Sundays with no wrestling PPVs tend to equal no wrestling news. Because of that, I’ve decided I’ll start a new tradition here at PWB: the Sunday Debate.

Let’s start off with a simple topic that we always like to debate: who is the greatest professional wrestler of all-time?

This is really a tough one. There have been great wrestlers in every decade: guys like Lou Thesz, Gorgeous George, Buddy Rogers, Freddy Blassie, Bruno Sammartino and Harley Race and Andre the Giant eventually gave way to guys like Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes in the 1980s. But who can forget Ricky Steamboat, “The Macho Man” Randy Savage, and Bret Hart? And what about a guy like Shawn Michaels, who rose to prominence in the late 80s and early 90s and is still wrestling? The Undertaker falls in that category, as well. So does Sting.

Then, of course, you’ve got the new stars of the mid-90s and the Attitude Era: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, The Rock, Mick Foley, Chris Jericho, Triple H, Booker T, DDP, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. Then there’s the newer crop of top guys: Kurt Angle, Edge, AJ Styles, Christian Cage, Samoa Joe, John Cena, Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero (R.I.P.), Jeff Hardy and The Miz (OK, just kidding on that one). But seriously, one of those guys might be on their way to being one of the greatest of all-time.

There are a lot of different things that go into this debate: wrestling ability, persona and drawing power have to be the most important things to consider. Also, you have to look at it from this angle: is the guy a household name?

Those are just names off the top of my head. I know I’m leaving some big names out. But let’s get the debate going: who do you think is the greatest professional wrestler of all-time?

I’ll give you my top 5:

1. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin - As if I would choose someone else. He made the WWE relevant and cool during the hottest era of professional wrestling.

2. The Rock - He also made the WWE cool during the Attitude Era and early 2000s. In fact, he was so popular, he cut his career short and became a bona-fide movie star. His rise to stardom is so unique I think you have to put him near the top.

3. Hulk Hogan - Wow, I hate to do this, but you can’t deny the guy’s star power. He wasn’t much of a wrestler, but then again, he never really had to be thanks to his persona.

4. (Tie) Bret Hart - Simpy the best technical wrestler ever. This guy could make any stiff look good.

4. (Tie) Ric Flair - I think it’s only fitting that these two guys who didn’t really seem to like each other tie for fourth place. Flair was the man, especially in the Southern United States.

5. Undertaker - Just look at this guy’s longevity and drawing power–it’s ridiculous. Also, his ability as a big man is truly unmatched. I’ve never seen such a big man wrestle so well. I put Undertaker at number five instead of Shawn Michaels simply because he can make any feud popular, with or without a championship belt inovlved. Like it or not, more people seem to be interested in a random Undertaker feud than the greatness that was Chris Jericho and HBK earlier this year. That definately counts for something in my book.

There are really some tough choices involved in deciding who’s the best–I always have to throw a lot of my personal biases out the window. Granted, I’ve got Stone Cold first, but I actually put Hulk Hogan on this list, and that pains me. It also pains me to leave HBK and Mick Foley off, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

At SummerSlam 1997, Shawn Michaels was the guest referee when Bret Hart challenged Undertaker for the WWE Championship Match. Late in the match, Hart spat in Michaels face; an infuriated HBK grabbed a chair, but when he swung at Hart, the challenger ducked and Michaels wound up drilling Undertaker in the head instead. Hart took advantage of this mishap and pinned the Deadman, forcing Michaels to count the pinfall that gave Hart his fifth WWE Championship.

