Bret Hart or Shawn Michaels?
- Thread starter Dave24
- Start date
Tres Leches
Empire Business
the excellence of execution 
Ruby'sRevolver
Man in the Black Hat
I'm taking HBK over Bret anyday. He was more versatile, more exciting, took more risks and showed a lot more range with his character. In the ring both are GOAT status, but I prefer Shawn's high flying and athletic style over Bret's technical stuff and Shawn was a much better bumper too. Promo-wise, Shawn wins easily, IMO Bret got better over time, but was never as good as HBK in that department.
Golayitdown
Veteran
It's easily Bret for me. Late 90s heel Bret is the best incarnation of either of them by a mile.
Both are great in the ring and it's a case of what style you like. I fall more in the realism category. There are only a few guys (Savage) who are on par with Bret in making you feel like the match is real. Bret is also heavily underrated in the versatility category. Bret/Austin and Bret/Owen had completely different styles of matches in each of their series and somehow all of them are in my all time favorite matches.
Both are great in the ring and it's a case of what style you like. I fall more in the realism category. There are only a few guys (Savage) who are on par with Bret in making you feel like the match is real. Bret is also heavily underrated in the versatility category. Bret/Austin and Bret/Owen had completely different styles of matches in each of their series and somehow all of them are in my all time favorite matches.
Last edited:
Playaz Eyez
Veteran
HBK is my all time fave. I appreciated Bret more as I got older, especially his heel work in 1997. Hate that 97 was his last great year in general since Goldberg eventually kicked his head off after that
Golayitdown
Veteran
Heel Bret was hilarious in WCW when he realized he wasn't gonna be the top guy. He really started having fun out there
prophecypro
Hollywood North
Bret for me personally
I mean I think what put Shawn over in the general best wrestler argument was his 2002-2010 comeback but I think even Bret's 90s run can truly match that with an equal amount of classic matches.
It does make you wonder if Bret would have been if healthy and if he had gone through another run with WWE if he could pulled something similar with his own style especially in the ruthless aggression era with the Smackdown Six. Sure he would be in his 40s and people would look to his WCW run as a strike against him. But he arguably was at his peak as a wrestler and mic guy at age 40 his final year in WWF and even in WCW his actual matches were still good but we just never saw enough of him. I do wonder if he would have been like Jericho in terms of having a renaissance while pushing 50. who knows
I mean I think what put Shawn over in the general best wrestler argument was his 2002-2010 comeback but I think even Bret's 90s run can truly match that with an equal amount of classic matches.
It does make you wonder if Bret would have been if healthy and if he had gone through another run with WWE if he could pulled something similar with his own style especially in the ruthless aggression era with the Smackdown Six. Sure he would be in his 40s and people would look to his WCW run as a strike against him. But he arguably was at his peak as a wrestler and mic guy at age 40 his final year in WWF and even in WCW his actual matches were still good but we just never saw enough of him. I do wonder if he would have been like Jericho in terms of having a renaissance while pushing 50. who knows
Golayitdown
Veteran
Bret could have easily kept going assuming no freak accident or freak injuries occurring. His style was tailor made for the old vet still kicking ass.
I hate when anybody gets injured but especially when it's a guy who could have contributed mentally and physically for at least another decade.
Last edited:
Lord Bison
Superstar
Bret the GOATMAN Hart. Although as an overall package, I'd say Shawn was better than Bret on the mic. But Bret's mic work in 97 is better than most of Shawn's entire career.
Last edited:
Chrome2279
All Star
I like them both, but growing up Brett would just had the cool factor in him. He didn’t need to have great Mic skills, because all he had to do was show up and look cool and he would look at him and wonder who the hell is this guy.
Then you’ll see him put on a wrestling clinic with people like Mr. perfect, Roddy piper, bulldog, Stonecold, Owen, Taker, even HBK..
Each match he had everyone in the palm of his hand, and didn’t need to say much to get them invested.
I understand that people look at Mic skills as important, but if you don’t have great skills in that arena and can still equal the same result, you’re basically doing more with less. I don’t understand how that’s look at in a negative light, when from a business point of view that’s optimal.
All that said, his skills on the microphone weren’t terrible.
And I prefer the hitman over the heartbreak kid any day the week.
Then you’ll see him put on a wrestling clinic with people like Mr. perfect, Roddy piper, bulldog, Stonecold, Owen, Taker, even HBK..
Each match he had everyone in the palm of his hand, and didn’t need to say much to get them invested.
I understand that people look at Mic skills as important, but if you don’t have great skills in that arena and can still equal the same result, you’re basically doing more with less. I don’t understand how that’s look at in a negative light, when from a business point of view that’s optimal.
All that said, his skills on the microphone weren’t terrible.
And I prefer the hitman over the heartbreak kid any day the week.
InstantKlassik
...
Bret
Better on the mic - HBK
More well-rounded wrestlers -HBK (You don't see Bret doing high flying moves, although Bret is the better technical wrestler, but that shyt is boring anyways)
Better matches -HBK has more memorable matches
Better persona/gimmick -HBK is just more charismatic
Better finisher -Tie (Sharpshooter is one of the best submission holds, but Sweet Chin Music is one of those moves that can be done on anyone out of nowhere)
Better stable -DX > Hart Foundation
Better tag team - Hart Foundation > Rockers
I'm riding with the Boy Toy
More well-rounded wrestlers -HBK (You don't see Bret doing high flying moves, although Bret is the better technical wrestler, but that shyt is boring anyways)
Better matches -HBK has more memorable matches
Better persona/gimmick -HBK is just more charismatic
Better finisher -Tie (Sharpshooter is one of the best submission holds, but Sweet Chin Music is one of those moves that can be done on anyone out of nowhere)
Better stable -DX > Hart Foundation
Better tag team - Hart Foundation > Rockers
I'm riding with the Boy Toy
WaveMolecules
Superstar
im shocked at the poll results.
HBK and its not really close IMO
HBK and its not really close IMO