Kurt Angle or Bret Hart?

[James Greiga]

First we have Bret Hart. He's accomplished a lot in the WWE and one of the most decorated wrestlers in history. His mic skills were poor but he made up for it with in-ring ability. His legacy is really extraordinary and while it isn't exactly a legacy of Andre proportions, it's still a unique legacy. He's very methodical in his movements. Very technical. Many of his matches are considered some of the greatest ever and (along with HBK and Randy Savage) he's put on some of the best shows in Wrestlemania history. Going by just Wrestlemania alone you have Hart/Piper, Bret/Owen, Bret/HBK, Bret/Austin and thats Wrestlemania alone. He's been WWE champion, I.C. champion, tag champion, king of the ring, royal rumble winner, he main evented Wrestlemania (aside from my personal beliefs, that's considered a huge achievement) and a world heavyweight champion (in WCW). He's one of the most respected wrestlers of all time and remains to be the only person in WWE and maybe professional wrestling history to be the face of the company with no real mic skills or star quality charisma. He was able to draw on ability alone.

Then you have Kurt Angle. Unlike Bret Hart, Kurt Angle was very charismatic. He brought a unique character to WWE when he debuted in the attitude era. He was presented as a heel yet everything about him was what we were used to seeing in a babyface. Not only was he charismatic but he was a great wrestler. Like Hart he was aggressive in the ring and was very technical but unlike Hart he was very multidimensional. He could do back flips off the top rope, he could lift Big Show up on his shoulders (back when Big Show was at his biggest), he could suplex a guy constantly, and he could perfectly lock any submission hold. He was essentially five different wrestling styles all molded into one. He was a WWE champion, I.C. champion, Euro champion, hardcore champion, king of the ring, world heavyweight champion, and tag team champion. He's a guaranteed future Hall of Fame candidate. Before Kurt Angle, people felt there were two kinds of pro wrestlers. Either you were charismatic with little ring skill or impeccable in the ring with no charisma. Kurt was the best of both worlds.

So who was better?

 

[Rvdrvd]

I like Kurt Angle a lot, but in my opinion Bret Hart really is the best there ever was in the ring. His Mic skills were spotty but he was more then serviceable later in his career. I think a lot of today's fans were not around to watch his rise to stardom, it was exciting and organic. He didn't rely on cartoon gimmicks or silly storylines for the most part. Kurt Angle vs Brett Hart would be my all time dream match.

 

[ajdb]

I think this comparison is an insult to Bret Hart.

Bret Hart is THE greatest to ever step into the squared circle. He was smarter than anyone in the business during the 90s (Yes, you too Vince). McMahon, screwed him over because he couldn't handle that. Hart's talent was too much for McMahon to handle and he let Bret go to WCW. WCW in turn continued to show that the brain power running their shows was less than intelligent and book Hart against that lunatic Goldberg, and Goldberg did Bret in.

Kurt Angle on the other hand, wins a gold medal. WHOOPIE! Who cares?! Kurt Angle wrestles with a broken neck (I make you a list of how many people have wrestled with a broken neck). Angle gets caught taking drugs a million times, and you want me to put him in the same sentence as Bret Hart? You are having a laugh.

 

[James Greiga]

I think this comparison is an insult to Bret Hart.

Bret Hart is THE greatest to ever step into the squared circle. He was smarter than anyone in the business during the 90s (Yes, you too Vince). McMahon, screwed him over because he couldn't handle that. Hart's talent was too much for McMahon to handle and he let Bret go to WCW. WCW in turn continued to show that the brain power running their shows was less than intelligent and book Hart against that lunatic Goldberg, and Goldberg did Bret in.

Kurt Angle on the other hand, wins a gold medal. WHOOPIE! Who cares?! Kurt Angle wrestles with a broken neck (I make you a list of how many people have wrestled with a broken neck). Angle gets caught taking drugs a million times, and you want me to put him in the same sentence as Bret Hart? You are having a laugh.