One of my favorite wrestling match finishes
[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=eqVW6UaEbZs]

—————————————————————————————-

The incident obviously enraged Undertaker, who turned his attention towards Michaels in the weeks following SummerSlam. As a result, the Deadman inadvertently became partially responsible for DX’s formation. Two weeks after SummerSlam, Undertaker & Mankind were the opponents when Commissioner Slaughter forced Michaels and Triple H to team up for the first time. Michaels and Triple H were successful that night, and continued to be a thorn in the Deadman’s side leading to Ground Zero

2 weeks later
[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=ykTZpCUV2Oc]

Live from Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, CA Wrestlemania XII saw the Wrestlemania debut of two future legends “Stone Cold” Steve Austin(wrestling under the name “The Ringmaster”) and Triple H. Triple H accompanied to the ring by Sable who was making her WWE debut was defeated by the returning The Ultimate Warrior who was wrestling in the WWE for first time 12 years. Although Warrior swashed Triple H in just 1 minute and 36 seconds this would be his final Wrestlemania appearance. Wrestlemania XII was also the first Wrestlemania that didn’t have Intercontinental Championship match on the card in fact the only other titled defended that night was the WWF Championship.

Wrestlemania XII featured just six matches, and for good reason the main event was a 60-minute WWE Iron Man Match between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. Whichever Superstar scored the most decisions via any method pinfall, submission, countout or disqualification within a 60-minute span would be declared the winner. With no true winner declared after 60 minutes, the match was ordered to go into sudden death overtime. In overtime, Michaels was able to secure the victory and his first WWF Championship after hitting Hart with Sweet Chin Music. At a full 61 minutes and 52 seconds this Iron Man Match was the longest bout in Wrestlemania history and in a WWE poll taken in April 2000, fans picked the Michaels/Hart 60-minute WWE Iron Man Match as their favorite Wrestlemania match of all time.

The Date:

• March 31, 1996

The Card:

• Owen Hart, British Bulldog & Vader w/ Jim Cornette def. Yokozuna, Jake “The Snake” Roberts & Ahmed Johnson
• Hollywood Backlot Brawl
  “Rowdy” Roddy Piper def. Goldust w/ Marlena
• The Ringmaster w/ “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase def. Savio Vega
• Ultimate Warrior def. Hunter Hearst Helmsley w/ Sable
• Undertaker w/ Paul Bearer def. Diesel
• WWE Iron Man Match for WWE Championship
  Shawn Michaels def. Bret “Hit Man” Hart in overtime

Celebrities In Attendance:

• Although Wrestlemania XII took place in Anaheim, CA and had a Hollywood/Movie theme for the first time the WWE did not book any celebrity appearances.

After the break see Triple H’s Wrestlemania debut against The Ultimate Warrior and the classic Iron Man Match between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart(c)……… (more…)

Were finally down to Wrestlemania X which a personal favorite for me because I was there. Tickets sold out so quickly for Wrestlemania X at Madison Square Garden that the show was also shown at the Paramount Theater adjacent to MSG on closed-circuit television. Wrestlemania X featured two defenses of the WWE Championship. Yokozuna successfully defended his title against Lex Luger in the first defense, but lost the title to Bret Hart in his second defense. Bret Hart wrestled in the first and last match at Wrestlemania X. He was pinned by his brother Owen in the opening match, and he defeated Yokozuna to become WWE Champion in the final match. Wrestlemania X also featured the now legendary first Wrestlemania Ladder Match between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon and was the first Wrestlemania not to feature Hulk Hogan on the card.

The Date:

• March 20, 1994

The Card:

• Owen Hart def. Bret “Hit Man” Hart
• Mixed Tag Match
  Bam Bam Bigelow & Luna Vachon def. Doink & Dink
• Falls Count Anywhere Match
  Randy “Macho Man” Savage def. Crush w/ Mr. Fuji
• Women’s Championship
  Alundra Blayze def. Leilani Kai to retain
• WWE Championship
  Yokozuna w/ Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette def. Lex Luger by DQ (Mr. Perfect was special guest referee)
• Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match
  Razor Ramon def. Shawn Michaels to retain
• World Tag Team Championship
  Men on a Mission w/ Oscar def. The Quebecers w/ Johnny Polo by count-out
• Earthquake def. Adam Bomb w/ Harvey Wippleman
• WWE Championship Main Event
  Bret “Hit Man” Hart def. Yokozuna w/ Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette

