During a recent guest feature on the “Busted Open Radio” podcast, Bully Ray engaged in a discussion about Bret Hart’s opinions of contemporary wrestling talents, focusing particularly on those in AEW. Hart suggested that these individuals needed to take a step back from the theatrics and concentrate more on raw wrestling.
Hart expressed that today’s wrestlers, with an emphasis on those in AEW, appeared to him as actors masquerading as wrestlers. He urged them to return to traditional wrestling and reduce the drama.
In the same discussion, Ray took a moment to acknowledge the genuine presentation of AEW/ROH star Bryan Keith during his ring performances.
Here are some noteworthy points from the podcast:
Regarding Keith’s capabilities, Ray said, “Bryan Keith is associated with The Learning Tree. He spends time with Big Bill and Jericho. There’s something special about Bryan Keith. I’ve acknowledged him multiple times. He brings to my mind the likes of Bad News Brown, Bad News Allen, and that’s truly admirable. Bryan Keith possesses a unique charm. He’s not an intimidating figure, but his demeanor, his self-confidence, and the way he presents himself, he looks like someone not to be trifled with.”
Reflecting on Hart’s viewpoint that AEW resembles more of theatre than wrestling, Ray expressed, “It’s an intriguing discussion because while I don’t fully align with Bret’s thoughts about AEW wrestlers, I comprehend his point of view, given that this is a different era and different times. Hence, when Bret Hart mentions that he perceives AEW wrestlers as actors portraying wrestlers, I empathize with his perspective. In Bret’s era, everyone was a thoroughbred wrestler. You had to embody everything about wrestling round the clock.”