This Week In WWE History (November 9th to November 15th): Vince McMahon betrays Bret Hart, The Rock wins his first World Championship
On the first edition of "This Week In WWE History", we take a look at the infamous Montreal Screwjob and the machinations behind it as well as The Rock's first world championship win We also take a look at the oft-forgotten surprise retirement of Jamie Noble, as well as Becky Lynch leading Team SmackDown on a raid of RAW ahead of Survivor Series 2018.
This was also the week we lost the late great Eddie Guerrero. Eddie was found dead in his hotel room on the morning of 13th November 2005 at the age of 38. Guerrero is still one of the most popular Superstars of the millennium.
He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame the following year. Despite his career being tragically cut short, he was already a world champion, a 2-time Intercontinental Champion as well as a 4-time Tag-Team Champion.
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Bloodied-up Becky Lynch leads the SmackDown women to war to RAW (12th November 2018)
A little over a year ago, Becky Lynch led the SmackDown women's roster in a raid of RAW ahead of Survivor Series. Lynch took out Ronda Rousey with a steel chair in the middle of the ruckus before we got that iconic shot of a bloodied up Becky Lynch standing in the crowd as the SmackDown Superstars made their way out of the arena.
Although the match with Rousey at Survivor Series had to be changed (Becky being replaced by Charlotte Flair), thanks to an errant punch from Nia Jax which left Lynch with facial injuries and a concussion, it led to 'The Man' main-eventing WrestleMania 35 along with Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair. Lynch left WrestleMania with both the RAW and SmackDown Women's Championships.
The Montreal Screwjob – November 9th, 1997
The Montreal Screwjob is one of the most controversial moments in the history of pro wrestling. The year was 1997 and Bret Hart was about to jump ship to WCW during the Monday Night Wars. Hart was WWF Champion at the time and refused to drop the title to Shawn Michaels on the way out, due to a long history of personal animosity between the two.
Even though Vince asked Bret to drop the title to Michaels at Survivor Series 1997, which was taking place in Canada, Bret refused, as he was wrestling in his home country. McMahon eventually agreed to let the match end in a DQ before Bret relinquished the title on the following night on RAW.
Backstage, ahead of Survivor Series, Shawn Michaels and Triple H convinced Vince McMahon to go through with a different kind of finish. As it happened, Bret was locked in a Sharpshooter during the match when referee Earl Hebner rang the bell, despite Hart not tapping out. Bret was visibly upset and even spat at Mr. McMahon on live PPV.
Speaking about the Montreal Screwjob in an interview with ESPN earlier this month, Michaels said that it was one of the most difficult days of his career:
"It's sort of a surreal moment. You made the decision, you've got everything set, and there's still a wrestling match. So you're out there doing your thing, which is again an unbelievably athletic, tough performance -- entertainment and being in character, and things of that nature. And then on top of that, on top of already concealing who you really are in just doing your job, you have to conceal from the person you're working with any hint of what may or may not happen."
Check out the full match below:
Jamie Noble retires – November 10th, 2009
Jamie Noble is one of the most underappreciated midcarders from the Ruthless Aggression Era. On the morning of November 10th, 2009, Jamie Noble suddenly announced his retirement from the ring due to niggling injuries. The announcement came just over a week after his match against Sheamus on Monday Night RAW.
Noble spoke to WWE.com and discussed the injury:
"When Sheamus powerbombed me on the floor, he compressed my neck and shoulders real bad. It always seems to be my neck. I'm laying here and I still have headaches, and the back of my skull is sore.
"Luckily, the doctors tell me I'm going to recover again. But I'm laying here thinkin' about how great my life is with my wife and my son. I'm thinkin', how many more times am I gonna be lucky enough to walk out of the hospital on my own? I'm thinkin' it might be time to hang up my tights and boots."
Noble has since transitioned into a backstage role in WWE as a producer and road agent. He was a part of Seth Rollins sceurity team in 2014, J&J Security, along with Joey Mercury.
Ted DiBiase wins back the Million Dollar title (11th November 1991)
Ted DiBiase took on his former man-servant Virgil at the Survivor Series Showdown event which was taped on 11th November 1991. Showdown aired on television 13 days later on 24th November 1991.
Virgil had won the Million Dollar Championship at SummerSlam 1991 in a singles match, after turning babyface earlier on in the year. In doing so, Virgil also became the only WWE Superstar other than the Million Dollar Man himself to win the Million Dollar Championship in a match.
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His reign didn't last long though, and Virgil lost the Million Dollar Championship to Ted DiBiase in the rematch at Survivor Series Showdown.
Virgil went on to be released by the then-WWF in 1994, although he did make a handful of appearances at house shows in 1995. DiBiase left the WWF in 1993 and wrestled a handful of matches in Japan before announcing his retirement due to injuries.
Both men went on to make runs in WCW later in the decade as part of the NWO.
The Rock wins Deadly Games to win the WWF Championship (15th November, Survivor Series 1998)
The 1998 Survivor Series PPV was based on the Deadly Games tournament for the WWF Championship. The night had 14 scheduled matches and the finals saw The Rock facing Mankind.
The Rock beat Big Boss Man, Ken Shamrock and The Undertaker to reach the final. The controversial finish to the match saw The Rock turn heel and beat Mankind after help from Vince McMahon.
Vince and Shane McMahon got into the ring and cut a promo about how they'd betrayed the people before The Rock hit Mankind with another Rock Bottom to add insult to injury. Stone Cold eventually chased them away before hitting Mankind with a Stone Cold Stunner to end the night.
This would eventually lead to the birth of the Corporation is this night propelled The Rock into being a main event talent and he's gone on to become one of the greatest of all time.
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Nishant Jayaram