To be fair, Bret was released because Vince was in a financial tiff at the time and couldn't afford to keep him considering Bret Hart was one of the industry's most valuable wrestlers at the time. He originally had a 20 year contract.

 

[ProWrestlingFan]

Kurt Angle is one of the few definitions of the perfect all-around talent. Angle could do everything. Angle can work with anybody in any kind of match. He can chain wrestle, brawl and do high flying moves. I have never really seen a bad Kurt Angle match whereas Bret at times was boring.
Angle also had more charisma than Hart. He can play multiple characters brilliantly whether it was the over the top goofy babyface, the badass heel, etc.

In my opinion, Kurt Angle is the most all around talented guy in the history of pro wrestling.

 

[Pedigree1]

This is a hard one for me!! Bret Hart a two time co-holder of the Tag team championship with the Anvil, five time WWE champion at that time a record till the rock broke it.. 2 time IC Champ (When the IC belt meant something.) Bret hart was a great technical machine in the ring... Involved in match of the year 3 times over i believe.. Put on five star match,after five star match.. Bret was an amazing in-ring technician,did almost everything flawless.. Bret is what a wrestler should aspire to be.

Bret was and is a very smart individual,and was the best in the 90's head and shoulders above the rest.. To say he cant cut a promo i leave you with this..

[To Vince McMahon] Frustrated isn't the goddamn word for it! This is BULLSHIT! You screwed me, everybody screwed me and nobody does a goddamn thing about it! Nobody in the building cares, nobody in the dressing room cares, so much goddamn injustice around here, I've had it up to here! Everybody knows it! I know it! EVERYBODY knows it, I should be the World Wrestling Federation Champion! Everybody just keeps turning a blind eye, you keep turning a blind eye to it, I've got that Gorilla Monsoon, he turns a blind eye to it, everybody in that goddamn dressing room knows that I'm the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be! [turns to fans] And if you don't like it, tough SHIT!
- Bret Hart's expletive-laden rant on the March 17, 1997 WWF Raw is War.

Bret you could see it.. He enjoyed his craft,enjoyed the fans always was looked up too by the kids..

Kurt Angle: No way around it,he is the greatest wrestler to ever hit the planet. An Olympic Champion,our hero OUR Olympic Champion burst onto the scene in 1999 and well really has never looked back.. HOF College wrestler,NCAA Champion,the man did it all in the amateurs! As a Pro,wow no one ever made such an impact the way he did.. Climbed the ladder so fast,a One time EuroContinential (Man that has a nice ring to it huh) four time WWE Champion,one time WHC,a tag team title run!! Kurts Promos were insightful,funny,serious.. Kurt could play the Face,heel,in-between like every face or heel turn was meant for him... I wish these two could have hooked up in their prime,that I could imagine is every wrestling fans dream!!

 

[Judah's Lion]

both of these guys have amazing and immeasurable talent.

it's already been said in this thread, but Bret's rise to the top in WWF was very organic and flat out fun to watch. he was okay on the mic and seemed to constantly improve over the years. he was definitely charismatic and his in-ring work speaks for itself. his many contributions to the business earned him a spot in the Hall of Fame where he rightfully belongs.

currently, the primary downside i see in Bret is two-fold: he seems very high on himself, citing his matches as the best of all time with no chance of any other match ever comparing and himself as the literal/actual best of all time with many others never able to come close to his godlike status; and consequently, he seems to be very bitter, in general, towards the business and the majority in it. there have been many threads and conversations concerning Bret Hart on these forums and many say that Bret has every reason to be high on himself, given his abilities, and that he likewise has every reason to be bitter, given his life circumstances -- brother and brother-in-law dying, the Montreal Screwjob, how he was booked in WCW, forced retirement due to injury, etc.

personally and professionally, i love Bret Hart and if i were ever running a wrestling business during his rise and height of stardom, i'd have no problem making this guy the face of my company. he was that good. and he's a PR dream come true. he was never getting in trouble behind the scenes and never getting busted for illegal substances.

