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WWE veteran Vince Russo recently blasted all the fans and "marks" who still believe the infamous Montreal Screwjob at Survivor Series 1997 was a "work."
At the aforementioned premium live event, Bret Hart defended his coveted WWE Championship against his arch-nemesis Shawn Michaels. The situation heading into the show was murky, as Hart was on his way out of the company but didn't want to lose his title in front of his hometown crowd in Montreal.
Things took a turn for the worse during the match when Michaels locked Hart in a Sharpshooter, with the referee calling for the bell, despite Hart not tapping out. The Heartbreak Kid was adjudged the winner of the bout and the new WWE Champion, leaving The Hitman stunned at the shocking turn of events.
Speaking on Sportskeeda Wrestling's The Wrestling Outlaws, Vince Russo, who was at the time a part of WWE's creative team, insisted it was an unscripted moment and not a "work." The wrestling veteran added that it made him sick to see many fans still claim the Montreal Screwjob was an elaborate work.
"This is the one thing that gets me sick. This is where so many marks and dirt sheets; they are such frickin' morons. What drives me crazy is, Chris, 25 years later, you've still got people saying it was a work. My question is simple - Why would we be working you 25 years after? If it was a work, 25 years later, we would say it was a work! That's the part that drives me crazy because I wish it was a work, bro!" said Vince Russo.
Russo added everything about that night in Montreal and how it transpired "sucked." The former WWE writer noted that the developments in the subsequent weeks also left a sour taste in his mouth.
"That night sucked, bro! And the weeks that followed sucked! The way things went down sucked. It just drives me nuts that you got that part of the audience that still say it's a work," added Russo. (2:37 - 3:35)
Check out the video below:
WWE legend Shawn Michaels on his relationship with Bret Hart after the Montreal Screwjob
As the saying goes, time heals all wounds; Michaels and Hart have also seen their relationship develop into a mutually respectful one. In a recent interview, Shawn Michaels revealed that he now shares a great equation with Bret Hart.
The WWE Hall of Famer added that he and The Hitman are currently doing great in life and that the latter has a "calming presence" about him.
"We saw each other at WrestleMania, and it was unbelievably nice, very pleasant. We are both in a great place in my life. I think he knows how important it is for us to be where we're at. Bret always had a very calming presence about him, and he always pats me on the shoulder and very quietly says, 'We're good, Shawn, we're good.' And I know that he means that," said Shawn Michaels.
Considering just how fascinating the Montreal Screwjob is, it's no surprise that fans continue to debate about it even 25 years down the line.
Do you think the Montreal Screwjob was, after all, a work? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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