BRET HART has described the infamous Montreal Screwjob as his “finest hour”.
After being cheated out of his WWF championship in a real-life double cross, Hart is said to have punched company owner Vince McMahon during a dressing-room bust-up.
The fall-out from that night in November 1997 resulted in the Hitman having nothing to do with the wrestling company until 2005, when he collaborated on a DVD release.
He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame the following year and in January 2010 the Canadian appeared in front of a live WWE crowd for the first time in over 12 years.
But returning to the scene of the crime, so to speak, last Monday was different. Montreal means so much in wrestling — and the name Bret Hart still means everything in Montreal.
Revealing all to SunSport: Hart said: “It was a big night. I knew it was going to be, because any time I’ve gone back to Montreal for anything, it’s always been emotional.
“It was fitting, going full circle. I think it was important to do. I think it was more important than WWE or anyone realised.
“I think when they called me it was more to be there for Pat Patterson Appreciation Night than anything else — I love Pat and I’m a big fan of his — but it had more significance to me than that.
“The Montreal Screwjob was a famous, historical meltdown that in a lot of ways was my finest hour.
“WWE failed me on that day and buried the knife as far as they could. I think the little fisticuffs that happened afterwards with Vince was my finest hour.
“It’s not so much the physicality of it, but more that I stood my ground as a Canadian and as a professional.
“That reaction from the fans told me that I did do the right thing. These people wouldn’t feel the way they do right now and have that emotion 15 years later if I had done the wrong thing that day.”
Hart, opening the show in Montreal, was awarded a lengthy standing ovation.
He thanked the crowd and went on to have gripping exchanges on the show with John Cena and CM Punk, who meet at Night of Champions this Sunday.
The 55-year-old former grappler said: “Even when they called me late in the week it was still just to come to the thing for Pat.
“I kind of had to tell them that whatever happened I was coming to say something to my fanbase. If they didn’t want me doing that, I didn’t really care to go.
“They called me back and were kind of like ‘OK, you can say a couple of words to the crowd’.
“I don’t think they thought it would get the reaction that it did. I think they thought it wouldn’t be a big deal. As you can see, I had a better feel for how that audience was going to react.
“But I’m grateful to WWE for it. It was really satisfying.”
It was clear from Hart’s performance, and his words after the event, that being a part of an important angle with Cena and Punk, arguably WWE’s two standout performers of the present day, meant much to him.
Punk, speaking to SunSport earlier this week, told us it was an ‘honour’ to work with such a wrestling legend.
Hart responded: “And vice versa. I have a lot of respect for both of those wrestlers.
“I take pride in being in the ring with two excellent champions. I know that Cena was a lot of detractors, but I’m very proud of him, he’s a good hero.
“I admire Punk’s wrestling skills, his abilities, and whenever I get a moment to be in the ring with any of these guys, it’s a nice feeling for me.
“I’ll cherish the moment. I’m always grateful for any kind of moment that keeps my memories alive and gives me a little taste of the excitement I used to get all the time.”
Monday’s Raw, after the momentous return of the Hitman to Montreal, unfortunately took a sour turn as legendary wrestler and announcer Jerry The King Lawler suffered a heart attack while commentating.
The show continued, largely without commentary, as Lawler was revived and whisked to a hospital, where thankfully he has started to make a positive recovery. WWE have been commended in their swift actions to aid Lawler.
Hart said: “It was a very dark moment. It had that eerie Owen Hart, live television feel where you thought, ‘What do you do?’.
“But in this case I tip my hat to WWE and Michael Cole. They did a great job of handling the whole thing.
“I thought the professionalism was on all levels. Oddly enough, if Jerry had had that heart attack anywhere else, he may not have made it.
“Because he had it right there at ringside, they had paramedics right there and they got to him right away.
“We almost lost Jerry. Maybe with WWE having gone through this situation with Owen, they were on top of it this time.
“They got Jerry back, got him the medical attention they needed and they saved his life.
“If anything I welcomed the little bit I had with Cena and Punk at the end of the show. It was a welcome distraction from it all.
“It took my mind off Jerry. I was very concerned and devastated by the whole thing, but I had forgotten about it for a few minutes.
“Jerry was in my thoughts the whole time, but it was nice to turn it off and know that in doing so all the right things were being done for him.
“I think we even knew when we went out there that his heartbeat had been restored and things were looking better. Things weren’t so dim.”
UK fans will get a chance to match the reception given by their Montreal counterparts when Hart visits London this winter for an Evening with Bret Hart at the May Fair Hotel.
Those attending will be treated to a special screening of some of Hart’s finest career moments, his own personal commentary and a Q&A session with the man himself.
He said: “I’m looking forward to it,” said Bret. I’ve got some great fans around the world, as we saw in Montreal, but London doesn’t have to take a back seat to anybody.
“To come to London and get a chance to speak one-on-one with them and answer questions and just have those moments with wrestling fans is never a chore.
“I just hope they’ll come out. I’ll answer questions on anything they want to talk about.
“I know that in England they are real fans and really understand wrestling. They’ve always been special to me.”
Originally Posted by Charlie the Gooner
so true.
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