Pick Your Poison: Shawn Michaels or Bret Hart

[Britney Spears]

Who is better, Bret Hart or Shawn Michaels?

Both are 2 of the greatest wrestlers of all time, but Bret's the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be!!!!!!!!!! No one could put on a great wrestling match like the Hitman!

What are your thoughts????

 

[Big Fella]

My thoughts are the exact opposite. I've hated Shawn Michaels, and I've loved Shawn Michaels. I've definitely laughed with him, and I may have cried once or twice with him too. Either way, the guy has always elicited the type of emotional response from me that Vince wishes every superstar could. Plus the guy backed it all up in the ring.

Bret never got that response from me at all. Sure his matches were largely good, but I never cared for them. The story behind the match never meant much to me at all. Whether it was vs. his brother in-law Davey Boy Smith, his brother Owen Hart, or his feud with Steve Austin and Americans I just never really cared.

 

[Bret Hart]

bret was the best wrestler ever
thats is the key word there

WRESTLER

HBK is a great showman - entertainer

but if you want wrestling you want the hitman vs angle vs benoit

 

[OverniteCelebrityLM]

HBK all the way.

 

[Prax]

You gotta go with HBK.

Hart was a great technician and probably one of the best pure wrestlers of all time, but I've always felt really strongly that pro wrestling was about a lot more than just raw talent and wrestling skills. You had to have mic skills, charisma, that flair or pizazz, that certain something about him, and his ability to tell a story in the ring.

As for Mic Skills I think it's clear that Shawn Michaels is superior in that regard. I always felt like Hart had two lines: "I'm the best there is..." and "I was screwed by ______". Other than that they just felt kinda sloppy. I dunno if it was because they were just improvised most of the time, but they just didn't seem nearly as good as Shawn's. Shawn was a master of the promo I think. He could go from serious to comedy to serious again with the snap of the finger.

As for charisma and flair... HBK was Mr. Charisma Jr. after Ric Flair, probably one of the most charismatic wrestlers ever in the business. Bret Hart was always kind of stiff in this regard. HBK could generate more excitement with a forearm than Bret could in a match, face or heel.

The ring General argument... i found both to be great storytellers, but again I have to go with HBk as having the edge. Since about 1999, HBK matches have pretty much gone the exact same way... HBK is pummeled... he regains the advantage... reverse atomic drop... punch... punch... kick... scoop slam... elbow from the top.... sweet chin music.... (pretty much, lol).. regardless, it ALWAYS gets the crowd going. (and I'm not denying Hart's superiority as a pure wrestler). Not to mention that HBK still is a great wrestler and can do a lot of stuff in the ring, despite being limited to basically being a glorified brawler who can actually climb the ropes and extent his foot over his head.

Like I said, if this was a contest about pure wrestling skill... Bret would have my vote. I don't like him very much but I recognize his skill and his legacy. But you can't restrict your view on pro wrestling to pure skill... this isn't a sport, it's a form of entertainment. That being said, Michaels is clearly the superior, as he's the better entertainer.

And even if we were to discuss legacy... what is Hart known for?

Being one of the greatest ring technicians... a couple great matches... the screwjob... getting his face kicked in by Goldberg. Granted we can name other things but this is basically what it is.

What is HBK remembered for now? (and remember he still has a while left to go).

Innovating the ladder match. Being the first competitor in a Hell in the Cell. Along with Austin bringing forth the attitude era. Innovating how things were done on cable TV with DX. His feud with Triple H (in my opinion the greatest feud in wrestling in the last 20 years, if not ever), and he's still going.

Yup, i think it's pretty clear that my answer is Michaels, lol

 

[Prax]

bret was the best wrestler ever
thats is the key word there

WRESTLER

HBK is a great showman - entertainer

but if you want wrestling you want the hitman vs angle vs benoit

If you want wrestling go watch the Olympics. Like I said right before this PRO wrestling isn't just about in ring skill.

 

[Britney Spears]

And even if we were to discuss legacy... what is Hart known for?

Being one of the greatest ring technicians... a couple great matches... the screwjob... getting his face kicked in by Goldberg. Granted we can name other things but this is basically what it is.