Kurt Angle, on the other hand, is quite possibly one of the most versatile competitors of all time. maybe of all time. he's been in some amazing hardcore street fights, he's wrestled some of the greatest high flying cruiserweights of all time and put on incredible matches with them, he's put on clinic after clinic of technical mat and submission based wrestling, he's been in cages, cells, chambers and up ladders. Kurt Angle can literally do it all. he's great on the mic, he's serious, funny and intense. and he's legit, given his background in the sport. he will no doubt be in the Hall of Fame one day, where he also rightfully belongs.

like Bret, Kurt also seems to really be high on himself. and i'm in no way suggesting that they shouldn't be. both men have boat loads to be proud of, professionally speaking. these are two of the greatest wrestlers of all time. period. again, if i were running a pro wrestling company, i'd have no problem making Kurt Angle the face of my company based on his amazing talent alone.

where Bret Hart and Kurt Angle are different, at least as far as i know, is outside of the ring. Kurt seems to have trouble keeping clean and sober, and he's a loose cannon on social media. he tweets craziness, gets called out on it, then claims he's been hacked. no idea how much of it is true, but if it is, this guy has been hacked more times than anyone else ever. so there are some concerns there behind the scenes with Kurt, but regardless, there is no denying that he is one of the best in the history of this business.

like others have said here... this is an all-time favorite dream match that i would have loved to see happen and sadly never will. two of the greatest ever.

great thread. super enjoyed reading all the responses so far.

 

[AegonTargaryen]

Kurt Angle is one of the few definitions of the perfect all-around talent. Angle could do everything. Angle can work with anybody in any kind of match. He can chain wrestle, brawl and do high flying moves. I have never really seen a bad Kurt Angle match whereas Bret at times was boring.
Angle also had more charisma than Hart. He can play multiple characters brilliantly whether it was the over the top goofy babyface, the badass heel, etc.

In my opinion, Kurt Angle is the most all around talented guy in the history of pro wrestling.

Absofuckinglutely! I like both of them but agree with you totally and if I could, I'd extol Kurt Angle day after day till my last day on earth and overlook every bad thing about Kurt Angle , like those stupid DUIs. As far as I can sift from his audio interviews, he comes across as a genuinely nice guy, humble and honest and everything. Very likeable! Couldn 't disagree with "the most all around talented guy " assertion. Some will say Shawn Michaels, etc. But IMO just as in yours, Angle is the greatest pro wrestler of all time.

But not to take away a thing from Bret Hart's decorated career. If I were to say to you that a dream-match or matches in Kurt Angle vs Bret Hart in a 60-minute ironman match would surpass in everything, Angle vs Lesnar (WM19 and Ironman) as well as Bret Hart vs HBK, would you agree? Would you also agree that it'd be the greatest pro-wrestling match ever? Something like a Shakespeare of Pro-wrestling ?

 

[Vintage]

I've had the privilege to watch both men during their prime years.
Bret is very crisp, very technically sound but there is something about Bret that makes him more Dean Malenko good than HBK good.
Kurt on the other hand isn't quite as crisp or diverse as Bret, but he's genuinely exciting to watch when he is healthy.

I have to give it to Angle, there was always something about Bret that annoyed the crap out of me as a kid that Angle doesn't do, even though he is at the point where he wrestles the same match more or less every time he works. Bret always kept things fresh.. honestly both bust their asses for us, but Kurt makes it more of an experience.

 

[JJ15776]

I think this comparison is an insult to Bret Hart.

Bret Hart is THE greatest to ever step into the squared circle. He was smarter than anyone in the business during the 90s (Yes, you too Vince). McMahon, screwed him over because he couldn't handle that. Hart's talent was too much for McMahon to handle and he let Bret go to WCW. WCW in turn continued to show that the brain power running their shows was less than intelligent and book Hart against that lunatic Goldberg, and Goldberg did Bret in.

Kurt Angle on the other hand, wins a gold medal. WHOOPIE! Who cares?! Kurt Angle wrestles with a broken neck (I make you a list of how many people have wrestled with a broken neck). Angle gets caught taking drugs a million times, and you want me to put him in the same sentence as Bret Hart? You are having a laugh.

