15 Biggest Political Power Plays By WWE Talents
14. Bret Hart Vs. Diesel - In Your House February '96
Not all backstage power plays are the products of vindictive plots or locker room sabotage. In the case of Bret Hart vs. Diesel at February '96 In Your House, it was simply two colleagues disagreeing on the finish.
In preparing for their steel cage clash later in the evening, Bret and Diesel were discussing the match's various spots when the topic of the finish was broached. Having just lost to The Undertaker via disqualification at the Royal Rumble in which Hart was seemingly defeated after taking the Tombstone, Bret did not want to be made to look weak in two consecutive pay-per-views. Diesel wanted to reverse the roles from the Royal Rumble, and make it appear like he'd have the match (and title) won when The Undertaker would interfere to cost Diesel the match. Specifically, Diesel wanted to hit Bret with the Jackknife Powerbomb and begin to exit the cage when The Undertaker, rising up from under the ring, would stop him.
Bret was adamantly against taking the Jackknife, much to Diesel and even The Undertaker's chagrin (according to Kevin Nash). After top executives deliberated, word came down that Bret would not be taking Diesel's finish. According to Nash, this was the final factor that led to him signing with WCW and exiting the WWF in May '96.