OMG You are thick. A couple of great matches???? WTF???!!!! Bret Hart has had LOADS of great matches!!! ABSOLUTE CLASSICS against Perfect, Piper, Bulldog, Owen, Diesel, HBK, Austin, Taker and Benoit to name just a few!!! ALSO... Stone Cold Steve Austin wouldn't have been as big as he is without the Hitman! Bret Hart made Austin in their match at WM13! Bret helped pave the way for smaller wrestlers to achieve great things in WWE, guys such as HBK, Angle, Benoit, Eddie, Jericho... Bret was the first really great wrestler who was given a chance to show that having great wrestling skills can get you to the top. Bret Hart has one of the greatest legacies in WWE history, you'd have to be a complete moron to think otherwise.

 

[THe WHoLe FuCKiN SHoW]

regardless of who u pick they are both legends. bret hart the better wrestler but hbk the better entertainer and not a bad wrestler himself. for me its hbk because entertainment is what its all about and bret had no mic skills at all. bret had tons of classic matches/fueds but he couldve added so much more to them if he couldve made better promos. also because hbk didnt bail on wwf/e and leave for wcw even tho imo that was probly more vinces fault. and also for the fact that hbk is my favorite wrestler with bret hart being my very close second favorite.

 

[Prax]

OMG You are thick. A couple of great matches???? WTF???!!!! Bret Hart has had LOADS of great matches!!! ABSOLUTE CLASSICS against Perfect, Piper, Bulldog, Owen, Diesel, HBK, Austin, Taker and Benoit to name just a few!!! ALSO... Stone Cold Steve Austin wouldn't have been as big as he is without the Hitman! Bret Hart made Austin in their match at WM13! Bret helped pave the way for smaller wrestlers to achieve great things in WWE, guys such as HBK, Angle, Benoit, Eddie, Jericho... Bret was the first really great wrestler who was given a chance to show that having great wrestling skills can get you to the top. Bret Hart has one of the greatest legacies in WWE history, you'd have to be a complete moron to think otherwise.

There's really no reason to call me a moron... you just lost any credibility right there.

Anyway, yeah Bret Hart has had some classic matches, but my point is that HBK has had a higher number of classic matches, even this late in his career. After Hart left WWE he really didn't do anything.

Personally I don't believe it was Hart that made Austin, something like that was inevitable... his speech at KOTR made him. Bret Hart obviously had a part to play in it but I think it would've been the case no matter who Austin really faced around that time.

His biggest feud was actually WITH HBK, so it kinda cancels out... but that wasn't the biggest thing HBK did in his career, do you catch my drift? Everything he did with DX, pretty much, the first HIAC (although i think his performance was overshadowed by Kane's debut and too much credit was put onto Taker for innovating it, even though it is his match), and especially his feud with Triple H, among other things, outweigh Bret Hart, in my opinion.

But way to isolate two lines from my entire argument. Do you have anything to say about the other arguments I made or not?

 

[kevitudev1]

Actually HBK is far superior because if you look at his matches, he's had way more classics than Bret ever has

HBK vs .. LOL Bret Hart 1996 Wrestlemania.. That match was by far in my opinion the best match i have ever seen. Everyone feels that Bret has more ring skill but if you watch closely to that match HBK did most the wrestling while Bret mostly punched HBK around haha

HBK vs Vader - It wasn't a wrestling match. You don't exactly wrestle a 400 pound guy like you'd wrestle Bret

HBK vs HHH - A purely awesome fued i dont need to say anymore.

HBK vs Angle - Amazing two wrestlers wrestling each other.

People aren't remembering what HBK used to be and are confusing it with what he is now. He wasn't always the entertainer who doesn't wrestle he used to wrestle his pants off. Also we know when HBK has a decent person to work with he has fantastic wrestling matches

Bret never did that for me except back in 1992 but if you watch pre 1992 and after 1992 with Bret you'll notice his style started changing with the WWE becoming a more commercialized product.

Both we're great while at thier peak but HBK is still better if you look for classic matches.

As for Austin.. Lol HBK's Injury left a main event spot which Austin filled. Blame Fate.

