Source: Off the Record
Bret Hart talked about both Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan in a recent interview with Off the Record in Canada. Here is a brief transcript of what he had to say:
“Ric Flair, I feel sorry for him. You were talking about wrestlers saying, ‘When is enough, enough? When do they ever give up and go home to their families and their real lives?’ Ric is one of those guys who’s a little ahead of me, but I remember a time knowing that I had to get out of wrestling and go home to my kids before they were grown up and gone or and that I had no family live. I think wrestlers make this decision – and I’m sure Hogan is the same and different guys – where they decide they have to go home to their families or stay in the wrestling business and that becomes their family. Flair stayed in the wrestling business, forgot about his family, his family moved on and left him; the only thing Ric Flair knows is the dressing room, the airports, the bar after, and drinking.”
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The transcript does not really tell the story. His inflection did NOT rip apart Flair. He was feeling bad for the guy. It is the truth, Flair can’t live without wrestling, Bret has. Flair is a train wreck, broke, and an alcoholic. Bret probably feels bad for him. It came across that way anyway, not tearing Ric apart, or Hulk for that matter. The transcript doesn’t tell the story, nor the intent.
I saw the interview. Bret didn’t seem to insult him as much as just feel sorry for him. Ric has become a joke. Still trying to be “The Man”… At least Bret realizes he can not be “The Hitman” of 1997, so he doesn’t try. He has saved millions, has two homes (Calgary, and I read somewhere another in Kona Hawaii) and several nice cars etc. He is a wrestling success story, Ric is a wrestling tragedy, sadly. Look at Ric Flair and tell me he isn’t. Still dragging a razor blade across his head spilling buckets of blood, and for what??? I mean, it’s sad. I love both guys equally. But one guy gets it, the other does not. What can you say?
Didn’t see the interview, but after reading, seems he takes a shot at Flair, but didn’t abuse him per say. Ric should give it up, no doubt. Flair was my fav wrestler, but I’d rather watch Bret on TV now. He looks great for a guy who suffers a stroke. Still looks like Bret “HITMAN” Hart. Ric does look old and it just doesn’t work for me. Bret can do some mic stuff, sell this angle with Vince, and still be cool. Nature Boy just looks, well, uncool.
Bret > Ric (can’t believe I’m saying that)
Every time one of these guys gets interviewed, the question about the other guy comes up. Bret didn’t roast Flair or Hogan, he just said it’s sad what’s happened to Ric. He’s a mess. Sad.
Ric stated last year on Canadian radio that Bret was NOT a true superstar, and didn’t draw money??? What a crock. Bret Hart was a bigger draw in north USA, Ric was a bigger draw in Southern USA. But Bret Hart did WAY more business in Canada and Europe than Ric ever did. So as far as I’m concerned, Bret has every reason to have the last laugh now. Ric is a joke.
Bret looks great. Wow. Still has a rockstar look, even at 52. People dissing him are blind. He looks AWESOME! Ric, well, not so great. I love them both though, but Flair needs to grow the hell up. Both are living legends, but Bret is just a step (or ten) above. Sorry Nature Boy fans.
Where does he “rip” Hogan???
Saying Ric was a better wrestler than Bret is absolute crazy talk. Bret was 10 times better in the ring. Ric was better on the stick, but NEVER on the mic.
Bret was underrated on the mic Dax. He and Dynamite Kid, Henning, Benoit, all awesome wrestlers. But Bret was good on the mic too. Piper, Flair, even Honky Tonk were great talkers, but in a crazy, wild sort of way. Bret was a more “believable” style interview. His Canada/USA stuff was classic. His interview in Toronto (youtube Goldberg Hart Toronto) against Goldberg was awesome. But yeah Ric Flair was awesome on the mic. Average wrestler.
As far as a bigger draw. Getting tired of the arguement. Bret was a bigger draw, period. In Carolinas, no. In NY and upper eastern States, yes. But let’s agree both had there territories they dreaw better money. Who was bigger internationally???? HITMAN! Not even close, Vince said it himself. Bret drew HUGE money in non-USA countries. Flair was a bust as WWF champion, drew squat. Bret was THE man for 5 years on the BIGGEST stage. How can people still agrue this mindless debate. There isn’t one. Bret is a bigger star than Flair everywhere but in southern USA. Only an idiot would see it otherwise.
In the USA, may have to give Flair the nod in overall popularity. In Canada, Bret kills him. In Europe, Japan, Asia, Bret kills him. My buddy plays hockey in Germany, and he tells me Bret Hart is still a god there even after YEARS off tv. We think the only place that makes you s star is in America. Wrestling is watched everywhere. Flair was a non factor in WWF, so Bret wins hands down internationally. Flair must have been drunk when he said that Bret didn’t draw any money in wrestling. When Bret was champ, Ric wrestled in front of empty seats every night. Hogan, yes. Austin, yes. Rock, yes. But Flair, NO! Bret was a bigger star than Flair. Not even close.
