The Montreal Screwjob at the 1997 Survivor Series PPV event was where Vince McMahon rang the bell while Shawn Michaels had Bret Hart in the Sharpshooter. This was done to have Michaels win the WWE Title as Hart was leaving for WCW.
During the latest “Monday Mailbag” on AdFreeShows, former WWE referee Mike Chioda shared the initial plan for the match before the screw job happened.
“It wasn’t going to be a referee swap,” Chioda said, correcting a previous account of the situation. “I go in, and Owen [Hart] was supposed to be right behind me. … I count ‘one, two,’ Owen’s right behind me, he picks me up by my belt and my shirt, throws me through the second rope.”
Chioda was supposed to be down for the count, while Michaels, attempting to pin Bret, would stand up and superkick Owen.
Chioda was supposed to replace Hebner after the referee was knocked out of commission and also taken out by Owen. Instead, Michaels placed Bret in his own finisher, the Sharpshooter.
Quotes via Wrestling Inc