Ted DiBiase Responds to Jake Roberts' Criticism of Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels

'The Million Dollar Man' Ted DiBiase looks back at his Hall of Fame career, from Mid-South, to Japan, to WCW, to WWF, and everywhere in-between! Join Ted and Marcus every Friday at 6am ET on all podcast platforms or if you want early access, get it commercial free on Premier+ with Premier Streaming Network!

[@michaellewis5]

Truly one of the worst takes I’ve ever heard from Jake. Bret sold every punch he gave and every punch he received like it was ending his life. He took all those chest first buckle bombs like a champ. He made every second he was out there feel like it was real. Rarified air and a 1%er all time. His look, his gear, his move set, his passion could be felt with everything he did.

[@818bluesmurf]

100%

[@datacipher]

LOL.... Bret not selling? Yeah.....nice try Jake.

[@marcus813]

I don't know what The Snake's talking about. Hart was awesome when it came to putting his opponents over in some way.

[@milkcarton6654]

Bret was a bit boring, true, his promos were meh, true, but to criticize his in-ring, especially his selling, is`, well, ignorant.

[@majinsnake]

Bret sold just fine in his wrestlemania 13 match with Stone Cold Steve Austin.

[@mrseansir]

Brett and Sean Waltman . Actually thought the 123 Kid was gonna beat him.

[@lanenordgren7641]

Bret could sell. Are you serious? He sold the hell out of his opponents offense.

[@rockyruane9379]

Bret and Shawn didn't sell??? lmao!!!

[@ChrisHonowayOFFICIAL]

that was weird. Bret and Shawn sold big time.

[@CShabazz84]

Right Jake is high

[@carlosgaleotegandara7812]

Bret did, Shawn didnt. Michaels is alongside diesel the worst and lowest champ ever

[@rockyruane9379]

@@carlosgaleotegandara7812 lol

[@milkcarton6654]

@@carlosgaleotegandara7812 Shawn wasn,t a great champ and i never actually liked him much, but to say he didn't sell is very wrong.

[@davebrown9358]

Bret is maybe the best seller in the history of the business. Looked like he was injured for real in nearly every match!

[@GameTime-yj6qv]

Agreed, and a very realistic seller. Never over the top.

[@pandavelli8176]

He’s great, but I wouldn’t say he’s the best. There are so many great sellers, Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair, Ricky Morton, I’d actually say Dolph Ziggler is a great seller, Curt Hennig, Rick Rude sold well for a heel. There are so many greats, I can’t even think of them all. Bret is one of them but I wouldn’t say he’s the very best.

[@casiemny1219]

@@pandavelli8176Shawn oversold often and other times didn’t sell, so I can’t put him in that category

[@adamrenfrow]

​@@pandavelli8176Shawn and Flair over sold way too much.

[@Longlostpuss]

@@pandavelli8176 He's the one who made his beating actually look realistic, so I'd say he was the best seller by quite some distance. The others turned their selling into comedy.

[@ArkonBlade]

You can tell theirs backstage issues between them Bret trashed Jake as well this is more of personal issue then a professional issue

[@getoutofmygym]

What did he say about jake in his book?

[@via_negativa6183]

teds coming across here likes he doesn't want to disagree with Jake publically.

[@JeepLifeChris]

100%

[@deedavis1170]

That’s exactly what it is… Because it actually seemed like he would have said Bret Hart the way he was talking but he heard what Jake said and started treading lightly with what he was saying so he wouldn’t sound like he was saying Jake is a hater and a liar but I feel like that’s just what Jake is… from how he talks and his demeanor he seems bitter about a lot of things that may have happened with his time In WWE.

[@nbaldwin45]

@@deedavis1170the only time you see Ted get worked up about anyone on this podcast is when he talks about the Warrior. He’s vanilla with everyone and everything else. Jake’s a dick but at least he speaks his mind

[@srinarayana]

What the cohost should have done was ask Ted his opinion of Bret and shawn first, and then let Ted listen to what Jake had to say about it and then compare the two's opinion. That way Ted's opinion wouldn't be "tainted" by Jakes.

[@mws755]

No he knows Jake speaks truth

[@EddieHenderson92]

I've to strongly disagree with Jake on this one, a lot of matches with Hogan, Warrior, Andre, Big John Studd and some of the other big guys from the golden era put on some really boring matches. We needed a change in the early 90's, guys like Bret, HBK, Waltman, Owen and others gave us something new. Not disrespecting the golden era because Million Dollar Man, Savage, the Dragon and Dynamite Kid opened the door for smaller guys.

[@jabrockobiden9434]

50s and 60s will always be the golden era to me.

[@danielcody874]

Ted, Savage, and Steamboat were never small

[@EddieHenderson92]

@@danielcody874 They were compared to most guys at that time.

[@coolguy298]

@@EddieHenderson92 bret and shawn belonged to the low card. They were crap as champions. Hogan on his worst days was a bigger name. Bret made the WWF title feel like the cruiserweight championship. He never felt like the WWF champion. Same goes to Shawn.

[@EddieHenderson92]

@@coolguy298 I disagree but to each their own.

