Bret Hart Discusses Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, John Cena, Goldberg Ending His Career

As previously reported, Bret Hart sat down with Forbes magazine to give a series of interviews. In Part 2 of the interview, The “Excellence of Execution” gives his thoughts on Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, John Cena, Goldberg, the unsafe working conditions he had to endure, and more.

Below are paraphrased highlights from the interview:

Alfred Konuwa began by asking about Cody Rhodes, and his verbal frustration about his place in WWE. Hart says that he agrees with Rhodes’ sentiments and frustrations. He goes on to say that he watches for the wrestling, but that there’s so much talking. There’s some ‘twit’ back there with a pencil behind his ear writing down all these things for wrestlers to say. He continues by saying that it all starts to sound the same, it’s a big yawn, and that he switches channels as soon as he hears someone going into a big monologue.

Hart says that in his day, wrestlers came up with their own verbiage, and that a part of them comes out in the promos. Today, somebody writes down a bunch of lousy things for you to say and if it comes across flat, it’s not the wrestlers’ fault. He said the writers give wrestlers a script during the day to remember and then once it’s memorized, they make changes a couple of hours before the show. Hart says that he has seen guys like John Cena remember pages and pages of material, but that he doesn’t know how they do it.

He goes on to praise Rhodes, saying that he is a great wrestler, and that everything he does is safe.

Hart then discusses Seth Rollins, and the incident where he broke Cena’s nose. He said that Rollins kneed Cena in the face so hard, so recklessly, and so dangerously. Rollins could easily kill somebody with a knee like that to the face. Hart continues by praising Cena, saying that it’s a testament to him for two reasons. A, he finished the match and B, that he didn’t get a shotgun and shoot Rollins when he came through the curtain.

Hart then brings up Goldberg, and discusses how he ended Hart’s career. Hart says that Goldberg kicked him in the head and ended his career because he didn’t know what he was doing. He continued by saying that those guys cost him millions and millions of dollars, his career, probably led to his stroke, and so many things that happened all because somebody didn’t know what they were doing.

Hart asks “What if Rollins had killed Cena that day with that knee?”

He then brings up Wade Barrett, Drew McIntyre, and Rhodes again, saying that those were the guys he tuned in to watch. However, the writers give someone like Rhodes the Stardust gimmick, and say that although they like wrestling, they don’t know anything about it.

Konuwa then asks if Hart thinks that Rollins should be pushed the way that he is, and if WWE made a mistake by making him the top star for many years to come. Hart says no, but that he questions his ability to execute, saying that nobody should hurt anybody for real.

Hart goes on to say that his biggest claim-to-fame, and that the thing that he is most proud of is that over his 23-year career, he never once injured one of is opponents. He says that their safety was of the utmost importance to him.

He goes on to say that he saw Rollins hurt Cena, and then 10 days later, was the same way with Sting, and possibly caused the end of his career. He goes on to blame the style of today’s wrestling, saying it’s too fast-paced, and 100 miles an hour. He prefers that the wrestlers take their time, and be comfortable with what they’re going to do next.

Hart continues by saying that you see a lot of spinal injuries, neck injuries, and concussions, and that is wrong. He blames people like Stephanie and Shane McMahon, saying that they don’t understand sports injuries, because they never played sports.

He continues by once again bringing up the fact that Goldberg ended his career because he was so reckless. He goes on to say that Curt Hennig told him that he felt like years were taken off of his life, because he had to work with Goldberg. However, he would be praised backstage by the WWE foremen, like Terry Taylor, and received applause, even though he injured his opponents.

Hart says that he doesn’t blame Goldberg today for his reckless style, but he blames the people backstage that told him that he was doing a good job, and needed to lay it in to his opponents. Hart says that Goldberg didn’t know the difference between safe and unsafe wrestling.

You can watch the full video of the interview at this link.

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