10 WWE Champions That Completely Buried Their Challengers
3. Shawn Michaels (Challenger: Bret Hart)
Multiple accounts of the legendary discord between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels speak to a controversial backstage moment in which 'The Hitman' cashed out some pride (ahead of cashing in with a huge WCW deal) and agreed to put over 'The Heartbreak Kid' at some point in the future. Every the prime pr*ck at the time, Shawn flatly refused to do the same.
It was a jaw-dropping moment of caustic honesty from a man riddled with as much locker room toxicity as he had flowing through his bloodstream thanks to spiralling addiction troubles, but it was one of several flash-points that ultimately led to the infamous Montreal Screwjob in November 1997.
Another was Michaels' knee injury early that year - an allegedly faked knock that removed him from WrestleMania plans that included looking at the lights for Hart in recompense for their Iron Man WWE Title switch a year prior. Not that he was laying down for anybody that year - 'HBK' only hit the deck once in 1997 as it was (for Triple H in their infamous December European Championship p*ss-take), but it was always Hart who suffered the most from his selfishness.