The Montreal Screwjob involving Bret Hart and Vince McMahon in November 1997 was all about Bret signing a contract to go to WCW. He signed the contract while he was the WWE Champion. Bret didn't really want to leave WWE, but Vince told him he couldn't pay him anymore. With Bret having no other options, he signed with WCW because they paid him a huge deal for $3 million per year and he was gone. As most fans know, it was a difficult situation because Bret had issues with top challenger Shawn Michaels. Their personal issues were so bad that Bret didn't want to put Michaels over in Canada at Survivor Series 1997. Since Vince couldn't let his WWE Champion take the WCW Title to Nitro, he had to do something about it. Bret told Vince he wasn't going to do it, but Vince was worried because of the Madusa situation a few years earlier. That's why the Screwjob happened. Vince was worried about what might have taken place if he held the title past Survivor Series. Bret probably would have lost the WWE Title to somebody else at Survivor Series in Montreal or the next night in Ottawa as he suggested, but he was adamant that it had to be somebody other than Shawn. For whatever reason, Vince said it had to be Shawn. Bret Hart's last real match in WWE was a WWE World Title match at Survivor Series 1997. He lost without knowing the finish. A month later he was in WCW. That's a situation that will likely never be duplicated.
John wrote at WhatCulture from December 2013 to December 2015. It was fun, but it's over for now. Follow him on Twitter @johnreport. You can also send an email to mrjohncanton@gmail.com with any questions or comments as well.
