MONTREAL
Earlier in the week, WWE aired a Monday Night Wars episode white-washing the facts about the Montreal Screwjob. Dave Meltzer wrote a great article on it, here’s everything you need to know:
• Montreal refers to Survivor Series ’97 where, unknown to Bret Hart, Vince McMahon changed the finish of his match, so that he lost his WWF title to Shawn Michaels.
• In January ’97, Shawn faked his knee injury to avoid dropping the WWF title to Sid, not Bret. He returned without having surgery 2 months later.
• The contention came about as Shawn twice said that he wouldn’t put Bret over. This came shortly after Michaels changed the finish to win the European Title from Bulldog the day of the UK PPV, One Night Only.
• Bret agreed to drop the belt in the ring (as opposed to vacating it) – that’s just something WWE made up to justify screwing him.
• Hart had creative control in the last 30 days of his contract (i.e. both sides needed to agree on how he was booked/the finishes to his matches). Wins, losses and titles mattered much more in 1997, Bret especially. He’d lose the belt, but demanded it not happen in Montreal. He suggested other scenarios dropping the belt, including to Michaels at the December PPV.
• Before he went to the ring at the Survivor Series, Vince and Bret agreed on a DQ finish (audio footage is available on Wrestling with Shadows).
• WWE purport they “needed” to screw Bret, to stop him showing up with the WWF title on Nitro the next night. That’s complete horseshit. Bret still had 3 weeks left on his WWF contract after Montreal – it’s why he didn’t show up in WCW until mid-December. (Bischoff allowed that to extend to WWF’s December PPV for Bret to drop it there). Legal action was taken over Ric Flair doing such in 1991 and Madusa in 95. The legal backlash doing it in 97 after both of those incidents would’ve been tremendously expensive.
• Bret didn’t sue Vince over the screwjob (which was a breach of contract) because he punched Vince in the face (even breaking his knuckle!)…so neither sued.
• For the next 12 years, Bret would keep his grudge whilst WWE (and TNA) would rehash the screwjob finish into the ground.
• It’s worth noting that what Vince did ended up being best for business. Although WCW had no idea how to build off of Bret’s momentum, Vince was able to funnel this actual hatred into the incredible heel Mr. McMahon act, a perfect foil for newly crowned babyface, Stone Cold Steve Austin.
