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Shawn Michaels recently discussed the role he played in the controversial Montreal Screwjob incident at WWE Survivor Series 1997.
Michaels defeated WCW-bound Bret Hart in the main event to win the WWE Championship. Hart thought the match was going to end in disqualification, meaning he would retain the title. However, Vince McMahon ordered referee Earl Hebner to award the win to Michaels when he locked his opponent in the sharpshooter.
The Heartbreak Kid was one of the few people who knew before the match that McMahon changed the finish without informing Hart. Speaking on the “True Geordie Podcast,” he opened up about having to keep the match outcome a secret backstage.
“That’s the part that sucked the most, to be perfectly honest, especially at that time,” Michaels said. “I felt so much better being able to say, ‘Yes, I knew.’ That honestly, in the long run, became the hardest and the biggest burden because what we have in there, no matter what you may feel about somebody personally, there’s a trust there that we have with one another every night that we go out there.” [10:57-11:30]
Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels famously disliked each other behind the scenes. The Hitman refused to lose against his long-term rival in his home country of Canada, hence why McMahon felt he needed to change the finish.
The then-WWE Chairman also had concerns that Hart might appear on WCW television with the WWE Championship.
Shawn Michaels’ biggest fear after the Montreal Screwjob
It is well known that Shawn Michaels could be difficult to deal with in the 1990s due to his arrogant attitude. Despite that, he was still widely regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers ever by his peers.
At the time, he feared the Montreal Screwjob could lead to superstars no longer trusting him in the ring.
“I knew that was obviously gonna damage that [trust of other superstars],” Michaels continued. “There might have been a lot of people that disliked me, but there wasn’t anybody that did not enjoy being in the ring with me. And that, as I’ve told people on many occasions, that was the hardest part, honestly, is losing what I felt like would be that trust with the other guys.” [11:35-12:02]
Almost 25 years on, Hart and Michaels are now on good terms. Their rivalry is set to be the subject of an upcoming A&E documentary.
Please credit the “True Geordie Podcast” and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.