[@darkhorse1280]

Jake is obviously still bitter about what Bret said in his book. Jake allegedly broke his leg and couldn't travel the road while in Stampede. One night, Bret forgot something at his house before going to the other town, and saw Jake through the window walking around no problem cooking a hearty meal for himself. Jake has also been called a liar by countless people in the business -- so his opinion doesn't really hold water. Case in point -- Bret didn't sell?....He was one of the best at selling an ass kicking! Jake really needs to stop with his bold-face lies -- it comes across as pathetic.

[@RT-bt5ql]

Jakes right

[@wellesradio]

@@RT-bt5qlJake’s right that Bret Hart didn’t sell? 😂 No.

[@arthurmorgan7086]

@@RT-bt5qlso is the original poster. Known liar

[@Plainview-tu7xn]

​@@RT-bt5ql lol. No he isn't. He is a drunk and a deadbeat dad.

[@Amos_Huclkeberry]

He didn't really sell with his facial expressions.@@wellesradio

[@JamesSmith-sw3nk]

Bret & Ted are both ring generals and had the ability to make their opponents look better than what they were.

[@martinevans2498]

To be fair Jake is only giving his opinion, for me I think Bret and Shawn are the two best ever in ring performers with Steamboat and Hennig right at their heels but again just an opinion

[@markoutwithmark]

It makes a lot of sense when you realize that Jake lost his mind about 25 years ago.

[@mws755]

What's that got to do with Bret being boring and overrated?

[@chappy24]

@@mws755 Lol how was the hitman boring and overrated? Brett had the best feuds with Vince, Shawn, Austin etc. Go look at hitmans matches some of the best ever.

[@roninmaster8623]

Survivor Series 1990- Dream Team vs Team Million Dollar Team. Debut of The Undertaker. Ted and Bret are the last remaining guys for both teams. You can feel the tension of both guys and Bret's selling and ring psychology was next level. On top of all that the day before..Bret's brother Dean Hart passed away from a heart attack.

[@whatutalkinboutwillis6122]

I was about to comment just on that. The end of that watch once it got down to Brett, hammer and Dibiase was awesome. Especially when Dibiase and Hart went at it. Crowd was so into it. When Brett faked the knee injury and rolled him up, flying crossbody block over the top rope and especially when Virgil held Brett and Dibiase kneed Virgil. Crowd lost it. For me, One of my favorite parts of a match in WWE history.

[@airfixx_8952]

Bret: "Fuck!" 😄

[@mattheweble5550]

Early on, before Dusty and Taker eliminated themselves from that match, Bret sold and made Taker look fantastic. Say what you will about Vince, but he picked a fantastic group of guys to sell for Taker to get him rolling right off the bat.

[@airfixx_8952]

@@mattheweble5550- Koko put him over like a pro too.

[@princesskatarina351]

​@@airfixx_8952Koko B. Ware was easily one of the crowds favorites. He should have been treated better. Won a belt, or something.

[@Jewish.Redneck.Hybrid]

You can always tell when Jake's Jealousy is speaking. .

[@benjaminmartin9073]

How. Bret and Shawn are midcarders

[@jumbothompson]

Jake was one of the most over guys in late 80s early 90s WWF. He was number 2 or 3 in terms of popularity in about 88/89 or so. Bret probably made more money because of his huge WCW contract so maybe Jake is bitter about that.

[@arthurmorgan7086]

@@benjaminmartin9073😂 get out of here

[@krillin876]

Bret Hart is Mr jealousy

[@jumbothompson]

@@benjaminmartin9073 Shawn is pretty much the least over WWF champ ever.

[@tennesseekayakd255]

Bret is the best to ever do it. Most five star matches of all time back when it Meant something.

[@ssssssstssssssss]

Japan was putting on a lot of 5 star matches in the 90s. Bret was gifted but there were wrestlers in Japan with far more great matches than Bret. Bret was limited by being in the WWF though.

[@meanguy111]

​@@ssssssstssssssss doesn't count unless its in the big leagues

[@JustJefferson]

Who has more Match Of The Year awards than Shawn Michaels?

[@mikelachey824]

On WHAT planet? Dude was a dud. LOL Case and point, that horrible debut in WCW with Goldberg and the spear. LOL This dude couldnt sell anything. For being from a wrestling family, pretty sad

[@mws755]

He's not even remotely close to being the best

[@crazyvintagetoys3062]

Jake is blatantly wrong and must have never watched a Bret Hart or Shawn Michaels match. Ted is just fleeing from disagreement with him. It’s ridiculous

[@EyeSeeSports]

Please find me ONE time Bret didn't sell.

[@robcalvert8830]

Jake saying that they didn't sell is insane. Literally their strongest points.

[@MrReese]

Did Jake ever watch matches of Hogan and Warrior who made a career out of not selling?

[@thegreathadoken6808]

Doesn't mean they didn't sell. In fact Hogan was a fantastic seller

[@Moxzilla]

HBK literally had a some of the best matches ever at the end of his career and he’s talking about not “selling”

[@brandocalrissian3294]

Shawn is one of the greatest sellers in history.

[@kariyam2202]

Taking an ankle lock for 10 mins is selling?

[@charlesgreen8703]

The way Shawn “SOLD” for Hogan is Legendary!

[@Gweb52]

lol saying Bret and Shawn didn’t sell is hilarious . Get back in the pipe

[@thedarkangel1975]

I guess Jake was watching the Hogan /Michaels match from Summer Slam lol

[@poindextersheelturn436]

That match showed who was the man and it wasnt Hogan.@@thedarkangel1975

[@zirsqlid6343]

Bret was a champion. You weren't.

