12 WWE Flashpoints That Led To The Montreal Screwjob

2. Hart's Refusal To Job

Giving back to the industry that made you by doing a time-honored tradition such as dropping the WWE Championship on your way out the door is a concept Bret Hart was incredibly familiar with given his upbringing in the professional wrestling business. Why, then, was he so against doing the job for Michaels? Because of Michaels' refusal to do the same for him, which we discussed earlier. It was the spark that ignited a fire and caused Hart to volunteer to drop the title to anyone from Ken Shamrock to the Brooklyn Brawler, as long as it was not Michaels. He flat refused and would not walk out the door leaving the title he carried with such pride and respect around the waist of someone as selfish and disrespectful as HBK. While many see his side in the argument, that does not mean Hart was in the right. Regardless of his personal feelings about Michaels, his upbringing in the industry should have led him to do business. Sure, he offered to drop it to others but McMahon, the man who gave him the opportunity to be the star that he became, asked him to do the favor for Michaels. As history indicates, karma was going to kick ol' HBK in the ass eventually anyway so doing the job and going out with his head held high would have been a much better and more fitting conclusion to the career of one of wrestling's least selfish performers. Instead, he left disgraced and bitter.