This is one of the stupidest things I've ever read. Kurt Angle could do literally everything Bret Hart could do - LITERALLY - and so many things Bret couldn't. Both in the ring and on the mic. Bret Hart has the longevity(I'm speaking solely of their WWF/WWE careers, as I didn't watch much WCW and don't watch much TNA), but Angle destroys him in every other way you could possibly hope to compare two professional wrestlers.

 

[spg]

Personally, I think you answered the question on your own. At the time of bret hart, my mum liked him, as with shawn. I liked Taker and Warrior as a kid, I suppose it had to do with beating a balding old looking blond guy, but that's who I was drawn to. If you fast forward past Warrior, mania 10, I wanted Owen and Razor to win. Owen as the anti christ, Razor as the cool baby face. Bret actually looks a lot better as a heel for me. But he was the first person that I really noticed 5 moves of doom, obviously everyone, hogan, warrior, savage, austin, rock and so on is the same, but the first person I noticed that would have the same match over and over again was bret. I actually really like bret as a worker now, but comparing to what angle did in so short a time is silly. Watch his first few matches, he throws a powerslam, a suplex and not much else, within a year, he's brilliant, within 2 years, he's beyond anyone else. Nobody took to the game like Kurt. If he wasn't a wreck, he'd of been by far and away the best ever. Taker takes that position.

 

[the green b@stard]

I voted brett... The run he had from the iron man match with shawn up to the montreal screw job is simply much more compelling than anything angle has done imo.

No hate for those that voted for angle tho... his ring work is also amazing.

I think Harts bitterness has probably turned some people off and may be affecting the vote.

A little hard to believe now but he was the most respected man in wrestling at one time.

 

[123NewChamp]

As far as who was better; Bret was the best in his time. If you look at his career, Mic Skills weren't that much important back then. If so, why would he be a 5 time WWE Champion? Bret Knows his way around the ring, has great in-ring psycology, and wrestles to his advantage, and smart and technical thinker inside the ring. And he has one of the biggest hearts in the building and would put his all into a match.

With Kurt Angle, he barely wrestled half the time Bret has, but yet you have 2 similar styles. It all comes down to who were the better technical wrestler, or leaning towards Angle case, who brought more Versatility to the ring which you will have to go with Kurt Angle. As long as you in a technical matchup, Bret can go all day with you. But when it comes to having to branch away from the technical game to defeat an opponent, Kurt Angle is the man. Because he can go with the flow of the match and can be innovative in the ring.

So in my opinion, talking straight up wrestling, I will have to give it to Kurt Angle by a threat. It could go either way, taking nothing from Bret, but Kurt has this one.

 

[GuessI'mAMark]

Completely irrelevant, but did I just read someone's post saying, "Kurt Angle wins a gold medal. WHOOPIE. Who cares."? I don't know if this guy is a huge Bret Hart fan or just dislikes Kurt Angle but his idiocy makes me vote that Kurt is better than Bret.

 

[That One Guy]

In my opinion, Kurt Angle is better than Bret Hart in every area that matters. He was better in the ring, better on the mic, he connects better with the fans, and he put on better matches with any opponent thrown at him.

Hell, I still remember him coming back from injury after Wrestlemania 19. Before his injury, he was a heel. When he returned, he came to the ring and the audience chanted "You Suck" at him, as always. When he got to the ring, he looked into the crowd and said "I can't tell you how much I've missed hearing that" (or something along those lines) and instantly becomes a face. With one sentence, he went from one of the biggest heels in the company to one of the biggest faces in the company. Bret Hart wouldn't have been able to do that.

