Many believe it was real, lots refuse to bite and still believe it’s a work. The potential revolt was also quelled by Hart's counsel to wrestlers who asked him about boycotting Raw or leaving the company altogether. Specifically, Hart talked about who … Both Hart and the WWF saw the contract as an expression of mutual loyalty. Michaels decided to leave the Hall of Fame ceremony early to avoid a possible scene. The… "[78], In addition, Hart states in Hitman, that while conversing with Michaels: "I added, 'I also want you to know that I have no problem dropping the belt to you if that's what Vince wants.' The art of professional wrestling changed entirely, on the night of November 9, 1997, when The Montreal Screwjob took place. Mark Calaway, known in professional wrestling as The Undertaker, furious with McMahon, banged on the door. Michaels's entrance was greeted by loud booing and upon entering the ring, he proceeded to rub the Canadian flag against his crotch, picked his nose with it and later humped it—Michaels maintains that this flag desecration was actually suggested by Hart as an effective way to draw heat and emotion. 'Earl, I need you to listen to me very carefully.' Bret was pictured in the evening speaking to the likes of Kane, Daniel Bryan and Cena among others. "[62], Bret returned on the January 4, 2010 episode of Raw, and promptly called out Michaels in order to bury the hatchet. At the next night's Raw in Ottawa, Michaels appeared carrying the WWF title belt and performing a segment where he boasted before the audience of how he beat Hart with his own trademark move in his own country. The mixed signals and a war of words between Hart, McMahon, Michaels and WCW further heightened anticipation. "[57], However, in 2009 Bret Hart stated in an interview with Sky Sports that he will forgive Michaels, if Shawn apologizes first, saying "For me I don't really have much issue with it anymore. Later in the night, a storyline between Hart and McMahon began with the two appearing to have their own reconciliation only to have McMahon subsequently kick Hart in the gut: in real life, Hart and McMahon have been on slight speaking terms since 2002, when McMahon called Hart during his recovery from a stroke. Hart, Michaels, and McMahon came to an agreement where the Survivor Series match would end with a disqualification, which would result in Hart retaining the title. I can see why Bret is so brutally honest when it comes to the wrestling business ’cause after that, he didn’t want to be screwed over ever again like that. So, where do I stand? [8] McMahon sought to explain that Hart had been disregarding the company's interests. [8] In the hallway outside the dressing rooms, Hart's then-wife Julie angrily confronted Triple H and others about the finish, but was escorted away by Owen Hart. [8][25] However, according to Michaels's account of the events in his 2005 autobiography, Heartbreak and Triumph: The Shawn Michaels Story, Michaels himself informed Hebner of the plan only on Sunday evening, just as Survivor Series was about to commence. [8][34], An altercation ensued, with Hart giving McMahon a single punch, dropping him to the floor. as the match progressed.[8]. And I hope I never do... for his sake. McMahon then elbowed Yeaton hard and yelled, "Ring the fucking bell!" On episode 21 of Confessions Of The Hitman, two-time WWE Hall Of Famer Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart looked back on The Montreal Screwjob. 'What are we talking about, Shawn?' Michaels was then seen by many viewers as having glanced at Hebner as he put Hart in the sharpshooter, which some saw as proof that he was in on the scheme. McMahon opened and was told by Calaway he had to apologize to Hart. [8] As recounted in Michaels's autobiography, he was told by McMahon not to say anything about the screwjob to anybody, because McMahon needed to have everyone think that it was only him involved. Hart and Michaels had met with Pat Patterson to discuss the match setup and plan, during which Hart agreed to allow Michaels to put him into the Sharpshooter hold at a time when the referee would be unconscious, as Patterson suggested.[24]. There is some belief that at this meeting McMahon proposed the idea of the finish to whoever of that group wasn't already in on it. [52][53], Hart's refusal to lose to Michaels in Montreal has been criticized by others such as Ric Flair, who asserted that it was Hart's responsibility to drop the title belt of a company he was leaving[54] (Flair himself was WCW World Heavyweight Champion when he left the company and signed with the WWF in 1991, even appearing on television with the NWA/WCW belt, but also dropped the WWF Championship to Hart on October 12, 1992 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan at a house show). Well, though we still believe that everything happened for real, here are some reasons why Montreal Screwjob might’ve been the biggest work in wrestling history. At this point, the match director was heard shouting instructions into his headset for Hebner to get up, but Hart did not notice anything amiss. Jim Ross has insisted that he did not know the screwjob would take place, although many, including various members of Hart's family, thought he was involved. [26] This contradicted what Hebner said on a 2003 edition of WWE Confidential, claiming that he first knew of McMahon's plan only ten minutes before the match finished, and out of panic following the bell ringing, he ran out of the ring and through the crowd, after which he remained in his hotel room for the night, refusing to speak to anyone. "[29] After an initial moment of shock, Hart got to his feet, approached the apron where McMahon was standing and spat directly in his face, while Michaels feigned confusion. [24] McMahon had a black eye and a sprained ankle, which according to Bret Hart, was a result of his punch lifting Vince off the floor and Vince rolling his ankle once he landed. "[100] The Pro Wrestling Torch reported that, outside of the business, "many wrestling fans" believe the screwjob to have been a work. Michaels offered his assurance that he would not carry the title belt out the next day on Raw and would refuse to say anything derogatory about Hart, Hart states in his autobiography that Undertaker and many wrestlers in the back supported him and it would have become mutiny. [27] The palpable anger of the fans was converted into raucous cheering as Hart entered the ring carrying the Canadian flag and wearing the championship belt. Just as The Rock put the Sharpshooter hold on Mankind, McMahon called for the bell to be rung, even though Mankind did not submit. After a show in San Jose, California on October 12, 1997, Hart claimed he spoke to Michaels about being professional and trusting one another in the ring; Hart allegedly said he would have no problem losing to Michaels if McMahon requested. [11] This led to Hart's outright refusal to lose the WWF Championship to Michaels at the pay-per-view event in Montreal, although in Hart's documentary, Hart states to McMahon that he would happily drop the belt but not in Canada. Yes, the promoter screwing a wrestler was not a good thing for all the superstars on the roster but that’s because they weren’t in on the whole scam. The Montreal Screwjob is regarded as WWE's most bitter and controversial scandal ever. It is perhaps the most controversial match in the history of the WWF, with the effects of its outcome being felt for over a decade later due to its notoriety and the infamous legacy it left in the company. [8], While much of the live Montreal audience immediately understood what had happened and responded angrily, television viewers had been left largely confused as Jim Ross promptly wrapped up the event on commentary and Survivor Series went off the air four minutes ahead of schedule with the parting image of Michaels holding the belt aloft as he disappeared backstage. After dropping the WWF title to Austin at WrestleMania XIV in 1998, Michaels was forced into retirement for four years due to a serious back injury. Shawn Michaels took on Bret "The Hit Man" Hart at Survivor Series in Montreal. While many cast doubts on the sincerity of their reconciliation, Hart has confirmed that it was indeed genuine, as did Michaels,[5] and acknowledged that he felt that Michaels changed as a person, for the better. By refusing to drop the title in Montreal, McMahon claimed Hart was jeopardizing the company's future by creating a potentially embarrassing situation that could affect its fortunes. 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