[@jabrockobiden9434]

Its scripted, jake held plenty scripted belts. Not the burn you think to jake.

[@zirsqlid6343]

@@jabrockobiden9434 oh my god! It's scripted! Wow 😲 I never knew that buddy

[@vcvortex6356]

​@@zirsqlid6343 Apparently you only know Jake's WWF career. Jake was a champion.

[@zirsqlid6343]

@@vcvortex6356 glad you respect mid carders opinions so much Maybe you would love to hear Mable or Hardcore Holly say the same as Jake. But those two are true professionals and wouldn't lower their value that way. Jake Roberts and his incestuous DNA is truly getting the best of him as his brain decays but honestly Jake needs to be a father for once in his life and stop prostituting these shoot interviews for his minimal gain

[@Nostalgia9478]

@@jabrockobiden9434Jake couldnt have been a Face of the Company like Bret was from late 92 till Spring of 96 imo

[@douglasmurphy3266]

Jake was from an era where Bret and Shawn were too small to be taken seriously, so just them not getting killed like jobbers every match translates to not selling in his mind. Makes it way more hilarious to see him take a paycheck from Tony Khan and participate in the dwarf interpretive dance routine show on TBS. Bret would be much bigger and stronger than all but a few dudes in AEW. But he would probably just get run off for trying to make the matches look logical.

[@Plainview-tu7xn]

Jake was not taken seriously enough to be positioned as a main eventer either. He rarely had a better than average match.

[@danielmelvin4525]

Jake can only say he was a few inches taller though lol. Bret was def out lifting Jake in the gym.

[@Devypocalypse]

Which is double stupid because Bret would beat the fuck out of Roberts in real life.

[@jabrockobiden9434]

Bret was a great seller, hbk over selled like ray stevens.

[@RT-bt5ql]

Bret sucks

[@wolfpacsyxx]

Yeah HBK is a shit seller, Bret was the most believable guy

[@casiemny1219]

@@RT-bt5qlyour opinion sucks

[@ajsgaming83]

@@wolfpacsyxx you saying Mr Pefrect was a crap seller then too??

[@wolfpacsyxx]

@@ajsgaming83 nope, don’t equate the two and if you do you are just telling everyone you haven’t watched that much of his matches and also don’t know anything. The end

[@donjohn2695]

Jake's jealous of Bret's success in the business it's plain and simple jealousy on Jake's part

[@mikerohlfs2836]

Success? The worst the company ever did was on his watch, yeh great champion, and I'm not a Michaels mark, so don't even.

[@jldraw]

@EBC-ENTTo be brief Jake Roberts during his WWE run was never positioned as the top babyface nor was he positioned as the top heel who got to work the top babyface. Those were the money positions in WWE. Jake was the guy who the top heel worked with prior to working the top babyface. Jake was also one of the first wrestlers to leave the good ship WWE for WCW with the expectation of making a windfall only to find out upon arrival that Bill Watts had sliced his pay in half. At the same time, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels start to make inroads into occupying those main event/big money slots in WWE that Jake never had the opportunity to occupy. In short if you ever look at the homes that Hart and HBK live in, they’re millionaires homes. Jake’s isn’t. Thus lies the issue at hand.

[@realjameset2363]

I totally agree.

[@AdrianSmith-ds6yv]

Agreed ​@EBC-ENT

[@mikerohlfs2836]

I wasn't expecting that lol

[@theevilresident8167]

Go watch 96-98 HBK - Just show Ted - Good Friends Better Enemies, the two matches with bulldog, Mind Games, Survivor Series 96; RR97, KOTR 97, Ground Zero, Bad Blood, IYH DX(Where he sells for Shamrock something rotten) RR98 AND Mania X4(where he sells despite being injured.) That's when shawn was on top and he sold his heart off Jakes lying. Oh and are we forgetting the boyhood dream is over angle with Owen which literally was him selling like he had to retire.

[@NateNizzle]

Ted is sounding really diplomatic here. It's like he doesn't want to disagree with Jake, but he knows that Jake is wrong. Ted has wrestled against Bret (most notably at Survivor Series 1990), and he was ringside for HBK's matches against IRS, 123 Kid, and King Kong Bundy. He knows that both of these guys can work and sell.

[@kenterminateddq5311]

I love Jake Roberts but I disagree with him on Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels didn't sell really well. Did Jake missed Bret's corner bumps? Did Jake missed when Shawn sold as good as the late, great Ray Stevens?

[@jabrockobiden9434]

Stevens was an overseller

[@kenterminateddq5311]

@@jabrockobiden9434 that's a bad thing? Ray Stevens and Bobby Heenan were ahead of their time.

[@Nostalgia9478]

Bret was great at selling Primadonna Shawn however didnt sell enough for the likes of Vader, Sid, Taker, Diesel, Razor, and oversold for Hogan while having a hissy fit. lol

[@michaelmcclenon6663]

​@kenterminateddq5311 please don't talk about Ray Steven's in the comments please

[@kenterminateddq5311]

@@michaelmcclenon6663 why not? He's underrated.

[@ssssssstssssssss]

Jake Roberts mostly wasn't around when Bret Hart was champion so not sure why we should value his opinion. His promos were middle of the road for most of the time but they were mostly really good after he came back to the WWF in 96. Not on Jake's level, but not many are.