 

[GameOver]

First we have Bret Hart. He's accomplished a lot in the WWE and one of the most decorated wrestlers in history. His mic skills were poor but he made up for it with in-ring ability. His legacy is really extraordinary and while it isn't exactly a legacy of Andre proportions, it's still a unique legacy. He's very methodical in his movements. Very technical. Many of his matches are considered some of the greatest ever and (along with HBK and Randy Savage) he's put on some of the best shows in Wrestlemania history. Going by just Wrestlemania alone you have Hart/Piper, Bret/Owen, Bret/HBK, Bret/Austin and thats Wrestlemania alone. He's been WWE champion, I.C. champion, tag champion, king of the ring, royal rumble winner, he main evented Wrestlemania (aside from my personal beliefs, that's considered a huge achievement) and a world heavyweight champion (in WCW). He's one of the most respected wrestlers of all time and remains to be the only person in WWE and maybe professional wrestling history to be the face of the company with no real mic skills or star quality charisma. He was able to draw on ability alone.

Then you have Kurt Angle. Unlike Bret Hart, Kurt Angle was very charismatic. He brought a unique character to WWE when he debuted in the attitude era. He was presented as a heel yet everything about him was what we were used to seeing in a babyface. Not only was he charismatic but he was a great wrestler. Like Hart he was aggressive in the ring and was very technical but unlike Hart he was very multidimensional. He could do back flips off the top rope, he could lift Big Show up on his shoulders (back when Big Show was at his biggest), he could suplex a guy constantly, and he could perfectly lock any submission hold. He was essentially five different wrestling styles all molded into one. He was a WWE champion, I.C. champion, Euro champion, hardcore champion, king of the ring, world heavyweight champion, and tag team champion. He's a guaranteed future Hall of Fame candidate. Before Kurt Angle, people felt there were two kinds of pro wrestlers. Either you were charismatic with little ring skill or impeccable in the ring with no charisma. Kurt was the best of both worlds.

So who was better?

Pretty much agree with you. Bret Hart was excellent in ring and better as a heel IMO but he lacked the mic skills most of the time, Kurt Angle was adept at Heel and Face roles had the mat skills on par with Bret Hart and Chris Benoit plus he was stronger and he could talk the talk aswell.

Either way both are Legends of the business but i think you could have a Triple Threat and add the Chris Benoit they all had very similar styles, Bret was more crisp and more strategic, Benoit and Angle were higher impact and could talk the talk, but once again the winner was Kurt Angle, he was the total package of those three, equal at the least in the ring, better on the mic and could easily play heel or face roles.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

It's pretty bad that people are saying Bret was uncharismatic. No way can you ever say that about the guy. He was the "heart throb" of the Hogan era, which led to a lot of his push. He had a strong athletic look and the sunglasses etc made him instantly memorable. He didn't NEED to talk during the HF days as Jim and Jimmy had that covered... when he needed to improve he did. Again, his promos were very much "all business" so I can see why people think him a little one dimensional but with a name like Hitman he's not gonna goof around with mik trucks (and he escaped a cowboy hat!) but Kurt's "injury" gimmicks came from Bret first...

If you are saying Kurt is better on the mic... It's True... but not by as much as you think. Kurt was perhaps more of a natural talker and could handle comedy better, but Bret never DID comedy as that wasn't his MO, none of his feuds or angles were based around humor - it wouldn't have fit his character even if he could do it to goof around or be "whiny", even when he moaned Bret was intense with it. Break down what both guys did on the mic... Kurt coined a catchphrase and copped the "You Suck" chant... that does not make him more charismatic. He was just able to turn them to his advantage.

In terms of wrestling/sports entertainment sorry but Bret outclasses Kurt on all levels... Sure Kurt won the gold medal, that is impressive enough but he entered a WWE where the bar had been set by Bret and smaller guys like him could get ahead. Bret had fought through the "big man syndrome" and established himself in a way his peers didn't, Hennig, Rude, DiBiase were all great talents and arguably better than Angle - but they didn't break through in the way Bret did. Without Bret, Kurt never even gets signed much less pushed as he was medal or no.

Bret WAS wrestling of that era personified. He was far more experienced, had a better mind for psychology of a match and more importantly very few personal issues/demons to interfere with his work. He could be inventive and work to the programme as well.

