“Are You Serious?”: Charles Barkley Once Mocked Wayne Gretzky for Losing NHL Fight Against ‘A Guy With a Perm’

Wayne Gretzky established himself as a legendary hockey player. Throughout his fruitful career, the athlete attained the status of a star player. While his confederates always were always supportive, if not protective of him, he once faced one of his worst fights on the field. One that former basketball player Charles Barkley would get a good laugh out of.

Apparently, earning the title of the greatest hockey player of all time wasn’t enough to avoid fights. During the early 1980s, NHL saw one of the most significant fights on the field. Wayne Gretzky went up against fellow player Neal Broten in a physical tussle. However, things didn’t go according to expectations.

Who threw their hands on Wayne Gretzky?

During a seemingly normal ice hockey match, the camera panned toward two frustrated-looking adults. Suddenly, all eyes were on them as one of them began hitting the other. It turned out that the one who began the tussle was Minnesota North Stars fame Neal Broten. The athlete began hitting Gretzky and instead of retaliating, Gretzky took the hits till the officials stepped in.

The fight was one of the most iconic yet out-of-character fights. Fans know that Wayne Gretzky is not one to start or even participate in a fight. However, since he did, the footage went out of hand. Former professional basketball player Charles Barkley addressed this fight during an episode of the NHL TNT Face-Off. However, instead of talking about the details of the fight, Barkley presented his qualm.

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“Are you serious?” Barkley exclaimed at Gretzky while he chuckled. The former basketball professional refused to believe that Gretzky lost at the hands of ‘a guy with a perm’. He referred to Broten’s chemically treated hair while invoking a round of laughter from all the panelists, including Gretzky. The analyst continued shaking his head as Gretzky confirmed he lost the physical fight.

Although the fight took place ages ago, it remains fresh among fans of the GOAT. While Gretzky has successfully set up a legacy of wins, this counts as one of his losses.

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