[@MrBam79]

I agree. I've never understood the hate that Bret gets for his promo work. Sure, he wasn't as loud or intense or flamboyant as the likes of Hogan, Warrior or Savage, but he was never supposed to be. On the whole, his promos were, at worst, average but more importantly they were consistent, articulate and effective in telling you what you needed to know. TBH, the whole "Bret's promos were crap" thing just strikes me as one of those bandwaggon opinions that has become blown way out of proportion.

[@bigolebot]

​@@MrBam79Bret fan crying

[@MrBam79]

@bigolebot Nope, just expressing an opinion based on my own observations. Maybe instead of wasting your time writing meaningless nonsense, you could conserve enough mental energy to formulate an original opinion of your own?

[@Nostalgic14-zo3pk]

@@bigolebotMore like Bret hater coping...why r u on every video of his when u hate him so much...may be he did ur old woman dirty😂😂😂😂

[@Nostalgic14-zo3pk]

@@MrBam79very well said..haters are galore on YT these days....

[@kevinkuenn5733]

Bret's promos were boring in the exact same way that every baseball or basketball player in every pregame interview is boring... and that's why they worked for me. He made all the rest of that wacky bullshit seem more real, because he talked like every other boring athlete I ever saw. To me, his promos put wrestling over, moreso than himself.

[@DG_Delboy]

Bret was some technical wrestler in his day i enjoyed his style + Ted DiBiase is looking well+ enjoy listening to him + should have been wwf champ EVERYONE HAS A PRICE 💵💵💵

[@scotthubbert]

I think he was in the running for NWA World champ in the 70s. At least they pushed Harley vs Ted really well in ‘79-‘80 on Wrestling at the Chase (St Louis, Missouri)

[@ajsgaming83]

he was for a few days he even defended the title ona live event after he brought the title from Andra The Giant

[@DG_Delboy]

@@ajsgaming83 true BUT I just think he deserved to have at least 1 good run 👍🏻incredible wrestler was Ted DiBiase to not hold title and run with it😎👍🏻 Thank you ajsgaming 😎

[@ajsgaming83]

@@DG_Delboy back then i always thought he would have made a better IC Champ has he was a great worker bk then i always thought the big guys had the world title and the harder workers (exept Warrior) had the IC Title Ya Welcome

[@DG_Delboy]

@@ajsgaming83 I gotta agree tbh mate 👍🏻 jst I loved a bad guy as a kid and always thought wld of been good BUT gotta agree👍🏻😎jst wlda been cool hehe

[@Glasschin2.0]

Bret sold everything well and always looked in trouble. Winning a match out of no where and in so many ways. Michaels used to oversell like Rick Flair.

[@coltonconner782]

Least Bret didn’t lose his smile unlike Shawn

[@bigolebot]

But Shawn is living a good life. Hot wife, busy with NXT. Bret cries about the same thing over and over, lies about his career, mentions Goldberg and Hogan nonstop.. Wow, what a life

[@davidnec571]

I completely disagree with Jake saying that Bret Hart's speeches were dull. Bret Hart had me hanging on to every word he would say. Definitely not dull at all.

[@ajsgaming83]

Hart Promo's was dull untill he turned heel

[@redplanet667]

@@ajsgaming83 yeah Bret was baby for so long but looking back it didn't really suit him, once he turned heel then the fun really began, that was him finding his spark

[@ScottyBugler2005]

Absolutely. Loved his segments when he turned heel and reunited with Owen. Davey Boy. Jim Neidhart and having Brian Pillman join them. The first initial segment where Bret came in to break up the fight between Owen and Davey Boy which started the build up of the new Hart Foundation. Bret talking about family values and the lack of them in America.

[@Lovegun-w4s]

When you're talking about Wrestling skill, Bret Hart is second to nobody!!!!

[@rezajoon7101]

Jake was great im the day. I remember his stuff with the Macho Man, The Undertaker and the end of his best stint came v Steve Austin. However he didn't have great technical skills in the ring & ability like Bret & Shawn. He was good but never great as the other 2. You could see the ability growing from HBK & Hitman from their tag days and they grew as single competitors. Jake could sell and was good at interviews. However he always stayed at 1 level. He never looked after himself well either. How big would Jake Roberts been without his snake? Without that gimmick, prob would have been very average. Whereas the other 2 relied on what they could do in the ring with their abilities. Jake couldn't do half the moves those 2 could do, with all respect. So it come across that he was a bit bitter or jealous cause these 2 were behind him at 1 point as attraction but both ended up eclipsing him and got to be the main attraction & World Champions which he never got. Jake was a good performer but never really raised his level enough

[@brian-ld4vd]

I thought Bret was a way better wrestler than Michaels, but McMahon worshipped Shawn for some reason his matches were just boring to me. Bret Hart was just an all around better wrestler.

[@pinnacleproductions6275]

I’m pretty sure both Vince & Pat Patterson had crushes on Shawn.

[@brian-ld4vd]

@@pinnacleproductions6275 With what's going down lately in the WWE court case I wouldn't be shocked!!! LoL

[@bobbyjohnson9409]

People always said Bret did the same things in every match. Been watching wrestling since the 80s. I can call what Shawn’s gonna do in the ring also. Shawn’s the better athlete but I think Bret was better

[@makefootballviolentagain5258]

Bret was the better technical wrestler, Shawn was the more athletic and a better interview, and had more charisma. You wouldn't see Bret taking bumps like Shawn did in ladder mathes or Hell in the Cell's, etc. Shawn was way more versatile.