Kurt was "groomed" for the top by WWE and the US Olympic team, where Bret was literally BRED for it. Much has been made that Bret was a prospect for the Olympics himself had he wanted to go that way... Translate it to the ring and good as Kurt was, Bret had the experience to literally not have a bad match with anyone, he had the old school nous to call it in the ring and gain heat when needed such as against Davey or Piper and also to draw sympathy from the crowd at the right times go and watch that Taker debut match again with Bret v DiBiase at the end... by the end of that match Bret was where Bryan is now, people were desperate for him to win. Or the Austin match where by the end they wanted to lynch him. Kurt couldn't roll with that or change in that way mid match, if he was the face, he had to be the face of the match and vice versa.

When Bret did "cocky" it was based on him genuinely being the best in the business in the ring... Kurt was more cocky one acheivment and had several peers of equal or better quality... Kurt didn't seem "special" in the way Bret did.

Angle is basically Bret's replacement in the business rather than one being better than the other. Had the two worked each other then I am sure Bret's "deficiencies" that people are referring to wouldn't even have been noticed and they would have had a killer all time feud.

There will always be a generational thing here, younger folks will pick Angle, oldder Bret... look at them as two sides of the same coin and you probably have it about right.

 

[MisterRob]

I think people are insane for saying Kurt Angle is better then Bret Hart. I completely believe its because of people being more familiar with Kurt Angle's work and not really have lived through the periods where Bret Hart was a wrestler, and certainly not in his prime.

Bret Hart was excellent in the ring, and I truly believe he is one of (if not THE) greatest technician in the history of wrestling. He not only had great matches, but he made everything in the ring look flawless and REAL. He also told amazing stories, and he did so consistently and far better then anyone else, and definitely better then Kurt Angle. He also had different matches all the time, with different wrestlers from every size and skill. He could have a match with ANYONE, and regardless of what the wrestler was.. a big monster, a cruiserweight, a brawler, or a ring technician.. he could tell a riveting story and have a phenomenal match. There is no one more diverse in the ring then Bret Hart was, or a better story teller, in my opinion.

Bret Hart also "made" people in his feuds and most definitely his matches. One obvious example is "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Austin was "made" by Hart, and that bloody I Quit Match they had is the catalyst to what made Austin the star he is and there's no debating that. But that's only one of many examples and wrestlers. Who has Kurt Angle actually "made" as a performer? Who has he helped to put over and build into a star?

Bret Hart was also a better "draw" then Angle, and not only was Hart the World champion for a long period of time and the main guy during that run, because he was, but he also helped WWE expand internationally and Hart was a HUGE draw internationally. Where's the proof Kurt Angle is any sort of draw? And in what period did Kurt Angle become the main guy, or the top star on the roster? He was always overshadowed and played second fiddle in the WWE to bigger stars. And TNA certainly doesn't count or compare, especially when you're comparing his run in TNA to Bret Hart's career in the WWE.

This whole argument about Bret Hart not being good on the mic is bullshit. He may not have been one of the best ever, or been as good as a Rock on the mic, but he had NO problems. I think most people who complain about Bret Hart's mic skills are those who never watched him in his prime, and are not familiar with his actual every day promos when he was actually a wrestler. He was fine on the mic, and during his run as World champion and as a Canadian heel nearing the Attitude Era, he had some great promos against the likes of Vince McMahon and America. So I call this tired argument he had no mic skills utter nonsense. Kurt Angle is good on the mic, no doubt, but he's also overrated in my opinion.

There is no way in my eyes that Kurt Angle is better, overal and in their careers, then Bret Hart. Not a chance.

 

[Jonyboyuk2]

Kids today don't remember Bret Hart as he was.
In his peak years between 1990 to 1997 - Bret Hart was the greatest wrestler in the USA. If you haven't seen his matches then you simply are not a Wrestling fan.

As for Kurt - wow - he is one of the greatest ever. Some great matches in his time; but he isn't Bret Hart.

 

[MMK]

I think people are insane for saying Kurt Angle is better then Bret Hart. I completely believe its because of people being more familiar with Kurt Angle's work and not really have lived through the periods where Bret Hart was a wrestler, and certainly not in his prime.

