Montreal Revisited

[Tiger Millionaire]

I know it's probably been discussed at some point, but I am curious what people's opinions are to how Bret Hart's career would have been different if the Screwjob never happened, and he was allowed to drop the title on the next nights Raw?

[Doctor Tull-eus S. Venture]

Iused to think that Bret would've gone on to WCW, floundered for a year, asked to be released from his contract, and then reappear on WWF to properly finish up his career concussion and stroke-free.

But seeing as how the WWF did everything from the Ho Train to Mark Henry and Transsexuals to GTV, I'm sure Bret would've been appalled.

[willywonka666]

Maybe we wouldn't have a Mr. Mcmahon although it seemed to be headed that way with his involvement with Austin anyway

[Hulk With A Mustache]

Jed Schaefer actually did one of his Re-Writing The Books on the Montreal Screwjob. I believe it ended with the WWF going out of business.

[odanobunaga]

hulk6785 said:

Jed Schaefer actually did one of his Re-Writing The Books on the Montreal Screwjob. I believe it ended with the WWF going out of business.

Let me guess:

Bret took the belt to WCW?

[T.J. "the Crippler" Stevens]

Even with the gigantic momentum the screwjob provided for the guy going into WCW, they still didn't do anything with him. It wouldn't have made a difference. He still would've been misused. If they had nothing for him after the screwjob took place then they defintely woudn't have had anything for him without it.

[odanobunaga]

Yeah I never understand that, they could cash in the angle so hard...

[Johnny Danger (Godz)]

odanobunaga said:

hulk6785 said:

Jed Schaefer actually did one of his Re-Writing The Books on the Montreal Screwjob. I believe it ended with the WWF going out of business.

Let me guess:

Bret took the belt to WCW?

I gaurantee this would've happened. Either that, or at some point WCW would start pushing him as an unbeaten champion and put him over the entire WWF.

[Tiger Millionaire]

godz said:

odanobunaga said:

Let me guess:

Bret took the belt to WCW?

I gaurantee this would've happened. Either that, or at some point WCW would start pushing him as an unbeaten champion and put him over the entire WWF.

Then put Hogan over him

[MNM's Official "Fixer"]

I don't think the WWF would have gotten to the Attitude Era. Bret just wouldn't fit into that style of wretling or sports entertainment if you will. I also think that Owen hart would still be alive.

[Arturo Classico]

If Montreal did not happen I feel WWE would be in business but would be so far behind the times. WCW was destroying them , and ECW was looking much better and people were starting to chant ECW at WWE events. It was bad. Nothing was working and it would have continued like this. ECW would have become the shield that WWE used to destroy WCW. The WWE would have funneled even more money and would have better protected talent to stay in ECW since they did not fit the WWE mold and ECW would destroy WCW. Now this makes it ECW vs WWE. Since both had a similar market I see ECW taking over for WCW but would not directly compete with WWE, Remember the huge crux of the fight over WCW and WWE was over having two shows at the same time on monday nights. There was no issue before that. So ECW would do there thing WWE would do there thing.

However ECW would be more popular get better stars than WWE and at this point in my alternate universe WWE is stuggling to stay afloat and barely are making it. Basically they are WCW in 1999 right now. Thats how I see it happening if Montreal never happened since really nothing was really strong for WWE at that time.

[edgehead]

Bret Hart put in all of those years of dedication. I personally do not believe he would have shown up on WCW with the WWE title belt. I really don't. I think he would have vacated it, went to WCW for about a year, and returned to WWF for a short time and ended his career at Wrestlemania or some other event.

[JMA]

I believe that Meltzer said a while back that Bret couldn't have gone to WCW with the belt if he wanted to. I'm not sure on the details though. In any case, his family would have disowned him if he did devalue the WWF Championship like that (a belt that Bret himself deeply respected). There's no doubt in my mind that Bret would have given up the belt (either by vacating it or being beaten) before leaving.

As for WCW, they still would've fallen to the WWF. Their locker room was a ticking time bomb.

[Deleted]

Regarding Bret Hart's career itself, I don't think anything would have changed really. His time in WCW would have been basically the same.

Regarding WWE, it's possible the McMahon character wouldn't have happened...or worked out differently. That has all sorts of implications.

[Arturo Classico]

jma said:

I believe that Meltzer said a while back that Bret couldn't have gone to WCW with the belt if he wanted to. I'm not sure on the details though. In any case, his family would have disowned him if he did devalue the WWF Championship like that (a belt that Bret himself deeply respected). There's no doubt in my mind that Bret would have given up the belt (either by vacating it or being beaten) before leaving.

As for WCW, they still would've fallen to the WWF. Their locker room was a ticking time bomb.

Maybe but with WWF back than the only positive thing that was back than was Montreal happening. They got no mainstream attention being built and was being creamed by WCW. To be honest the question could be asked if they did Montreal and it backfired on WWE than what would have happened? Would it rally more people around WCW? Would this have given ECW the oppurtunity to leap frog WWE? We wont know now obviously. But it is an intreasting question.

What would have happened if The Montreal Screrwjob failed?

[JMA]

The problem with this question is that people view it as an either/or situation--you either have a thriving WWF or a dead WWF. But there's always more than two ways a situation can turn out. For instance, both the WWF and WCW could have cooled in the eyes of the fans, leading to an early end to the boom period. Or maybe both companies would have thrived. It's really hard to say for sure.