"We used to try and make it real, what happened?" - Bret Hart lambasts WWE stars as he looks back at major show
Bret Hart wasn't a big fan of the wrestling he saw in Cardiff this past year at WWE Clash at the Castle. While today's wrestling styles are vastly different than those employed decades ago, Hart finds it difficult to enjoy the product that is being put out, with one of his biggest points of contention being leg slaps. He feels that it takes away from the reality of wrestling and decreases the believability.
Leg slaps have increased in frequency in the past few years and serve as a substitute for the sound made by kicks to the chin. There have been many polarizing opinions on this specific trope and the Hitman has a very strong opinion regarding it.
Speaking to HN Live, Hart described his experience as part of the live audience in Cardiff, Wales at WWE Clash at the Castle. While it garnered mostly positive reviews, the WWE Hall of Famer didn't mince his words while voicing his opinion:
"I went to a show not too long ago in Cardiff, a pay-per-view, it was embarrassing to sit in the front row and watch all the kids in the audience slap their leg as the wrestlers slap their leg in these kick spots where they pretend to kick each other with shin pads and slap sounds over and over. To realize that the crowd is in on it, the entire floor is clapping and slapping their leg. I'm going, 'we used to try and make it real, what happened?' Everybody is in on it. It's a big giant charade. I had a hard time feeling the fan part of me come to life." [H/T Fightful Wrestling]
Bret Hart explains the essence of wrestling
While Bret Hart criticized the specific wrestling style, he went on to describe what he would like to see in wrestling, which would help suspend disbelief. He believes that it comes down to storytelling and can be done with moves as simple as headlocks.
"Wrestling is an art form. 'All art is simple.' Wrestling is a simple art that is really just storytelling or good vs. bad, most of the time, anyway, and it's an easy story to tell. Wrestlers have been doing it for decades and wrestlers from 2005 up don't know anything about telling stories or what headlocks are" [H/T Fightful]
Throwing it back to some classic @steveaustinBSR vs. @BretHart action from Survivor Series 1996. https://t.co/QoCf9rWSw7
Do you agree with Bret Hart's stance on leg slaps and the modern-day style of wrestling? Sound off in the comments below.