybe it was because I was a Canadian kid like he was, but he protected and looked out for me right from the start from the first time I met him.”

    On rumors that Bret and Roddy were related: “Roddy’s last name was Toombs, and I told him my dad had family with the same name on his side of the family. Roddy was from around the Saskatoon area, and my dad was from Saskatoon, so we toyed with the idea that we might be blood-related.”

    “As it turned out, when Roddy and my dad got to compare notes when he came to Calgary, we determined there were two different spellings—Toombs and Tombs. So we weren’t related, but from the very first day that we always wondered about it, Roddy always called me, ‘Cuz.’ We never called each other Roddy or Bret, we always called each other ‘Cuz’ right up until he died. Along with my brother Owen and Jim Neidhart, the closest guy to me in the business was Roddy.”

    On Roddy and Randy Savage being leaders of the locker room: “Roddy and Macho Man were leaders in the dressing room. think of guys like Hogan, they never did anything for anyone. Hogan came to his private locker room with the star on the door and no one was allowed to knock on the door.”

    Check out the complete interview at SI.com.

  • Bret Hart And Mick Foley Pay Tribute To Roddy Piper On Social Media

    Following the news last night that WWE Hall of Famer ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper had passed away at the age of 61 from natural causes, tributes have been flooding in.

    Mick Foley shared two posts on his official Facebook page, he wrote:

    My thoughts and prayers go out to Roddy Piper’s family.

    I admired and respected him as a wrestler, but even more as a person.

    Just hours later Foley took to Facebook once again and shared another photo and wrote:

    MISSING RODDY

    I was so proud to call Roddy Piper a friend. He was one of a kind. A true legend. Rest in peace, HotRod, rest in peace.

    Fellow WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart took to Instagram and shared a photo of himself with Piper and wrote a lengthy tribute which can be read below:

    I can’t find the words to describe the sorrow in my heart upon learning the news of my dear friend, Roddy Piper, passing away. He was my closest friend in the business, a man that schooled me and guided me throughout my career. In fact, if it wasn’t for Roddy Piper reaching out to help me, I’m sure I would’ve been a mere footnote in wrestling. He was always there for me. He was family to me, a brother who loved me and was there for me through my darkest days. He was the only wrestler to come visit me when I suffered a stroke in 2002. He totally made me at Wrestlemania 8 in our classic match. Passing a torch that many from that era couldn’t conceive of doing. We always called each other “cuz” because we were so close. I loved you Roddy, and I’ll miss you and your laugh for the rest of my days. I’m stunned and the hole in my heart will widen as it sinks in that I lost a brother of such great worth. What a tragic loss to all that knew him.

  • Bret Hart A Strong Contender To Replace Hulk Hogan On Tough Enough?

    On Friday the news broke that Hulk Hogan had been released from his WWE contract and removed from their websites after making racist comments.

    Since then everyone began asking who would be taking over his role as a judge on Tough Enough alongside Daniel Bryan and Paige.

    Bryan Alvarez of F4Wonline.com had said Ric Flair was a contender while the likes of Chris Jericho and The Miz were also mentioned.

    The three coaches – Billy Gunn, Booker T and Lita have also been mentioned as coming on as judges in some sort of a rotation each week to join Daniel Bryan and Paige.

    Nothing has been clarified as of yet however WrestleZone.com have reported that Bret Hart had been flown in to meet with Vince McMahon about taking over Hulk’s role.

  • Tyler Breeze Talks About Not Getting Called Up To WWE Main Roster Yet

    NXT star Tyler Breeze recently spoke with Scott Fishman of Channel Guide Magazine to promote some of the upcoming NXT live events. Below are some of the highlights from the interview.

    On watching WWE developmental go from FCW to NXT: “I’ve gotten to see it go from FCW (Florida Championship Wrestling) and something that was very small. We had FCW TV, but the audience wasn’t the same. A lot of people didn’t even know it was on TV. It was just local Florida stuff. The production wasn’t what it is today. I was watching these matches with Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins. They were great matches then, but nobody was watching because nobody knew we even existed. There was no WWE Network back then, so you couldn’t even watch what you wanted to unless you were local. I was part of the initial pilot episode to test out Full Sail University to see if it would work for our NXT tapings. I watched the entire transition from something small to something that now millions of people can watch on WWE Network each week. Just the production alone is fascinating. Every time we show up for TV tapings or the live specials or anything, they always have something new added. A screen here or some sort of effect there. Everything feels big and important. To be a part of that from the start to what is now, it’s really cool for me to take it all in and watch it grow.”

