Bret Hart believes modern wrestling has lost some of the realism he worked so hard to bring to the ring.

Speaking on the Johnny I Pro Show, the WWE Hall of Famer explained that he struggles with the direction wrestling has taken since his days as an active performer. For Hart, the emphasis on increasingly outrageous moments and elaborate presentation has moved the focus away from making the action believable.

“I know that I gave so much and tried so hard to make it appear real, and I have a hard time today when I don’t think those values are carried forward. They’re moving in a different direction now, where wrestling is starting to become hokey. It doesn’t try to be real anymore. It tries to be unreal, like, the more outrageously you can do things, the more explosions and pyro and stuff that you can have. It has nothing to do with wrestling.

“In the end, I’m a wrestling fan deep in my heart, and I like to watch a really good wrestling match that builds and tells a story and all that. I don’t get that fix anymore. I’m not getting that at all from today’s wrestling.”

Hart’s criticism comes from his continued love of wrestling and his desire to see matches built around a believable story. While the presentation has evolved, he feels the qualities that drew him to the business are becoming harder to find.

Do you agree with Bret Hart, or does today’s wrestling still deliver the storytelling you enjoy? Share your thoughts in the comments.