[@ajsgaming83]

@@makefootballviolentagain5258 look at the wrestlemain 12 match, shawn could be technical if he wanted too.

[@ultimatewarrior5587]

To Jake Roberts: Instead of being so bitter about others, think about why they made it and you didn't. There are so many reasons, but I'll tell you the most important ones. 1) You are a stick man. Instead of drinking and doing coke in the bars every evening after the matches, you could have gone to a gym more often and worked on yourself. That's why, for example, an Ultimate Warrior had an advantage over you and why Vince made him champion and not you. 2) Wrestling talent and skill: Bret Hart or Shawn Michaels may have been a little shorter than you, but had more talent and skill on their left finger than you had on their entire body. The Hitman is a living legend who has performed gigantic matches in the ring that average followers like you can only dream of. I understand that every wrestler has strengths and weaknesses, but wrestlers like Bret Hitman Hart and HBK (and I don't like Michaels at all) were fantastic athletes in the ring that were very rare. They took wrestling to a higher level in the 90s and were pioneers compared to the 80s. If you had consumed fewer drugs and alcohol and worked on yourself in a more disciplined manner, you would certainly have been more successful. Many wrestlers from back then like Dibiase, Roberts etc. should stop speaking out of bitterness about our heroes from back then. They just lose the respect and favor of the fans.

[@darkart-mr8wu]

you are 100 PERCENT RIGHT. if it was not for DDP he would have died NAKED IN A DITCH! plus i here his recovery was a NIGHTMARE!! what kind of man lays naked in a bed for everyone in that house to see!

[@mikelachey824]

LOL You dont seem to get that being talented in the ring, doesnt mean you can sell. LOLOL Learn what that means

[@matthewcordeiro2073]

You know you’re right. As a kid I never took Jake roberts seriously. He looked like a bum, and i only looked forward to seeing the snake as a kid. He should have went to the gym, and looked more presentable.

[@CCEkeke]

So here's a crazy story Jake said some years back. Apparently he started getting in good shape, but Vince got angry and told him to stop getting in such good shape. Doesn't excuse the drug and alcohol abuse though.

[@sh00ner]

Jake is one of my all time favorites, but he is a snake through and through. He's a liar and he sais what he said because Bret is honest and called him out on it multiple times.

[@jd9119]

Jake isn't wrong about HBK selling less and less as he went up the card. Of course, if he was wrestling one of his friends, there would be an exception and he'd sell all kinds for them. My biggest gripe with both of them, but especially Brett was they tended to wrestle the same match over and over. Ric Flair and Hogan were the worst at this. But it's like how many times can you see it, before you get tired of it?

[@mikelachey824]

LOL Flair is the ALL TIME best seller in a wrestling ring. LOLOL Every aspect of Flair is a textbook to study for a pro wrestler that wants to learn what to do in a ring. LOL His matches with the Von Erichs and Harley. Pure brilliance

[@bradleyrobinson7552]

If you look at the entire WWE roster in late 1992, I don't think there was a better choice than Bret Hart. In mid-1991, Mr. Perfect suffered a serious back injury and was out for a year. In late 1992, Bret headlined his first PPV main event at Survivor Series, and Hennig made his in-ring return in a tag-match in the mid-card. Hennig was plagued by back problems and was out again in early 1994.

[@Cursedhammer21]

If ANYONE can make a claim at being the best to ever do it other than Shawn, it’s Bret. 1a and 1b. No one wrestled better than those 2. Period.

[@michaeltamul500]

Can’t help but feel that this has something to do with Jake’s comeback in 1996 when he was chopped liver compared to HBK and Bret. He is probably bitter that he didn’t have that spot. Jake was a shell of himself from when he had left a few years earlier. He looked as if he himself had transformed into one of those parodied wrestlers like the Nacho Man or the Huckster in the Billionaire Ted skits.

[@Glasschin2.0]

Maybe with Hogan , piper , warrior , flair gone and macho man on commentary in 92/93 Jake thought he would be the top guy.

[@Heavy_C]

Bret sold the pain and anguish of applying his own finisher to win matches, so I don't think Jake is remembering that correctly haha. But I CAN see what he's saying about Shawn. From about WM X onward, HBK rarely sold anything. He sold for Razor and Diesel, but really nobody else until his comeback with Hunter... and then the massive oversell of a lifetime against Hogan 🤣

[@danfors1333]

I never had any problem with Hitman's wrestling. He had a solid moveset and and did everything with highest precision. Made wrestling look real. However his personality was a bit dull, he was always being whiny, bitter and serious in every interview from what I can remember. Never in a happy mood. That was already before the Montreal screwjob. Didn't get any better after that.

[@Daygostylz]

It would be weird for Bret to not be methodical in the ring. His style fit his persona. If you were to think of what it means to be The Excellence of Execution, you think of something almost surgical, serious and intense.

[@sjdhgydhfyrn1023]

He's 100% right that Bret was not good on the mic. He's 100% wrong that Shawn didn't sell. That is one of the most asinine comments ever made by a pro wrestler, and there's been a lot of them.

[@Zobrisdj01]

Heel Bret in the late 90s was AMAZING on the mic. As a baby face he was straight forward but he did his talking IN the ring.

