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[KENO5366]

Former pro wrestler, Bret "The Hitman" Hart, takes issue with MMA and what he refers to as "dog fighting" in a recent chat with Hour.ca:
"I do like ultimate fighting," Bret Hart told Hour.ca. "I enjoy watching it, but whenever I watch it I cringe when I see them really hurt each other. You know that they're going to really hurt each other, and I have a lot of respect for the seriousness of it.

A lot of the audience we used to have in pro wresting has moved over to ultimate fighting now, because they get that real fix of violence and blood that they used to get from wrestling. But when I watch what I used to do, let's say my match with Steve Austin at Wrestlemania 13, where he's bleeding - to me there's something more beautiful about that match. The people who used to watch us, they watched that fight and they were happy. They got that violent fix, and we had a real battle. That was the entertainment that they needed to let their aggressions out for when they go to work the next day. Now they get that fix from ultimate fighting, but the difference is that what I did with Steve Austen was a beautiful waltz of two wrestlers pretending to hurt each other. Despite the blood and everything, it was a beautiful match - and 'nobody was hurt in the making of that movie' sort of thing [laughs].

"In ultimate fighting, when you see these guys really punching faces, and drilling guys until the ref usually stops it, I think, always a couple seconds too late, that's an incredible amount of brain damage being done. And at what cost? Do you really want to pay money for this? It's like dog fighting. Do you really feel good about yourself supporting someone getting their brains punched out? I mean, I'm guilty, I love watching it, I'm riveted and I have deep regard for it. But when I watch it I always have a pang. I wish wrestling was like it used to be so we wouldn't need to have this kind of entertainment."

Credit to: NikosCC

[sandywh]

Sounds like some sour grapes. But then again, when literally half your audience has disappeared, what can you say. MMA is slowly making pro wrestling obsolete. I personally cannot weight until MMA has buried WWE.

[Severn]

Originally Posted by KENO5366

Former pro wrestler, Bret "The Hitman" Hart, takes issue with MMA and what he refers to as "dog fighting" in a recent chat with Hour.ca:
"I do like ultimate fighting," Bret Hart told Hour.ca. "I enjoy watching it, but whenever I watch it I cringe when I see them really hurt each other. You know that they're going to really hurt each other, and I have a lot of respect for the seriousness of it.

A lot of the audience we used to have in pro wresting has moved over to ultimate fighting now, because they get that real fix of violence and blood that they used to get from wrestling. But when I watch what I used to do, let's say my match with Steve Austin at Wrestlemania 13, where he's bleeding - to me there's something more beautiful about that match. The people who used to watch us, they watched that fight and they were happy. They got that violent fix, and we had a real battle. That was the entertainment that they needed to let their aggressions out for when they go to work the next day. Now they get that fix from ultimate fighting, but the difference is that what I did with Steve Austen was a beautiful waltz of two wrestlers pretending to hurt each other. Despite the blood and everything, it was a beautiful match - and 'nobody was hurt in the making of that movie' sort of thing [laughs].

"In ultimate fighting, when you see these guys really punching faces, and drilling guys until the ref usually stops it, I think, always a couple seconds too late, that's an incredible amount of brain damage being done. And at what cost? Do you really want to pay money for this? It's like dog fighting. Do you really feel good about yourself supporting someone getting their brains punched out? I mean, I'm guilty, I love watching it, I'm riveted and I have deep regard for it. But when I watch it I always have a pang. I wish wrestling was like it used to be so we wouldn't need to have this kind of entertainment."

Credit to: Niko

IE Wrestling ain't what it used to be. That's true. The era of Stampede Wrestling, Crockett NWA, ECW or 90's Japan is over. Wrestling embraced the entertainment aspect of it years ago and well, that's how it goes.

Honestly MMA is safer than pro-wrestling and safer than boxing. Pro-wrestling is easily the hardest out of the three as the road schedule, the lifestyle is much harder than MMA and Boxing. Brain cells are being destroyed with each chair hit, each high impact slam on the head and neck. Honestly if MMA were held in a ring and not a cage the perception would change tremendously. It has such a stigma to it that people perceive it more violent and harsher than it actually is.

[KENO5366]

At least he does admit to watching it though. I respect his opinion but I do not agree with it.

[jcflores]

Well as a huge fan of his I think he's just upset that MMA is getting bigger than prowrestling. He admits to watch it and then he feels guilty, well prowrestling is also as violent as MMA and wrestlers lose more brain cells than mma fighters do since they wrestle 52 weeks.

[YukonJordan]

He's not really making a blanket statement or opinion, just giving his own feelings on the subject. Having actually met the man he seems highly intelligent and I'm sure he knows it's actually safer than boxing or pro-wrestling in the long run.

[Ubermensch]

"WHAAA!!!"

[KENO5366]

"The Excellence of execution"

"The best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be." lol

He was the man back in the day though. Kind of weird that he's talking about safety in MMA. Considering that his brother had that accident doing a pro wrestling event.

[atj-lucko]

Lets look at the Death Count
MMA: 2
Pro Wrestling about 50 (under the age of 45) and at least 1 every 2 weeks.

I love MMA but I don't wanna see blood, I be happy with not seeing any.Who here wants to see fighters bleed? raise your hands!!

[AJL416AZ]

isnt this the dude whos brother died doing their shared profession?

maybe he shouldnt talk about brutality and senseless violence and physical damage received