Wikipedia:Today's featured article/November 9, 2007



The Montreal Screwjob was the real-life double-crossing of Bret Hart, the defending WWF Champion of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) by WWF owner Vince McMahon during the professional wrestling pay-per-view event Survivor Series held on November 9, 1997. A secretive change of the match's pre-determined finish (known as a "screwjob" in professional wrestling parlance) was devised by McMahon and discussed with Hart's match opponent, Shawn Michaels. The match referee, Earl Hebner, under orders from McMahon, ended the match as Michaels held Hart in the sharpshooter submission hold (Hart's signature finishing move), even though Hart had not submitted, and declared Michaels the new WWF Champion as Hart and the audience were outraged. The screwjob was rooted in Hart's decision to leave the company for its chief competitor, World Championship Wrestling. The event led to the adoption in future matches and storylines of the WWF's Attitude Era and the creation of the widely popular character of the evil boss, "Mr. McMahon". Hart remained ostracized from WWF, while McMahon and Michaels continued to receive angry responses from audiences for many years. However, the relationship between Hart and McMahon healed to a great degree in recent years and culminated with Hart's induction in 2006 into the company's Hall of Fame. (more...)

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