Survivor Series (1997) — Montreal and the Montreal Screwjob
A 1997 World Wrestling Federation pay-per-view held in Montreal, best known for the controversial "Montreal Screwjob" ending to the main event between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels.
Overview
Survivor Series (1997) was a World Wrestling Federation (WWF) pay-per-view event staged on November 9, 1997, at the Molson Centre (Molson Centre) in Montreal, Quebec. The show was the eleventh edition of the annual Survivor Series series and featured a card of tag-team elimination bouts and singles matches typical for the promotion. As a professional wrestling (professional wrestling) spectacle, the event is remembered both for its matches and for a real-life controversy that overshadowed the evening.
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Main event and the controversy
The scheduled headline match pitted Bret Hart (Bret Hart) against Shawn Michaels (Shawn Michaels) for the WWF Championship. The bout ended abruptly when company owner Vince McMahon (Vince McMahon) instructed referee Earl Hebner to ring the bell while Hart held Michaels in Hart's finishing hold, the Sharpshooter. Hart had not submitted, but the match was awarded to Michaels; this real-life incident became known as the Montreal Screwjob and generated widespread debate about business ethics, performer contracts and backstage politics.
Background and causes
The controversy grew out of a complex mix of personal and contractual issues at a time when some top performers were due to leave the WWF for rival promotions. Concerns about a champion departing while retaining a title, disagreements over match endings, and distrust among talent and management contributed to the situation. Those tensions help explain why management intervened to change the planned finish in the ring.
Card highlights and notable participants
- Main event: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels — match ended by the disputed referee decision.
- Several multi-wrestler elimination bouts and featured performers from the WWF roster of the era.
- Owners, referees and backstage personnel played decisive roles in how the evening concluded.
Aftermath and significance
The Montreal Screwjob had immediate and long-lasting effects. It altered on-screen storylines and helped shape Vince McMahon's later persona as a villainous authority figure. For Bret Hart and others involved, the episode marked a turning point in their careers and relationships with the company. The event also sparked ongoing discussion among fans and critics about the line between scripted entertainment and real-world business decisions, and it remains one of the most cited controversies in professional wrestling history.
For further reading on the event, its participants and its legacy, see contemporary reports and retrospective analyses that examine both the match itself and the larger context of late-1990s professional wrestling entertainment.
Related links: professional wrestling overview, pay-per-view format, WWF history, Molson Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Montreal Screwjob, Vince McMahon, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart.
Questions and answers
Q: What was Survivor Series (1997)?
A: Survivor Series (1997) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view show made by World Wrestling Federation (WWF).
Q: When was Survivor Series (1997) held?
A: Survivor Series (1997) was held on November 9, 1997 at Molson Centre in Montreal, Quebec.
Q: How many Survivor Series events had the WWF held before Survivor Series (1997)?
A: Survivor Series (1997) was the eleventh Survivor Series event held by the WWF.
Q: What was the main event of Survivor Series (1997)?
A: The main event was shrouded in controversy after a real life event happened which was later dubbed the "Montreal Screwjob".
Q: What was the "Montreal Screwjob"?
A: The "Montreal Screwjob" was when Vince McMahon ordered the referee Earl Hebner to end the match when Shawn Michaels held Bret Hart in Hart's own finishing maneuver, the Sharpshooter, even though Hart did not submit.
Q: Who ordered the referee to end the match at Survivor Series (1997)?
A: Vince McMahon ordered the referee Earl Hebner to end the match at Survivor Series (1997).
Q: What move did Shawn Michaels use in the main event of Survivor Series (1997)?
A: Shawn Michaels used Bret Hart's own finishing maneuver, the Sharpshooter, in the main event of Survivor Series (1997).
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AlegsaOnline.com Survivor Series (1997) — Montreal and the Montreal Screwjob Leandro Alegsa
URL: https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/95236