Bret Hart Admits He Still Wants to Punch Triple H Over the Montreal Screwjob

Even after 28 years removed from the infamous Montreal Screwjob in 1997, Bret Hart has hate for the likes of Triple H and Vince McMahon.

Bret Hart Admits He Still Wants to Punch Triple H Over the Montreal Screwjob

Bret Hart, Triple H and The Montreal Screwjob (via WWE and Imagn)

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There are three things certain in life: death, taxes, and Bret Hart holding a grudge until the very end. And nothing fuels his anger more than the infamous Montreal Screwjob, a moment that changed professional wrestling forever in 1997. At Survivor Series that year, Hart was on his way out of WWE for WCW and was assured he wouldn’t be forced to drop the gold to Shawn Michaels in his hometown of Montreal. 

But behind the scenes, Vince McMahon, along with Michaels and Triple H, orchestrated a shocking finish. Referee Earl Hebner rang the bell while Michaels had Hart in the Sharpshooter, even though Bret never tapped out. Realizing he had been betrayed, Hart immediately spat in McMahon’s face in front of a stunned live audience. 

His hatred for Michaels and Triple H ran deep for years, defining one of wrestling’s most bitter rivalries. While Hart eventually reconciled and was inducted into the 2006 Class of the Hall of Fame, the Screwjob and the scars it left remain one of the most defining chapters of his legendary career.

And it seems the pain of the night of 9 November nearly 28 years ago still lingers, as Hart once again took aim at WWE’s current Chief Content Officer. During a recent Inside The Ropes event in Manchester, Hart reflected on the aftermath of the screwjob. 

For the unversed, Hart infamously gave McMahon a black eye backstage. ‘The Hitman’ admitted he wished he had landed another knockout punch on Triple H.

Triple H, I wish he’d been in the dressing room when I knocked Vince out… because he might not be married to Stephanie [today].

Bret Hart via Inside The Ropes

Hart didn’t hold back, calling HHH a guy he had very little respect for, and claiming there wasn’t a single match from the 14-time WWE Champion that he would consider great. He went even further, branding Triple H a phony who became McMahon’s hit guy during his career. 

Returning to the events of Montreal, Hart placed the real-life Paul Levesque right alongside Michaels and McMahon among those who betrayed him. 

They were all such sc**bags. Triple H, Shawn [Michaels], Vince [McMahon]. They were set out to destroy me.

Bret Hart via Inside The Ropes

The Hall of Famer acknowledged that speaking so bluntly about WWE’s CCO might not help his chances of ever working with the company again. Recently, Hart and HHH had an awkward moment at WrestleMania 41. Both men were part of the Hall of Fame Class of 2025, where Hart was inducted alongside Stone Cold Steve Austin for their legendary WrestleMania 13 match, while Triple H headlined the ceremony.

During night one of the mega event, cameras caught WWE’s Chief Content Officer shaking hands with both Austin and Hart during an on-air acknowledgment. 

Austin greeted ‘The Game’ with genuine enthusiasm, but when it came to Hart, the exchange looked noticeably colder, with the Canadian legend showing little of the same energy. Apart from HHH, Hart also critiqued former World Champion Gunther’s hard-hitting style and branded it unprofessional. 

Triple H and Shawn Michaels face off in an intense segment on NXT’s September 16th Homecoming episode

It is no secret that Triple H was the man behind the greatest era of NXT when he brought talent from the independent scene and NJPW to the WWE. From Shinsuke Nakamura to Kevin Owens, ‘The Game’ made the brand even better than its main roster counterparts in the form of Raw and SmackDown. 

And on the September 16th episode of NXT Homecoming at Full Sail University, fans were treated to a surprise when the current WWE CCO kicked off the show. Speaking about the brand’s growth and legacy, he was soon joined by the current Senior Vice President of Talent Development, Creative, Shawn Michaels. 

Triple H and Shawn Michaels at NXT Homecoming
Triple H and Shawn Michaels at NXT Homecoming (via WWE)

The two WWE legends reflected on NXT’s past and present before Triple H dropped a major teaser about possibly returning to NXT’s creative and administrative duties. On the Homecoming show, he praised HBK’s current work before stirring up the crowd with a bold statement. 

I gotta tell ya, Shawn, you, your team, the talent, everybody has knocked it out of the park. It is the best thing on the CW. You’re lighting the world on fire… But what if, just what if I said I wanted to come back?

Triple H on NXT’s Homecoming episode

Michaels responded to Triple H’s tease with a stern warning that his return would create serious problems, which quickly escalated into a tense staredown between the two Hall of Famers. The moment was broken up by former NXT General Manager William Regal, who lightened the atmosphere by playfully suggesting a War Games match between them.

While ‘The Game’ is unlikely to return to NXT duties due to his responsibilities running WWE’s main roster creative, the segment served as a nostalgic reminder of his influence on the brand’s golden era. In his place, Michaels has successfully carried NXT forward, establishing a new era of success since taking over in 2022. 

The NXT Homecoming event itself was a major celebration, highlighted by appearances from main roster stars such as Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, Finn Balor, and Stephanie Vaquer, blending the brand’s legacy with its promising future.

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