Michaels Versus Hart

[GlitchMarner]

All things considered (drawing power, wrestling ability, mic work, legacy etc), who was the better wrestler?

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[K Fleur]

Wrestling ability is the closest. Almost a tie but I'd go with Michaels just because I personally liked his matches more.

Mic work is Michaels. Not that Bret was bad on the mic or anything, but that's one I don't have to really think about.

Drawing power I'm going with Bret. Canada factor.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

Drawing Power: Bret
Wrestling: Draw
Mic Work: Shawn
Legacy: Draw

I think Bret edges it, because he has had more memorable matches and feuds than Shawn.

The most notable is the feud with Steve Austin which catapulted Austin to superstardom.

 

[JackSlater]

My two favourite wrestlers, well above anyone else. I think that Michaels was a bit better but it's gotten closer in recent years as I have watched back many Bret matches. Michaels was the better promo, though neither is top notch. Bret is better than he is usually given credit for. I think that Michaels was a bit better in in ring because he had more variety, but Bret probably has the best looking offence from any face and is up there with anyone short of Michaels when it comes to selling. Bret was a better draw, though this doesn't matter to me when comparing wrestlers. Michaels' legacy is helped incredibly by his second career and how he went out. Minus... Saudi Arabia.

 

[sfvega]

Drawing Power: Bret
Wrestling: Draw
Mic Work: Shawn
Legacy: Draw

I think Bret edges it, because he has had more memorable matches and feuds than Shawn.

The most notable is the feud with Steve Austin which catapulted Austin to superstardom.

I agree with this assessment. Bret really went far to make guys look amazing, despite who he was in there with. Shawn also had great psychology and sold well for a myriad of guys, but Bret is just a level above. He also didn't treat the locker room like trash, so that helps.

Shawn was a better high flyer and basically made HIAC and the ladder match the standard which many fail to live up to, to this day. And, obviously, longevity. Which I'm not gonna blame Bret on at all, but few are as good in the ring as late in their lives as HBK was. Maybe Bret would have been, we will sadly never know.

 

[CaptainCrunch67]

Different styles. But Bret's work just looked more real to me, plus his story telling is second to none. He was also way better then Shawn in mking his opponent look like a million bucks. Bret wasn't bad on the mic, he had some great promos but Shawn was amazing nearly every single time when he spoke. Shawn was more explosive and athletic then Bret. In terms of psychology, Shawn was better as the hero in peril. Bret was the master of the two way match.

There's no wrong answer on this poll. However if Shawn hadn't been such a drug addled jacka## for most of his career, who knows how good he would have become.

 

[alko]

Strongly affected with:
- Michaels superkicked Jannetty and threw him through a glass window
- Montreal Screwjob
- his wrestling character
- Bush supporter (i know, its politic, but ...)

So for me Bret Hart. No doubt, Shawn was incredible wrestler.

 

[HandsomeHollywood]

I'm surprised to see Bret winning so far. He is far and away my favorite wrestler.

Michaels being better than Bret on the mic is something I wouldn't throw my hat into. Neither were great. I guess you could say Michaels had more energy, but when you slow them down and listen he rarely makes any sense. His worst mic work was when he was on top, and seemingly mostly coked out all the time.

Bret and Shawn are pretty much as good as it gets in ring.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Bret, Micheals only topped in him in being a pilled up unprofessional dickhead, and mic work.

 

[Sheppy]

I think 100% its Shawn Michaels.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Michaels

Draw: Michaels
Ring work: tie, Bret was the better technician but Michaels could sell better
Mic work: slight adv Bret
Legacy: Michaels

 

[Kaner9]

I like the sizzle and the steak so its hbk. Hart is a damn good steak but a lil dry.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Shawn Michaels had two matches that are in my top ten of all time. Ladder match against Razor. HIAC against Undertaker.

But Bret also had two matches in my top ten. Against Mr. Perfect. And Summerslam 92 against Bulldog. And their Wrestlemania XII match was a classic too.

This is about as close as you can get. Flip a coin.

 

[JackSlater]

I have them both in my top 3. I've seen guys younger than me whose top 3 is Stone Cold, The Rock, and Jericho.

Who is the third?

 

[koyvoo]

Drawing Power: Bret
Wrestling: Draw
Mic Work: Shawn
Legacy: Draw

I think Bret edges it, because he has had more memorable matches and feuds than Shawn.

