Bret Hart Blasts Top WWE Superstar For Unprofessional Act
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
WWE Hall of Famer Bret "The Hitman" Hart has once again taken aim at the modern style of professional wrestling, and this time, his target was former WWE World Heavyweight Champion, GUNTHER. In a new interview, Hart was brutally honest in his criticism of GUNTHER's hard-hitting style, specifically the use of chops.
Speaking on The Masked Man Show, the legendary technician called the practice of legitimately hurting opponents "unprofessional" and "lazy, sh*t wrestling."
A Direct Message to GUNTHER
Hart did not mince words, stating that he believes the foundation of great wrestling is making it look real without ever actually injuring your opponent. He sees GUNTHER's famously stiff style as a violation of that core principle.
"I hate wrestlers that hurt each other on purpose," Hart said. "I've told him this to his face, it's bullshit. When you're hurting somebody for real, you're unprofessional. I wrestled guys and never hurt anybody."
A Clash of Wrestling Ideologies
Bret Hart's philosophy was drilled into him from a young age in his father Stu Hart's infamous "Dungeon." The Hart family's wrestling style was built on the mantra of "The Excellence of Execution," a commitment to making every move look completely real while simultaneously keeping your opponent safe. Hart famously prided himself on never having legitimately injured another performer throughout his storied career.
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA - JULY 08: Special guest referee Bret "The Hitman" Hart is introduced during the WWE Smackdown Live Tour at Westridge Park Tennis Stadium on July 08, 2011 in Durban, South Africa.
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA - JULY 08: Special guest referee Bret "The Hitman" Hart is introduced during the WWE Smackdown Live Tour at Westridge Park Tennis Stadium on July 08, 2011 in Durban, South Africa.
Steve Haag/More news: WWE Superstar Announces Retirement Match
GUNTHER's style, however, is rooted in a completely different but equally respected wrestling tradition. His chest-caving chops are a hallmark of European and Japanese "strong style," where legitimately stiff strikes are often seen as a sign of respect and are a key part of telling a believable, dramatic story in the ring. This difference in philosophy is at the heart of Hart's criticism.
Blaming "The Nature Boy"
Hart also laid the blame for the popularity of the chop in North American wrestling at the feet of his iconic rival, Ric Flair. He recounted the physical toll of his matches with "The Nature Boy."
"My dad used to tell wrestlers at Stampede, 'Nobody ever beat anybody with a chop.' It's true. They hurt, they look like shit," Hart said. "When you get chopped by somebody like Ric Flair for a 30 minute match... your whole chest the next day is bruises. It hurts to put a shirt on."
The criticism adds another chapter to the contentious history between Hart and GUNTHER. During an on-screen interaction on Raw in September 2024, GUNTHER showed a perceived lack of respect for Hart by naming his infamous rival, Goldberg, as his favorite wrestler. Hart's new, harsh comments are a clear shot back in this ongoing, reality-blurring war of words.
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