[@jasonamrhein9593]

Bret's interviews were decent but not his strong suit. But the overall package was excellent. Shawn's backstage attitude is probably affecting Jake's outlook in his case.

[@TONYGILLEY]

Bret was a master in-ring storyteller. In my opinion Shawn didn't become that until his 2002-2010 return. My criticisms with Shawn's 1995-1998 run stems from his backstage antics which taints my view of his in-ring work, but I can see where Shawn was a poor seller depending on who he was working with. He sold poorly-to-half-A$$ with certain mid-carders, sold well for his buddies or stars on his level who would legit kick his arse if he pulled that sh*t on them during a match. As much as I love Jake's work, I often get the feeling that when he says he doesn't regret that he never got a world title run because he didn't need it, his comment towards Bret and Shawn makes me not believe him.

[@chefman45887]

Bret had calculated charisma, Shawn was a showman. Also both were apart of the next generation of young talent in the early 90s that Vince could depend on in their roles post steroid trial.

[@burnz0021]

Bret didn't sell? Come on Jake.. foolish comment.

[@ModernDayRenaissanceMan]

Jake's right. HBK bumped 20 times in the 92 Royal rumble on one clothes line from the Texas tornado By 1996 he was no selling the Vader bomb

[@timthegem]

So you've never seen a match since 1996, even though his matches with Undertaker are among the all-time best ever. Got it. Valuable opinion here, folks.

[@FilmThePoliceFTP]

Bret didn’t sell what?!

[@user-ct8hk9mb1c]

I still go back and watch Bret’s matches over 30 years later. I couldn’t name one great Jake match. Great on interviews, no doubt.

[@mathewbarrie]

Both Bret and Shawn were great sellers. Jake is talking nonsense there.

[@matttrent946]

WTF!? did he fall off the wagon AGAIN? Bret sold his ass off with that knee injury for months (and possibly longer, its been a while) Shawn too w/ his back (though that may have been AFTER karma bit him on the ass and he found god for 4 years) but to each their own, and thats the way Jake sees it. EDIT: and special mention for the Hogan match at Summerslam 2005, where he sold a little too much LMFAO

[@benwade7419]

Jake could do a great interview but that was about it, never had a great body, never had a great look, his wrestling ability was poor, his personal demons destroyed him, holding kids up for crack or he wouldn’t show, it’s because Bret said a few things about Jake in his book that he’s still lashing out, Jake Robert’s is the real life Randy the ram

[@Curt-iy7ck]

Exactly. Bret may be bitter today and compromised from concussions and stroke, but one of the main reasons he got the belt was because he was well liked by everyone and putting on incredible matches at a time when wwe needed to evolve. Also some of brets non working interviews when he was an active wrestler painted wwf in a very good light as he came across like an honest athlete and reliable good guy.

[@doomedhuh]

as hard as they were pushed, Bret was still more over than Lex in '93 and Diesel in '95 so he must've been doing something right.

[@afdcg]

He wasn't over as you think. Luger was supposed to be the champion but Bret Hart cried backstage and they did the count out finish to water down the backstage heat between Lex and many wrestlers who wanted a main event push like Ramon, Shawn, Bret and a few. Again with Diesel was Vince idea and when. It wasn't doing anything well Patterson and Gerald brisco told Vince to go with Shawn. Shawn and Bret both belonged to the low card division. Only because of Prichard, Brsico and Patterson being a fan of them gave them a run with the belts. The ppv buys, house shows etc prove how big of flops were Bret and Shawn. Ted dibiase, cornette and even others hate these outsiders like Hogan, warrior or Goldberg so they keep shitting on them. Just because they have a high regard for Bret and Shawn doesn't make them successful.

[@doomedhuh]

@@afdcg Bret got way louder pop than Luger at 94 Rumble

[@afdcg]

@@doomedhuh all that doesn't prove that he could draw. Bret Hart was a long term baby face at that time. Lex was a WCW and had not toured much in WWF territory. Luger schedule in 93 was very less. He hardly did house shows. Fans probably had seen Bret more than Luger at that point. You can go back and see the footage and Lex Lugers entire reaction isn't showed in the clip. Then they switch to Bret and show the entire audience reaction. They mostly did that because Bret was planned to win the belt on wrestle mania.

[@doomedhuh]

@@afdcg Bret was more popular. They gave him a trophy on raw for being voted superstar of the year by the fans in 93

[@afdcg]

@@doomedhuh no point being popular if you can't draw. Had WWF stuck with Bob Backlund even if he was over, WWF would be in the territory days. Again despite being over Luger was a part of some of 1994 bigger sell outs of tours

[@Nostalgia9478]

In the Summer of 1991 , nobody wouldve anticipated Bret becoming WWF World Champ a little over a year later. Bret was 34 yrs old in the Summer of 1991 This is why i laugh at people who think theres no chance Owen wouldve ever become WWF World Champ had he not died in 1999. Owen was just 34 yrs old when he died

[@michaelmcclenon6663]

Owen was low to mid card lil homie

[@Nostalgia9478]

@@michaelmcclenon6663 Youd be saying the same thing about Bret if his career ended in the Summer of 91, little home slice. lol

[@ssssssstssssssss]

I loved Owen but I think he screwed himself by severely injuring Steve Austin and then apparently not apologizing. And you had people politicking like HHH which I think Owen was not good at. He obviously had the talent and character to be a top guy in the WWF. But sometimes the top brass in the WWF didn't recognize that in people.

