Inside Wrestling’s Most Explosive Rivalry: Pat Patterson Nearly Fought Bret Hart Over Montreal Screwjob
In the storied world of expert wrestling, few moments have generated as lots controversy and enduring tension because the Montreal Screwjob. The past due WWE Hall of Famer Pat Patterson lately stated his harrowing studies surrounding this occasion, revealing the depth of animosity that nearly led to a physical altercation with Bret Hart.
During an Inside the Ropes live event in 2018, Patterson opened up about the tumultuous aftermath of the 1997 Survivor Series suit among Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. As the agent for the match, Patterson changed into thrust into the heart of considered one of wrestling’s maximum infamous nights. The surroundings, he described, was thick with tension even before the healthy began.
“The day of Montreal, I couldn’t have a conversation with Bret, I couldn’t have a conversation with Shawn. I said to Shawn, ‘You doing okay? You feel alright with the match?’ [Shawn said] ‘Fuck you, we’ll see what happens,’” Patterson recounted.
The match culminated in a shocking and controversial conclusion where Shawn Michaels was declared the winner, and the WWE Championship was handed to him under dubious circumstances. Hart, who had not actually submitted to Michaels’ Sharpshooter, was left seething with anger. This decision, orchestrated by WWE management, ignited a firestorm backstage, with Patterson caught in the crossfire.
“I said, ‘Bret, I want you to know I had nothing to do with this.’ I was shocked, I could not believe what took place,” Patterson recalled, his voice tinged with the raw emotion of the memory.
Despite Patterson’s protestations, Hart remained unconvinced and harbored resentment for years. This unresolved tension simmered until it finally boiled over years later in Las Vegas. Patterson, weary of the lingering hostility, decided to confront Hart directly.
“I grabbed him one time in Vegas and I said, ‘I’ve had enough. If I’ve got to kick the shit out of you or fight with you, are you gonna shake my hand, you fucking idiot?’” Patterson recounted, his frustration palpable.
The confrontation, charged with years of built-up animosity, surprisingly ended on a conciliatory note. After the heated exchange, the two wrestling legends finally shook hands and embraced, marking a long-awaited resolution to their feud.
“And we finally shook hands and I hugged him. That made me feel good,” Patterson said, a sense of relief evident in his tone.
This emotional reconciliation highlights the acute, private stakes worried in expert wrestling’s maximum famous backstage incidents. The Montreal Screwjob stays a pivotal second in WWE history, no longer just for its instantaneous effect, however for the deep-seated rivalries and eventual reconciliations it engendered.
In a related revelation, former WWE famous person Steve Lombardi, better called The Brooklyn Brawler, shared any other intriguing piece of the 1997 saga. Lombardi claimed that Bret Hart had offered to drop the WWE Championship to him instead of Shawn Michaels earlier than his departure to WCW. Hart’s notion, but, was dismissed via Vince McMahon, who remained steadfast in his controversial choice.
These in the back of-the-scenes stories shed light at the complicated, regularly risky relationships that form the sector of expert wrestling. The Montreal Screwjob, with its combination of actual-lifestyles anxiety and scripted drama, keeps to captivate lovers and insiders alike, a testomony to the enduring legacy of those who lived through it.
H/t to ITRWrestling.com
