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Bret Hart Speaks On Hulk Hogan's Lack Of Influence In Wrestling Today

Originally posted on Wrestling on SI | By Ryan Droste | Last updated Apr 1, 2025 7:19 PM ET

Despite Bret Hart's full-time wrestling career ending 25 years ago, the former multi-time world champion continues to be a major influence on the business.

Many of the top wrestlers in the world today, whether it is WWE, AEW or elsewhere, list Hart as one of the major influences on their career.

Hart is acutely aware of the influence that he continues to have on the industry based upon the style of wrestling he helped popularize in the 1980s and 1990s. He's also aware that one major name from the past doesn't seem to have as much influence on today's generation: Hulk Hogan.

Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Hart responded to a comment that Hogan made recently about Hart and his career.

"I heard something a few months ago where Hulk Hogan was talking about me. He said, 'The problem with Bret Hart is he really does think he was the greatest wrestler of all time.' I remember thinking and going, 'Yeah. Maybe.' That might be the most truthful thing he's ever said," Hart explained.

Hart went on to discuss the impact that he believes he and some of his contemporaries have had on the pro wrestling industry, while noting that Hogan's ring work doesn't carry the same weight.

"You don’t see anybody imitating Hulk Hogan or Ultimate Warrior,” Hart continued. “You see a lot of the wrestlers today really trying their best to capture my style — or some of the guys I worked with, like Dynamite Kid, Curt Hennig, and my brother Owen.

"That’s the biggest compliment I can get from today’s generation.”

Hart and Hogan have had a contentious relationship over the years, to say the least.

In his 2007 autobiography, Hart explained in detail about how Hogan was allegedly slated to lose the WWE Championship to Hart at SummerSlam 1993 in Detroit, Michigan. This would have ended Hogan's title reign that year, which began when he defeated Yokozuna at WrestleMania IX in Las Vegas, NV just minutes after Hart had dropped the title to Yokozuna in the main event of the show.

Hart claims that Hogan refused to do the match with him at SummerSlam, opting instead to lose the title to Yokozuna at King of the Ring 1993 in Dayton, Ohio. According to Hart, he confronted Hogan in the locker room that night minutes before going out and winning the inaugural PPV version of the King of the Ring tournament.

Hogan denies Hart's story about the WWE Championship and the planned main event for SummerSlam 1993.

This article first appeared on Wrestling on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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