Throughout 1997, Bret Hart tweaked his on screen character brilliantly. A beloved hero in his native Canada, the 'Hitman' was a hated heel in North America. It was one of the most unique gimmicks of all time, and worked an absolute treat. Capturing the WWF Title from The Undertaker at SummerSlam, Hart was the hottest thing going in the entire WWF product. Unfortunately for both he and the company, Bret's contract was running out. WCW was fast becoming his most likely destination, so Vince McMahon naturally wanted the Canadian star to drop the WWF Heavyweight Title before he left. The 'Montreal Screwjob' - as it has become known - at the 1997 Survivor Series was a direct consequence of Bret's refusal to lose the title in his homeland. Oddly feeling his star would be shattered if he did so, Hart was also none too pleased about the prospect of losing the gold to Shawn Michaels. The pair were bitter rivals, so Bret turned down the idea that he drop the WWF Title to Michaels in Canada. Vince McMahon and Michaels should be ashamed for conspiring to steal the strap away from Bret, but Hart's ego made things unbelievably more difficult than they otherwise should have been.
Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.
