10 Fascinating WWE Survivor Series 1997 Facts

7. Two Very Different People Suggested The Screwjob

vince mcmahon black eye
WWE

Four days before Survivor Series, McMahon met with members of his inner circle at his palatial compound. By this time, neither Hart or Michaels was willing to budge on the finish, leaving McMahon in a serious bind, which McMahon relayed to his officers.

Just as frustrated as Vince was, an irritated Jim Cornette blurted out the extreme possibility of forcibly taking the belt off of Hart. Cornette's reasoning to Vince was, "It's your f--king belt." By Cornette's admission, it mostly just an off-hand suggestion, but one borne when no other option seemed feasible.

Later that very day, McMahon took a call with both Michaels and Triple H, and informed them that Hart still was refusing to lose. It was Helmsley who spoke up angrily, saying that if Hart didn't wanna do business, then, "we need to do business for him." Two opposites like Cornette and Triple H, unknowingly, both influenced McMahon with the same general idea.

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Justin has been a wrestling fan since 1989, and has been writing about it since 2009. Since 2014, Justin has been a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine. Justin also writes for History of Wrestling, and is a contributing author to James Dixon's Titan series.