This was yet another Bret Hart feud that saw people change their allegiances, going from being hardcore Bret fans to cheering for the person he was facing off against, thanks to the "Old School VS New School" vibe. Michaels was just about everything Bret wasn't... cocky, arrogant, a trash-talker, seemed to have no respect for anyone or anything, and also seemed to play to the women in the crowd. Even with that, their feud had a very old school feel to it, as they were feuding over respect. It didn't need anything extra, or unnecessary story additions. Bret simply didn't like Shawn because he viewed him as disrespectful, which only made Michaels amp his act up in an attempt to further piss the "Hitman" off. Their Ironman Match at WrestleMania remains an absolute clinic, although some still feel the match was too "slow". Of course, all anyone can talk about when it comes to Michaels VS Hart is their match at Survivor Series 1997, forever known as the "Montreal Screwjob". Whether you believe it was a work or a shoot, it will be one of the most talked-about nights in wrestling history, with people strongly taking sides on who they think was "right" or "wrong", and how the entire thing was handled. It helped to turn Michaels into an even bigger heel, and it turned Vince McMahon into "Mr. McMahon", which was one of the best things to ever happen to the company from an entertainment standpoint. That alone should give this feud a high ranking.
Columnist/Podcaster/Director at LordsOfPain.net for nearly seven years, with nearly 2000 total columns written. Interviewed and/or involved in interviewing the likes of Tyler Black/Seth Rollins (twice), Diamond Dallas Page, Jimmy Jacobs, Christopher Daniels, Uhaa Nation and more.