The most notable is the feud with Steve Austin which catapulted Austin to superstardom.

One of the reasons for this is that by the time both men were given the top spot, or even just headlining status, Hart was much more mentality fit to take advantage of the opportunity.

 

[koyvoo]

For the record, these two guys are also in my very top tier, but Shawn is my all time favourite.

My favourite iteration of HBK was just before he went to the very top. Just before the face turn. When he used to just duck a clothesline to set up the super kick. No bands needed to be tuned.

I still vividly remember watching summer slam 1994 (he didn’t feature in a match) and the match was Razor vs Diesel with Walter Payton in Razor’s corner and HBK in Diesel’s corner. Shawn was the star of that match, even just from the sidelines. You couldn’t take your eyes off of him. That’s when it was clear to me, eveb though he and Razor had carried the international scene for a while by that point, that he was just beginning his ascension to stardom.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Drawing Power: Bret
Wrestling: Draw
Mic Work: Shawn
Legacy: Draw

I think Bret edges it, because he has had more memorable matches and feuds than Shawn.

The most notable is the feud with Steve Austin which catapulted Austin to superstardom.

IMO Shawn had the much better and memorable feuds

His feud with Bret might not even be the best of his career, but you can argue their feud was the best of Bret's

Shawn had great and memorable feuds with:

Undertaker: 2 of them really. The title feud in 97 that introduced Kane, and the WM25/26 feud
HHH: The comeback feud culminating in his title win was awesome
Stone Cold: perfect one to counter Austin and push him to his 1st title win
Bret: we all know that one, but come on that WM12 Iron Man match
Razor: one of the best IC title feuds of all time, and that WM10 ladder match
Jericho: such a good feud with Jericho playing a great heel and HBK being a good sympathetic babyface

 

[HandsomeHollywood]

I would say Bret's best feud is easily Austin. Bret and Shawn rarely had a great match together outside of the Iron Man (depending on who you ask).

By the time they hated each other in shoot, I doubt they would have been able to have a truly great match with each other.

 

[tony d]

2 of the best ever but give me Bret Hart on this 1.

 

[JackSlater]

I would say Bret's best feud is easily Austin. Bret and Shawn rarely had a great match together outside of the Iron Man (depending on who you ask).

By the time they hated each other in shoot, I doubt they would have been able to have a truly great match with each other.

I agree that Austin is far and away Bret's best feud. Best feud for Austin too, at least with other wrestlers.

It seems clear that by 96 and beyond Bret and Michaels were not willing to cooperate enough to produce an incredible match. There's no in ring reason that Michaels and Bret couldn't have produced superior versions of Bret vs Perfect in 1991. Hard to do when you don't want the other guy to look good though.

 

[alko]

I agree that Austin is far and away Bret's best feud. Best feud for Austin too, at least with other wrestlers.

It seems clear that by 96 and beyond Bret and Michaels were not willing to cooperate enough to produce an incredible match. There's no in ring reason that Michaels and Bret couldn't have produced superior versions of Bret vs Perfect in 1991. Hard to do when you don't want the other guy to look good though.

But there was some video with Bret about Michaels. And he said, that later they were good. Shawn said to him, that he respects his quality and will do his best to create a great match. Maybe the crative team simple miss this opportunity.

 

[Say Hey Kid]

Who is the third?

Ric Flair

 

[Say Hey Kid]

Aren't these the goats?

Bret & Owen Hart
Roddy Piper
Chris Jericho
Edge & Christian
Trish Stratus - what's her status, single or married?
Kevin Owens
Natalya
Bobby Roode

 

[JackSlater]

Aren't these the goats?

Bret & Owen Hart
Roddy Piper
Chris Jericho
Edge & Christian
Trish Stratus - what's her status, single or married?
Kevin Owens
Natalya
Bobby Roode

You forgot to include Steve Corino, Vampiro, Earthquake, and Sky Low Low.

 

[sabremike]

You forgot to include Steve Corino, Vampiro, Earthquake, and Sky Low Low.

I get the point you are making (and it's 100% correct) but do feel the need to point out that at one point in his career Vampiro was legit just about the biggest name/draw in Mexican wrestling (Ironically when he was just starting out and was really bad in ring (not that he was ever great in the ring, but he was really bad back then)) and a legit celebrity in that country.