 

[BRandonkin]

HBK. HBK made fueds classic. Bret in the I-C realm was great, but when he won the world and afterwards, it was the people who he fueded with that determine whether the fued would be great or not. Bret and Diesel was no where near as classic as HBK and Diesel. Bret and Stone Cold was not as intenese as the time when HBK and Stone Cold fueded. Bret would been a bore with Vader while Michaels made it work. And so Forth. my Vote is the Showstoppa, the Icon and once again, The Main Event, the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels

 

[Kasey]

For my money, Bret was the superior professional wrestler, but by a fairly narrow margin. Why? Better layout of matches (even in the later years). Don't get me wrong, for all intents and purposes, Michaels was awesome, but with a few minor exceptions he's been replaying the same goddamn match for the last four years...and that is pathetic. Hart could have a phenomenal match with anyone...and not repeat himself (his encounters with Davey Boy and Henning are proof positive of this). As good as Shawn was, he wouldn't have done jack squat in the business if he hadn't had Hart to work with when he finally made his ascension to main event dominator. As far as titles won and the prestige carried behind them? Hart all the way. Whether it was the tag team years, the IC reigns, or the main event title reigns, Hart brought major credibility to the belt and would not only defend against pretty much anyone, but he would also make phenomenal matches with anyone. Michaels had a few solid years from 1994 through 1998, but Bret's consistency as being one of the top guys in terms of consistency with performances and titles spanned from about 1987 until 1997 (ironically at the end of his lovely little program with Michaels). Hart also had plenty of legacy abroad as he was a solid player in Japan in the early, early eighties. As for who could scoop the most heat? As for the feuds that made these guys? It's a close call, but I'm still going with Hart. He was the one who elevated Austin bar none, Michaels just finished it off because he had the belt and was already on the way out. Austin was a second-tier runner up in the company when he and Bret first fought at Survivor Series 1996. By the time they finished their program at WM 13, Austin was cemented as a demi-god in that company. Hart made that possible within the confines of a few months and one match. Shawn only truly stepped aside for Austin in 1998 because his back was torn up. Michaels never really helped to solidly elevate anyone else other than himself, and in one instance Benoit in 2004. Bret jobbed for the Bulldog, Yokozuna (which took him a year to win back), and elevated Austin. It's a close call in terms of who has entertained me comprehensively and who I've felt has accomplished more in his time in the business, but I'll have to go with Hart.

 

[Bret Hart]

If you want wrestling go watch the Olympics. Like I said right before this PRO wrestling isn't just about in ring skill.

yeah difference is between the 2 is bret would make his opponent look great in the ring and would job if needed be

hbk would make himself look good in the ring and wont job to anyone he doesnt like

 

[Britney Spears]

For my money, Bret was the superior professional wrestler, but by a fairly narrow margin. Why? Better layout of matches (even in the later years). Don't get me wrong, for all intents and purposes, Michaels was awesome, but with a few minor exceptions he's been replaying the same goddamn match for the last four years...and that is pathetic. Hart could have a phenomenal match with anyone...and not repeat himself (his encounters with Davey Boy and Henning are proof positive of this). As good as Shawn was, he wouldn't have done jack squat in the business if he hadn't had Hart to work with when he finally made his ascension to main event dominator. As far as titles won and the prestige carried behind them? Hart all the way. Whether it was the tag team years, the IC reigns, or the main event title reigns, Hart brought major credibility to the belt and would not only defend against pretty much anyone, but he would also make phenomenal matches with anyone. Michaels had a few solid years from 1994 through 1998, but Bret's consistency as being one of the top guys in terms of consistency with performances and titles spanned from about 1987 until 1997 (ironically at the end of his lovely little program with Michaels). Hart also had plenty of legacy abroad as he was a solid player in Japan in the early, early eighties. As for who could scoop the most heat? As for the feuds that made these guys? It's a close call, but I'm still going with Hart. He was the one who elevated Austin bar none, Michaels just finished it off because he had the belt and was already on the way out. Austin was a second-tier runner up in the company when he and Bret first fought at Survivor Series 1996. By the time they finished their program at WM 13, Austin was cemented as a demi-god in that company. Hart made that possible within the confines of a few months and one match. Shawn only truly stepped aside for Austin in 1998 because his back was torn up. Michaels never really helped to solidly elevate anyone else other than himself, and in one instance Benoit in 2004. Bret jobbed for the Bulldog, Yokozuna (which took him a year to win back), and elevated Austin. It's a close call in terms of who has entertained me comprehensively and who I've felt has accomplished more in his time in the business, but I'll have to go with Hart.

