Ex-WWE employee feels he would have sided with Vince McMahon during "The Montreal Screwjob" (Exclusive)
Former WWE referee Jack Doan recently spoke about The Montreal Screwjob and what he would have done if he had been in Earl Hebner's position.
The Montreal Screwjob happened at Survivor Series 1997 in a match between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. Hart was the WWE Champion then and had already signed a contract with WCW. However, due to their real-life heat, the Canadian star was unwilling to drop the title to Michaels in front of his home crowd. Hence, Vince McMahon took it upon himself to end the match prematurely and award the title to HBK.
On this week's UnSKripted podcast, Doan mentioned that he had immense respect for The Hitman but would have listened to McMahon since he signed his paychecks.
"Bret Hart was leaving for I don't know how many millions of dollars. You don't do your job and I lose my job. I can't support my family, I can't support myself. Yeah, I would've done what Vince asked me to do. I got to be secure. Bret is not gonna cut me a million dollars to give him a heads-up."
He detailed that Hart was already on his way to WCW and WWE needed to keep fighting to stay in business.
"I don't mean that disrespectfully because I love Bret. I thought Bret always was a professional. Professional in the locker room, very professional in the ring. You have a job to do. He was leaving for a big contract." [27:07 - 27:55]
You can watch the full episode here:
The Montreal Screwjob cemented the Mr. McMahon character in WWE
While Vince McMahon had been appearing on WWE TV throughout the '90s, The Montreal Screwjob brought him to the forefront of the company's programming.
Since Bret Hart was a beloved superstar, fans immediately turned hostile, and Mr. McMahon became the biggest heel in the company overnight. This angle paved the way for his storyline with another fan favorite, Stone Cold Steve Austin. Their rivalry later proved to be one of the most profitable periods for the company.
25 years ago today, the Montreal Screwjob took place https://t.co/1ZEP6RwXWi
What do you think of The Montreal Screwjob? Was it a work or shoot? Sound off in the comments section below.
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