Bret Hart: I Wish I Wouldn’t Have Left For WCW, I Probably Wouldn’t Have Had To Wrestle Goldberg

Bret Hart is glad he mended fences with Shawn Michaels. 

At Survivor Series 1997, the infamous Montreal Screwjob happened with Vince McMahon forcing the timekeeper to ring the bell as Shawn Michaels had Bret Hart in the sharpshooter during the WWF Championship bout, awarding Michaels the victory. 

Michaels and Hart had a contentious relationship over the years and Hart didn’t want to lose the title to Michaels in Montreal, but was willing to drop the title at a later date before going to WCW. Due to fear on McMahon’s part that Hart would leave with the title, he orchestrated the Screwjob. 

As time passed, the wounds healed with Hart returning to the WWE in 2005, patching things up with McMahon and eventually Michaels. 

Speaking to The Ringer, Hart discussed when he decided to let bygones be bygones with Michaels. 

“We had our issues over the years,” said Hart. “But I watched Undertaker and Shawn Michaels wrestle at one of the WrestleManias. Even then, I had such a bitterness towards Shawn, but I had to admit it was one of the greatest matches I ever watched. That’s where I ended up deciding to make friends with Shawn and bury the hatchet and all that. It was very truthful, that little story line with me and Vince and Shawn. Me and Shawn making up in the ring (in 2010) and shaking hands and all that, that was all very real and very moving for me. And was not something that was orchestrated. Shawn wanted that off his back and I was in a position to take it off his back and that was the best resolution for both of us. We’ve been friends ever since. And I’m grateful that he’s in a better place today. I wish that none of the bad history that we had had ever happened. I wished I’d never left for WCW because I probably wouldn’t have had a stroke and I probably wouldn’t have had to wrestle Bill Goldberg.”

Hart’s in-ring career was effectively over at the end of 1999 when he was kicked in the head by Goldberg at WCW Starrcade. Though Hart would wrestling a handful of matches in early 2000 and return in 2010 for matches in WWE, the kick caused concussion issues that plagued him.

While making the media rounds for the Montreal Screwjob anniversary, Hart discussed the original plans for the Survivor Series match. Fans can read his comments by clicking here.