[@Nostalgia9478]

@@ssssssstssssssss I think Owen wouldve had a good shot to be a top guy in the Fall of 99 with Austin being out for a year..I mean you had Big Show as champ and even Boss Man was in the title picture...November of 99 to November 2000 wouldve been Owens best opportunity

[@Nostalgia9478]

@@ssssssstssssssss Envision this.. Blue Blazer( Owen) vs Big Show for the title at Armageddon 1999. Two Blue Blazers interfere at the end of the match to help Owen win.. They unmask to reveal themselves as THE BRITISH BULLDOG and JIM NEIDHART.. Owen unmasks as well and creates the BLACK HART FOUNDATION... Jericho later joins as an unofficial honorary member ala Pillman in 1997 THIS IS AWESOME AF!!!!

[@jbfrom503]

They were both coming from the cartoon era. The Harts were not meant to work a mic. Anvil was a ass kicker but Their technical prowess made up for shit mic work. He was easily the most boring champ ever to hold the mic. Maybe Bob Backlund was worse 🤷🏻‍♂️. Shawn was too small to be a champ in the WWF, but his charisma was unmatched at the time. The reason they were champs when they were is because Hogan & Macho left the WWF in a bad way. Undertaker coulda stepped in & been a 3 year champ, but that wasn't the business anymore.

[@motleydude73]

Jake was a great and unique character, but his wrestling skills were both predictable and often clumsy looking. Bret was a mat technician, every move had a purpose and he told a story in his matches. Shawn oversold too much, he was more comical though a brilliant performer. Def more entertaining than Bret but I prefer Brets style.

[@mapporeviews5702]

Bitter much Jake. Yes you can cut a promo but without the snake you are jobber. Ted is one guy who should have been champion. Bret even does a better DDT. HBK was a bad person sure but an amazing entertainer they are both in different league.

[@binzy698]

Sad to see the bitterness. Such a child

[@LobsterRavioli]

I always thought Bret sold the best, but to say HBK didn’t sell is crazy talk. HBK would sell, but maybe too much and over the top. Just watch the HBK vs Hogan match, HBK made a point to over sell. lol

[@danthemancushecan]

Oh dear Lord, that was an intentional oversell job because Hogan is a joke.

[@ericjones5599]

Hbk on coke was better than Roberts sober

[@k.c.r.5974]

Oh boy...has Jake been drinking again? Sorry thats not funny ...too soon? Pretty much the only knock on Bret that anyone has is his promo abilities but...I can dismantle that as well because it fit Brets character and himself. Why would the Hitman be any different on the mic? Or what should he have done or acted like that would have improved anything? It's actually ridiculous when you really dig into it. Bret The Hitman Hart is the best ive ever seen. Hes arguably the GOAT. And btw I love Jake The Snake Roberts...but damn Bret could absolutely wrestle circles around Jake and literally everyone else. Win or Lose Bret did it better and sold harder and was a pure pro wrestler through and through. Vince McMahon said he was the best technical wrestler of all time. Overrated Shawn Michaels even said he was a way better wrestler than even himself. And im sorry but this whole "hbk greatest performer" lol what is that? It means that if you want a flamboyant over the top poser for the girls in "sports"-entertainment aka theater...Shawn Michaels is your guy. Lets stop with all the non sense because you start with the excellence of execution. The best there is the best there was and the best there ever will be. Tag Team champion and legend. IC champion and legend. King of the ring champion and legend. World Heavyweight Champion and legend back when even the belts were real and legit. The list goes on and on. But I will give this to Jake...great heel work here he's definitely getting some heat. Jake The Snake Roberts still got it!!!

[@charlesshankle3178]

Bret fills the niche of the non-vicious heel perfectly. He xould cause faces to do vicious things, break character, etc. Use him to make faces turn heel. Its the way, he turned Steve Austin face. But, with Bret filling Austin's role. The face turns need to be short. His betrayals should set up the next heel angle of his. He is the Anti-Flair. Like Flair, he has exceptional skills. But, a bit more demure so you cannot tell where or when he does his nefarious acts. His face work is meh. But, it's meant to be. He was champion material. But, he has to be used in a specific way

[@jeremygott7709]

With Jake, this is clearly sour grapes. He's still bitter that WWE pushed these smaller guys, who were more athletic than him, and could do way more than him in the ring. I will give it to Jake, that he was a better promo than Bret, but both Bret and Shawn had him beat in pretty much every other area, including selling. The only times Shawn didn't sell is when he had an issue with someone or something, even then, it wasn't every time, as he sold well against Bret, and oversold against Hogan.

[@braddorcas9363]

Holding onto sour grapes. About the time Jake was phasing out of the business and into the dark depths of his habits was about the time those 2 would have been coming up and moving above him on the card. Likely just resentment he harbored way back then when he was all drugged up and injured seeing these 2 younger guys moving above him on the card because Jake was just unreliable with his issue to be trusted higher on the card. Also dosen't like that Bret didn't have some good opinions of him. Jake has come a long way with his mental health, but he's still a damaged man at the end of the day. And that mentality surfaces at times with the right triggers. These 2 names being some of them.