Bret Hart was excellent in the ring, and I truly believe he is one of (if not THE) greatest technician in the history of wrestling. He not only had great matches, but he made everything in the ring look flawless and REAL. He also told amazing stories, and he did so consistently and far better then anyone else, and definitely better then Kurt Angle. He also had different matches all the time, with different wrestlers from every size and skill. He could have a match with ANYONE, and regardless of what the wrestler was.. a big monster, a cruiserweight, a brawler, or a ring technician.. he could tell a riveting story and have a phenomenal match. There is no one more diverse in the ring then Bret Hart was, or a better story teller, in my opinion.

Bret Hart also "made" people in his feuds and most definitely his matches. One obvious example is "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Austin was "made" by Hart, and that bloody I Quit Match they had is the catalyst to what made Austin the star he is and there's no debating that. But that's only one of many examples and wrestlers. Who has Kurt Angle actually "made" as a performer? Who has he helped to put over and build into a star?

Bret Hart was also a better "draw" then Angle, and not only was Hart the World champion for a long period of time and the main guy during that run, because he was, but he also helped WWE expand internationally and Hart was a HUGE draw internationally. Where's the proof Kurt Angle is any sort of draw? And in what period did Kurt Angle become the main guy, or the top star on the roster? He was always overshadowed and played second fiddle in the WWE to bigger stars. And TNA certainly doesn't count or compare, especially when you're comparing his run in TNA to Bret Hart's career in the WWE.

This whole argument about Bret Hart not being good on the mic is bullshit. He may not have been one of the best ever, or been as good as a Rock on the mic, but he had NO problems. I think most people who complain about Bret Hart's mic skills are those who never watched him in his prime, and are not familiar with his actual every day promos when he was actually a wrestler. He was fine on the mic, and during his run as World champion and as a Canadian heel nearing the Attitude Era, he had some great promos against the likes of Vince McMahon and America. So I call this tired argument he had no mic skills utter nonsense. Kurt Angle is good on the mic, no doubt, but he's also overrated in my opinion.

There is no way in my eyes that Kurt Angle is better, overal and in their careers, then Bret Hart. Not a chance.

In total agreement.

The knock on Bret's mic skills is from fans who are only familiar with today's over produced product where every wrestler sounds the same and has no voice of his own. Whenever Bret spoke he always sounded like a real athlete in a post game interview. Most athletes don't have a well articulated promo ready to go when they're being interviewed before or after a big game. Bret sounded real. Most of the guys who are perceived to be good on the mic in today's wrestling are only perceived that way because pretty much everything they say is written for them. CM Punk probably being the one exception. He's a natural just like Jake The Snake or Bobby Heenan. But those guys are rare.

The best thing about Bret's career for me, was that his matches always felt so real. Hogan, Warrior, Shawn, Austin, Cena, and pretty much every other big name wrestler have their little routine they go through before the match is about to end. Whether its shaking the ropes, Hulking up, tuning up the band, or pumping up their sneakers, they all have some calling card to let you know when the match is almost over. Not Bret. His matches simply ended spontaneously. Like an overtime game. You blink and you missed it. Watch his matches against Owen at Wrestlemania X, Bulldog at Summerslam 92, Mr.Perfect at Summerslam 91, or Ted Dibiase at Survivor Series 1990 and you'll know what I mean.

 

[Rocky84]

A lot of great posts in here. I do have to say I'm surprised about the voting...I didn't think it would be close let alone Angle being ahead.

Their styles are completely different. Angle is a collegiate type of style (obviously) and Bret was more of a traditional style...but the most technical I've ever seen. Both the best at their respective methods, but overall I'd say Bret was more impressive to watch. He just executed everything so excellently lol.

Angle was also different in his approach to the business in terms of entertainment outside of the ring. He was more comedic, flamboyant, and loud. Bret was more reserved, humble, yet still flashy in his entrances, and promos. He also had a mean streak...not as intense as Angle, but that's not a bad thing, he just wasn't a nut like Kurt.