Celebrities In Attendance:

• Little Richard
• Cy Sperling
• Jennie Garth
• Donnie Wahlburg
• Burt Reynolds
• Rhonda Shear

After the break see Bret Hart vs Owen Hart which in may be the most underrated Wrestlemania match ever. Also Bret Hart vs Yokozuna for the WWF Championship and the match that stole the show Razor Ramon(c) vs Shawn Michaels(c) in the first Wrestlemania Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship……… (more…)

The countdown continues with Wrestlemania 2 the first and only Wrestlemania to emanate from multiple locations. The WWF booked three different arena’s across the country The Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, NY The Rosemont Horizon in Chicago, IL and The Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles, CA all played host to the first Wrestlemania to air on Pay Per View. Wrestlemania 2 also saw the Wrestlemania debut for 2 future hall of famers Bret Hart made his first of 12 straight Wrestlemania appearances in a twenty man battle royal that included both wrestlers and NFL stars, also Jake “The Snake” Roberts made is first appearance at a mania defeating George Wells in 3mins and 15 seconds.

The Date:

• April 02, 1986

The Card:

• Intercontinental Championship
  Randy “Macho Man” Savage w/ Elizabeth def. George “The Animal” Steele to retain his title
• Jake “The Snake” Roberts def. George Wells
• Boxing Match
  Mr. T w/ Joe Frazier and the Haiti Kid def. “Rowdy” Roddy Piper w/ Cowboy Bob Orton by DQ
• Women’s Championship
  Fabulous Moolah def. Velvet McIntyre to become new champion
• Flag Match
  Corporal Kirchner def. Nikolai Volkoff w/ Classy Freddie Blassie
• WWE and NFL Battle Royal
  Andre the Giant def. Jimbo Covert (Chicago Bears), Pedro Morales, Tony Atlas, Ted Arcidi, Harvey Martin (Dallas Cowboys), Dan Spivey, Hillbilly Jim, King Tonga, Iron Sheik, Ernie Holmes (Pittsburgh Steelers), Big John Studd, B. Brian Blair, Jumpin’ Jim Brunzell, Bill Fralic (Atlanta Falcons), Bret “Hit Man” Hart, Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart, Russ Francis (San Francisco 49ers), Bruno Sammartino and William “Refrigerator” Perry (Chicago Bears)
• World Tag Team Championship
  The British Bulldogs w/ Captain Lou Albano and Ozzy Osbourne def. The Dream Team, Brutus Beefcake & Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, w/ Luscious Johnny Valiant to become new champions
• Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat def. Hercules
• “Adorable” Adrian Adonis w/ Jimmy Hart def. Uncle Elmer
• Terry & Hoss Funk w/ Jimmy Hart def. Tito Santana & Junkyard Dog
• Main Event: WWE Championship Steel Cage Match
  Hulk Hogan def. King Kong Bundy w/ Bobby “The Brain” Heenan to retain

Celebrities In Attendance:

• Ray Charles
• Ozzy Osbourne
• Susan St. James
• Joan Rivers
• Cathy Lee Crosby
• Elvira
• Tommy Lasorda
• Ricky Schroeder
• Cab Calloway
• Darryl Dawkins
• Clare Peller(The Where’s The Beef Lady)
• Joe Frazier

See the main event from Wrestlemania 2 after the break………………. (more…)

Episode 120 of Pro Wrestling Blog v2.0’s Official Podcast is now online, featuring:

• Results of recent Podcast Polls…
• Excerpts from Bret Hart’s new Autobiography, Hitman
• Podcast Feedback on Y2J’s return…
• More great listener feedback…

Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling
By Bret Hart
Random House Canada
Now Available in Canada for Purchase
U.S. Release scheduled for 2008

Note: For more on Hitman, including additional excerpts, check out PWB’s Official Podcast #120.

