Shawn Michaels or Bret Hart - Who Was Better?

From The Stevie Richards Show episode 5 Who Was the Better Wrestler - Shawn Michaels or Bret Hart? A new episode of The Stevie Richards Show every Friday on YouTube and all podcast platforms: iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1naez8v... Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/18a... iHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/122055421 Stevie Richards links: Twitter:   / bwostevie   Facebook:   / michaelmannaakastevierichards   Website: https://www.stevierichardsfitness.com/ YouTube:    / @stevierichardsfitness   WSI Network links:   / wsi_youtube     / wsiwrestling     / wsiwrestlingshootinterviews   BOOK LINKS (Affiliate) Owen Hart: King of Pranks (The Ultimate Anthology of Owen's Greatest Ribs, Pranks and Stories) US Link: https://tinyurl.com/2ahedz57 UK Link: https://tinyurl.com/35rffufu Canada Link: https://tinyurl.com/y77y627b Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson: The People’s Champion – From WWE to Hollywood US Link: https://tinyurl.com/mrxst8yk UK Link: https://tinyurl.com/4nvke5wf Canada Link: https://tinyurl.com/mu32uy8b #StevieRichards #WWE #Wrestling ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Stevie Richards Show is part of the WSI Network ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WSI:    / @wsi   Story Time with Dutch Mantell:    / @storytimewithdutchmantell   Don Muraco Podcast Archive:    / @donmuracopod   James Romero:    / @jamesromero   The Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart Rivalry: A Defining Feud in Wrestling History The rivalry between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart is one of the most iconic and complex in professional wrestling history. This feud, which spanned the late 1980s through the late 1990s, was marked by intense in-ring competition, personal animosity, and the unforgettable "Montreal Screwjob," which forever altered the landscape of the WWE. Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart both rose to prominence in the WWF (now WWE) during the 1980s, initially finding success in tag teams—Hart with "The Hart Foundation" and Michaels with "The Rockers." As they transitioned into singles competition in the early 1990s, each developed a distinctive persona and wrestling style. Hart, known as "The Hitman," was a technical wrestling master, revered for his precision and storytelling in the ring. Michaels, dubbed "The Heartbreak Kid," was a flamboyant high-flyer with charisma and a knack for showmanship. These contrasting styles made their matches compelling, with Hart's methodical, mat-based approach often clashing with Michaels' high-risk, aerial maneuvers. However, the rivalry was not confined to the ring; it extended to their personal lives and professional philosophies, often bringing backstage tensions into the spotlight. Personal and Professional Tensions The feud intensified as both sought to establish themselves as the face of the WWF. Michaels' brash, often controversial personality clashed with Hart's more reserved and traditional demeanor. This friction was exacerbated by their differing views on the wrestling business, with Hart taking a more serious, purist approach, while Michaels embodied the edgy, evolving entertainment style of the '90s. Their professional competition reached new heights at WrestleMania XII in 1996, where they faced off in an iconic 60-minute Iron Man match for the WWF Championship. Michaels won the match in dramatic fashion, solidifying his status as a main event star. This match, widely regarded as one of the greatest in WrestleMania history, showcased the best of both competitors and highlighted the deep-seated rivalry between them. The Montreal Screwjob The rivalry reached its most infamous point at the 1997 Survivor Series in Montreal, an event now known as the "Montreal Screwjob." Bret Hart, then the WWF Champion and set to leave for rival promotion WCW, was booked to defend his title against Michaels. Due to concerns over Hart potentially taking the championship to WCW, Vince McMahon and Michaels conspired to change the match's outcome without Hart's knowledge. The planned finish saw Michaels put Hart in his own finishing move, the Sharpshooter. Despite Hart not submitting, McMahon ordered the referee to call for the bell, awarding the title to Michaels. This real-life betrayal stunned the wrestling world, leaving Hart betrayed and angry, and turning Michaels into one of the most despised figures in wrestling at the time. The incident not only solidified the intense animosity between Hart and Michaels but also had a lasting impact on the industry, blurring the lines between scripted entertainment and reality.