Early on it was difficult to take Angle seriously as a legit personality and champion. Bret was a born champ, and you could see that clear as day. When Kurt adopted the Shamrock like gimmick, I was able to take him serious. Not that this means anything...kinda just rambling now.

In closing, I'd say Bret is the best pure wrestler ever, and still top 5-10 of overall wrestlers (when considering everything else to judge them on). Angle is up there as well, but not ahead of Bret.

 

[relentless1]

as a canadian, i love bret hart so it pains me to say that kurt is the better pro wrestler. he was as good as bret in the ring but he was a much better personality and talker than bret ever was. still think this would have been the greatest matchup of all time, its too bad goldberg had to end brets career.

 

[WWFan79]

Pure in ring talent, Kurt Angle. One of the best no doubt. But as Professional Wrestler, Bret Hart.,

Bret Hart's life was Pro Wrestling
Kurt Angle only stumbled onto Pro Wrestling after he had nothing to do.

Therefore, Kurt Angle represents the new breed of wrestlers. These traits are:
-More focused on spots than story telling
-Faster, higher workrate which results in a more faster paced, generally eye-pleasing match (I remember his string of Raw or Smackdown matches with the Rock was probably the best in-ring stuff I had ever seen).
-More impressive moves, however this leads to more serious injuries.
-More about working stiff, and trying to prove how tough you are in the ring even though it's a work.
-Doesn't really sell. Few seconds of being stunned then on to the next move.

Bret being old school is about:
-Longevity, thus more traditional wrestling moves and less risky spots
-Focus on psychology and story telling (coming up old school, learn from the veterans riding in the cars, as well as all the different things learned from working in a Territory)
-More selling and pacing
-Less focus on the faster pace promo-interaction we see today.

Bret's contribution to the growth and influence on Pro Wrestling is much more than what Angle has done. Mainly bc Bret wrestled at the WWF much longer. So when he actually turned heel in 1997, it had way more meaning than anything Kurt Angle can ever do. Alot of that was Bret's Promo ability in 1997 which blows any criticism he gets from being 'boring'. Sure it was still more 2-dimensional, but it had realness and seriousness. Above all, sincerity. The US vs Canada angle was unmatched IMO. This is the first time Canada vs the US got such wide traction. Impressive since it was in the Clinton era when the US was loved. And Hart's the only guy that would have got Stone Cold boos if he stuck around.

Prime Example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oesqCPtimBg
(I just noticed this was in Pittsburgh.. Angles hometown!)


If Bret stayed in the WWF in 1997, nobody could have touched him. Sure, Stone Cold would have gained the upper advantage later on, but in terms of on-screen and promo presence, Bret was king. The turning point for Austin when he stunned McMahon, was from the rub Vince got from Bret (the heat that was transferred from Bret after the Survivor Series).

Only Bret Hart could have pulled this off.

 

[lowandmighty]

I picked Kurt Angle. I base my choice on comparing how the two went in their respective matches against who better than the greatest wrestler of all time Hulk Hogan.

When Kurt Angle wrestled Hulk Hogan, Angle made him tap out.

When Bret Hart wrestled Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart ended up leaving on a stretcher.

 

[Waylon Mercy]

I think Bret has a slight edge, only for the fact that while Kurt Angle has had a stellar career, I think he has had a harder time knowing when to call it quits. Granted, Bret had that taken care of for him, so we will never know if he would have stayed on past his due date. Also, Kurt has somewhat more of a question mark or an asterisk to his name with regards to his issues with substance abuse. Bret seemingly led a pretty clean life. While it is pretty obvious he dabbled in steroids (as did pretty much all professional wrestlers in the '80's), he kept his nose clean in comparison to Angle.
In every dream match scenario, these two locking up in the middle of the ring would have been an amazing spectacle. We'll never know who would have come out on top, though I suspect Bret would have gladly done the job to put Angle over. He truly was that damned good. Bret has always praised Angle as being one of the greats of the modern era.