[@DixiePokerAce]

It is hard to compare wrestlers from different eras. The business was changing constantly from the 70s to the 80s and to the 90s. Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart were great performers in their era. The style they used was very different from the style Jake Roberts had in the 70s and 80s.

[@king-pin007]

Probably the Dumbest thing Robert’s has ever said and now Dibiase is back tracking.. ridiculous

[@5wisher5weet]

Could rename this “Jake back on drugs”

[@ericjones5599]

😂😂😂

[@HappyDaddy247]

Can someone remind me again why Ted isn’t behind jail bars with his kids? Just curious why he’s allowed to steal from everyobe

[@codycampbell6257]

Jake couldn't lace either Bret or Shawn's boots. Both sold their asses off, pure jealousy from Jakey.

[@tomhood7343]

I disagree with Jake on this one. Just because you don't like a wrestler's style doesnt mean he didn't deserve to have the success he had. Bret was very talented in the ring and yes, he didn't draw the kind of money that Hogan did but he was a believable Champion and he could tell stories in the ring.

[@bxbomber85]

Bret didn't sell but I've never seen Jake take a turnbuckle bump the way Bret did. The snake doth protest too much, methinks.

[@IanMackay-r4d]

Promo Jake ahead of both but nowhere near Shawn or Bret for in-ring work. I can remember way more Shawn and Bret's matches than the likes of some of the bigger guys from the Golden Era.

[@num1shinfan]

Shawn sold good for Hogan

[@prowwe6524]

Jake is just bitter

[@Amiga1200Mark]

Bret is one of the best ever ... technical wrestling, story telling, making it look legit. He got guys like michaels, austin, undertaker over big time ... just like guys like perfect did for him. An absolute master ... and well beyond anything roberts ever was. Michaels was also one of the greatest, not as technically sound as bret but an incredible athlete and storyteller. His selling was up there with brets, and he bumped around no problem. In shawn's comeback run he put so many guys over, Angle, Orton and Cena to name just 3. Bret and Shawn without doubt 2 masters ... and todays spot fest guys , zero selling and zero storytelling, just move after move, kick out of everything, could learn alot from watching Bret and Shawn.

[@TheVanneo]

I think it's because they are both average sized men

[@kidray7818]

Pro wrestling is definitely an art, from being a baby face, heel, selling and getting the crowd to react to you. At 45yrs I liked the 80's more. The characters to me were stronger, but I am definitely still a fan. Shout out to Ted, Jake, Bret and Shawn💯💯💯

[@Messiah717]

Jake basically dismissed them both.

[@bilders6701]

Part of that era that quit selling things. Says this about two or the best sellers at that time. Shows you weren't paying attention Jake!

[@mynameisnotearl4383]

Bret wasn’t good on the mic Bret has said that before, cmon as a wrestler, boring, anything but.

[@Myrridan19]

Bret was one of the most believable sellers in wrestling history. Jake is just jealous and, as as usual, a liar.

[@9952275]

Jake was so boring and overrated. Had a dad bod his entire life.

[@walkinphoenix45]

Hbk never stopped selling. Jake is 100% wrong.

[@robbymarton74]

Jake is the biggest screw up who never worked out a day in his life. Like father like son.

[@macsta1635]

Jake was never anything more than just someone to use up a time slot . Plus his drug use turned him into a bitter liar

[@Thathorrorguy12FU]

I gotta say that looking at a wrestler like Ted DeBiase "Million Dollar Man". At the age he's at. The guy looks great. And he's wrestled for his whole life. He was very young starting up. Worked the territories, he was actually a good guy. And Vince took him in and he gave him a great gimmick that Ted ran with. But his body wasn't huge and chiseled. He wasn't on a bunch of steroids. He obviously wasn't abusing anything to look the way he does. And the guy looks great. Probably the best of the Golden Age.

[@mauricejones7252]

He was the Hitman finisher the sharpshooter it don't get much better than Bett the wrestler in my opinion

[@wallofrock6725]

Bret is simply a no nonsense person. That’s why his interviews were maybe a bit boring.

[@GG-mn9ls]

bret and shawn were both great sellers! i loved seeing shawn get his ass kicked almost as much as seeing him win

[@brunopaolucci6054]

Ted is covering up for his disagreement of Jake’s opinion.

[@GFWFight]

Bret was one of the greatest wrestlers and sellers of all time. Come on Jake, come on. 🤣🙈

[@ianstratton]

"I understand criticizing Bret for his promos (personallly, I thought he had an authentic understatedness that rang genuine), but saying Bret didn't sell? That was one of his best attributes! When he got hit, he made it look like it REALLY hurt!

[@essj3334]

The reason Jake seemed critical of both because he hated both guys backstage issues. Jake stated in Hannibal interview that he would have fired both guys if he was the promoter.

[@ikill4klondikebars]

Jake was unreliable, was heavy into drugs, esp from the moment Honky Tonk blasted him with the guitar. His entire indie run after the Monday Night Wars ended, was him showing up to show absolutely wasted. Him and Hall were literally on fans' death watch from like, 2004 to 2010. Jake isn't in a position to have said he'd have fired anyone for their backstage issues.

[@luxdico]

Bret Hart was amazin' to watch in the ring.

[@CShabazz84]

Ted can’t even speak right cause he knows it’s BS

[@sammacdaibheid]

Let's just say it as it is ... Jake is talking absolute rubbish.