10 Times WWE Tried To Recapture The Magic (And Failed)
7. Any Recreation Of The Montreal Screwjob
Sticking with Shawn Michaels for one more entry, The Montreal Screwjob was a momentous day for professional wrestling and WWE as a whole. It birthed the Mr McMahon character, began the breakdown of on-screen kayfabe, and set the groundwork for the Attitude Era to change the game in the Monday Night Wars. You may have heard about this match before.
It took precisely one year for the Screwjob to be repeated. At the next Survivor Series, The Rock aligned himself with the evil Mr McMahon, going on a tear and actually benefiting immensely from the heel turn offered by the replicated finish. From then on, things got sillier and more tiresome by the year.
Anything featuring Shawn Michaels? Screwjob. Bret Hart is involved? Screwjob. An event in Montreal? Natalya, she's related to Bret, right? You get the idea. The raw nature of the original was so real, and the atmosphere and legacy so etched into every fan's mind, that any attempt at recreation falls flat and feels forced. The bit needs to be retired: this is one that can never be redone well, even if they legit shoot on somebody.