^The perfect post.

 

[hbk&triple h]

Shawn Michales all the way.This is why I think this.Shawn has had amazing matches.He has great charisma.His mic-skills are amazing, second to none.His ring psychology is great.He has great ring presence.He can read a crowd great.He has amazing wrestling skills.He can play a face like no other and can get the crowd to really hate you.He played the heel going into his title match with diesel at wrestlemania 11 and the crowd still went for him.He can create amazing moves.He is the innovator of great matches like the hell in cell and the ladder match.he helped Vince steer the WWE into the Attitude Era.He could make a match that on paper looked horrible very, very good.He has great promos and feuds as well as great stables such as DX which took the WWE to the limit.Bret Hart I will say is indeed a great great technically sound wrestler, but he lacked charisma and had dull mic skills.He did have some classic matches and did star in the first ever ladder match which was not televised though.He had great matches between Owen, Hennig, Smith, and others but if he had a match with an OK performer it wasn't that great of a match.So that is my opinion.

 

[Big Ace]

The fact of the matter is, HBK is a better all-around star. The guy had 100 times more charisma than Bret and was better on the mic. Bret was more of a technical wrestler but I still think that if you compare the 2 up, Shawn had more wrestling skills than Bret had mic skills. Bret may have been pretty good, but once he got in to his routine, he didn't change it up. It was the same old thing with him every match and at least HBK got to change it up. In 1996, Shawn Michaels was the main event EVERY WEEK. Bret didn't have to work that hard because when he was champion, WCW wasn't big yet. Shawn was working his ass off every night and was pulling off as good a match as he possibly could.

Bret was very,very boring in all other things in wrestling besides actually wrestling. Owen Hart was a much, much better wrestler than Bret in my mind because Owen could always change it up in the ring and he could adjust his style to whoever he was wrestling. Owen was better than Bret. I thought so when I first saw him wrestle and I still think so today. Shawn is an all-around better guy and it's bullshit when people talked about Shawn screwed Bret. The fact is, Bret doesn't want to admit that he screwed himself.

Bret came in with a huge attitude about not wanting to drop the title in Canada. No offense to Canadians, but Canadians are so proud of other Canadians that it's almost obnoxious. Bret was so rude in not wanting to drop the belt so Vince had to do it. It wasn't Shawn's fault in my opinion. Shawn was just doing the job and it had no reflection on him. Shawn wasn't the most innocent and loved man in the back but he was pretty smart.

Bret lost all his passion and love for the business when he left to WCW. He killed his career by going over there. Shawn is loyal to WWE and has never left. By the way, before closing this off, who has more ''Matches of the Year''? Shawn? or Bret? That's right. The Heartbreak Kid.

1993- Shawn Michaels Vs Marty Jannetty

1994- Shawn Michaels Vs Razor Ramon

1995- Shawn Michaels Vs Diesel

1996- Shawn Michaels Vs Bret Hart

2004- Shawn Michaels Vs Chris Benoit Vs Triple H

2005- Shawn Michaels Vs Kurt Angle

2006- Shawn Michaels Vs Vince McMahon

That's all the proof you need. Bret has only won 3...

 

[hbk&triple h]

Shawn is an all-around better guy and it's bullshit when people talked about Shawn screwed Bret. The fact is, Bret doesn't want to admit that he screwed himself.
Bret came in with a huge attitude about not wanting to drop the title in Canada. No offense to Canadians, but Canadians are so proud of other Canadians that it's almost obnoxious. Bret was so rude in not wanting to drop the belt so Vince had to do it. It wasn't Shawn's fault in my opinion. Shawn was just doing the job and it had no reflection on him. Shawn wasn't the most innocent and loved man in the back but he was pretty smart.

This is exactly my point I do not know why people actually say Vince or Shawn screwed him over because what they did to him was all because Bret was being stubborn and didn't want to give up the title.First off, without Vince that title would have never been aroun your waste.Second off, what Vince says goes.Shawn had nothing to do with it except for knowing it was going to happen so someone tell me how it is a "Screwjob".I'm dieing to know.

