Bret Hart: modern wrestling is too phony

[basquebromance]

not that different from old school wrestling, it's just faster action now

 

[Dekster]

But Logan Paul coming off the top rope smashing his company's mascot at the last minute was like totally real and not staged at all.

 

[basquebromance]

But Logan Paul coming off the top rope smashing his company's mascot at the last minute was like totally real and not staged at all.

that was a magical moment. who cares if it doesn't look real

 

[shockedcanadian]

I don't watch any new wrestling, but as a kid, old school wrestling was a big part of my life. One of the few times my dad and I could sit together and share a laugh.

The beauty of old school wrestling is that the interviews were more ad libbed. They developed the characters and created the hatred or support. It's was intense stuff.

To this day I vividly remember Pipers Pit and Andre rag dolling Hogan, tearing his shirt and crucifix. I was shocked as a kid that he would betray Hogan, who was the biggest star in wrestling history as far as I am concerned. He may have been an SOB outside the ring, but during the Cold War his shtick brought all of us to the TV screen and arenas.

Ironically, maybe the greatest match in wrestling history, Ricky the Dragon (who was my fave wrestler for years) and Macho Man Randy Savage at (Wrestle Mania III maybe?) changed the game forever. They had choreographed that fight for a long time and it was perfect, a back and forth slug fest. It stole the show, over shadowing even Hogan slamming Andre.

The drawback to that? Wrestlers started to really develop their matches and perfect them. Before that, there was far more leeway, it was not so polished. This polished approach also bled into the interviews which became more cardboard and lost its natural character.

So, I imagine today it is probably fine tuned and the wrestlers better actors. It probably isn't nearly as natural and convincing though.

 

[sealybobo]

not that different from old school wrestling, it's just faster action now

He wasn’t a great talker. He was a great wrestler but not a great sports entertainer.

Sometimes I think the better wrestlers are in AEW. But I know the WWE is the big time. But I like the AEW storylines better. WWE was getting better but then Vince came back. He’s got too much control over the characters.

Did you see John Oliver’s bit on WWE? Pretty good. He said it arguably better than anything you’re watching on tv

 

[22lcidw]

He wasn’t a great talker. He was a great wrestler but not a great sports entertainer.

Sometimes I think the better wrestlers are in AEW. But I know the WWE is the big time. But I like the AEW storylines better. WWE was getting better but then Vince came back. He’s got too much control over the characters.

Did you see John Oliver’s bit on WWE? Pretty good. He said it arguably better than anything you’re watching on tv

Some of the AEW wrestlers look anorexic compared to other eras. Their persona though is what gives them the popularity along with some in ring talent.

 

[sealybobo]

Some of the AEW wrestlers look anorexic compared to other eras. Their persona though is what gives them the popularity along with some in ring talent.

Adam cole has shrunk. The young bucks are tiny but the best. Highest paid. Jericho, Darby Allen, MJF. The big guys aren’t the most popular. They’re the villains.

I loved it the other night Samoa Joe just totally disrespected MJF. MJF bout lost his mind.

If you watch that John Oliver piece I love when he said “for those who mock wrestling fans, it’s better than anything you’re watching” I agree. It’s the best. Athleticism, fighting, drama, divas, smack talkers, acrobats, funny.

I love thinking about how many people watching think it’s real.

 

[Unkotare]

What self-respecting adult watches that half-assed performance art? Anyone with more than one tooth who spends money on that crap should be ashamed of themselves.

 

[22lcidw]

Adam cole has shrunk. The young bucks are tiny but the best. Highest paid. Jericho, Darby Allen, MJF. The big guys aren’t the most popular. They’re the villains.

I loved it the other night Samoa Joe just totally disrespected MJF. MJF bout lost his mind.

If you watch that John Oliver piece I love when he said “for those who mock wrestling fans, it’s better than anything you’re watching” I agree. It’s the best. Athleticism, fighting, drama, divas, smack talkers, acrobats, funny.

I love thinking about how many people watching think it’s real.

A percentage do think it's real. 25 years or so ago I used to take my kids to wrestling. I actually believed it to be better value than pro sports at that time. They watched it through the attitude era. Today they do not care about wrestling.

 

[multivita-man]

WWE killed professional wrestling. It's always been fake but the acting and, honestly, yes, they actually knew how to wrestle back then.

WWE was really good at bringing in these gigantic physical specimens. That's what WWE became: a "wrestling" league of 7-foot, 450-pound, roided-up freaks of nature. And people apparently wanted to watch that because they were big and scary. A bunch of Andre the Giant clones.

But they destroyed the many other personalities that made wrestling compelling to watch.

 

[sealybobo]

A percentage do think it's real. 25 years or so ago I used to take my kids to wrestling. I actually believed it to be better value than pro sports at that time. They watched it through the attitude era. Today they do not care about wrestling.

I stopped watching soon after it got old seeing hogan win the same way all the time. I didn’t love HHH era. Edge, christian, Hardy boys. Suck! But funny thing is, today I like them on AEW.

It’s soap opera for men. Embarrassed to say we watch. But it’s great! Lol

The rock brought me back. Steve Austin. Then I left and didn’t see all the John Cana era. Apparently he’s on the Mount Rushmore? Anyways, now I watch both WWE and AEW and I love them both but I think I like AEW more. It’s more real. Vince makes his wrestlers go out and pull off stupid gimmicks. AEW guys get to decide who they are.

No Vince I don’t any to be doink the clown.

 

[Lord-Humungus]

that was a magical moment. who cares if it doesn't look real

Put Jake Paul in the ring with, even a fading past his prime, Abdullah and see what happens. I enjoyed escaping into a world of fantasy until it became a little too PG for my taste. I can still respect the hell those athletes do to their body, I just am not a fan of the more gymnastic style of today’s product

 

[Wiggle_Piggy]

What self-respecting adult watches that half-assed performance art? Anyone with more than one tooth who spends money on that crap should be ashamed of themselves.

If you watch a movie you’re doing the same thing wrestling fans do when they watch wrestling..

Suspend disbelief to enjoy entertainment