![Bret Hart is a former WWE Champion [image source: WWE.com, AEW Facebook]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/04/619f7-17439480773683-1920.jpg)
![Bret Hart is a former WWE Champion [image source: WWE.com, AEW Facebook]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%205.6222547584187'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart recently criticized some AEW wrestlers for, in his opinion, focusing more on acting rather than being professional wrestlers. Canadian All Elite star Mike Bailey recently revealed he was never a big Bret Hart fan.
Speedball signed a deal with AEW only sometime back and has been getting a huge push in the promotion. Mike Bailey is set to take on Kenny Omega and Ricochet for the International Championship at All Elite Wrestling's Dynasty PPV this Sunday.
In a recent exclusive interview with Sportskeeda Wrestling, Speedball Mike Bailey was asked about the Canadian wrestlers he looked up to. The former TNA star admitted he was never a big Bret Hart Guy. Bailey said he was inspired by stars like Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, who became huge stars after breaking out.
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"So, you know what's funny? I was never a big Bret Hart guy. I mean, when I started wrestling in 2005 was when guys like Kevin Steen and El Generico were just breaking out of Canada and starting to really make their names in independent wrestling, and they were the first in a very long time that I could see in Canada really, really breaking out and making their names." [2:49-3:20]
AEW star Mike Bailey also took inspiration from PCO
PCO is another Canadian professional wrestler who has competed in WWE, TNA, ROH, and multiple other promotions. He is also a former WWE Tag Team Champion. In the same interview, Mike Bailey named PCO an inspiration for reinventing himself on multiple occasions.
"But PCO as well, Pierre Ouellet, is an absolute inspiration. I saw him revitalize his career not only once but twice, first in 2005, when he just started getting back into professional wrestling, and then again nearly 10 years later, when he came back with his new character, Perfect Creation 1, and started putting out content and really getting buzz back on himself again for the third time in his career." [3:21-3:57]
Fans will have to wait and see if Mike Bailey wins the International Championship at AEW Dynasty this Sunday.
Catch AEW Dynasty live on pay-per-view or HBO Max on April 6, 2025.
If you use the quotes from the article, please give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling and backlink the YouTube video.