    On not getting called up to WWE’s main roster yet: “You can’t get frustrated by stuff like that. It’s been like that since I got down here at FCW. I was the one who had Cesaro’s first match. I’ve watched Seth go. I’ve watched Ambrose go. I’ve watched [Erick] Rowan and [Luke] Harper go. I’ve seen everyone kind of come and go. The thing is these are my friends. These are people who I am happy for. I’m not going to have any ill will toward them. They just happen to be ready quicker or what WWE needed at the time. It’s nothing that frustrates me, because it’s not like Harper and Rowan are taking a spot that Tyler Breeze would be in. We are completely different marketable assets to the company. It’s just a matter of time before Tyler Breeze is what they are looking for and need. Then nobody else is going to take that spot but me. So it’s not a frustrating thing for me, I’m happy for my friends who go on and succeed and make it all comfortable for me when I get up there.”

    On what he does in his down time: “I’m a big Netflix guy unless there is something I’m really watching. My girlfriend and I are watching ‘Devious Maids’ right now. It’s a little addiction of ours. On Netflix we watch ‘The Following’ and reruns of ‘Friends’ and ‘Parks and Recreation.’ There are also so many new shows out there and not enough time to watch them all. …There is always that one character in each show that I can always pull a line or mannerism from. There was a show a while back called ‘Blue Mountain State.’ Thad was kind of funny, loose cannon. He would lose his temper right away and say some funny stuff. I pulled a lot of stuff from him. There is stuff I got from Ben Stiller that I’ve taken and used. There are things that pop up that you don’t even realize. When you hear something and just realize it’s something you can use.”

    On his inspirations in wrestling: “Earlier in my career it was very much Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart and other guys in the ring who were untouchable. Everything they did was so crisp and clean. I loved the athletic part. I just wanted to see everything they did. As I kind of made the transition to Tyler Breeze, I decided to look at the other end of the spectrum. I looked at the character and the over-the-top flamboyant gestures and mannerisms. I watched a lot of Buddy Rogers and Gorgeous George and took from them. It’s certain things that have fallen by the wayside of how they did it. I don’t know if it was ahead of its time, but you just don’t really see it anymore. People just don’t do it. I started watching that and mixed it with my other influence to have a nice complete package.”

    Check out the complete interview at ChannelGuideMagBlog.com.

  • Tyson Kidd Talks About Helping Bret Hart & HBK Reunite Years Ago

    WWE Superstar Tyson Kidd appeared as a guest on Chris Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” and revealed the fact that he helped facilitate the reunion between former enemies Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart.

    “I ended up getting Bret’s number and giving it to Shawn,” said Kidd. “I don’t think they could have spoken on the phone. I think Shawn’s smart and knew Bret’s itinerary, so when Bret was on the plane for that first Raw back, maybe Shawn called because he knew he was in the air.”

    Kidd concluded, “It went straight to voicemail and [he] left a message so at least there’s that little bit of peace.”

    You can listen to the complete interview right now at PodcastOne.com.

  • Brie Bella Comments On Daniel Bryan’s In-Ring Future

    Last month, WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart declared that Daniel Bryan’s in-ring career is over, he just doesn’t know it yet. Bryan’s wife, Brie Bella, remains optimistic that Bryan will in fact wrestle again because he’s “stronger than any man I haver met.”

    During an interview with BBC to promote the new season of Total Divas, Brie said there have been “some very positive things in his recovery” – without getting into specific details.

    He has such a fight in him so I feel you will see him back in that ring. I know my husband’s dreams. Granted, he’s done so much in the wrestling business – and it’s not over forever – but it’s not supposed to end this way.”

    Brie said they talk every day about his recovery and his desire to get back into the ring.

    “He needs a lot of prayers. We talk about this daily and he will get back in that ring. That is his goal and I believe in him. I really do,” Brie said.