Montreal Screwjob

BitFlip

BitFlip

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So uncle Chael made a video about Dark Side of the Ring: the Montreal Screwjob a while back and that sent me down a rabbit hole about this and just wrestling documentaries in general (I used to love watching wrestling as a kid).

There were a couple of things about this that didn't add up. Bret saying he knocked McMahon out cold with an uppercut that hits his eye, to me that gave it away right there, that's not possible; you can land on the eye of course if he's pulling Vince's head down enough, but good luck knocking anyone out like that.

The only one I figured was not in on it and really got "screwed" was Earl Hebner the referee, so I thought I'd google him and found this:

http://www.prowrestlingsheet.com/earl-hebner-montreal-screwjob/

Turns out he believes Bret was in on it too. He is flipflopping a little bit though in the audio clip on the site.

Now there might be something I'm missing since I haven't looked into this that much and I also did not watch wrestling at the time that all this went down; is there something that's in favor of him not being in on it?

Here's Chael's video about it, he doesn't believe Bret is in on it. But he mentions some inconsistencies.

 
The right thing to do was for Bret to drop the belt, but the Screwjob was the best case scenario. Shawn got the belt, Bret saved face because it wasn't a clean win. That's pretty much the best way to drop a belt before going to another promotion.

My opinion is that Bret wasn't in on it, but the ending was perfect, even for him. It's so perfect that I can't say for sure he wasn't in on it.

The uppercut thing might be taking Bret at his word too much. Bret Hart isn't a trained boxer and it was probably more natural for him to throw a fake punch than a real punch at the time. CM Punk said that his first instincts were to throw punches with pro wrestling technique in the gym when he started training and that he had to unlearn it. Maybe Bret's uppercut technique is just that bad that he hit Vince in the eye with some weird trajectory at range. He may have knocked Vince down and thought that he knocked him out.
 
You're right. I think Bret believes what he is saying and that Vince went down or sold it as such, never being knocked out though.

I rewatched Wrestling with Shadows, I hadn't seen it since 2004. I don't think there is any chance he would involve his wife and his father in this if he was in on it. His wife suspected it and it's weird that his spidey sense didn't go off about the finisher that late in the match, but I would believe someone too that swore on their children. Probably shouldn't if you are in a cutthroat business though.

The screwjob was his hero push, too bad it doesn't seem to have gone that well in WCW. He still seemed to be in his wrestling prime, everything would have been better if he stayed in WWE I believe. And of course if you're leaving you have to drop the belt when told to.
 
Whatever Bret says is the truth and 100% accurate. If you don’t believe me, just ask him. He’ll tell you he’s right.
 
I used to think it was a shoot but now I think it’s a work.
 
Rex Luger said:
I used to think it was a shoot but now I think it’s a work.
Click to expand...

What are the things that make you think that? What changed your mind? If it is a work that makes it even better I think, but could they keep it up for all that time? Do you think the plan was to return to WWE after the contract was up? Returning and fighting McMahon, people would have wanted to see that even if his run in WCW was lackluster... right?
 
Bret screwed Bret.
Seriesscrewjob.jpg
 
Amazing how we're still talking about it over two decades after it happened.
 
GearSolidMetal said:
Amazing how we're still talking about it over two decades after it happened.
Click to expand...

I think that's because it's a mystery... but there is no mystery left for me.

Well, except for Vince letting him go, how did that happen, that has to be one of the worst decisions he ever made in his life. Hitman absolutely seemed to peek around that time. The heel turn was funny as hell, all of a sudden he could even do a good promo.
 
BitFlip said:
I think that's because it's a mystery... but there is no mystery left for me.

Well, except for Vince letting him go, how did that happen, that has to be one of the worst decisions he ever made in his life. Hitman absolutely seemed to peek around that time. The heel turn was funny as hell, all of a sudden he could even do a good promo.
Click to expand...

The very day of the event, he may have thought it was the worst decision but 6 months after the fact I’m sure he asked himself “Bret who?”
 
Story has been consistent for 20yrs..... you don't think Vince would have owned that if he got the whole world to believe a work?
 
tec87 said:
The very day of the event, he may have thought it was the worst decision but 6 months after the fact I’m sure he asked himself “Bret who?”
Click to expand...

Even if people liked Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels more, none of them ever had a better match then they did with Bret Hart. And he can have a good match with just about anyone. He was good as a heel. Why let one of your absolute top talent go to another promotion... just give him enough money to stay, he didnt' have to match WCW even. Bret Hart could have had great matches with all the new talent that followed in the attitude era. Absolutely the worst business move in wrestling history.
 
BitFlip said:
Even if people liked Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels more, none of them ever had a better match then they did with Bret Hart. And he can have a good match with just about anyone. He was good as a heel. Why let one of your absolute top talent go to another promotion... just give him enough money to stay, he didnt' have to match WCW even. Bret Hart could have had great matches with all the new talent that followed in the attitude era. Absolutely the worst business move in wrestling history.
Click to expand...
really hard to say that when the biggest boom period and truck loads of cash showed up for Vince right after this. If Bret stayed, there’s no Mr. McMahon, Austin doesn’t reach the moon, etc. the wwe had more success after Bret left than they would have had with him had he stayed.
 
tec87 said:
really hard to say that when the biggest boom period and truck loads of cash showed up for Vince right after this. If Bret stayed, there’s no Mr. McMahon, Austin doesn’t reach the moon, etc. the wwe had more success after Bret left than they would have had with him had he stayed.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's true. If only they had sacrificed someone else to create that character. That must have been possible and still get the same results.
 
Adults still thinking it was a shoot.

<{MingNope}>
 
If it was a work, it was the greatest work in the history of the business.
 
It was the absolute best way for Bret to leave, why would he be upset about it? How many guys get to walk out looking strong as fuck like that?
 
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