Bret is just being honest. Flair should just get his shit together and go home. Bret is rich, Flair is broke. Flair said 2 years ago Bret wore bad clothes, and that he lost more in spilled liquor than Bret’s wardrobe. Sadly though, now Ric is a washed up bum, with great suits, but nothing else. Bret may have jeans and t-shirts, but he’s got millions and is wrestling because he can, not because he has to. Maybe Ric should have spilled less booze, saved more cash, and bought fewer Armani suits. And yah, Bret has nothing to feel bad about as far as drawing dough in wrestling. Flair’s crazy to think he sold more tickets than Bret. Obsurd.
Bret didn’t rip Hogan. He said “Hogan even at some point has been faced with a ‘should I stay or should I go home to my family’ as we all have. Ric has always chosen wrestling. It’s all he knows…..” He didn’t blast Hogan whatsoever.
You are insane! Ric flair was very popular where ever he went. I grew up in the 1980’s and Flair wrestled everywhere NWA went and had huge draws. As far as Hart being a better wrestler, His matches were boring.
This is ridiculous, brett out sold flair internationally. In 1981 flair was making around 30 grand a month- in ’81, 2 years before wrestling blew up nationally from wrestlemania. Plus Brett lucked out because of universal cable exposure through the majority of his w.w.e. career. Do you think he could have been such a big star if he relied on canada media…maybe. Did Brett have a huge sell out wrestling Antonio Inoki like flair, too compare brett as a bigger draw to flair in Europe is ridiculous considering Vince/w.w.e spent so much time and money developing that abilty for Brett. Brett may edge Flair as a wrestler but where was Brett wrestling some scrub for an hour in front of 100 fans and convincing those 100 fans that scrub should have one the match ..likely never. I think Brett is over rated to be compared to flair. Brett Isn’t even in the top 10 wrestlers of all time unless you only look at just being a “technical ” wrestler or the top 10 from Canada. Does Brett even rank along Thesz,Race, Rhodes,Funk,Sammartino,Rogers,Gagne not even close.
Doug – Are you referring to the Flair/Inoki match in North Korea as the huge sellout? Dude that was a pure propoganda crowd and NK gov’t would have made sure 150K were there to see the card even if it was main evented by Corporal Kirchner vs. Boris Zhukov. There is no basis to say Flair is a better draw than Hart, or even in the same league. To say “Bret had the WWF machine behind him so of course he’s gonna draw more” proves the point further – Flair was never trusted to have the WWF machine behind him and was pretty much run out of the company after one year. If anything, WWE started going to more int’l tours after they realized the popularity of Hart (and to a lesser extent, Undertaker and DBS) during their initial international tours. WWE built tours in UK, Germany, Kuwait, South Africa, India and other countries around Hart. These are markets WWE are still in today. Overall, is Hart a better draw than Hogan, Austin or Rock? NO. But much better than Flair.
And Doug, Bret Hart did have amazing one hour matches in front of small crowds during his stampede days.
brett hart is the best he is cool and he rocks
I BEEN WATCHING WRESTLING SINCE THE LATE FIFIIES I KNEW VINC SEINIOR WRESTLED HOSA ESTRATA GAVE VINC THE IDEA FOR THE HULK AFTER A REAL LIFE INCIDENT IN 1980 TERRY FIT THE BILL YES FLARE WAS A GREAT HEAL NOT A GREAT WRESTLER HOGAN A GREAT FACE THE BEST BRET WAS A GREAT HEAL A EXCELENT WRESTLER AND A WOUNDERFUL FACE HE WILL SURLEY BE REMEMBERED AS ONE OF THE BEST RIGHT UP THERE WITH HOGAN FUNK GAGNE MONSOONE CALHONE AND FLAIR BUT IT IS TIME FOR FLAIR TO GIVE IT UP HE WILL NEVER BE CAPTION LOU THE BEST SITCK GUY EVER FREDDY WOULD COME IN SECOND
Are you idiots nuts? Or just to young to notice the ric flair IS the greatest wrestler of all time. He is also the 3rd biggest draw in wrestling behind Hogan and Austin. Brett Hart? He would be lucky to make the top 10, even Shawn Michaels who was not a media icon or household name outside of the wrestling industry had more drawing power and put more asses in the arenas. That said, yes its sad to see Flair in the state he is in now, but if you saw him in his prime you would know how great he WAS, whoooooooooo!!!