WWE: Vince Russo Reacts to Bret Hart's Latest Gunther Criticism (Exclusive)

Bret Hart recently caused a stir after giving his honest opinion on Gunther using chops to hurt his WWE opponents. According to veteran wrestling writer Vince Russo, The Hitman is right to raise concerns.

Hart is viewed by many as one of the greatest in-ring talents in wrestling history. During an appearance on The Masked Man Show, the Canadian star criticized Gunther for performing a move that inflicts legitimate pain on other wrestlers.

Russo discussed Hart's comments with host Dr. Chris Featherstone and former WWE star EC3 on Sportskeeda's The Wrestling Outlaws. Regarding chops in pro wrestling, the 64-year-old agreed with the three-time Hall of Famer.

"At the end of the day, we're not supposed to be hurting each other," Russo said. "It is a work. There is an art to the work. When you're hitting somebody with real chops, there's no art to that. You're really hitting them. And what Bret is trying to say is, if you really know how to work, you're not hitting anybody. I mean, that's what he's trying to say."

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Watch the video above to hear more from the panel about the evolution of chops in the wrestling business.

Vince Russo on Bret Hart's Conversation with Gunther

During the same podcast appearance, Bret Hart revealed he told Gunther to his face that chops are "bulls**t" and "lazy."

Russo crossed paths with Hart while working as a writer for WWE and WCW. Knowing The Hitman, he has no doubts that the legendary wrestler told Gunther exactly what he thinks.

"Bret's taking a beating lately, but one thing I gotta say about Bret, bro, is when Bret says, 'I told Gunther to his face,' believe that Bret told him to his face," Russo said. "That's the kinda guy Bret Hart is. Bret is not gonna say something like this that he would not say to that individual."

Gunther has been one of WWE's top stars since moving to the main roster in 2022. He held the Intercontinental Championship for a record 666 days before winning the World Heavyweight Championship twice.

Please credit Sportskeeda's The Wrestling Outlaws and embed the video if you use quotes from this article.

About the author

Danny Hart is a journalist who has been reporting on pro wrestling (WWE) at Sportskeeda since 2017. He grew up as a massive fan of football/soccer and wrestling, leading him to pursue a career in sports journalism.

Before assuming his current role, Hart worked as a football writer at Goal.com between 2009 and 2016. He prides himself on writing original content that is fact-based and highly accurate. Hart thoroughly proofreads his work before submitting it and relies only on credible sources for information.

Hart’s favorite pro wrestler is The Undertaker. He admires the 2022 WWE Hall of Famer’s ability to reinvent his character and remain relevant across his decades-long career. If given the keys to WWE’s creative department, he would bring back The Phenom for a farewell bout against AJ Styles in a stadium full of fans. Not only that, but he would love to have the multi-time world champion’s greatest rivals seated at ringside for the spectacle.

When not watching and covering sports, Hart enjoys long-distance running, playing video games, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

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Edited by Danny Hart