Let me just say this right now: Bret Hart’s Hitman is easily the greatest book on wrestling ever written. That may sound a bit lofty considering Mick Foley’s first two books have had praise heaped upon them by wrestling fans, but it’s no joke. Once you pick up this book, you won’t be able to put it down.

It’s almost hard to know where to start when writing a review. This book is so many things. The first thing this book does is provide straightforward account of Bret’s life in the “cartoon world of wrestling,” so let’s start there.

Hart actually recorded an audio diary for many years, which means he was able to write an incredibly comprehensive account of his life. He writes about his childhood, his times with his father’s promotion, Stampede Wrestling, all the way through to his times with the WWF/E and eventually WCW.

What really struck me about the book was Bret’s honesty. Many fans might be surprised to find out all the details about his marriage to his first wife, Julie. The book chronicles their up and down relationship, which eventually ended in divorce. Many fans might also be surprised to find out that Bret found comfort in meeting and sleeping with many women while out on the road, although you get the idea that things were so bad at home it would be almost impossible for someone in his position to resist the temptation.

We also learn more about the people who were major figures in Hart’s life, including his father and mother, Owen, Jim Neidhart, Davey Boy Smith and the Dynamite Kid. Bret again holds nothing back, so some fans may find it hard to read about Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid’s drug and steroid abuse.

Outside of Hart’s personal life, we get a fantastic take on backstage politics in wrestling. It was great to learn more about his days traveling up and down the backroads in Canada with Stampede wrestling, but of course the book really heats up when he reaches his time in the WWF/E. With several chapters covering the Clique and the Montreal Screwjob, wrestling fans won’t be disappointed–well, that is, unless you are a Shawn Michaels fan. Hart’s portrayal of HBK is less than flattering, but very truthful. Here’s an excerpt from Hart’s afterword to the book:

Shawn Michaels found religion and settled down with an ex-Nitro girl. Over time he seems to have convinced himself that it was me who screwed him over at Survivor Series. To me, Shawn will always be a phony, a liar and a hairless yellow dog. The difference between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels is that I’d have never done to him, or to any of the boys, what he did to me.

Of course, we get several chapters on Owen Hart’s death, as well, and the painful mess that was caused after his death by his wife’s lawsuit against the WWE. Finally, Hart recounts another challenge that he faced in life: his stroke. While many are aware that he had a stroke, you may not realize how bad it actually was until you read this book.

Aside from the autobiographical stuff, this book serves as an additional wake-up call regarding steroids and drug use. This has been a hot topic in the aftermath of the Chris Benoit tragedy, and Hitman tells us just how bad steroid abuse and pain pill abuse can get in the world of professional wrestling.

It’s true that this was the 80s and 90s when drug abuse in wrestling was at its peak, but it’s still mind boggling some of the stories that Hart tells regarding wrestlers’ addictions. Dynamite Kid, Davey Boy Smith and Shawn Michaels’ drug problems are recounted in detail, and much of those details may prove shocking, especially to casual wrestling fans. However shocking it may be, it’s important that fans understand what wrestling a hard schedule can drive their heroes to (still, is that any excuse?). Hart even admits to steroid abuse of his own, although it was on a far lesser level than some of the previously-mentioned wrestlers.

This autobiography is a must-have for any Bret Hart fan–or for that matter, any wrestling fan. Hart is a talented writer, and I was surprised that this was not a ghost-written book. We learn that Hart is very confident in his wrestling ability, which he has the right to be. He really does view himself as “the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be,” but it doesn’t come across as braggadocio. This is in contrast to Mick Foley’s latest book, the Hardcore Diaries, which is several hundred pages of Foley bragging about the various celebrities that he’s met.

At 553 pages, you’ll also be able to savor Hitman for several weeks–or several long nights. Again, I warn you, it’s hard to put down. And again, I say, this is the greatest wrestling book of all-time, hands down.

Rating: 10/10

Also, check out the interview below with Bret Hart:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX_sPH3FNMg&rel=1]