During a recent appearance on The Ringer’s Masked Man Show, WWE Hall of Famer Bret “The Hitman” Hart looked back on one of the most talked-about matches of his career — the “I Quit” match against Bob Backlund at WrestleMania 11. Despite his admiration for Backlund, Hart didn’t hold back in critiquing the bout.
“I love Bob Backlund, he’s one of my favorite guys,” Hart began. “But the match I had with Bob Backlund, the ‘I Quit’ match I had with him at WrestleMania 11, I knew it was going to be a disaster and I always thought that was my least greatest match.”
Hart was quick to clarify that he didn’t blame himself or Backlund for the match falling flat. “I don’t blame Bob, I don’t blame myself — I blame Vince, the guy who came up with the concept for the match. It was a dud before we walked out. I feel bad we didn’t have a great match.”
In contrast, Hart had high praise for their earlier clash at Survivor Series 1994. “I love the match I had with Bob Backlund at Survivor Series,” he said, pointing to that performance as one of his underrated classics. Hart used it as a benchmark to assert his own legacy as one of wrestling’s greats. “If people question my greatness, I’d like to have seen Hulk Hogan wrestle Bob Backlund. I’d like to have seen Shawn Michaels wrestle Bob Backlund or Triple H wrestle Bob Backlund the way that I did. Throw anybody you want in there, put them in there with Bob Backlund, and see what they can do.”
The legendary technician made it clear that his respect for Backlund remains strong. “That’s not a knock on Bob. Bob was just very old-school — a champion wrestler and great wrestler — but try to find the right balance of how to wrestle Bob Backlund. I don’t think very many guys could pull off the match I did with Bob Backlund.”
Reflecting on their chemistry and the challenge of meshing styles, Hart concluded: “It was a beautiful match. I love Bob and the fact that I gave him that moment… Bob was a challenge to figure out the right ingredients and measures to tell a story and have a great match. I think we did that, and I’m very proud of that match.”
Despite the disappointment of their WrestleMania 11 performance, Hart’s comments reaffirm his appreciation for Backlund’s legacy and highlight his own ability to adapt to any opponent — a hallmark of his storied career.
