In pro wrestling, anything can happen. A wrestler can miss a move, get hurt, or just forget their lines. These mistakes can derail a story in front of millions of fans.
But on one fateful night in 1997, a disastrous, intentionally botched finish didn’t ruin the show. Instead, it gave birth to a character so despised, so powerful, and so real that he became the greatest villainous character that the industry has ever known: Mr. McMahon.
This is the story of how a real-life betrayal, a champion walking out, and a torn-up script created the ultimate villain and kicked off the hottest era in WWE history.
The Stage: A Champion’s Loyalty vs. A Boss’ Fear
The scene was Survivor Series, November 9, 1997, in Montreal. On one side stood Bret “The Hitman” Hart, the then-WWE Champion. He was a babyface and hero, a company loyalist, and a Canadian icon performing in his home country.
But behind the scenes, Hart was preparing to leave for the competition, World Championship Wrestling (WCW), after being unable to agree to a new WWE contract.
On the other side was Vince McMahon. To most fans at the time, he was just a lead announcer. In reality, he was the owner of WWE, and he was terrified.
His greatest fear was that his departing champion would show up on WCW television with the WWE Championship, a humiliating and unprecedented act.
Hart had promised this would not happen and agreed to lose the title later, but not in Montreal. Vince, however, wasn’t willing to take that chance.
The Moment the Script Was Torn: The “Montreal Screwjob”
The main event was set: Bret Hart vs. his real-life rival, Shawn Michaels. The planned finish was a disqualification, allowing Hart to retain the title and lose it gracefully at a later date. But Vince McMahon had a different plan.
In the match’s final moments, Michaels locked Hart in his own signature submission move, the Sharpshooter. Hart was fighting, not submitting.
But in a shocking turn of events, referee Earl Hebner, on direct orders from McMahon at ringside, called for the bell.
The match was over. Shawn Michaels was declared the new champion. The crowd, the announcers, and Bret Hart himself stood in stunned silence. This wasn’t the script. This was a real-life betrayal, a “botched finish” executed on purpose.
A furious Hart spit directly in McMahon’s face, the chaos spilling out of the ring and into reality. This moment would forever be known as the “Montreal Screwjob.”
The Backstage Confrontation: “I’m Going to Knock You Out”
The atmosphere in the locker room felt very tense. The Undertaker, who was there that night, said the seriousness of the situation was clear right away. Speaking on Six Feet Under with Mark Calaway, Undertaker explained:
“He [Bret] totally believed that Shawn was part of it…I was like, ‘Oh man, this is bad. This is bad.'” (Timestamp: 0:42-0:51)
Acting as the locker room leader, The Undertaker took it upon himself to ensure Vince McMahon faced Hart to explain himself. After clearing the room of anyone not directly involved, the confrontation took place.
As Vince tried to explain his actions, Bret Hart calmly interrupted him. The Undertaker recalled the chilling, matter-of-fact threat:
“[Bret is] getting undressed and he’s explaining to Vince that, ‘I’m going to take a shower, I’m going to get dressed, and if you’re here, I’m going to knock you out.’ Just very… wasn’t screaming, it was just very matter of fact. This is what’s going to happen.” (Timestamp: 2:10-2:18)
From Announcer to Antagonist: The Birth of “Mr. McMahon”
Before that night, Vince McMahon was the friendly voice of WWE. The week after, he embraced the audience’s hatred and transformed. In a now-infamous interview,
McMahon sat down with Jim Ross and, with a cold, defiant look in his eye, uttered the words that created a legend:
“The referee did not sc*ew Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels did not sc*ew Bret Hart, nor Vince McMahon sc*ew Bret Hart. I truly believe that Bret Hart sc*ewed Bret Hart.” (Timestamp: 0:59-1:10)
In that instant, the announcer was dead. In his place stood “Mr. McMahon,” the tyrannical, arrogant, billionaire boss who believed he was more important than any superstar.
The mix of reality and storyline made “Mr. McMahon” feel real, and every arrogant smile or harsh word made fans hate him even more.
The Perfect Rival: Why Mr. McMahon Was a Stroke of Genius
The timing of this transformation was everything. WWE’s roster had another rising star, a blue-collar, beer-drinking anti-hero who hated authority: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.
Mr. McMahon became the perfect corporate foil for Austin’s anti-authority rebels. Mr. McMahon’s character represented every single person who ever had a boss they hated.
The subsequent Austin vs. McMahon rivalry became the single most important and profitable storyline in wrestling history. It was a simple, relatable story: the ultimate working-class tough guy against the evil billionaire boss who would do anything to keep him down.
This narrative would not have been possible without the intense, genuine hatred fans already had for McMahon because of what he did to Bret Hart.
The Ripple Effect: A Legacy Born from Chaos
The Montreal Screwjob could have been a disaster for WWE. Instead, it was a stroke of unintentional genius. The botched finish didn’t just create WWE’s greatest villain; it provided the narrative foundation for the entire Attitude Era.
The heat from that single moment created the antagonist that fueled the hero, Stone Cold Steve Austin. That rivalry powered WWE to unprecedented heights, ultimately leading them to victory over WCW in the Monday Night War.
It’s a powerful lesson in the unpredictable magic of live entertainment: sometimes, the greatest stories aren’t the ones that are written, but the ones that are born from real, unscripted chaos.