 

[Ja_204]

Bret Hart is the best one of the two. You may say that HBK has been in various classic matchs because he kisses Vince's backside. Bret was a better technical wrestler, tag team (remember the Rockers never had the belts), and was a better man over all. And the only reason why all of you say that you love him is because it has been awhile since he wrestled

 

[Max Moon]

The Hit Man bar none

 

[Kasey]

This is exactly my point I do not know why people actually say Vince or Shawn screwed him over because what they did to him was all because Bret was being stubborn and didn't want to give up the title.First off, without Vince that title would have never been aroun your waste.Second off, what Vince says goes.Shawn had nothing to do with it except for knowing it was going to happen so someone tell me how it is a "Screwjob".I'm dieing to know.

McMahon generated legit heat between these two as far back as 1990 during a snafu regarding the tag titles and several times (1992, 1996, and 1997) used them in programs because the heat was genuine and he knew it was there. Out of all the people Hart could've jobbed to in the end, McMahon would of course have picked Michaels given the heat they've had for each other in years prior. It was Hart being a loyalist when he agreed to a low-ball contract offer to finish out his career in the WWF (eventually becoming a road agent), when McMahon suspiciously renegged on the deal and told Hart to talk to WCW. Hart was the one who wanted to stay, even if it meant a pay cut. McMahon repays him by telling a wrestler who had creative control during the last 30 days of his contract TO HIS FACE that a schmoz would be okay in his final Canadian encounter and that the belt would be handed over afterwards in another match, which Hart already agreed to. Then he proceeds to execute what went down. Out of all the people he could've had him drop the belt to, he chose the worst guy in the bunch at the worst possible location. Why not the guy Hart won it from at Summerslam? And if McMahon was so gung ho about getting rid of Hart, why in the blue hell would he saddle the title around him when he knew he was on the chopping block? To play off that heat and use Hart for his own means. The fact is that Hart was faithful to a known bastard who's screwed many other wrestlers over (Billy Graham and Dave Shultz being two of the prime ones) and in the end he paid for it. I don't see anybody pissing and moaning about how Shawn wouldn't job for Hart at Survivor Series 1993 or when Bret went down clean at WM12, only to have Shawn utter "Get the fuck out of my ring" as soon as the bell was rung.

 

[sean]

Easy answer, brett hart is better. Much more technically sound than hbk ever was. HBK has always been overrated as far as technical ability. But as far as charisma, HBK wins that one easily over brett. But I always liked brett's heel angles better than hbk's over cocky yawn personna he puts on as a bad guy. As a matter of fact that personna of hbk is back right now and shud make all of you boo him. He is anything but a babyface now... But I'm still pulling for him to beat jonny-no talent and at least bring back some respect to the wwe title.

 

[hinkey1]

I don't think he will beat "Johny no-talent" lol
Cena will be put over by the other half of DX this year at Wrestlemania.

and just so that isn't spam, I will state the simple differences b/t the Hitman and HBK.

Hart was a harder worker, but I believe HBK was the better overall performer

 

[Ticked Off Texan]

This is a tough one, both HBK and 'The Hitman' are phenominal wrestlers, two of the best that WWF/WWE will ever see. Hart was a better technical wrestler but HBK knows how to put on a show and steals the spotlight every night he wrestles. Bret is, The Best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be. Shawn is the icon, the showstoppa, the main event, the Heart Break Kid. I've gotta say that rite now I personaly think HBK is the better of the two, but I also think that if Hart was still wrestling he would also be great.

 

[jlake226]

yeah difference is between the 2 is bret would make his opponent look great in the ring and would job if needed be

hbk would make himself look good in the ring and wont job to anyone he doesnt like

are you serious .. have you ever heard of the "montreal screwjob" .... it was all because bret didn't want to lose the belt ... HBK is the best wrestler of all time ... it is ironic though that the best match ever to take place is Shawn Michaels Vs. Bret Hart Wrestlemania XII ... HBK should be Vince's favorite employee .. He has never sold out and gone to another promotion and has put on some of the best matches of all time ... so my answer is The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels

 

[The Icon]

Obviously The Icon, Shawn Michaels