'%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)
Former WWE producer and wrestler Steve Lombardi, aka The Brooklyn Brawler, recently recalled what happened when Bret Hart fought Shawn Michaels backstage.
Hart and Michaels disliked each other in real life at the height of their on-screen rivalry in 1996 and 1997. The WrestleMania 12 main event opponents once legitimately tried to fight behind the scenes at a WWE event, prompting Lombardi to get involved.
In an interview with James Romero of WSI, the 62-year-old said Hart and Michaels could hardly move due to the small amount of space backstage:
"I'm the actual one who came out and told the agents that Bret and Shawn are going at it," Lombardi stated. "The funny thing about it is they were in the shower. They both grabbed each other's hair because they both had long hair, so they were stagnant. They really couldn't do anything because they can't go nowhere because they're holding their hair, but they hated each other." [8:54 – 9:20]
Hart famously refused to lose against Michaels at Survivor Series 1997, leading to the Montreal Screwjob incident. The latter confirmed in 2022 that he was now good friends with his former rival.
Steve Lombardi on Bret Hart's in-ring style
Many fans and wrestlers view Bret Hart as one of the most talented in-ring performers of all time. Steve Lombardi crossed paths with The Hitman more than a dozen times between 1984 and 1993.
Lombardi never had any issues working with Hart, but he always knew he had been in a battle after their matches:
"Bret Hart worked snug. I won't call it stiff, but when he kicked you in the stomach, he kicked you in the stomach. It hurt. But he wasn't reckless, he wasn't dangerous." [3:03 – 3:14]
One of their most notable encounters occurred on December 13, 1993, when Hart defeated Lombardi in a four-minute match on RAW.
What do you make of Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels' real-life feud? Let us know in the comments section below.
Please credit WSI and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.
